World

North America

Mexico

Did We Deserve It?

November 20th, 2008 | By: Andrea | 12 Comments »

FMF I would like to first say that this game all around embarrassed me as a Mexican football fan.

Lineups:

Honduras: Noel Valladares, Sergio Mendoza, Victor Bernardez, Maynor Figueroa, Hendry Thomas (Danilo Turcios, 46), Amado Guevara, Wilson Palacios, Ivan Guerrero, Emil Martinez (Ramon Nunez, 71), Carlo Costly, David Suazo.

Mexico: Oswaldo Sanchez, Aaron Galindo, Carlos Salcido, Rafael Marquez, Ricardo Osorio, Gerardo Torrado, Antonio Naelson Sinha (Carlos Vela, 57), Pavel Pardo, Fernardo Arce (Nery Castillo, 72), Andres Guardado, Matias Vuoso (Omar Bravo, 83).

The game started out well. The Honduran fans created a great atmosphere. It was very loud and even though they were disrespectful during the anthems that was to be expected. It was after all a very important match. In the 1st minute we were already attacking. Vuoso had the first shot in the 1st minute.

The 32nd again showed Vuoso but this time he sent it over the bar. The play had been good and Guardado had sent an excellent cross. It was also raining like crazy at this time.

So half time came and went and there were a few difficulties restarting the game. The Honduran team were still in the locker room. It seems like they were trying to even the times of their own match with that of the Jamaican team. But eventually they came out, nice and clean in new uniforms.

Again, right at the start Vuoso had another close shot.

However, in the 6th minute Mexico scored off a corner. Of course, as you might have expected it, it was into the wrong net. The own goal-er? Osorio. We were 1-0 down and with Jamaica scoring in their own game we had reason to worry.

The 15th minute showed Oswaldo’s great reflexes. The Honduran player shot the ball over him as he caught Oswaldo off his line but luckily San Oswaldo was able to stretch up and stop the ball.

Nery Castillo came on and he got into the game. Out of everyone, he seemed to be trying.

Then it started to get worse. In the 42nd Torrado was handed a red card. It wasn’t a straight red but an accumulation of yellows. My initial thoughts? You were playing? I hadn’t seen anything from Torrado and this took me by surprise. Not because it was a red, but because until then, he had been invisible,

A minute later in the 43rd Vela mad a STUPID mistake and took a guy down from behind. The inexperience of a young player? Frustration? Anger? The last two emotions belonged to the fans. This perhaps was the most disappointing. Was this what we had come down to? Mexico, the all high and mighty of the CONCACAF had come down to kicks? Why? Did Vela realize what this would reflect? Not only did he humiliate his country, but he dissed his club as well. Arsenal never taught him this. The young Mexican better watch his actions because he is revered highly by the world and by young players. If I were Arsene Wenger, I would sit him out and discipline him because Arsenal aren’t having a good season and if he gets frustrated this easily then it can happen at one of those games too. You have to think those kind of actions through Carlitos…what were you thinking leaving your team 9 men down? There could have been a chance to salvage a point. I’m sure Guardado gave you an earful(and in worse language than I would have used) and any other time I would have tried to defend you because I really like you, but you deserved it.

As for Sven Goran Eriksson…I don’t think he should be out of a job. It’s not entirely his fault, the players should shoulder some of the burden. Plus, switching managers at this time would throw everything out of balance. Besides, as much as I don’t like to say it, Mexico hasn’t shown to play at a high level. Sure, all the players have potential but that’s all it is. Potential. It isn’t a bona fide thing.

The fans, myself included, need to realize that.

Tags: Group D, Mexico Team News, World Cup 2010

Mexico World Cup RSS Feed

Comments

By asdf | November 20th, 2008 at 11:03 pm

Well I think we deserved it. The only reason they won was because of an own goal so it was heading towards a tie anyway.

I don’t agree that switching a manager would be a bad thing though. Look at Jamaica, they switched their manager and their team completely changed, winning their last three.

I think if they had made that change earlier Mexico would have been knocked out already!!

Sure it is not all Sven’s fault but Mexico needs improve, we NEED it.

Posted from United States

By Pseudinho | November 20th, 2008 at 11:11 pm

Posted from United States

By Pseudinho | November 20th, 2008 at 11:12 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwdoxFGHqDk

Posted from United States

By Russell | November 21st, 2008 at 12:48 am

I don’t think it’s Eriksson’s fault, it’s the Mexican media. The Mexican media put way too much pressure on their own players, and they treat Mexico as if it is a Brazil or Argentina! With this type of pressure (and no world cups to back it), it’s no wonder Mexico perform so poorly sometimes. Don’t get me wrong, Mexico have very great, young players, but the pressure put on them by the media is exxagerated. If Mexico is to perform well, it needs a media like the USA’s, which does not treat the team as if it is an Italy or Germany, but one that is growing. I think if there was to be this change of mentality down south, Mexico would perform a lot better and not get pummeled by teams as lowly as Honduras and Jamaica.

Posted from United States

By Pseudinho | November 21st, 2008 at 1:07 am

I’ve always noticed this about Mexico when things are going good the are terrific and beautiful to watch and their players seem composed, when they are down and it’s time to fight back, they do……but not in the way that’s needed…..but in a way that costs them silly red cards, because they lose their cool and take cheap shots at players.

Posted from United States

By Andrea | November 21st, 2008 at 9:52 am

asdf-I think we were evenly matched in the game and we had many chances that perhaps it could have ended in a tie. But what I mean when I say Did we deserve it is did the players really want it enough? Did we actually fight the the max to go on to the next level or did we just expect it to come naturally?

Russell-I don’t think it’s Eriksson’s fault either. Like I said, the players need to shoulder some of the blame as well. It’s true that the media builds the team up as if it were the greatest in the world, which it has clearly shown that it is not. I wouldn’t blame the media too much though. Other countries are just as focused on their national teams as well but they do better.

Pseudinho- It’s true. At times they are a joy to watch. But when things aren’t going their way the dirty playing comes out. And its not just from the outfield players. Oswaldo was clearly frustrated as well and was screaming for the game to end.

Posted from United States

By foureyedkoko | November 21st, 2008 at 8:46 pm

No, asdf, you did not deserve to go through. Between you and Jamaica it was pretty mas 50/50, neither of those two teams managed to win an away game, how is that deserving of a pass? In any case, The Honduras and the Canada games played in Mexico both were won in very unconvincing ways. Honduras basically gifted Pardo the first goal and the second was just disgraceful defending. I also believe that if Osorio hadn’t scored the goal, Suazo would have, he was right next to Osorio. And anyways, the own goal was provoked, it wasn’t a stupid mistake, it was just an effect of the way Honduras was playing. Sooner or later, the goal would have gone in.

Russell, you are right. For some reason Mexicans believe that their team is on par with Brazil or Spain or any other big footballing nation, but they don’t have the silverware to back that claim up. I think this weighs too much on the players’ minds and the mental aspect of their game isn’t what it’s supposed to be. The only reason Mexico has gone to the many World Cups that they have is because the rest of the teams in the Concacaf region had undeveloped football associations, but it seems like most of them are starting to catch up, so don’t go saying “lowly” Honduras and Jamaica. Just as you say that you can’t say that Mexico is great, you can’t say that those two other teams are crap.

By Cristiano | November 21st, 2008 at 8:46 pm

man that pitch was terrible. the game should have been played someother day on a warm sunny day. the ball would get stuck in the mud.

By asdf | November 22nd, 2008 at 12:08 am

No,foureyedkoko, your wrong and you don’t pay attention. It doesn’t matter that Mexico hadn’t won an away game becuase at the time that they were playing Honduras they were the leader of the group. Also your analysis of Mexico’s home games vs. Canada and Honduras don’t mean jack. Mexico came back from behind to beat Honduras and that is a tough thing to do especially without own goals(hint). “The second was just disgraceful defending”, well duh that’s how most goals are scored(hint again=Osorio own goal).

Yes it may have been a toss up with Jamaica but I already stated that Jamaica could have made it through if they switched coaches earlier, but they didn’t.
It’s also ridiculous to think Suazo would score if Osorio didn’t. Not only was he falling backwards, the fact is that if Osorio hadn’t scored the ball would most likely be deflected away and Suazo still wouldn’t have touched it.

Posted from United States

By asdf | November 22nd, 2008 at 12:20 am

To continue, foureyedkoko, Mexico doesn’t do badly when they play against Brazil but that is not why we think they are great. The reason is that because of now, Mexico has the most Mexicans playing in Europe than they ever did before. With a large number of the national team players playing in higher leagues we expect more from them.

The thing with Mexico is that we always have the potential to go further but it never plays out. We are the perrenial underachievers of the world cup. We’ve had some great teams with great players, but since we don’t always make it that far people like you keep us down and say we’re not great. I agree that Jamaica and Honduras can’t be considered lowly teams, I see that they can play good futbol, but what I’m trying to say is stop being a hater.

Posted from United States

By foureyedkoko | November 22nd, 2008 at 2:29 am

dude, I’m not a hater, i actually prefer Mexico to go through because I believe they would simply perform better in the World Cup than Jamaica. I just think that they haven’t performed as well as they should.

By asdf | November 22nd, 2008 at 2:35 am

If you say so.

Posted from United States

Comments are closed