Here are my top three goals in the Apertura 2011 championship regular season. Should get you in the mood for the playoffs this weekend. Enjoy.
3. Oribe Peralta - SANTOS v Pumas
Chilena/Overhead kick from the Mexican international. ´Nuff said.
2. Sinha - TOLUCA v Santos
The evergreen 35-year-old Brazilian-born Mexico international dazzles the Santos defence and makes viewers dizzy with his twists and turns before sticking the ball in the back of the onion bag.
1. Enrique Esqueda - PACHUCA v Monterrey
The subject of ridicule when his former coach at América, Carlos Reinoso, said he was better than Chicharito, Esqueda, now at Pachuca, can at least lay claim to have scored a goal better than Chicharito ever will.
I chose this goal not just for the perfection of Esqueda´s strike, but also for the swift build up play from by Pachuca.
Friday, 18 November 2011
Monday, 14 November 2011
Mexican Soccer Podcast 1
Welcome to the pilot edition of the Mexican Soccer Podcast hosted by Guadalajara-based journalist Tom Marshall (@mexicoworldcup).
Mexican Soccer Podcast 1
Mexican Soccer Podcast 1 by mexicoworldcup
In today´s pod (14/11/11), we talk to experienced Mexican journalist Karla Villegas (@karlitsv) about the national team´s incredible 2011 and look forward with optimism to Brazil 2014.
In part two, Club América fan Jonathan Rico (@jonyrico) tells about América´s turbulent last couple of weeks and why he predicted the team would have a terrible season.
Finally, avid Mexico-watcher Kevin McCauley (@kevinmccauley) gives his predictions on the quarter-finals of the playoffs and explains why he thinks Tigres are the favourites for the Apertura 2011 title.
Feel free to make comments/suggestions.
Mexican Soccer Podcast 1
Mexican Soccer Podcast 1
Mexican Soccer Podcast 1 by mexicoworldcup
In today´s pod (14/11/11), we talk to experienced Mexican journalist Karla Villegas (@karlitsv) about the national team´s incredible 2011 and look forward with optimism to Brazil 2014.
In part two, Club América fan Jonathan Rico (@jonyrico) tells about América´s turbulent last couple of weeks and why he predicted the team would have a terrible season.
Finally, avid Mexico-watcher Kevin McCauley (@kevinmccauley) gives his predictions on the quarter-finals of the playoffs and explains why he thinks Tigres are the favourites for the Apertura 2011 title.
Feel free to make comments/suggestions.
Mexican Soccer Podcast 1
Monday, 31 October 2011
Interest in Mexicans playing overseas at all-time high
As an Englishman living in Mexico, the concept of a section of sports newspapers and websites dedicated to nationals playing football abroad is alien.
The reason is simple: very few British players play or have ever played abroad, so British publications have never had the need.
If you go along with one of the theories outlined in “Soccernomics: Why England Loses, Why Germany and Brazil win …”, by Kuper and Szymanski, the fact England has had so few players ply their trade outside the British Isles is one of the reasons that the team has only ever reached one World Cup final and consistently disappoints in major tournaments.
It is now generally and widely accepted that playing outside your country opens up a player to new experiences, training styles, tactics and, depending on the league, better quality football.
Read American soccer websites or the Mexican press with that in mind and the general consensus is that players from both countries should follow the Argentine and Brazilian model and ship increasingly more players to the Old Continent.
Increasingly that has happened, with Hugo Sanchez paving the way in Mexico, followed by a period in which Rafa Marquez dominated and then a mini-boom over the last few years since Mexico won the 2005 Under-17 World Cup in Peru.
Off the back of that World Cup win, Carlos Vela, Giovani Dos Santos and Efrain Juarez found themselves in Europe. In other words, three of the stars of the World Cup win and three players thought then to be the future of the national team were on the other side of the pond.
Naturally, the Mexican press latched onto that and newspapers started carrying more and more updates of the players´ progress.
Emphasis on Mexicans playing abroad continued to grow with Carlos Salcido moving to PSV in Holland in 2006, being followed from Chivas to the Dutch team by Maza Rodriguez two years later. Omar Bravo also moved to Deportivo La Coruña in 2008.
The momentum of Mexicans abroad took hold, even though the progress of Dos Santos, Vela and Bravo was hardly turning many heads.
The obvious big turning point came in April 2010 when Manchester United signed Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez.
The baby-faced goalscorer was splashed on front pages all across the country on the day he signed, but no-one expected him to have the impact he had in his first season.
The Chicharito phenomenon was followed by last summer´s second Under-17 World Cup victory for Mexico and a third-place finish at the Under-20 World Cup.
Interest from Europe in Mexican players is at an all-time high, with foreign scouts scouring from Chilpancingo to Coahuila looking for the next big thing.
With seven regulars of the Mexican team currently playing abroad and a host of talent desperate to make the leap over to Europe, all signs point to the fact that the “Mexicans Abroad” sections in the media will have increasing importance over coming years.
Mexico fans hope that Kuper and Szymanski´s theory was right and the quality of the national team also increases exponentially.
The reason is simple: very few British players play or have ever played abroad, so British publications have never had the need.
If you go along with one of the theories outlined in “Soccernomics: Why England Loses, Why Germany and Brazil win …”, by Kuper and Szymanski, the fact England has had so few players ply their trade outside the British Isles is one of the reasons that the team has only ever reached one World Cup final and consistently disappoints in major tournaments.
It is now generally and widely accepted that playing outside your country opens up a player to new experiences, training styles, tactics and, depending on the league, better quality football.
Read American soccer websites or the Mexican press with that in mind and the general consensus is that players from both countries should follow the Argentine and Brazilian model and ship increasingly more players to the Old Continent.
Increasingly that has happened, with Hugo Sanchez paving the way in Mexico, followed by a period in which Rafa Marquez dominated and then a mini-boom over the last few years since Mexico won the 2005 Under-17 World Cup in Peru.
Off the back of that World Cup win, Carlos Vela, Giovani Dos Santos and Efrain Juarez found themselves in Europe. In other words, three of the stars of the World Cup win and three players thought then to be the future of the national team were on the other side of the pond.
Naturally, the Mexican press latched onto that and newspapers started carrying more and more updates of the players´ progress.
Emphasis on Mexicans playing abroad continued to grow with Carlos Salcido moving to PSV in Holland in 2006, being followed from Chivas to the Dutch team by Maza Rodriguez two years later. Omar Bravo also moved to Deportivo La Coruña in 2008.
The momentum of Mexicans abroad took hold, even though the progress of Dos Santos, Vela and Bravo was hardly turning many heads.
The obvious big turning point came in April 2010 when Manchester United signed Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez.
The baby-faced goalscorer was splashed on front pages all across the country on the day he signed, but no-one expected him to have the impact he had in his first season.
The Chicharito phenomenon was followed by last summer´s second Under-17 World Cup victory for Mexico and a third-place finish at the Under-20 World Cup.
Interest from Europe in Mexican players is at an all-time high, with foreign scouts scouring from Chilpancingo to Coahuila looking for the next big thing.
With seven regulars of the Mexican team currently playing abroad and a host of talent desperate to make the leap over to Europe, all signs point to the fact that the “Mexicans Abroad” sections in the media will have increasing importance over coming years.
Mexico fans hope that Kuper and Szymanski´s theory was right and the quality of the national team also increases exponentially.
Friday, 28 October 2011
Mexico Takes Pan Am Football Gold
Jeronimo Aquino slotted home in the 76st minute to give Mexico a 1-0 victory against Argentina to win the gold medal at the Pan American Games, in front of a sold out Estadio Omnilife.
Argentina held off Mexico´s advances for the vast majority of the evening.
The gold medal game was the most-hyped event in Mexico in the whole Pan American Games.
Mexico had the better of the first half, with Miguel Ponce creating chances down the left wing, but Argentina too had opportunities and forced a couple of good saves from Mexico goalkeeper and captain Jesus Corona.
Argentina went close in the third minute of the second half, a flick on from a corner falling into the hands of Corona, just as an Argentine player was poised to pounce.
Chivas´ Miguel Angel Ponce had a golden chance to open the scoring for Mexico with a free header with short distance in the 60th.
Ponce put another back-post header wide in the 72nd after a fast break from an Argentine corner.
Amione was released for his goal by Javier Aquino, who had cut in from the right wing.
Brizuela went through one-one-one with the keeper with one minute remaining, but the keeper saved.
The Under-23 Mexico team played with three over-aged players, while Argentina fielded an Under-20 team largely made up of players that participated at last summer´s U-20 World Cup in Colombia.
Mexico Line-up:
Mexico: Jesus Corona (Cruz Azul), Hiram Mier (Monterrey), Nestor Araujo (Cruz Azul), Darvin Chavez (Monterrey), Eduardo Zavala (Monterrey), Javier Aquino (Cruz Azul), Oribe Peralta (Santos), Jeronimo Amione (Atlante), Ricardo Bocanegra (Atlas), Cesar Ibañez (Santos), Miguel Ponce (Chivas).
Subs: Jorge Enriquez for Bocanegra (77th), Isaac Brizuela for Amione (84th), Hugo Rodriguez for Aquino(44th)
Argentina held off Mexico´s advances for the vast majority of the evening.
The gold medal game was the most-hyped event in Mexico in the whole Pan American Games.
Mexico had the better of the first half, with Miguel Ponce creating chances down the left wing, but Argentina too had opportunities and forced a couple of good saves from Mexico goalkeeper and captain Jesus Corona.
Argentina went close in the third minute of the second half, a flick on from a corner falling into the hands of Corona, just as an Argentine player was poised to pounce.
Chivas´ Miguel Angel Ponce had a golden chance to open the scoring for Mexico with a free header with short distance in the 60th.
Ponce put another back-post header wide in the 72nd after a fast break from an Argentine corner.
Amione was released for his goal by Javier Aquino, who had cut in from the right wing.
Brizuela went through one-one-one with the keeper with one minute remaining, but the keeper saved.
The Under-23 Mexico team played with three over-aged players, while Argentina fielded an Under-20 team largely made up of players that participated at last summer´s U-20 World Cup in Colombia.
Mexico Line-up:
Mexico: Jesus Corona (Cruz Azul), Hiram Mier (Monterrey), Nestor Araujo (Cruz Azul), Darvin Chavez (Monterrey), Eduardo Zavala (Monterrey), Javier Aquino (Cruz Azul), Oribe Peralta (Santos), Jeronimo Amione (Atlante), Ricardo Bocanegra (Atlas), Cesar Ibañez (Santos), Miguel Ponce (Chivas).
Subs: Jorge Enriquez for Bocanegra (77th), Isaac Brizuela for Amione (84th), Hugo Rodriguez for Aquino(44th)
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