Mexico vs. Guatemala: Date, Time, Live Stream and 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup Preview
Mexico will look to extend their terrific start at the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup on Sunday against Guatemala in Group C action at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
El Tri easily handled Cuba by a 6-0 score in Chicago on Thursday night, while Guatemala fell at the hands of Trinidad and Tobago in the opening match of the group.
Due to the potential for Mexico to clinch first place in the group with a win, Miguel Herrera will surely bring out his best side possible against the struggling side from Central America.
Below is all the vital information you need to know for Sunday's match.
Date: Sunday, July 12, 2015
Time: 9 p.m. ET
TV: Fox Sports 2, Unimas (USA), BT Sport 1 (UK)
Live Stream: Fox Sports Go (USA), BT Sport Player (UK)
Mexico Need to be More Accurate Despite Scoring Frenzy
Mexico caught plenty of headlines for their high shot total in their 6-0 victory over lackluster Cuba in Chicago on Thursday. Goal.com's Seth Vertelney noted the wide gap in shots between El Tri and their opponent at Soldier Field:
Eighteen of the 44 shots taken by Herrera's side went on target, per ESPN.com, but they were only able to put six goals into the net. Oribe Peralta, who took the Golden Boot lead with three goals, put six of his 13 attempts on target.
The other three scorers from Thursday also put up high numbers in the shot department. Both Carlos Vela and Andres Guardado took six shots. Substitute Giovani Dos Santos, who netted the final strike of the match in the 75th minute, sent all three of his shots in the direction of the goalkeeper.
Although they were active in the final third, Mexico were wasteful with a good amount of their chances. One has to assume they will not take as many shots against Guatemala so they must be able to capitalize on every chance presented to them.
With an expected squad rotation policy being pursued by Herrera, we could see Dos Santos in place of either Vela or Peralta, which would be a good sign for El Tri given his second-half accuracy against Cuba.
Set Pieces Could Help Guatemala Stay in the Game
Set pieces have played a big role in the early matches at the Gold Cup, and Guatemala could benefit from that in order to hand Mexico a scare at some point in the contest.
Seattle Sounders midfielder Marco Pappa possesses a dangerous left foot that could cause plenty of trouble against the untested Mexico defense. The winger also has a worthy target in the box in the experienced Carlos Ruiz. The 35-year-old forward opened his Gold Cup account in the 61st minute of Guatemala's loss to Trinidad and Tobago.
The former Major League Soccer star is capable of making a cunning run through the Mexico defense to connect with a dangerous cross from Pappa. If the right situation presents itself, the pair could link up for a surprising goal.
What Will Mexico's Defense Look Like?
It is worth questioning how the Mexico back four will perform since the center backs and goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa did next to nothing in the opening victory over Cuba. With that in mind, it would be smart for Guatemala to try and test the center backs with a few early crosses into the box.
If, for some reason, the normally reliable defense displays some weaknesses, we could see Guatemala gain confidence as the match progresses.
However, if Guatemala are to deliver passes from the wing, they will have to get past the two members of the El Tri defense who actually saw a good amount of action on Thursday. Paul Aguilar and Miguel Layun are known for surging forward to support the attack, but they are also more than capable of silencing a move forward from an opponent.
If Guatemala can find a way to exploit the gaps left open by Aguilar and Layun when they move into the final third, they could make things interesting. However, if Mexico remain organized for 90 minutes, El Tri could be on their way to a second consecutive blowout victory.
Prediction: Mexico 4-1
Given the poor quality of the sides in Group C, Mexico are expected to score quite a few goals against a Guatemala defense that couldn't handle a bevy of surges from Trinidad and Tobago. Given Ruiz's pedigree as a forward, it wouldn't come as a surprise if he nets his second strike of the tournament at some point.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
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