New generation offer Mexico hope
442 Staff - Sunday 26 June 2011, 21:22
Mexico
confirmed their status as the top team in North and Central America
with their sparkling 4-2 comeback win over the United States in an
thrilling Gold Cup final Saturday that promised an exciting future for
'El Tri'.
A young generation of talented
players has offered the prospect of taking Mexico to another level as
they seek a way to make a real impact at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil - and they might just be on the way to delivering.
Several
of this team have struggled with their European clubs but when they
pull on the green shirt their quality shines as the U.S. discovered to
their cost as they watched a two goal lead evaporate.
Manchester
United striker Javier Hernandez has been the idol for the huge Mexican
support in the United States but the man-of-the-match Saturday was
Giovani dos Santos, who crowned an effervescent display with a goal of
pure class - a perfect chip into the top corner, while dribbling away
from goal.
"I was delighted with
the goal, it really was a nice goal and I'm even happier that it helped
the team win the championship," Dos Santos told reporters.
The
22-year-old has failed to make an impact with Tottenham Hotspur in
England and has been loaned out to second tier Ipswich Town, Turkish
club Galatasaray and Spain's Racing Santander.
But
almost every time the son of a former Brazilian professional comes home
to play for his country he shows why Barcelona saw enough promise in
him to sign him up as an 11-year-old.
ROCK STARS
U.S.
goalkeeper Tim Howard, who endured a difficult night, was full of
admiration for Dos Santos's skill and movement as he helped shred apart
the U.S. defense.
"He does a great
job. He pulls wide and isolates, then comes inside. It's hard to defend
him and when you do he does his magic. They have dynamic players and
they put us in a lot of situations we don't want to be in," he said.
Pablo
Barrera, who crowned an excellent tournament with two goals in the
final, is another who has struggled in England having made little impact
for West Ham United as they were relegated last season.
Hernandez, who scored 20 goals in all competitions in his debut season in England is a different matter however.
"El
Chicharito', who was the Gold Cup's top scorer with seven goals, didn't
find the target in the final but offered some insight into what appears
a refreshing team ethos for a side that has often been led by a
dominant personality.
"Giovani and
all the team really delivered. Sometimes people say that I am the idol
or the hero but in this team there really aren't any heroes or rock
stars, there are only 20 players who want to do their best," he said.
Mexico
head coach Jose Manuel de la Torre has had a serious expression on his
face throughout a tournament where Mexico had to deal with losing five
of their squad after failing pre-competition doping tests.
"There
is no better moment than victory - everything else is in the past. What
happened helped us become stronger as a team, we had to focus and we
faced up to the challenges.
"It's
all about results but when you get a victory you have to enjoy it. This
was a complicated tournament for us but we are enjoying the moment now,"
he said.