Mexico Roster Set for Friendly

Mexico is fresh off a gold medal from their U-23 squad in London and now turn the national team focus to the friendly against the United States on Wednesday.  The long run in the Olympics may have shaken up the roster for Mexican coach Jose Manuel de la Torre but he still has a talented group of players for the match at Estadio Azteca.

Carlos Salcido, Oribe Peralta, and Giovani Dos Santos are missing from the roster, but do have a fresh piece of hardware around their necks from London.  Despite the impending start of the Premier League, Javier Hernandez or Chicharito did make the squad.  He will need to rejoin the Manchester United at Old Trafford immediately following the match.  Chicharito has 25 international goals in 38 matches.  U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann knows the Mexico system is a winning style even with players missing.

"They understood that they need to have a style and have a player that buys into it 100 percent and works as hard as he can. Based on those elements and their preferred 4-2-3-1 system, they automized sequences and where and how the players moved and they’ve doubled and tripled the positions that we have discussed. Certain players that are normally on the team aren’t there, but the players that are there play exactly the same roles. If Giovani Dos Santos is not there in the middle of the attacking midfield, (Angel) Reyna is there. If Chicharito (Javier Hernandez) is not there, then another guy is there. I think they have matched what was going on globally. If you want to be in the top 10 in the world, you have to adjust to this type of style. You can’t just sit back and just counter attack and hope you’re going to win a game."

The 18-man squad is largely made up of players in the Mexican league, Liga MX or the Mexican Primera.  Many of these players will be familiar to the U.S. squad, including Herculez Gomez who plays in Liga MX.  Klinsmann commented on the familiarity factor in the match.

"It’s (Mexico) a very good league. It’s good competition down here. The fact that they leave their comfort zone and play in the league down here means a lot. They work their way through and it’s exciting to see now how Edgar Castillo and Joe Corona are starters in Tijuana. Jose Torres in a couple seasons now has been one of the better players for Pachuca. Michael Orozco is now back after losing his starting spot, and for us calling him in is recognition for his fight. We are communicating with all the players here in Mexico. That’s important for us to have a presence down here. The people in Mexico are starting to realize that. They see that we come down here and watch games. They are open to any dialogue. I think it means a lot to us and to the players constantly being called back into the national team program."

These are interesting rosters with leagues getting underway around the globe despite the match being on an international match day.  Here is the rest of the Mexico roster for Wednesday:

Goalkeepers: Guillermo Ochoa (Ajaccio, France), Alefredo Talavera (Toluca);

Defenders: Francisco Javier Rodriguez (Stuttgart, Germany), Hector Moreno (Espanyol), Severo Meza (Monterrey), Hugo Ayala (UANL Tigres), Jorge Torres Nilo (UANL Tigres), Enrique Perez (Morelia), Adrian Aldrete (Club America);

Midfielders: Jesus Zavala (Monterrey), Manuel Viniegra (UANL Tigres), Edgar Gerardo Lugo (Santos Laguna), Pablo Barrera (Cruz Azul), Andres Guardado (Valencia, Spain), Angel Reyna (Monterrey);

Forwards: Elias Hernandez (UANL Tigres), Aldo de Nigris (Monterrey), Javier Hernandez (Manchester United, England).