The Moment of Truth

June 24th, 2006 | By: John | 52 Comments »

Ricardo La volpe has promised that he would get Mexico to the elusive 5th game of a world cup. Well, let’s hope his butt can cash the check his mouth wrote today. We all knew it would be difficult to make it to the quarters with the draw, but if a team has expectations as such, then somewhere along the lione, they have to beat a quality, quality team.

Argentina is such a team. Mexico got lucky drawing them as opposed to Holland, who pose much bigger match up problems for Mexico. I expect the game to be a chippy, typical Latin American hackfest: lots of fouls, lots of cards, but not a lot of goals. Can Mexico pull the upset, absolutely. Will they? I sure hope so. My heart says Mexico, but the brain in getting in the way. I smell penalties today, and we all know what happens to Mexico in penalties. Argentina moves on.




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Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 52 comments.

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Username By Anita | June 24th, 2006 at 11:14 pm
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I just wanted to say that you guys played an amazing game, you never gave up. You should be very proud of the way your team played. I am Argentinian and I was bummed that we had to play with you guys. Even tough I will support my team always, I will support you guys also. Don’t be bothered by what La12 said, he or she is a fuc*ing racist, that’s just not cool.

Posted from United States United States

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Username By Rain | June 24th, 2006 at 11:14 pm
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Wonderful performance from the Mexican team. Clearly dominated the first part and half of the second part. They gave their heart on the field. It is true that Heinze should have got a red and also that there was no offside on the second goal from Argentina.

LA12: if you are Argentinien, like I am, you’d better stop spitting to the ceiling. If we play against Germany as bad as we did today, our blog should be closed in 6 days.

Posted from Spain Spain

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Username By Cherries | June 24th, 2006 at 11:16 pm
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It’s so obvious who are the blind fans and who are the lovers of great football. Mexico played a great game. They really showed what they are made of and that they were not afraid of Argentina. Maybe after the 6-0 victory the Argentinians taught it would all go very easy. The Mexicans proved them wrong and they leave this World Cup with their heads up. Way to go, guys.

Posted from Netherlands Netherlands

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Username By Peludo | June 24th, 2006 at 11:17 pm
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wonderful game… El Tri played their hearts out. Congrats to the team to all Mexicans… you should be proud.

Harry from California

Posted from United States United States

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Username By Luis | June 24th, 2006 at 11:20 pm
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Argentina are a great team, but now, they also have 30 more minutes on their legs because of Mexico. They will probably make it to the final, but this game will have an impact beyond the round of 16.

Posted from United States United States

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Username By fab | June 24th, 2006 at 11:21 pm
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from an argentine

way ta go mexico you played great

even tho we got disallowed a goal right at the end

you still should be proud

Posted from Canada Canada

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Username By La12 | June 24th, 2006 at 11:25 pm
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Anita before you were a lawnmower and now you are an argentine? WTF? For all I know you are a loser, go post somewhere else, the ones still in the game have a say. Yes, go, go, pst! go home ugly cucaracha

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Username By Delfina | June 24th, 2006 at 11:33 pm
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i’m from Argentina, i think that México play excellent, really was a hard rival.

congratulations

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Username By javier | June 24th, 2006 at 11:36 pm
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im from argentina and im here to congratulate all mexicans…u guys played a great game and played a better first half than argentina though argentina played better the second half i think…argentina deserved to win though we created more one on ones so please lets be fair and have no talk of the ref blew it or that mexico was better…as far as the heinze tackle its not a direct red for 3 reason…one he was in front of the player not behind …two he went for the ball not only the man..and three ayala was closing in so he was not the last player…yellow was fair….and to la12 i bet my life ur not argentinian jsut a sore american being a moron and u discredit everything argentina and mexico did on the pitch today….please go shoot urself..dont have babys and if ur from argentina i now disown u..plese turn in ur passport and ur albiceleste shirt u truly are an idiot bigot who doesnt deserve the joy of argentinas win..the game was 100 percent even but argentinas win was the fair outcome since we did get a goal disalowed last minute …….mexico once again congratulations and thanks for making me worry and sweat more than i have ever worried in my whole life……

Posted from United States United States

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Username By izzy Dillon | June 24th, 2006 at 11:39 pm
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Let me tell you…mexico done what they wanted to do:
Hasta la muerte para chingar a estos argentinos de mierda!!!..I did live in Mexico for two years just by accident..and went the argentina’s crisis happended they were more happy done MR Bush even at the airport the policie was laughing at me and went…you dont look so proud this time around…so come burritos…
anita mexico played a great tactic game though argentina won cos still better than then.

Posted from Sweden Sweden

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Username By skywalker | June 25th, 2006 at 2:19 am
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btw, Heinze was not given a red card for 2 reasons:

1 - in a case of a blatant foul, say the keeper (last man back for ARg) did that to the mexican player instead of Heinze, then it’s a red card. since the mexican player still had to beat the keeper, it’s one reason.

2 - Ayala was judged to have been close enough to the ball in order to come to the rescue.

Still, I would have given it a red but I guess benefit goes to an established defender like Heinze.

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Username By La12 | June 25th, 2006 at 2:21 am
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Javier, obviously aids’s slowly killing you. It shows in the incoherent ramblings that you wrote. You are a wetback’s ass kisser (that’s lower than a roach, you know).
As for you my little mexicans, don’t worry, you’ll all be back on your knees in no time.

lol, you ppl are funny!

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Username By Rene | June 25th, 2006 at 2:36 am
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Skywalker…

Ayala was nowhere near the are where the ball was being fought. He would have not been able to make it before Kikin faced the goalkeeper.

And the rules are clear:

Faltas sancionables con una expulsión

Un jugador será expulsado y recibirá la tarjeta roja si comete una de las siguientes siete faltas:

1. ser culpable de juego brusco grave

2. ser culpable de conducta violenta

3. escupir a un adversario o a cualquier otra persona

4. impedir con mano intencionada un gol o malograr una oportunidad manifiesta de gol (esto no vale para el guardameta dentro de su propia área penal)

5. malograr la oportunidad manifiesta de gol de un adversario que se dirige hacia la meta del jugador mediante una falta sancionable con tiro libre o penal

6. emplea lenguaje o gesticula de manera ofensiva, grosera u obscena

7. recibir una segunda amonestación en el mismo partido

Rule number 5 says so.

Posted from United States United States

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Username By Big-Baller-Shot-Caller | June 25th, 2006 at 6:09 am
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Some food for thought:

1.That was a red card, no doubt about it.

2.Borgetti and Fonseca did not have the best of games.

3.Guardado was spectacular.

4.Sinha was just ok, and Bravo and Franco watched it all from the bench.

5.Argentina dives perhaps even more than Portugal. Mexico needs to found a Televisa school of diving obviously.

6.The subs of Argentina were outstanding. Changed the game.

7.Mexico’s defense was spectacular, except the own-goal. I still think if Pardo doesnt jump 2 seconds to soon, Borgetti stays calm there.

8.Every player left it on the field from both sides. That is all most fans wanted.

9.Salcido is ROCK SOLID! MVP for Mexico.

10.Lavolpe was terrific. His plan almost worked to perfection. The Sinha sub was the only little thing that backfired in my opinion. Other than that, he was really awesome with his line-up and game plan. Argentina was shaking.

11.I would pay a lot of money for a portrait of Diego Maradon and his nervous fat butt in the stands. Priceless.

Posted from United States United States

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Username By Rene | June 25th, 2006 at 2:37 pm
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Given that is almost impossible at this point to keep Lavolpe given he can’t keep his mouth shut and that a good chunk of the press wants blood regardless, the people at FEMEXFUT have to be very careful.

Valdano said it best… do not judge a process because of the last couple of games, but rather situate it according to where the team was 4 world cups ago. He said that the last step, to make a world champion, is the most difficult of them all (look how long it took Argentina to win one).

I like the style of play Lavolpe gave the team. Instead of having the kicker send it upfront with a kick, to start playing from the defense. I also believe that whomever the new coach is should keep playing with this core of players and sprinkle some new ones. Granted, we need to start looking for replacements for Pardo, Borgetti, Sinha, Ramoncito, sinc ethey will be too old to play the next World Cup, but people like Osorio, Salcido, Castro, Guardado, etc. should stay.

Also, unless we have another Ojitos Meza debacle (I hope not!), we should keep the four year process. I’m still not sold on a 2 month period of training before the World Cup though because the players lose match readiness or speed, but rather keeping the same core of players on the field at each position every time.

Now is the time to have a cool head to analyze, and try to rescue all the positives and construct from there, and not to start from scratch.

Oh… and please… no Hugo. If we don’t want more issues with the press, Hugo is the worst candidate to have. Just look at how people reacted to him in Pumas before he was sacked. The guy would only look for himself instead of the players. He is also devisive. If you didn’t like the Lavolpe tactics, then you won’t like this guy either.

Posted from United States United States

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Username By Big-Baller-Shot-Caller | June 25th, 2006 at 8:02 pm
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Good points Rene.

I am not sold on Lavolpe. I was never sold on Lavolpe. However, he was brilliant yesterday. Strictly from a tactical standpoint he made a lot of questionable moves over and over again this world cup.

If you rate his performance in friendly matches and in the friendlies leading up to the World Cup you see a lot of the same problems no matter who is on the team. His constant tinkering really cost us the group and he stuck with guys he did not need to stick with.

There are many examples. But when he finally lined up Guardado, Ramon, Castro it brought a smile to my face. Pineda was bench material in my opinion all along. Mendes was thrown into it all in the last minute and did ok but the question remains, why the lineup had more changes and more changes every single time Mexico played even outside the world cup.

Posted from United States United States

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Username By Big-Baller-Shot-Caller | June 25th, 2006 at 8:09 pm
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To follow up. Being fair to Lavolpe, he did not get the goals from the guys. Period.

Borgetti gets hurt and I think it threw Lavolpe off because when he turned to Guille, it turns out Guille is more of a choker even than most Mexican forwards under pressure.

Most games Lavolpe coached they moved the ball well but for whatever reason we can’t put 3-5 goals on most teams. We became a 1-0 type team or 2-1 type team.

The best part of the Lavolpe era without a doubt is tactical organization defensively. You never got the feeling that anybody could score on us easily. Yesterday the team defense was world class.

The set plays, free kicks and corner kicks were Mexico’s strength, Lavolpe really brought Mexico up to speed in the world with these.

Posted from United States United States

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Username By japerron | July 5th, 2006 at 7:43 pm
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la12, I’m sure you are quite familiar with the “on your knees” position.

Posted from United States United States

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