Notre Dame played Mexico's U-20 team to a scoreless tie in a physical friendly before more than 2,700 fans at Alumni Field on Friday.
In a game that featured 32 fouls between the two teams and saw Mexico draw three yellow cards and a red card, neither squad could muster even a solid attempt on goal until the first half's final minute, when Mexico's Moises Velasco's shot soared over the net. The Irish were out-shot 8-1 in the first half and 13-8 for the game.
Notre Dame's best try came just four minutes into the second, when rising senior defender Jack Traynor's free kick deflected off the post. The Irish dominated the possession over the final 20 minutes, as rising sophomore Josh Thiermann just missed a shot near the Mexico goal.
That started a string of good looks for Notre Dame, as rising juniors Dave Donohue and Michael Thomas both saw decent looks sail high.
Notre Dame auditioned a pair of goalkeepers in the game, both of whom fared well. Rising senior Andrew Quinn manned the net during the first half, while rising junior Philip Tuttle closed out the game with a solid performance in the second. Tuttle's save with 33:40 to play preserved the shut-out, as he punched a Velasco shot just over the cross bar on Mexico's best scoring chance of the match.
