Photo Credit: Seleccion Mexicana
By Jonny Rico
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“WHEN IT RAINS, IT POURS” –
It has been a terrible week for The Mexican National Team’s Olympic squad. Oddly enough it all stems from its 5-1 win over Fiji in the second match of the group stage of the Olympic Men’s Soccer Tournament. It is not everyday that a 5-1 win is the base for a terrible week but for El Tri, it just goes to show how bad luck can pile on.
El Tri heads into Thursday’s final groups stage match against South Korea in a Must Win match if it wants to advance to the quarterfinals of the competition and have a chance at defending the Olympic Gold Medal achieved four years ago in London 2012. Mexico is not eliminated with a draw mathematically just yet. But it is safe to assume that Germany will defeat Fiji by more than four goals, in which case El Tri would be eliminated if it were to lose or draw against South Korea, the current group leaders.
South Korea made its debut in the Olympic tournament with an 8-0 pounding on Fiji. The large goal difference in the match made things complicated for Mexico which now had to come up with a similar win over the Olympic newbies. A very disappointing first half for Mexico sent Fiji into the break with a 1-0 lead. El Tri was able to turn things around in the second half and take a big 5-1 win; but not big enough.
Because it was not able to cover the eight goal difference in its match against Fiji, Mexico now waited for either Germany or South Korea to take all three points. But luck was not on Mexico’s side. Germany and South Korea played to a stalemate and split the points.
South Korea now sit at the top of Group C with four points and a +8 goal difference, Mexico is right behind in second place with four points and a +4 difference, Germany sits in third place with two points and a zero goal difference and in last place Fiji with no points. Safely assuming Germany wins its next match over Fiji by more than four goals, the Germans will improve to five points and a greater than four goal difference. Anything less than a win over South Korea will leave Mexico eliminated.
If group results were not bad enough for the defending Olympic champions, they prepare for the must win game against South Korea without two of its key players. Oribe Peralta, the veteran striker and one of the three over-age players suffered a broken nose in the match against Fiji. He collided with the Fiji goalkeeper in the first half and played the remainder of the match with the injury. Following the match it was decided that Peralta had to fly back to Mexico to undergo surgery. Also flying back to Mexico is talented winger Rodolfo Pizarro. Pizarro had to be subbed out of the match in the first half against Fiji after suffering a fractured tibia bone.
Carlos Fierro and Raul Lopez will be the two alternates that will fly into Brazil to replace Peralta and Pizarro.
Kickoff for Mexico vs South Korea is scheduled for Thursday August 10 at 3:00 p.m. (Eastern) / 12:00 p.m. (Pacific). The Germany vs Fiji match will be played simultaneously.
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