In the CONCACAF region, the table’s leaders Costa Rica host the 2009 Gold Cup champions Mexico in what promises to be a thrilling encounter.
Mexico are favorites again
El Tri are currently out of the qualification zone as they seat fourth in the six-team group table. They’ve picked up only 9 points from a possible 18. These facts indeed reveal their reality in which Mexico are living. However, the team’s recent success in the Gold Cup looks to have redefined their strength in depth.
Coach Javier Aguirre’s mixture of veterans with young chaps has truthfully paid off the country’s pride. Giovanni Dos Santos, Carlos Vela, and Miguel Sabah are key players in the Mexican squad. The trio particularly contributed to Mexico’s success in the Gold Cup competition that was held earlier in July.
Their presence in the national team doesn’t only gives Javier Aguirre an array of options upfront; it also offers Mexico the perfect tonic to trouble any of their regional counterparts’ defense. Adding to Mexico’s strength in attack is the fact that goals can come from anywhere and from anyone. A quick statistic proves that El Tri’s last 25 goals were scored by 13 different players.
Javier Aguirre used Mexico’s friendly game against the USA in August to revaluate his squad’s strengths and weaknesses ahead of September’s World Cup qualifiers. In that final test before next Saturday’s qualifier against Costa Rica, Mexico came back from a goal down to triumph 2-1 in Azteca at the end of proceedings. Conclusion: El Tri’s 5-0 thrashing victory over the Yankees in the finals of the Gold Cup was certainly no fluke.
So Mexico have found back their position as one of CONCACAF’s fiercest team. It has to be said that July’s Gold Cup tournament was the defining moment in Mexico’s recent history.
Though El Tri’s Gold Cup achievement is now part of the past, the success could go on all the way through in the country’s World Cup qualification campaign.
September 5th marks another crucial episode for the Mexicans. With only four matches to go in the group, the Gold Cup reigning champions have no room for mistakes. How well can Javier Aguirre use Mexico’s psychological and physical potential when his side faces the table’s leaders Costa Rica away from home?
Analytically, Mexico should be able to break the stubborn Costa Ricans who will be playing in their own fortress. Regarding the Mexicans’s level of determination created by the must-win factor, everyone will be expecting El Tri to click with a victory in San Jose.
Nevertheless, the must-win factor could also pressurize Mexico to stumble once again. Can it be that Mexico’s disappointing run in the qualifiers of the World Cup never improves?
