Mexico is wrestling with the humiliating prospect of missing the World Cup finals for the first time in a quarter of a century with only two qualifiers left to reverse its fortunes.

The crisis is so bad that the Mexican soccer federation is considering whether to name the national team's third manager in just four days. And the media has shown little love for the players after "El Tri" lost 2-0 to their bitter rival the United States in Columbus, Ohio, on Tuesday.

"Tritanic" was the headline in the Excelsior newspaper while the Cancha sports pages said the team now needs a "miracle" to book its ticket to next year's World Cup in Brazil.