USMNT draws Mexico - How social media reacted to the CONCACAF World Cup qualifier at Estadio Azteca

The U.S. men's national team went to Mexico on Thursday to begin the crucial final window of 2022 CONCACAF World Cup qualifying, and coach Gregg Berhalter promised they'd be aggressive. Unfortunately for Berhalter (and fans), that approach didn't result in any goals for the U.S. — and likewise for Mexico, El Tri could not find an opening to score either.

The match ended 0-0, and scoreless draw isn't the worst result for either team — they each won a point, and they both have two more games to try to get another six points to clinch their spots in Qatar. It just wasn't exactly the most fun iteration of this storied rivalry to watch.

So, with the match ending with a bit of a thud, here is how the internet reacted to the high and lows (well, there weren't that many highs, but you get the point):

— Carlisle: USMNT's missed chances could prove costly — How United States, Mexico and Canada can qualify — CONCACAF World Cup qual.: Results | Schedule | Standings — <a href="/soccer/fifa-world-cup/story/3860182/2022-world-cup-how-qualifying-works-around-the-world?src=" https: www.espn.com target="_blank">World Cup 2022 qualifying: How it works around the world

Pregame

Once the game got started, those on the scene couldn't help but notice that Estadio Azteca had a subdued atmosphere due to capacity restrictions.

The stadium normally fits 87,000 people, but the Mexican Football Federation scaled back capacity to 50,000 both due to COVID-19 and to better control the crowd amid worries about the anti-gay chants often heard at Mexican national team matches.

Attendees were required to go through a registration system, called Fan ID, which makes it easier for fans who violate the rules to be banned from future matches.

Restrictions