Mexico is calling in all its forces for the U.S. match. At first glance, it looks like Mexico has a huge advantage over the U.S. as new coach Hugo Sanchez has pulled no punches and is coming in to the match with guns blazing.
But compare the possible starting lineup with the starting lineup Mexico used last in a 2-0 loss to the U.S. on Sept. 3, 2005 and the task for the U.S. seems less daunting.
These players could start Wednesday who also started that day in Ohio:
Oswaldo Sanchez; Rafael Marquez, Carlos Salcido, Gerardo Torrado, Ramon Morales, Francisco Fonseca, Jared Borgetti.
Replace Francisco Rodriguez with Ricardo Osorio, Gerardo Galindo with Pavel Pardo and
Zinha with Adolfo Bautista and the starting lineup figures to be complete. Now the upgrades are significant. On skill alone, the incoming trio figures to be an instant improvement. Yet Zinha was a very influential player under Ricardo Lavolpe. And for as talented and on-top-of-his-game Bofo Bautista is right now, he's not done much with the national team. If Sanchez tabs Cuauhtemoc Blanco to assume the playmaking duties, that will certainly favor the U.S. After all, why would a 34-year-old sourpus with bad knees scare Oguchi Onyewu and Co.?
Still, with Hugo Sanchez in charge now, the team might feel a stronger sense of urgency to win and that might be the difference in the game.
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