At the end of a dismal performance by the Mexican National Team, the spotlight shifted away from the result to an incident involving a projectile thrown from the stands at Francisco Morazán Stadium that struck head coach Javier Aguirre.

What Happened in Honduras?

After the match, where Luis Palma scored twice to secure a victory for Honduras over Mexico, an object—reportedly a can—was hurled from the crowd and hit Aguirre on the head. The impact left a visible wound, causing bleeding that drew the attention of the match officials. Aguirre was escorted to the locker room, where he received medical attention from the team’s staff.

The Moment Javier Aguirre Was Hit

Inside the locker room, Aguirre was treated and received four stitches to close the wound, according to TUDN. Despite the incident, he attended the post-match press conference, downplaying the hit and focusing on his disappointment over the game’s outcome.

What Did Javier Aguirre Say About the Defeat?

The Mexican head coach took responsibility for the loss, expressing faith in his team’s ability to bounce back in the second leg in Toluca on November 19.

"I don’t point fingers; I am the one primarily responsible for the loss," Aguirre stated. He also downplayed the incident with the projectile, calling it “part of football.”

“It’s football,” Aguirre remarked about the hit. Regarding the game, he added, "It was clean, it was tough. They deserved to win, and all I can do is congratulate them. I’m not one to complain. It’s just another match. We have to recover."

The coach began the press conference with a message of solidarity for the people of Honduras, who are suffering from the effects of Tropical Storm Sara. He also extended his sympathies to Valencia and other regions of Spain affected by severe flooding, saying, "My thoughts are with those who have lost family, their cars, or parts of their lives."

On the game, Aguirre reflected, “We started well. The first goal was a bit odd—an error in clearing the ball by goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa. Later, while trying to equalize and making adjustments, we had a couple of chances but became slightly disorganized, and they scored the second.”

Looking ahead, Aguirre emphasized the importance of turning things around in Toluca, expressing frustration with the result.

“I’m upset with the outcome because I don’t think my players deserved a 2-0 loss. Truly, I believe that. We weren’t as decisive as we needed to be,” he concluded.