Analyzing Mexico's Preparation Matches Ahead of the Copa America and Gold Cup
Mexico are a month away from starting their road to the 2015 Copa America and Gold Cup, and they have four warm-up matches ahead of both tournaments in their to-do list.
El Tri will face CONCACAF and CONMEBOL squads, which is exactly what they need to prepare for the top competitions in the American continent.
Coach Miguel Herrera needs to make the most of all four games. Not only will he have the opportunity to try over 50 footballers, but he will be able to experiment with formations different from his traditional 3-5-2.
Let's take a look at Mexico's rivals for the friendly matches.
Ecuador
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Mexico will start their preparation when they face Ecuador on March 28 at the LA Coliseum.
This will be the second time in less than a year these teams meet. The last time, El Tri left the pitch with a 3-1 victory and an injured Luis Montes.
Historically, Mexico have had better results, as they hold a 11-5-2 record, per FIFA.com. The last time they lost was in 2010 in a friendly held in Guadalajara, Jalisco.
Miguel Herrera will have the opportunity to cap as many European-based footballers as he pleases, since this will be the first official FIFA date of the year.
The only one missing will be Carlos Vela, as he will be out two months due to an injury, per Marca.
This match is clearly the first step toward getting ready for the Copa America, where Mexico will face Chile, Bolivia and Ecuador.
It is important for El Piojo to start the year with a positive note, and what better chance than a victory over one of the Copa America group-stage rivals?
Paraguay
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In the second warm-up we will probably see an alternate lineup. Miguel Herrera used this alternative last November, when he went with two different teams for the Netherlands and Belarus friendlies.
Paraguay have always been a strong side with a lot of technique and professionalism. They currently have a strong squad led by Roque Santa Cruz.
Their powerful attacking zone is complemented with Edgar Benitez's speed and dribbling skills as well as the youth and power of Antonio Sanabria, who is wearing Roma's kit.
We cannot forget about Cristian Riveros and Victor Caceres, both stalwarts of Los Guaranies' midfield.
Mexico have to take advantage of Paraguay's toughness and strength. El Tri need to be very patient when it comes to creating plays and careful in counter-attacks.
United States
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Mexico will face their archenemy in April.
The United States rank 27th, according to FIFA.com, which sets them as the third-best team in CONCACAF, behind Mexico and Costa Rica.
Although the upcoming game won't be an official friendly, the rivalry between these two has always been electrifying.
Furthermore, both sides will have to play with locally based footballers—that means players from the Liga MX and MLS.
In all fairness, it will be a little more tricky for Mexico, as USA have recently repatriated Jozy Altidore, Sacha Kljestan, Mix Diskerud and Brek Shea.
El Tri will have to sort things without Guillermo Ochoa, Jesus Manuel Corona, Javier Hernandez, Andres Guardado, Giovani dos Santos, Jonathan dos Santos, Hector Herrera and Carlos Vela (who's also injured).
This game will give Miguel Herrera the chance to see how good or bad his squad can function without European-based players, which is fundamental, as he needs to come up with two competitive sides for the summer.
Peru
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This game has not been confirmed, but Hector Gonzalez Inarritu, director of national teams, revealed that he is working hard to close the deal for the Peru match, per MedioTiempo.com (in Spanish).
Los Incas sit 53rd in the FIFA ranking. Last year they won five games—against Panama, Iraq, Qatar, Guatemala and Paraguay—for a final record of 5-0-4.
The last time Peru met Mexico was in 2013 in a friendly match held in the United States. In 2011 Los Incas defeated El Tri 1-0 in the Copa America group stage.
Peru's playing style resembles Bolivia's. They wait for the rival to make a mistake in order to take advantage of the situation.
Since they lack power in the attacking zone, they tend to wait behind the midfield, which will push Mexico to be creative.
Brazil
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The last match is also close to being a done deal. Hector Gonzalez Inarritu said the talks between the Mexican and Brazilian federations are going great, per MedioTiempo.com (in Spanish).
This would be the best clash for El Tri before the Copa America and the Gold Cup. Since the dates have not been revealed, it's uncertain if both squads would bring their A-teams or go with players from the local leagues.
In any case, whenever Mexico and Brazil have met, they have given fantastic displays of talent and fierceness.
This game should be the highest priority for Inarritu and his peers. Brazil are the fifth most successful squad of the Copa America, with five championships to their name.
Their creativity, speed and dribbling skills make them an unpredictable and demanding rival, which El Tri need to get out of their comfort zone.
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