31313_isi_camerongeoff_usamnttq081512048 Tony Quinn/isiphotos.com
The Hexagonal

El Tri Announces 23-Man Roster for U.S. Match

Giovani Dos Santos, Oribe Peralta, and Javier Hernández will spearhead the attack when Mexico hosts the United States in a World Cup qualifier March 26 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
BY Jon Arnold Posted
March 13, 2013
9:59 PM
Mexico released its 23-man roster for its qualifiers against Honduras and the United States, meaning we’ll know who Jose Manuel de la Torre will have in his employ when the U.S. visits the Azteca on March 26. For much more on the team, and its tactics, vist our Mexico page inside our Hex channel.

Here are the players called:

Goalkeepers

Guillermo Ochoa (Ajaccio), Jesús Corona (Cruz Azul), Alfredo Talavera (Toluca)

Defenders

Severo Meza (Monterrey), Jonny Magallón (León), Francisco (Maza) Rodríguez (América), Héctor Moreno (Espanyol), Hugo Ayala (Tigres), Diego Reyes (América), Jorge Torres Nilo (Tigres), Carlos Salcido (Tigres)

Midfielders

Jesús Zavala (Monterrey), Gerardo Torrado (Cruz Azul), Jesús Molina (América), Héctor Herrera (Pachuca), Javier Aquino (Villarreal), Andrés Guardado (Valencia), Ángel Reyna (Pachuca)

Forwards

Giovani Dos Santos (Mallorca), Oribe Peralta (Santos), Javier Hernández (Chicharito) (Manchester United), Omar Bravo (Atlas), Raúl Alonso Jiménez (América)

Guillermo Ochoa, the keeper who is having an outstanding year in France, returns to the national team after missing the scoreless draw with Jamaica because of the birth of his first child. That means no call-up for Tijuana keeper Cirilo Saucedo. De la Torre has favored Cruz Azul man Corona in net even with Ochoa in the side, but Memo has been in better form, giving the manager a decision to make.

The back line features the return of Jonny Magallón, making five of the eight defenders called who play centrally. Tom Marshall ponders if this means Chepo has a formation change in mind, but that would be a surprise.

The midfield doesn’t feature many surprises, though Chivas star Marco Fabian wasn’t selected. There’s far more going on up top, where again there’s no Carlos Vela for El Tri. Vela continues both his tremendous run of play and eschewing of national team soccer.

Omar Bravo, a former Chivas forward who now plays for Atlas after stints in Spain and with Sporting Kansas City when the club was the Wizards, will wear the green kit for the first time since Gold Cup 2009. Bravo has five goals in the Clausura for Atlas and has buoyed the team into second place in Liga MX after finishing in the penultimate place in the Apertura. Making way for Bravo is Aldo de Nigris, the Monterrey forward.

What do you think of this lineup? Predictions for the match? Tell us below.

Jon Arnold (@ArnoldcommaJon) is a writer based in Arizona and is ASN's CONCACAF correspondent.

Post a comment

AmericanSoccerNow.