Panama 0 Mexico 1: Peralta nets winner

Mexico will carry winning form into November’s World Cup qualifiers after a 1-0 victory over Panama in a friendly on Tuesday.

An Oribe Peralta goal just before the hour-mark secured victory for Juan Carlos Osorio’s men at Toyota Park.

It followed on from their hard-fought victory over New Zealand, as they take winning form into the fifth round of CONCACAF qualifying.

Mexico face the United States on November 11 before another meeting with Panama five days later.

They struggled to genuinely threaten against Panama, although they were once again without Javier Hernandez.

Peralta’s goal, set up by Giovani dos Santos, proved the match-winner to extend Mexico’s unbeaten run to four.

Osorio made numerous changes to the team that beat the Kiwis, but Peralta and Dos Santos kept their spots in attack.

Dos Santos almost opened the scoring at the end of a dull first half, only to be denied by Panama goalkeeper Jose Calderon.

Mexico struggled to create and had just one shot on target in the opening 45 minutes in Bridgeview, Illinois.

Substitute Hirving Lozano helped set up the opener in the 59th minute, as Dos Santos squared for Peralta to score.

They managed to see out the hard-fought victory, something they will hope to do again next month.