The Mexico national team kicks off their 2015 schedule with a pair of friendlies in the U.S. against Ecuador and Paraguay in Los Angeles and Kansas City. National team coach Miguel Herrera has called up a talented roster, on paper, that will need to come together on the field as the team prepares for two major international tournaments this summer, Copa America in Chile and Gold Cup in U.S. Herrera has led Mexico to a 4-1-1 record since last year’s Round of 16 exit to the Netherlands in Brazil. Their lone loss was their last competitive game against Belarus in Borisov, a 3-2 loss.
The roster that Herrera has brought with him to the U.S. includes 12 European based players and 15 of the 23-man World Cup roster have been called back. Below is the squad as it was released on kcchiefs.com on Friday, March 27, 2015:
Mexico National Team Set for Pair of Friendlies in U.S.
Goalkeepers: Guillermo Ochoa (Málaga CF/Spain, La Liga), Jesús Corona (Cruz Azul)
Defenders: Miguel Layún (Watford FC/England, The Championship), Rafael Márquez (Hellas Verona FC/Italy, Serie A), Héctor Moreno (RCD Espanyol/Spain, La Liga), Diego Reyes (FC Porto/Portugal, Primeira Liga), Julio César Domínguez (Cruz Azul), Francisco Javier Rodríguez (Cruz Azul), Hugo Ayala (Tigres), Jorge Torres Nilo (Tigres), Oswaldo Alanís (Santos Laguna), Paul Aguilar (América), Adrián Aldrete (Santos Laguna)
Midfielders: Jonathan Dos Santos (Villarreal CF/Spain, La Liga), Giovani Dos Santos (Villarreal CF/Spain, La Liga), Andrés Guardado (Valencia CF/Spain, La Liga), Héctor Herrera (FC Porto/Portugal, Primeira Liga), Jesús Dueñas (Tigres), José Juan Vázquez (León), Javier Güemez (Tijuana), Juan Carlos Medina (Atlas), Jurgen Damm (Pachuca)
Forwards: Jesús Manuel Corona (FC Twente/Holland, Eredivisie), Javier Hernández (Real Madrid/Spain, La Liga), Raúl Jiménez (Atlético Madrid/Spain, La Liga), Eduardo Herrera (Pumas)
Herrera has begun to find a consistent group of players he likes on the field, and are getting results in the form of wins. Layun, Ayala, Aguilar, Hector Herrera, Javier Hernandez, and Gio Dos Santos have been regulars on the field since the World Cup while players such as Guardado, Jonathan Dos Santos, Moreno and Jesus Manuel Corona all seem to have a spot on the team locked up as long as they are healthy.
These friendlies in the U.S. will provide Herrera with the opportunity to see three first timers with the national squad, Eduardo Herrera, Jesús Dueñas, and Jurgen Damm. There will also be a competition at the goalkeeper position as last year’s World Cup breakout star on the team Guillermo Ochoa will make room for Jesus Corona in the Ecuador game in LA, while Ochoa gets his shot in Kansas City against Paraguay. Unfortunately Jonathan Dos Santos and Jesus Manuel Corona have picked up minor injuries that will keep them out of the friendlies, opening up an opportunity for players such as Raul Jimenez and Juan Carlos Medina to work with some of the regular starters if given the chance.
Herrera likes to play a five-man defense, with three center backs and two wing backs, The team’s continued improvement in Herrera’s system, especially with players expected to play in those positions this summer, will be a goal of these friendlies, while continuing to help build confidence for players such as Javier Hernandez and Guillermo Ochoa who are finding it tough to find minutes with their European clubs.
If Mexico is able to pull off two wins in this international schedule, expectations will be at an all time high in Herrera’s tenure as national team manager going into the showdown at the Alamodome on April 15 against the U.S.
