Lackluster Performances Seem to get Us Through

Yeah, I’ll admit, the performances have not been that great. And people thought we were going to win WC 2010 with the “golden generation?” Against Jamaica we were handed a loss. A big shock obviously considering our rankings. Everyone got a bit hot tempered (ex. Carlos Vela kicking a Jamaican player towards the end), and well everyone was a bit confused. We lacked creativity and tonight against Canada it was evident that our creativeness comes from a certain someone named Andres Guardado. In my opinion, whether I like it or not, Jamaica deserved to win. It was more due to the fact that we underestimated the opposition. We payed for our cockiness. Three points gone.

However, today we also showed a lot of weakness in our defense. Sure, we might have in our defense some first team starters from Europe but their performance together for Mexico is not quality. Marquez’s yellow card against Jamaica allowed for him to return to Barcelona and not attend tonight’s game. The right choice? Perhaps for the club, but maybe not for his country. Seeing the trouble we were in, as a captain he should have stayed. Morale was low and even if he were unable to play Marquez should have stayed to support his team. He is the captain, after all, and it is a FIFA date. Back to defense. Oswaldo Sanchez…what happened to Santo Oswaldo? Today he looked shaky and it seemed like every shot on goal by Canada turned into a goal. The first goal by Gerba during the 13th minute was a cracker. Sanchez was off his line and he would have been able to stop it if he had positioned himself better. Again, we were in the same situation we were in with Jamaica. Down before the 15th minute. Luckily in the 34th, Carlos Salcido scored from out in a set play which the goal was more by luck than anything else. Then, Radzinski scored right after the start of the 2nd half in the 49th. Again, a mistake from Oswaldo, who let go of the ball and then the goal was scored. Total and complete slow motion moment where a loud “NOOOOOOOOOO” was being screamed in the background. At least, that’s what it felt like. Matias Vuoso came on and responded with a great header in the 64th. Good way to mark your first goal, by giving Mexico a point. I bet everyone’s happy that we have this foreigner on our team. It was also crazy that only last summer Gio Dos Santos and Carlos Vela were playing a youth tournament in the same territory. It’s great that they have made it onto the senior team because that will provide them with a lot of needed experience but I think it putting too much pressure on those two. Yes, they’re our “prodigies” but time needs to be given to them so they can properly develop. They’re some of the future best, and we want them to succeed, but let’s be realistic; they’re no Leo Messi or Kun Aguero. Overall, Mexico played a little better in this game than the one against Jamaica. We had a few moments of brilliance where we attacked and looked dangerous. Time and time again it has been mentioned that we should not belittle our opponents, yet it seems like we never learn.

So now, we have 10 points. I think it is safe to say that we’ve qualified to the next round, but it hasn’t been with some difficulty. The last game will ultimately decide it all, but it was expected for us to have been certainly qualified against Jamaica. Next up is Honduras. Let’s do it boys and remember to expect the unexpected. And as one of my favorite English teachers says, “Cut this Mickey Mouse crap.”

Or maybe, just maybe(I might be a little crazy), we should wear the green jerseys. White does not seem to be our power color.

Goals
CAN: Ali Gerba (12); Tomasz Radzinski (49)
MEX: Carlos Salcido (34); Vicente Matías Vuoso (64)

Canada
Lars Hirschfeld; Kevin Harmse, Andre Hainault, Richard Hastings, Mike Klukowski, Paul Stalteri, Adrián Serioux, Patrice Bernier, Marcel de Jong (Chris Pozniak ‘38), Ali Gerba, Tomasz Radzinski

México
Oswaldo Sánchez; Ricardo Osorio, Aarón Galindo, Jonny Magallón, Carlos Salcido, Andrés Guardado, Gerardo Torrado, Luis Ernesto Pérez (Vicente Matías Vuoso ‘54), Fernando Arce (Carlos Ochoa ‘82), Giovani dos Santos, Carlos Vela (Omar Bravo ‘67)