Mexico names its squad for Sweden game in Oakland

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If names on a roster can be seen as an indication of a coach’s nerves, then Sven-Goran Eriksson (pictured at left) is a very nervous man indeed.

The under-fire Swedish coach of Mexico’s national soccer team on Friday revealed the team he has selected to play Sweden in Oakland on Wednesday night in the final preparatory game before Mexico takes on the U.S. in a World Cup qualifier in Columbus, Ohio, on Feb. 11.

Eriksson, whose team barely scraped into the final round of qualifying for South Africa 2010, has chosen the strongest possible squad, making allowance, of course, for injuries that have hit key players in recent days.

The Swede’s job might soon be on the line if performances don’t improve, and a stylish win over Sweden might quiet criticism ahead of what is certain to be a tough game, and a likely loss, in Columbus, Ohio.

Here’s the 23-man Mexico squad:

Goalkeepers

Oswaldo Sanchez, Guillermo Ochoa and Jose de Jesus Corona.

Defenders

Juan Carlos Valenzuela, Israel Castro, Leobardo Lopez, Edgar Duenas, Diego Martinez, Julio Cesar Dominguez, Fasuto Pinto and Edgar Castillo.

Midfielders

Israel Martinez, Antonio Naelson, Pavel Pardo, Luis Ernesto Perez, Leandro Augusto and Lucas Ayala.

Forwards

Alberto Medina, Cesar Villaluz, Matias Vuoso, Carlos Ochoa, Nestor Calderon and Marco Fabian de la Mora.

-- Grahame L. Jones