Chicharito was Mexico’s Man of the Match
Photo: Ali Gilmore
Mexico Player Ratings
By Marc Serber
Mexico defeated Jamaica 2-0 to advance beyond the group stages of the Copa America for the first time since 2007 with a game to spare. El Tri used a fluid attack, in which most of the danger was generated on the flanks.
Jamaica had chances to punish Mexico for some slack defending but the men in green deserved all three points in front of what was essentially a home crowd.
Here are the player ratings:
GK 13- Guillermo Ochoa (73 Caps; 0 Goals): 8.5- Ochoa bailed Mexico out with two excellent diving saves on 39 and 84 minutes. Handled crosses and free kicks with confidence and was solid with his distribution, setting up Miguel Layun for a shot in the 68th by claiming a corner and firing it to him right away.
CB 2- Nestor Araujo (9 Caps; 1 Goal): 6- On the ball, Araujo’s distribution out of the back was good when he played short into the midfield, but the Santos Laguna defender was often off target when he tried to spring attacks with long balls. A few solid challenges, but gave the ball away in the 69th minute, which led to an opportunity that Clayton Donaldson should have buried.
CB 15- Hector Moreno (68 Caps; 1 Goal): 5.5- The PSV Eindhoven man had a big interception in the 17th minute that stopped a possible Jamaican breakaway and led to the goal for Javier Hernandez at the other end. Had a bad giveaway in the 39th minute that started Jamaica’s best chance of the half, but Ochoa came to Moreno’s rescue. Quiet second half, but that’s a good thing for a central defender.
CB 3- Yasser Corona (7 Caps; 0 Goals): 5.5- A mixed night for the new Club Tijuana defender. Corona made some big plays, but also had lapses in concentration. He gave the ball away in the 29th minute leading to a Jamaican attack but recovered with an important interception a minute later. Corona lost his mark seconds later, however, leading to a headed opportunity that Donaldson put wide. He showed his credentials five minutes later with a sliding block to deny Gareth McCleary a tap in at the far post, he also got forward well in the 51st but fired high and wide when there were options ahead of him. The defender was involved in the penalty controversy with a heavy sliding challenge in in the 64th. Corona got caught ball watching three minutes later, leading to a Jamaican breakaway but he made amends by getting back to put the forward off just enough so that he shot wide. Finished the night on a positive note with a solid challenge ten minutes from time to help preserve the clean sheet.
DM 4- Rafael Marquez (132 Caps; 16 Goals): 7.5- Mexico’s captain was the lynchpin between El Tri’s defense and attack. Marquez moved the ball well from side to side to keep the attack moving at a fluid pace. Often dropped back into the center of defense to either provide cover when Jamaica tried to open up the flanks or to bring the ball out of the back. Showed his ability to track back with a crucial slide tackle on 25 minutes to dispossess Je-Vaughn Watson when he looked to be through on goal. Came up with another important intervention just before the hour-mark to stop what could have been a lose ball in box for Jamaica to pounce on.
DM 20- Jesus Duenas (10 Caps; 1 Goal) 72 Minutes: 6- Had an early give away which led to Jamaica’s first corner of the game. Was lucky to get away with a heavy foul in the 11th minute. Did a good job on the offensive end, with simple passes in midfield to keep the Mexican attack moving at pace. Stayed home for the most part so that Hector Herrera had more freedom to roam further up the pitch.
RCM 7- Miguel Layun (41 Caps; 3 Goals): 7.5- Layun delivered quality set pieces throughout the match. Produced a nifty move in the 16th minute which kept a Mexican attack alive. The Porto man was smart with passing and never tried to over elaborate. Got back to win an important header at the back post in the 25th minute. Nine minutes later, Layun set off on a dangerous run and combined well with Hernandez, almost leading to a second goal. Created another dangerous chance in the 50th minute, winning the ball high up the field and sending in an early cross that was just missed as it flashed across the face of goal. Came up with another solid defensive play in the 56th minute and quickly transitioned into attack. Bombed forward again in the 68th, but fired high and wide from the top of the box when multiple players were making dangerous runs into the box.
LCM 16- Hector Herrera (42 Caps; 4 Goals): 8- Herrera combined well in midfield with Duenas and Marquez. He smartly popped up into pockets of space to receive the ball. Once on it, the Porto man looked especially dangerous running right at the heart of the Jamaican defense, but also knew when to spray it out wide. Exploited the channels well in the first half, but his crosses went wanting, often placed too close to the keeper. Played a smart ball to put into club mate Jesus Manuel Corona on the half-hour mark. The two almost linked up again just before halftime with another threatening ball snuffed out by the Jamaican defender. Played a gorgeous ball for Raul Jimenez in the 55th minute, which led to two threatening crosses in succession. Capped off the night with the 81st minute lay-off for Oribe Peralta to put the game on ice.
RW 9- Raul Jimenez (45 Caps; 8 Goals): 7- Jimenez had a solid outing with his hard running and creativity causing Jamaica fits down the right. Usually a forward, Jimenez spent the majority of the evening out wide. The Benfica man was a constant threat receiving the ball with his feet on the touchline and cutting into the middle. Got the ball to Hernandez in menacing positions on more than one occasion. Most notably in the 47th minute when he got on the end of Corona’s cross and played it right back into the middle, but just beyond the reach of Hernandez. Had opportunities to score in the second half. On 54 minutes, Jimenez curled the ball wide of the far post from a promising position just inside the box. Squandered two more chances on the hour mark. Jimenez first stole in-between the center backs, but headed tamely at Andre Blake. Less then a minute later, Jimenez made better contact, but could only direct his effort into the breadbasket of the keeper.
LW 10- Jesus Manuel Corona (23 Caps; 5 Goals) 63 Minutes: 8- While Corona didn’t help back on the defensive end, offering plenty of space for Giles Barnes, he was dynamite on offense. Got around the back of Jamaica’s defense or created enough space on multiple occasions to put in dangerous crosses. This included the ball for Hernandez to head in the opener after just 18 minutes. Showed some silky moves in the 56th to slip by two Jamaican players before the ball was swept away for a corner. Corona’s ability to create off the dribble was on display again just after the hour mark as he created a shooting opportunity for Jimenez who fired straight at the keeper.
F 9- Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez (84 Caps; 45 Goals) 77 Minutes: 9- Hernandez was the man of the match, not only for his delightfully placed header, but because of his work rate. Bayer Leverkusen’s assassin often worked back into midfield to win tackles which kept Jamaica from finding players in more advanced positions. By coming back, Chicharito also gave Mexico the sense, on occasion, that they were playing a false 9. While it was Hernandez that often occupied that space, it was open for any of Mexico’s attacking players to fill the vacuum, making life difficult for Jamaica’s center backs. Whether it was in the midfield or as the target striker, Chicharito often popped up in dangerous positions to receive the ball with the option of bringing others into the attack or having a go at the Raggae Boyz back-line.
Photo: Ali Gilmore
SUBSTITUTES:
LW 8- Hirving Lozano (5 Caps; 1 Goal) Replaced Jesus Manuel Corona in the 63rd Minute: 8.5- Lozano was given the freedom of Pasadena, but he made smart use of it. Showed his wit in the 75th minute when he darted into the space and fizzed in a ball that Blake tipped away with Hernandez poised for a tap-in. Lozano was involved in the buildup to the goal, with a smart run into the channel to receive a pass from Peralta. While many would have blindly flung in a cross, the 20-year-old had the presence of mind to pick his head up and find Herrera at the top of the box, who duly laid it off for Peralta to finish off what he started. Played another good ball in for Herrera in the 87th minute only for his shot to be blocked. Should have gotten on the score sheet a minute from time, but missed a sitter after Peralta set him up. Returned the favor for Peralta on the stroke of full time with another quality cross, but Peralta was unable to finish off the play. If you hadn’t seen Lozano play before, it took just 27 minutes to understand why their are rumors that Manchester United are keen on Pachuca’s young gem.
DM 23- Jesus Molina (14 Caps; 0 Goals) Replaced Jesus Duenas in the 72nd Minute: 5- Molina didn’t make much of an impression. Was simple in his passing. Called for a foul in the 75th minute.
F 19- Oribe Peralta (49 Caps; 22 Goals) Replaced Javier Hernandez in the 78th Minute: 9- The Club America hitman scored just three minutes after coming on. Peralta started the move with a perfectly weighted ball into the channel for Lozano before making a 40-yard-dash into the box to get on the end of Herrera’s lay-off. Almost got in the assist column as well with a brilliant through ball for Lozano, but the youngster couldn’t finish.
Copa America
