Road to the 2014 World Cup: Mexico vs. Jamaica Preview
When: Tuesday, June 4. 9:30 p.m. ET.
Where: Kingston National Stadium. Kingston, Jamaica.
TV: Telemundo. Coverage starts at 8:30 p.m. ET.
When high expectations meet unfulfilled potential, the results can often be problematic, if not downright disastrous. Such is the case of Mexico, a second-tier national team that would like nothing better than to join the elite ranks of Brazil, Argentina and Germany, among others, but instead finds itself mere hours away from fighting for its World Cup qualifying life against Jamaica.
The stage sets up like this: Mexico is winless and sits in fifth place with merely three points as a result of three consecutive, and disappointing, draws in the Hexagonal that gives out three automatic bids to the 2014 World Cup, as well as a fourth spot that awards a playoff series against mighty New Zealand.
Meanwhile, Jamaica is also winless with two points and looks up at everyone from last place after a surprising opening draw on the road against the same opponent the Reggae Boyz will face this Tuesday night.
So, to recap: Three out of a total of six teams score a ticket to soccer’s biggest stage, while a fourth one has to defeat the 87th ranked national team in the world. It is almost harder not to qualify for the World Cup.
And yet here they both are, out of the World Cup if the tournament ended today and holding on to hope that summer will bring the wins they sorely need
Let’s take a look at the three keys to the match that has much more than just three points on the line for both teams.
Can Mexico Find Its Offense?
1 of 3If Mexico truly wants to be thought of as an elite squad, if it wants to quiet the whispers that delight themselves with their struggles, then it must find some semblance of a consistent offense. Two goals in three qualifying matches, including two 0-0 draws at home, just won’t cut it.
Kingston is a tough venue to play in as the visiting team, but let’s face it—Jamaica will not exactly come out swinging against a superior opponent like Mexico. They will be a little bit more aggressive in front of their fans, but odds are it will employ a similar strategy to the one at Azteca, defending as a solid block until they find the opening to counter and strike.
Mexico showed glimpses of what it can do in last Friday’s 2-2 tie against Nigeria with 23 shots on goal. The recipe for success is found in the making of the first goal, stretching out the defense with Pablo Barrera and finding Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez in the heart of the box to punish opposing goalkeepers.
What Mexico must not do is fall into the seemingly reassuring, patient but ultimately harmless “art” of horizontal passing, as seen in the 0-0 draws against Jamaica and the United States. Be vertical, be aggressive. Possession might be nine-tenths of the law, but it does not guarantee three points.
Mexico must come out aggressive, like a wounded lion ready to make its opponent pay for the humiliation of the 0-0 draw at the Azteca.
Otherwise, Jose Manuel “Chepo” De la Torre could start having his days counted as manager of El Tri.
Jamaica Brings the Heat
2 of 3Mexico played perhaps its best 75 minutes of the Hexagonal at Honduras on March 22 in its only road match thus far, taking a 2-0 lead thanks to two goals by Hernandez before wilting under either the extreme 100 degree heat, the pressure, or both as Honduras mounted a comeback and tied things up with goals in the 77th and 80th minute.
Back then, kickoff was under the sun at 2 p.m. local time, while this time around the ball will start rolling in Jamaica well into the night at 8:30 p.m. local time in Kingston. The temperature at kickoff will be at 87 degrees, but it will feel like it is in the 90s, so physical endurance will most definitely play a part in a match where the mental stress will be high for both squads.
Javier “Maza” Rodriguez, one of Mexico’s stalwarts on defense, has already said that there is no room for excuses for Mexico, and that the heat will be just one more factor they will have to overcome in order to succeed.
The bottom line is the following: If Mexico can’t defeat Jamaica, wherever they might face each other, then maybe a spot in the World Cup should not be theirs to begin with.
It's Beckford Time for Jamaica
3 of 3The Reggae Boyz have not been to a World Cup since 1998, and the outlook for a return to soccer’s biggest stage is bleak; however, the Hexagonal is packed so tight that the difference between the first place team (Panama, yes, that’s not a typo) and last place Jamaica is barely three points.
Jamaica has prepared itself thoroughly for this match with a 10-day training camp that included an encouraging 0-0 tie against Tottenham in the Bahamas, but no amount of preparation will be enough if Jermaine Beckford doesn’t find the back of the net.
Beckford’s performance in qualifying has been thoroughly disappointing thus far with no goals scored and being substituted in the 61st and 64th minute respectively against Costa Rica and Panama.
In fact, Jamaican fans have been questioning his desire to play for the Jamaican national team. Beckford hasn’t ignored those questions but has asked for patience in return, promising hard work and determination.
Thing is, the calendar keeps moving forward, and time is running out. Tuesday’s match is a must-win for both squads, and the world will be waiting to see if David can indeed beat Goliath and shock the world one more time.
