Mexico and Poland played out a goalless draw, the second of the day, in their Group C opener at the 2022 World Cup in front of a lively crowd at the Stadium 974.
Both sides missed an opportunity to seize control of the group following Argentina's shock loss to Saudi Arabia earlier in the day in a match lacking in quality in the final third.
The major talking point will be the 54th-minute penalty miss by Robert Lewandowski, who was awarded the spot kick following consultation of VAR by referee Chris Reath.
Guillermo Ochoa, making his fifth appearance at the World Cup for El Tri, guessed the right way, diving to his right to keep out the Bialo-czerwony star's tame effort.
Lewandowski, who has 18 goals in 19 games for Barcelona this season, had never missed a penalty at international level prior to today and he still has yet to find the back of the net in four career World Cup games.
The result leaves both teams with a point heading into the second round of fixtures on Saturday with Poland facing leaders Saudi Arabia and Mexico squaring off with a desperate Argentina side.
Story of the match
Despite Mexico dominating the opening stages, it was Poland who had the first opportunity of the match, Lewandowski winning a corner and he got on the end of Piotr Zielinski's delivery, but could only head wide off an El Tri defender.
After Luis Chavez was dispossessed following a hefty challenge by Nicola Zalewski, Hector Moreno got his head to the ensuing corner, which he sent over the crossbar.
The South Americans were much the aggressive side, looking to get forward at every opportunity and attack while their European rivals were playing a high defensive line, content to hit back on the counter.
Over the first 20 or so minutes, neither Ochoa or Wojciech Szczesny were called upon to make a save, but Mexico looked more likely to break the deadlock.
On 26 minutes, El Tri had the best chance of the contest as Hector Herrera sent a ball into the Poland penalty area and Alexis Vega was able to outjump Matty Cash at the far post, but floated the ball across the face of goal and wide.
Two minutes later, a free kick wide on the right saw Jesus Gallardo make a darting run towards the far post up the inside left, but Szczesny was able to anticipate the danger.
The South Americans were again on the attack inside the final ten minutes of the first half as Vega played the ball wide to Jesus Gallardo and he met the return pass only to see Szczesny beat him to the ball.
A cross by Chavez on the left went through the Bialo-czerwony penalty area and straight to Irving Lozano on the right near the byline, but his delivery was blocked.
Just before halftime, Szczesny produced a brilliant save at his near post to deny Sanchez from a tight angle.
Poland made their first change a minute into the second half as Krystian Bielik came on for Zalewski.
The moment that changed the match came when Lewandowski sliced through two Mexico defenders and was pulled down by his shirt by Moreno.
Reath checked with VAR and awarded the Poland talisman a spot kick and he sent a weak effort on goal, Ochoa diving to his left to save and keep the match scoreless.
Szczesny then had to be alert as a flick by Lozano was sent to Edson Alvarez, whose shot from outside the area was parried away.
In the 67th minute, El Tri had another chance to open the scoring, Chavez sending in a free-kick from the left that hit Moreno on the shoulder and went wide.
Three minutes later, Mexico manager Gerardo Martino made a double substitution, sending on Carlos Rodriguez and Raul Jimenez for Herrera and Henry Martin.
Inside the final ten minutes, Vega tried this luck from distance, but sailed his volley wide and Matty Cash had to clear before the ball could reach Jimenez.
Uriel Antuna came on for Vega and Arkadiusz Milik replaced Bielik as each team looked to freshen things up.
In stoppage time, Lozano sauntered down the left and fired toward the near post only to see Poland clear and at the other end, Grzegorz Krychowiak shot over from distance to bring an end to a mostly drab affair.
Player of the match: Guillermo Ochoa
Some Mexico supporters wanted someone other than the 37-year old in net for El Tri, but he showed today why Martino has so much faith in him, producing the moment of magic when his side needed him the most.
