49 ers, a defensive machine in Mexico

San Francisco came to the Azteca stadium in 2022 to change the history of 17 years ago, beating the Arizona Cardinals 38-10, who played as a local team and who in 2005 were the winners (31-14) of the first game of NFL regular season in Mexico.

The Mexican fans of the most important league in the world of American football witnessed how the ovations in the stands of the stadium (with a capacity of 78,427 people) sounded more for the Niners, even with the Cardinals the boos were heard, but not as much as it happened during the musical show in the middle of the game.

Two years without the NFL in Mexico and this year Monday Night of week 11 closed, in a game that represents the fifth official league in our country. The 49ers will remember the Mexican experience because from here they leave as leaders of the NFC West with six games won and four lost, Arizona stayed in third place, in the same division, with a record of 4-7.

Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo proudly strutted the crowd with four touchdown passes, including two to Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle. The rainy night at the Azteca was perfect for San Francisco to win its third straight game. In addition, through the Team Managers, Al Guido (President) and Alex Chang (CMO Marketing) it was already estimated that 80% of the fans would be on the golden side.

Colt McCoy, Cardinals quarterback, leaves Mexico without launching a TD, but the situation was complex having to overcome running back Elijah I. Mitchell’s rushed yards.

Arizona Cardinals began defending the locality, leaving the first quarter at 3-0, but it was the last time, since the next three chapters were from San Francisco (17-7), (14-0), (7-0).

The second quarter Garoppolo commanded the offense, after dragging Arizona 82 yards; he capped off his drive with a seven-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Aiyuk to make it 7-3. The 49ers didn’t give up ground and pulled away from the opposition on the scoreboard, thanks to the seven points they added after Garoppolo threw a 39-yard pass to George Kittle. San Francisco extended the good momentum in the first series of the third quarter with a reversal that Deebo Samuel put his team up 24-10. There was no reversal, the 49ers are a defensive machine and seven more points put a lock on the score at 38-10.

So far, no NFL game has been confirmed for 2023, but this was the last of the series of five international games the league has scheduled this season. The first three played in London and the fourth in Germany. The NFL seeks to land in the future in other places in Europe such as France or Spain.

marisol.rojas@eleconomista.mx