Mexico's chances of winning a second Gold Medal in Olympic football have been handed a serious blow, as Oribe Peralta and Rodolfo Pizarro were ruled out of the tournament due to injury.
Both players scored during El Tri's 2-2 draw against Germany in the tournament's opening match, and they helped out during Mexico's 5-1 win against Fiji. Nevertheless, that win may have left a huge gap to fill for Raúl Gutierrez's men.
Peralta is Mexico's all-time top scorer in Olympic football. He scored four goals during El Tri's run for the gold four years ago. On the other hand, Pizarro is one of Mexico's most talented midfielders, being able to play as a holding midfielder or down the right flank. Peralta came down with a broken nose, while Pizarro was subbed off against Fiji due to a broken fibula.
Peralta accidentally broke his nose while fighting for an aerial ball against Fiji's goalie.
In order to replace both players, who will be travelling back to Mexico in the next few hours, coach Gutiérrez called up Carlos Fierro and Raúl López. Fierro was a member of the U-17 World Champions in 2011 under Gutierrez, while López helped El Tri during the 2015 Olympic Qualifiers.
Before they had to leave Mexico's training camp, Peralta and Pizarro showed how their team-mates wished them well by signing their shirts.
Mexico's final game of the Group Stage will take place on Wednesday. El Tri will have to defeat South Korea if they want to make it to the KO stage without worrying about what Germany does against Fiji.
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