Mas que 70mil personas en un estadio de futbol en los EEUU (el Super Bowl en el ultimo domingo tuve cerca de 71 mil personas). Un numero que ja es muy bueno y tornase mas impresionante cuando vemos que es un partido que no valia casi nada. Yo dijo CASI.

Un partido amigable entre los EEUU y Mexico. Amigable en el papel pero yo puedo arriscarme a decir que es como un Brasil X Argentina de proporciones mas pequenas.

El encuentro se pasó en Houston, Texas. Naturalmente muchos aficionados de Mexicos estuveram allá para apoyar su equipo pero tambien havia muchos rostos en azul y rojo apoyando el equipo de las barras y estrellas.

El partido fué interessante con jugadas um poco más duras, o que és tipico de una gran rivalidad, y 2 goles para cada lado.

 

Los dos equipos apresentaran problemas en sus defensas y los goles aconteceran en jugadas de cruzamiento en la area oposta.

Mexico no me impresinó mucho. A el equipo de Hugo Sanchez faltó organización en la media cancha y sentió la falta de un jugador para crear jugadas y controlar la pelota em mediocampo, como hacia Cuauhtémoc Blanco. Valla tuve una buena apresentacion y pruebó que estás listo para juga en el equipo mayor. Su primer tiempo fué muy bueno y en el segundo el fué replassado por Gio que no tuve mucho tiempo para mostrar todo su futbol.

En el lado de los EEUU la gran decepción fué la “Diva” Donovan. Un jugador que tiene talento  pero que frecuentemente no se encuentra en la cancha y no ayuda a su equipo. Pero por otro lado en la porteria ja podem estar seguros que la camiseta numero 1 es de Tim Howard y Jozy Altidore cada vez más tornase el goleador que los EEUU necessitan. El no tuve muchos momentos con la pelota en sus pies pero cuando la tuve fué un terror para la defense Mexicana.

El resultado de 2 a 2 fué justo y también um premio para a fantastica afficion que estuve en el Reliant Stadium en esta noche.

Y el “título” de “Rey de la CONCACAF” continua con los EEUU que ganó la Copa Concacaf el año pasado. Mexico vás a tener una otra oportunidad de recuperar ese “título” en las Eliminatorias para el Mundial en el proximo verano.

More than 70,000 people watching soccer at a Stadium in the United States (the Super Bowl XLII last Sunday had an attendance of 71,000). That number is already great and it can become even more amazing if we say that the game meant almost nothing. I said ALMOST.

It was a friendly match between USA and Mexico. A match that was officially called a friendly but in smaller proportions I’d risk to say that this rivalry could be compared to a Brazil X Argentina.

The game was in Houston, Texas. So it was only natural that a big part of the crowd was of Mexican supporters but I saw a lot more USA painted-faces than the usual.

The game itself was quite exciting. Typical of a great rivalry. Things heated up after a few rougher plays and 2 goals to each side.

Both teams showed weaknesses in their defenses and all the goals happened from crossing balls to the opponent box.

Mexico didn’t really impress me. The team showed lack of organization and missed a brain in the midfield to control the pace of the game, distribute the ball and create plays. That used to be Cuauhtémoc Blanco’s role and I didn’t see anybody doing it. The good thing was that Vella proved he’s ready to play for this team. He had a very good first half and left the field under the crowd’s ovation. Gio took his place and besides a few tricks and through balls attempts he didn’t have a lot of time to show more.

 

On the USA side the big deception was Donovan the Diva. A player with talent but who many times disappears in the game, hiding himself from action and not contributing to the team. But on the other hand I’d say goalkeeper Tim Howard is definitely the man for the number 1 jersey and Jozy Altidore is more and more becoming the striker everybody wants to see. Strong, efficient and never giving up a play. He didn’t have a lot of touches on the ball but when he did he bothered the Mexican defense.

The 2 x 2 score was fair and it was also a good price for the great crowd that was present at the Reliant Stadium this Wednesday night.

And for the “title” of “King of the CONCACAF”. It still belongs to the USA who won the CONCACAF Cup last year. Mexico will have another chance to claim the “title” in the World Cup Qualifying this summer.

Um dia desses eu estava dirigindo pela manhã e ouvindo um programa de rádio na ESPN em espanhol e ouvi uma besteria tão grande que resolvi escrever a respeito!

Os locutores debatiam sobre quem seria o melhor goleiro das Américas hoje em dia. Até aí tudo tranquilo mas não demorou a notar que o debate SÓ girava em torno de  Guillermo Ochoa, Oswaldo Sanchez e um tal de Federico Vilar...

Será que os mexicanos são tão pretensiosos a ponto de axreditarem que o melhor goleiro das Américas necessariamente tem que vir do futebol mexicano?

Quando escrevi sobre a participação da equipe do Pachuca no Mudial da FIFA eu havia dito que a a "arrogancia mexicana poderia custar caro" e na época não houve muita contetação mas era exatamente sobre isso que eu falava. 

Eu penso o seguinte: o México é sim capaz de produzir bons jogadores e alguns goleiros de destaque mundial até - Antonio Carbajal, Jorge Campos e, mas recentemente, Oswaldo Sanchez e Guillermo Ochoa - mas quando em um debate jornalístico só se leva em consideração os atletas do seu próprio país algo só pode estar errado. Não é verdade?

O gartoto Ochoa já não pode ser mais considerado uma promessa, ele é uma grata realidade para o futebol mexicano. É talentoso e carismático mas aos 21 anos ainda tem que ganhar muita coisa antes de poder ser considerado o melhor do continente.

Sanchez já é parte da história do futebol azteca. Também talentoso e carismático, sempre teve sucesso nas equipes que jogou. No momento tenta recuperar sua forma após ter passado um bom tempo lutando contra uma lesão.

E esse tal de Vilar? Bem, ele ajudou sua equipe, o Atlante, a ganhar a liga mexicana mas isso não é o bastante para incluí-lo na lista dos melhores das américas não é? 

Os jornalistas mexicanos inclusive ignoraram que pelo segundo ano consecutivo o canadense Pat Onstad ajudou a equipe do Houston Dynamo a ganhar o título do Campeonato dos EUA de futebol, a MLS.

E aí chegamos em Rogério Ceni. O goleiro são-paulino ganhou, como titular e capitão da equipem entre outros títulos, 1 Copa Libertadores, ! Mundial de Clubes e os 2 últimos títulos brasileiros. Ah, e isso sem falar nos 78 gols que ele já marcou na carreira em mais de 700 jogos pelo São Paulo.

Em não quero ter a mesma atitude que os jornalistas mexicanos e afirmar categoricamente que o Rogério é melhor que o Ochoa ou qualquer outro goleiro. O que me incomoda é a arrogância que a imprensa mexicana tem de achar que seu país tem os melhores jogadores do continente. SEMPRE. Isso inclusive faz parte do sério problema que aflige a seleção daquele país. A imprensa enche a bola deles, eles ganham uma partida do Brasil e quando enfrentam a Argentina dão vexame (às vezes nem conseguem vencer os EUA).  

E qual foi o último título internacional ganho pela seleção do México. Ah é... em 2003 a Copa da CONCACAF (que conta com equipes como Gahamas e Guadalupe) e uma Copa das Confederaçoes de 1999. E mais NADA!

E quanto aos times mexicanos? Bem, o Pachuca ganhou até con mérito a Sulamericana de 2006 e só!

E depois ainda tenho que ouvir a imprensa mexicana dizer que a Copa Libertadores não seria a mesma sem as equipes do México.

Tem que ter "mucha" paciência viu?!?!

ah, e uma última coisa: SE ELES BOBEAREM E SUBESTIMAREM A GUATEMALA E O CANADÁ EU NÃO DUVIDO QUE A JOVEM (E TALENTOSA) SELEÇÃO MEXICANA COM GIOVANI DOS SANTOS, VELA, OCHOA e NERI CASTILLO, ACABE FICANDO DE FORA DAS OLÍMPIADAS.

É ESPERAR PRA VER!

Estava en mi carro hoy por la mañana y tuve que escuchar una gran incoerencia!

En ESPN Radio estavam a debater quien es el mejor portero de las Americas. Bueno hasta ahí todo bien pero logo percebi que el debate se resumia a Guillermo Ochoa, Oswaldo Sanchez y Federico Vilar...

Entonces la conclusión seria que el mejor portero de las Americas juga en el fútbol mexicano?

Cuando escribi cerca de la participacion de Pachuca en el Mundial de Clubes de la FIFA yo dijo que "la arrogancia mexicana podría costar caro" y no me contestarán mucho pero es de eso que hablava allá.

Mira, mexico siempre tiene buenos jugadores y algunos gran porteros - Antonio Carbajal, Jorge Campos, y mas recente Oswaldo Sanchez e Guillermo Ochoa - Pero cuando un debate con periodistas solamente lleva en consideration el futbol de un país hay algo errado.

Ochoa no es más una promesa, ya es una realidad. Es un jóven, talentoso, un gran portero con un gran futuro. Pero hay que ganar mucha cosa ainda.

Sanchez marcó una época. Es talentoso, carismático, y tuve sucesso en los equipos que jugó. Ahora hay que trabajar para mejorar fisicamente de una lesion para volver a su mejor forma.

Vilar ganó con su equipo, Atlante, la liga mexicana y eso prueba que es un portero muy valoroso.

Pero por el segundo año seguido Pat Onstad ayudó el Houston Dynamo a ganãr la MLS.

Y que decir de Rogerio Ceni. El portero de San Pablo gaño como titular del equipo brasileño, entre otros títulos: 1 Copa Libertadores (2005), 1 Mundial de Clubes de la FIFA (2005), 2 Campeonatos Brasileiros 2006 y 2007...  y ya apuntó 78 goles en su carrera, la gran maioria de falta. Jugó mas de 700 partidos por San Pablo.

No estoy a decir que Rogerio Ceni sea necessariamente mejor que Ochoa o que cualquer otro. Pero esa arrogancia de la prensa de siempre creer que mexico tiene los mejores jugadores, SIEMPRE... es lo que hace con que el equipo se infle y sea capaz de ganar de Brasil (y se infla más) pero sea un desastre contra Argentina, y hasta los EEUU.

Cual fué el título internacional más recente de lá seleción mexicana? ah sí 2003 CONCACAF y 1999 Copa de las Confederaciones. Que más? NADA!

Y de los clubs? Pachuca ganó bravamente la Sudamericana en 2006... y solo!

Por favor PRENSA MEXICANA... No infle los equipos hasta el punto que ellos empezen a creer que son los mejores del mundo... Seán mas realistas! Así ayudarán el fútbol mexicano a jugar con mas ganas y a traer más títulos...

ah, una última cosa: NO SUBSTIMEN A GUATEMALA Y CANADA EN EL PRE-OLIMPICO, POR FAVOR!

URUGUAY 

Although Uruguay collects 14 Copa America titles, the team has been a big disappointment since their last continental trophy in 1995 when they hosted Copa America.

The nation also failed to qualify for the last World Cup. Of course this is a reflex of the poor performance and lack of quality in the national clubs competition. When was the last time Peñarol or Nacional hit the news?

The country is small and with no media attention there's no investment, without investment there's no local evolution in the sport.

When a good player emerges in Uruguay it doesn't take long until a club from Europe or from the neighbors Brasil and Argentina sneak him away from his land with promises of better incomes and more visibility. i don't blame them.

But now Uruguay has the chance of a come back. And waht a come back that would be! La Celeste will face Brazil in the semifinals and they are motivated!

This year they want to take a step further than their second place in the 1999 Copa America.

The thing about analying Uruguay is that not all of the players are really known to most of people. But what is easy to tell is that every sector of the field has its leader.

Carini has been the goalkeeper for La Celeste since 1999. I still remeber when they talked about him as the new Mazurkiewski but maybe because of the poor performance of the national team in the last years that promise is still only a promise, but Carini is a solid, experience leader for the team and as they say, a good team starts with a good goalie.

La Celeste plays with 3 center backs and that's where you're gonna find not only a great player but also the main team leader and captain: Diego Lugano. The 26 year old is a natural winner. He is the one who really knows the ways of the brazilian soccer after playing (and winning titles) with São Paulo FC.

Diego Scotti and Dario Rodriguez complete Uruguay's defensive line.

Five players will block the midfield and create the plays. I honestly and humbly don't know a lot about them. SO PLEASE HELP ME WITH MORE INFO ON URUGUAY'S MIDFIELDERS. SoyManya81, this is a job for you my friend.

Than we complete La Celeste with Diego Forlan and Alvaro Recoba.

"El Chino" Recoba is a national team player for uruguay since 1995. He has been playing for Internazionale of milan since 1999. He is not the most efficient striker but he's consistent and a fighter. There's no lost ball for Recoba.

Forlan is the goal man. He is a quite oportunist player but has ups and downs during a game. Sometimes clumsy, sometimes genius. But its better not to leave him unmarked because his 54 goals in 3 seasons defending Villareal can talk more than any words I write here.

Diego Forlan wants to revive Alcides Gigghia and send Brazil back home

*********************************************************************

BRAZIL 

Brazil is always Brazil.

This sentence itself summarizes what this nation represents for soccer in the world. In every single soccer competition in the planet that Brazil participates they can be considered one of the favorites to win. That's why "A seleção Canarinho" causes so much discussion when they can't play what everybody expects.

Many critics are blaming coach Dunga for letting go of players like Ze Roberto, Kaka, Ronaldinho. Adriano, Ronaldo and bringing some new faces like Afonso Alves, Elano and Vagner Love.

But we cannot forget that in the last Copa America (2004) coach Carlos Alberto Parreira didn't use Ronaldinho, Kaka, Robinho nor Ronaldo and yet that young team beat a powerful Argentina in the final in an electrifying game decided on the penalty shoot-out.

Which brings us back to the first sentence: BRAZIL IS ALWAYS BRAZIL.

I mentioned prevously that every good team starts with a good goalie. This isn't the case with Brazil. Doni does not offer the crucial safety that a great goalkeeper should offer. I would never hire him to play for my team and I believe I'm not alone in this. But oh, well...

Brazil's defense is not individually weak. Alex and Juan are actually good defenders. But the problem is the lack of coverage when the wings attack, and boy, they like to attack. Maicon and Gilberto are naturally offensive (not so good ones) but they sometimes go up at the same time leaving the load to the defensive midfielders and to the center backs.

Mineiro and Gilberto Silva - who is the team captain - are solid defensive mids. They are not very good passers and this can create problem when Brazil tries to connect midfield and attack.

Josué is the one that will intermediate this transition he will work as defensive midfielder when Brazil doesn't have the ball and he will help Julio Baptista supplies the forwards when the ball is recovered.

Julio Baptista started the competition on the bench (so did Josue) but he gained the position by playing a very good second half against Ecuador and an even better game agains Chile. He will do what Kaká would be doing if he was on this team. The only difference is that he is NOT Kaka.

Vagner Love finally found his way to the net last game. It would be embarassing if he didn't right? After all there were 6 goals and even Josué scored his. He is dangerous and if he can finally find a confortable position on the field he can really bother a defense.

Do I need to talk about Robinho??? Pelé's protegé has proved he was for sure one of the main responsibles for Real Madrid's title in La Liga. The fast, talented, and extremely smiley forward TERRORIZES defenders with moves that almost one of them already know but they still can't stop him. Will he be able to lead Brazil to a back to back Championship?

 Robinho might be the man to help Dunga keep his job

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MEXICO

After losing the Gold Cup a don't think the Mexican supporters thought that their team would play so well in the Copa America. But I said that on the first post of my former blog;  Mexico feels much more confortable playing against South American teams. It suits their game, their speed, and then there was Castillo. I still didn't understand why Hugo Sanchez didn't put the kid to play against the USA since the beginning, but that's part of the past now.

Castillo is the present. The gift for all the Mexican supporters who were waiting to see this team finally take home this cup. The gifted mexican born, uruguayan breed, is a star in greece but chose to wear his homeland jersey. He is not only the present, he also represent the possibility of a brilliant future for Mexico soccer.

But can they beat the favorites???

Ochoa or Sanchez?? What a pleasant difficult task. If Brazil suffers for not having a trustworthy goalkeeper, Mexico has two.

Rafa Marquez is the maestro of the defense. Solid, experiencend and talented. He is always where he should be and with very good passes makes the transiction to the midfield.

Torrado is the destroyer. He is fast and discipline. Sometimes not very good passing the ball but always there to take it away from the opponent.

Guardado was the man we were waiting to see back on the team. And he came back as if nothing had happened: playing hard, showing his talent, he might be one of my favorite players of this team.

Then there is Nery Castillo... The man that humiliated Brazil's defense with a goal that is probably the most beautiful of the competition. Determination, talent and passion. If Mexico wins this title he should be the one taking the trophy home for a week just as a reward for the great performace he's displaying.

Oh, and I can't forget GRANDPA Cuauhtemoc. I wouldn't even like to play on the same team with him. He cries, he complains with everybody and about everything. He is just like that old grumpy grandpa that hates everything. BUT he is very important for this team. In 15 minutes on the field (that's how much time he can play without collapsing) he is able to create amazing plays, score goals and of course annoy the opponent and the referee, oh and ME.

It might take a whole army to stop Nery Castillo from scoring 

********************************************************************************

ARGENTINA

The better the team the easier it is to talk about.

If soccer was a fair game we could just give Argentina the Cup and that's it.

The best team so far. 100%. 4 games, 4 expressive wins. The team scored 13 goals and suffered only 3.

They came to this competition THIRSTY... They want this Copa America sooo bad and they are playing so well and they have so many talents that what could go wrong???

Well, we are talking about soccer my friends... Anything can happen. La Albi-Celeste has 14 titles (just like Uruguay) but it also has been 14 years (since 1993) that they don't win the competition.

In addition to that, for the last 3 world cups Argentina is said to be one of the favorites, always bringing great players, but also, always letting its fanatic supporters down.

I would hate to see Riquelme, one of the most talented players of this generation, retire from the National team without the glory of winnig a last tittle with the jersey that once belonged to Maradona. He deserves it. The whole team deserves. But between deserving and actually winning it's a long way.

Messi, Tevez and Riquelme the wonder kids and the master

**********************************************************************

NOW WITH MY PREDICTIONS:

I know we have two VERY HARD games to predict but I'm not afraid to risk. I can be wrong tomorrow but it's all part of my job so here we go

BRAZIL will beat URUGUAY (the score doesn't really matter at this point)

and... ARGENTINA will be surprised by MEXICO's fast attack.

The Final will be between:

BRAZIL  x  MEXICO

Oh What a Great Soccer Weekend!!!

What a great Copa America this has been. I honestly have to say that this Copa America has been more interesting to watch than the 2006 World Cup.

It seems like all the teams wanted to win this title so bad and the ones with more passion and more desire are the ones going to the semi-finals.

***********************************************************************

Game 1 - Mexico 6  x 0  Paraguay

Yesterday I was already surprise with the 4 x 1 win by Uruguay, and 6 x 1 win by Brazil. Not for the fact that those teams won their games but for the large goal difference.

Then today I wanted to see Mexico play a good game, and honestly I thought they would have a difficult time facing such a strong Paraguayan defense.

FORGET EVERYTHING I SAID!!!!

I WAS SOOOOOO NAIVE!!!!

I simply forgot that even though Paragauay's defense is pretty solid they are also slow. And playing against the speed and talent of Nery Castillo, Andres Guardado, Cacho & cia. they had no chace.

Yes, I know, Paraguay had to play with 10 players and their second goalkeeper since the 3rd minute of the game when their number 1, Bombadilla, got a red card. But that CANNOT be used as an excuse. We've all seen good teams playing with 10 players and still win, or at least lose by 1 or 2 goals, BUT 6???

Mexico simply played their best. They dominated the game, they controled, they suffocated Paraguay and when "los guaranis" tried to find some space to create with Cardozo or Roque Santa Cruz, "los aztecas" built a wall of good defenders to contain any attempt to jeopardize their clean sheet.

Paraguay didn't even disappoint me, they couldn't play. It's not their fault. It's all about Mexico's good qualities. And just a warning for Argentina.

GOALS:

FIRST HALF -> Castillo (4min) / Torrado (26min) / Castillo (38min)

SECOND HALF -> Arce (33min)  /  Blanco (41min)  /  Bravo (45min)      

Man of the match: will any defense be able to stop Nery Castillo???

***********************************************************************

Game 2: Argentina  4  x  0  Peru

Great game for Peru, oh wait... there is a second half... so forget it...

But seriously, the first 45 minutes showed a perfect defensive strategy for Peru. So good that Argentina's players started to pass the ball as fast as possible to Riquelme and to Messi as if they wanted to say "here, you're the talented ones, so please do something now".  But Peru forgot that just defending is not enough to win games.

That's what Alfio Basile thought too. During the half time break I don't know what he told his players but it worked. Also he found out that Tevez and Messi NEED to play together. They understand each other, they know each other's style.

And what else could we explect of a team like Argentina when they finally find out their way to the goal: "KILLER BEE ATTACK"!!!  And it really stings bad, just ask a Peruvian player.

GOALS

SECOND HALF -> Riquelme (1min) / Messi (15min) / Mascherano (29min) / Riquelme (40min)

 Man of the match: Alfio "coco" Basile - for realizing Tevez should play with Messi and whatever he said to motivate his players in the locker room

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TOMORROW:  A DEEP ANALYSIS ON THE 4 SEMIFINALISTS

URUGUAY  x  BRAZIL

MEXICO  x  ARGENTINA

IN TIME: Thanks for all  constant visits and comments. Special thanks to Mijito and ANTIMADRISTA

Not to suffer any goals. That's all Mexico needed to garantee the first place in Group B in the game against Chile.

Coach Hugo Sanchez decided to spare some of the main players. Castillo, Rafa Marquez and Cacho gave place to Bravo, Pineda and the one the fans wanted to see back on the team,  Andres Guardado.

For Chile, the task was more serious. The team needed at least a  tie to advance to the quarter-finals.

The first minutes of game showed the immense possibility for a 0 x 0.

Despite some good plays and chances, both teams were confortable without forcing or exposing each others defense to anything too drastic.

 Very, very, very boring game

Final Score: Mexico  0  x  0   Chile

Both teams move to the quarter finals and my predictions for this group are half way to be precise: Mexico 1st. place and Chile 3rd. place of the group.

*********************************************************************

The second half of my prediction would happened if Brazil wearing the blue jersey, repeated the good soccer shown in their last game.

To play Ecuador, coach Dunga kept the team that finished the game against Chile. Daniel Alves (for Maicon), Josué (for Elano) and Julio Baptista (for Anderson) ... In my opinion a formation that could give Robinho more freedom to do what he knows best: terrorize defenses.

For Ecuador what's left is the necessity to play a good game a prove why this country has been to last world cups. Chances to move to the quarter finals??? Oh, yeah... I'd say 10%. They would have to score something like 2 or 3 goals against Brazil. And during the first half Ecuador DID have good chances to score.

One of these chances came in a clumsy move from Doni trying to cover the defense. Ai ai ai Doni!!!

Robinho & cia. didn't show the same quality from the last game but in the end of the first half a good opportunity with Vagner Love taking a powerful shot from outside the box. The play culminated with a good save by Elizaga.

End of first half: Brazil  0  x  0  Ecuador

 And I was praying for at least 45 minutes of good soccer today...

The second half starts with Brazil palying a little better and at the 9th minute Robinho swings from one side to the other using the "step-over"  - his most famous move - and Espipoza uses the arm to dislocate the brazilian forward. Penalty for Brazil and Robinho scores  his 4th goal in the Copa America.

At the 33rd minute Ecuador had 2 questionable situations, both involving Brazil's defender Alex. In the first one he pushed the forward from Ecuador in the box and in my opinion the referee should have called the penalty. The second one Tenorio took a dive in the box a this time it was nothing. But had the referee called the penalty the game could've improved in the last minutes.

Nothing interesting happened in the game. A weak 1 x 0 for Brazil that was pretty boring in fact.

Brazil moves to the quarter-finals and will face Chile again.

Final Score: Brazil  1  x   0 Ecuador.

Group B:  1st Mexico, 2nd. Brazil, 3rd. Chile

IN TIME: The best part of the games today were probably the presence of the beautiful supporters on the stands

See you all tomorrow

Mexico is the first team to garantee their spot in the next round of the 2007 Copa America. Their win tonight against Ecuador was a vindication of the good work of Mr. Hugo Sanchez and his team. But there's a question buggin me and I hope some of you can help me: WHY DIDN'T NERY CASTILLO PLAY IN THE GOLD CUP FINALS???  Well, thatis past now... And in the present we can only say that as I predicted, Mexico is a really strong candidate to win this competition.

As for Ecuador, now there's a very remote chance to qualify but they would have to beat Brazil with a good goal difference and pray for a Mexico to beat Chile by a large score too... A task that is not impossible but improbable if Brazil play the way they played earlier... but in soccer (almost) everything is possible.

THE GAME:

In the first half Ecuador had a good ball possesion, Mexico waited with caution and explored the counter-attacks trying to get the ball to Nery Castillo.

And "el matador"Castillo didn't let his team mates down. At the 21st minute Hurtado failed and the ball was passed to Nery Castillo inside the box and he dribled Mora and send the ball to the net.

Mexico 1 X 0 Ecuador (Nery Castillo)

 After the goal Mexico went back to the good defensive strategy, the same they used against Brazil. Ecuador had more ball possesion but was useless.

The mexicam team had two more chances in the end of the first half to score the second goal but that would only really come in the second half.

4 minutes in the second half and Oswaldo Sanchez proved that Mexico (not like Brazil) has the privilege of having two EXCELLENT goalkeepers. In a great shot by Tenorio from outside the box, Sanchez jumped and streched his whole body to the right side to tap the ball out of bounds... An amazing save!!!

But Mexico didn't completely abandon the attack. Using again the speed and talent of Castillo the team created good opportunities and even though Ecuador was trying to put some pressure on Mexico's defense it was the Azteca Team who socred their second goal. 

On his first touch on the ball, Cuauhtemoc Blanco (that came in for Castillo) crossed a perfect ball and what Ecuador failed to do in more than 3 opportunities, Omar Bravo got it right the first time. A perfect header. And Mexico doubled their lead.

Mexico  2 x 0 Ecuador  (Omar Bravo)

Ecuador got their goal at the 39th minute with a powerful shot from outside the box by Mendez that hit a mexican defender before going inside Sanchez's goal.

But that was it... Mexico played their game very well and once again was very disciplined tactically...

Final Score: Mexico 2  x 1  Ecuador

Castillo (21) the man of the match 

***************************************************************

My impression is that Mexico really plays better against South American teams. The style of soccer played by teams like Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Chile, Uruguay, Peru, etc... allow the mexicans to explore their counter attacks using the wings, the tallent of players like Nery Castillo crashing the defenses, and Bravos speed and energy to run for all game long. But when they face an european style of game such as the one practiced by the USA they find it hard to break through. It's a heavier game, with more running and less space for the talent.

I honestly believe Mexico should start figuring out a way to perform their game no matter if it's against Brazil, Ecuador, Argentina or Portugal, England or the USA.... But that is no task for a journalist to figure out... I'll leave that for the competent Mr. Hugo Sanchez...

See ya tomorrow...

United States

v

Paraguay

Argentina

v

Colombia

Predictions: Argentina wins 3 X 1 and the USA will tie the game with Colombia 1 x 1