World Cup ’94 : WORLD CUP USA ’94 / GROUP E PREVIEW : Mexico at a Glance
* COACH: Miguel Mejia Baron.
* KEY PLAYERS: Hugo Sanchez, Luis Roberto (Zaguinho) Alves, Jorge Campos.
* STRENGTHS: Mexico has rebounded into the international forefront over the past two or three years, with players such as striker Luis Garcia, defender Ramon Ramirez and goalkeeper Campos all catching the eye. Sanchez can still provide the passes that lead to goals and Zaguinho can find the net in all sorts of ways. Campos can be an asset or a liability, depending on the day.
* WEAKNESSES: Lack of confidence seems to be the Mexicans’ main problem. They should have handled the United States with ease at the Rose Bowl, but instead of maintaining pressure on the Americans they let their heads drop when frustrated and physically challenged and wound up losing, 1-0. Campos’ habit of trying to be a “sweeper-keeper” could cost the team dearly, just as it did Colombia’s Rene Higuita in 1990. Injury apparently has diluted Ramirez’s effectiveness as an overlapping left back.
* WORLD CUP HISTORY: Nine previous appearances. Record of 6-17-6. Best finish was in reaching the quarterfinals in 1970 and 1986.
* LITTLE-KNOWN FACT: Hugo Sanchez is the only one of all 528 players in the 1994 tournament to have taken part in the 1978 World Cup.
* OUTLOOK: Unless it can raise its game back to the level of 1993, when it won the CONCACAF Gold Cup and finished second in the Copa America, Mexico will be lucky to squeak into the second round as a third-place team.
* PREDICTED FIRST-ROUND FINISH: Third.
ROSTER
No. Name Position 1 Jorge Campos Goalkeeper 12 Felix Fernandez Goalkeeper 22 Adrian Chavez Goalkeeper 2 Claudio Suarez Defender 3 Ramirez Perales Defender 4 Ignacio Ambriz Defender 5 Ramon Ramirez Defender 18 Jose Luis Salgado Defender 21 Raul Gutierrez Defender 6 Marcelino Bernal Midfielder 8 Alberto Garcia Aspe Midfielder 13 Juan Carlos Chavez Midfielder 14 Joaquin del Olmo Midfielder 15 Missael Espinosa Midfielder 16 Luis Antonio Valdez Midfielder 17 Benjamin Galindo Midfielder 20 Jorge Rodriguez Midfielder 7 Carlos Hermosillo Forward 9 Hugo Sanchez Forward 10 Luis Garcia Forward 11 Luis Roberto Alves Forward 19 Luis Salvador Forward
