SSC Napoli of Italy striker, Victor Osimhen’s partner in attack at the Italian Serie A club, Hirving Lozano will lead Mexico’s hunt for goals in next weekend’s international friendly against Nigeria’s Super Eagles.
Megasportsarena.com reports that, while Osimhen and other key foreign-based players will be totally absent from the Eagles’ squad for the game on July 3 in Los Angeles, USA, Mexico have opted for a very strong selection.
Nigeria’s array of players from the domestic league are bound to find the going tough in the upcoming encounter, as El Tri will also feature Atletico Madrid of Spain midfielder, Hector Herrera and Ajax of Netherlands defender, Edson Álvarez among the 45 players to tango the Eagles.
Mexico’s El Tri will face the Eagles four days after battling Panama, hence the coach’s decision to call up a strong roster that is made up of a mixture of the Central American country’s Olympic Games squad and the senior national team.
There is also is the first call up to the National team of just naturalized Rogelio Funes Mori, as the Argentine forward was just declared eligible by FIFA this week after getting his Mexican citizenship.
Funes Mori is the only player to not have been part of a call up to either the Senior team early this summer or the U24 team, but another surprising call up is Rodolfo Pizarro, who has been injured all summer and even when he played with Inter Miami of USA.
The most notable omission is Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez, who was included on the preliminary Gold Cup squad, but this call up list looks as if he is far from returning to El Tri.
Off-field problems have made it that he is not returning to the NT under Martino’s tenure, but it is also surprising was how Carlos Acevedo, Santos’ goalkeeper was not called up either.
Acevedo stood out but wasn’t good enough apparently to get a call up as players like Jonathan Orozco and Rodolfo Cota gained after having lesser performances, but will hope to stamp their authority, as Mexico prepare to play against Panama on June 30th in Nissan Stadium in Nashville.
They will later play against Nigeria in The Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on July 3rd and coach of the side, Gerardo Martino will use the friendlies as preparation for the Gold Cup, in which Mexico is the defending champion.
Mexico’s full list has Goalkeepers: Guillermo Ochoa (America), Alfredo Talavera (Pumas), Sebastian Jurado (Cruz Azul), Luis Malagon (Necaxa), Rodolfo Cota (Leon), Jonathan Orozco (Tijuana); Defenders: Edson Alvarez (Ajax), Nestor Araujo (Celta de Vigo), Luis Romo (Cruz Azul), Hector Moreno (Monterrey), Gerardo Arteaga (Genk).
Jorge Sanchez (America), Jesus Gallardo (Monterrey), Johan Vasquez (Pumas), Jesus Alberto Angulo (Atlas), Luis Rodriguez (Tigres), Osvaldo Rodriguez (Leon), Cesar Montes (Monterrey), Kevin Alvarez (Pachuca), Carlos Salcedo (Tigres), Gilberto Sepulveda (Chivas).
Midfielders: Hector Herrera (Atletico Madrid), Diego Lainez (Betis), Erick Gutierrez (PSV Eindhoven), Jonathan Dos Santos (LA Galaxy), Andres Guardado (Betis), Carlos Rodriguez (Monterrey), Jesus Ricardo Angulo (Chivas), Orbelin Pineda (Cruz Azul).
Uriel Antuna (Chivas), Roberto Alvarado (Cruz Azul), Erick Aguirre (Pachuca), Fernando Beltran (Chivas), Sebastian Cordova (America), Alan Cervantes (Santos), Rodolfo Pizarro (Inter Miami), Joaquin Esquivel (FC Juarez).
Forwards: Hirving Lozano (Napoli), Jesus Corona (Porto), Rogelio Funes Mori (Monterrey), Jose Juan Macias (Chivas), Eduardo Aguirre (Santos), Alexis Vega (Chivas), Henry Martin (America), Alan Pulido (Sporting Kansas City).
