Mexico

Mexicans Abroad: Only Two Strikers!

In a dire period for Mexican forwards, Antonio De Nigris and Rodrigo Prieto are hitting the back of the net for their respective clubs in Turkey and Venezuela. Also, Javier Aguirre was dismissed by Atlético this Monday.

Feb 2, 2009 2:41:38 AM

More On : Mexico, Mexico Women

By César García

In the latest call-up list for the upcoming Hexagonal match against the United States, México manager Sven-Göran Eriksson included seven foreign-based players. Rafael Márquez, Carlos Salcido, Ricardo Osorio, Giovani Dos Santos, Nery Castillo, Guillermo Franco, and Omar Bravo received the call and will report directly to Columbus, Ohio, the following week.

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This was a forgettable week for Mexicans in La Liga.

Rafa and Guille were the only ones with participation, but to little avail. Villareal’s Franco did not return for the second half against Depor after complaints of an injury. While Márquez had a good return from his brief injury spell, but was sent off in the dying minutes of Barcelona’s victory over Racing.

On the coaching front, Hugo Sánchez suffered his first league loss with Almería in a result he considered unfair.

In turn, Javier ‘El Vasco’ Aguirre has not been able to earn a victory in 2009, in another lamentable defeat for Atléti amidst the fan outcry for Aguirre’s dismissal. Despite the poor form of the Colchoneros, ‘El Vasco’ does not fear losing his post and received some job security after Atlético President Enrique Cerezo declared that he won’t sack him. Unfortunately, various media sources in Spain confirmed on Monday that Javier Aguirre had been dismissed from his managerial post at Atlético de Madrid.

In two and a half years with the club, 'El Vasco' took Atléti to a protagonist role in Europe with a return to the Champions League after an 11 year absence. Current CD Castellón manager Abel Resino, will take over for the remainder of the season.

In England, Portsmouth’s radar is firmly set on 19-year-old Giovani Dos Santos in the final minutes of the January transfer window. The British tabloid The Sun claims that Pompey will pay Spurs €8 million to sign him on permanent basis. However, Giovani's move to Portsmouth collapsed at the last minute. The Mexican international will now have to wait it out at White Hart Lane where competition for playing time will not be easy with the recent acquisition of Irish striker Robbie Keane by the Spurs.

In Turkey, Antonio De Nigris had a scoring debut for new club Ankaragucu, as he hopes to find more playing time and keep scoring for a return to El Tri.

In Venezuela, Rodrigo Prieto has scored four goals in the first three matches of the Clausura 2009 in the Venezuelan Primera División. The 25-year-old is an undisputed starter for first place Caracas FC and his goals are quickly getting the attention and praise of the Mexican press.

SPAIN
LIGA BBVA - PRIMERA DIVISION - Week 21
Coach Hugo Sánchez, UD Almería
2/1: UD Almería 2-3 Valencia

Coach Javier Aguirre, Atlético de Madrid
Assts. Ignacio Ambríz, Mario Carillo
2/1: Atlético 1-2 Valladolid

Rafael Márquez, Barcelona
1/29: Copa del Rey: Barcelona 3-2 Espanyol (No Activity - In the Stands)
2/1: Barcelona 2-1 Racing Santander (88 minutes, 2 yellow cards)
Barcelona advanced to the semifinal round of the Copa del Rey where they will face Mallorca.

Andrés Guardado, Deportivo La Coruña
2/1: Deportivo 3-0 Villareal (No Activity - Injured)

Omar Bravo, Deportivo La Coruña
2/1: Deportivo 3-0 Villareal (Substitute, Not Used)

Guillermo Franco, Villareal
2/1: Villareal 0-3 Deportivo (45 minutes)

Jonathan dos Santos, Barcelona (División de Honor Juvenil)
1/31: Week 21: Barcelona Juvenil ‘A’ 3-2 Ferriolense

SUPERLIGA FEMENIL
Maribel Domínguez, Euromat Unió Esportiva L'Estartit
2/1: Week 18: L’Estartit 0-3 Prainsa Zaragoza

SEGUNDA DIVISION “B” - Week 23
Juan Seguro, Real Unión
2/1: Real Unión 0-1 Celta “B” (90 minutos)

Javier Iturriaga, SD Lemona (on loan from UD Salamanca)
1/31: SD Lemona 2-1 Club Marino (84 minutes)

ENGLAND
PREMIER LEAGUE - Weeks 23 & 24
Carlos Vela, Arsenal
1/28: Arsenal 1-1 Everton (Substitute, Not Used)
1/31: Arsenal 0-0 West Ham United (55 minutes, 1 yellow card)

Giovani dos Santos, Tottenham Hotspurs
1/27: Tottenham 3-1 Stoke City (Substitute, Not Used)
1/31: Tottenham 2-3 Bolton (No Activity - Not Considered)
With the transfer window coming to a close on Monday, the British tabloid The Sun claims that Portsmouth will make a move for Giovani Dos Santos on permanent basis and not on a loan deal as previously speculated. French clubs Paris Saint Germain and Olympique Lyon have also expressed interest, but Giovani’s intention is to remain in England.

GERMANY
BUNDESLIGA - Week 18
Ricardo Osorio, VfB Stuttgart
1/27: DFB Pokal: Stuttgart 1-5 Bayern Munich (90 minutes)
1/31: Stuttgart 2-0 Borussia Monchengladbach (90 minutes)

GREECE
Super League Greece - Week 20
Jaime Durán, Skoda Xanthi FC
2/1: Xanthi 0-0 Asteras Tripoli

NETHERLANDS
EREDIVISIE - Week 20
Carlos Salcido, PSV Eindhoven
2/1: PSV 3-0 De Graafschap (90 minutes)

Francisco Rodríguez, PSV Eindhoven
2/1: PSV 3-0 De Graafschap (Substitute, Not Used)

Héctor Moreno, AZ Alkmaar
2/1: AZ 2-0 Spartak Rotterdam (No Activity - Injured)
Moreno boarded a plane to Holland this past Monday to report with his club and continue his injury rehabilitation from the fracture of the fifth metatarsal of his right foot suffered in December. The player has indicated that he expects to return to the pitch in six weeks.

TURKEY
Süper Lig - Week 18
Antonio De Nigris, Ankaragucu
2/1: Ankaragucu 1-3 Konyaspor (90 minutes, 1 goal)
De Nigris made his starting and scoring debut for new club Ankaragucu. ‘El Tano’ will play on loan for the next six months and he hinted his lack of plaing time on Ankaraspor as the main reason for his transfer. This was his second goal of the present campaign and his 19th goal in three seasons in Turkish football.

UKRAINE
Nery Castillo, Shakhtar Donetsk
1/31: Friendly: Shakhtar 0-0 FC Brasov (90 minutes)
Shakhtar continue in preparation for the start of their season in February, with two friendly matches against Romanian side FC Brasov in Rafelbuñol, Spain. Nery Castillo took part in the second match with the reserves and played the full 90 minutes. Also, Shakhtar manager Mircea Lucescu included Castillo in the squad list for the third round of the UEFA Cup.

AMERICAS

UNCAF COPA DE NACIONES DIGICEL 2009
Coach Carlos de los Cobos, El Salvador
2/1: El Salvador 0-1 Honduras
El Salvador finished in fourth place in the Central American tournament and have qualified for the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Up next for El Salvador is a friendly match with Perú on the 6th of February, in preparation for their first match of the Hexagonal against Trinidad and Tobago on the 11th of February.

EL SALVADOR
Torneo Clausura 2009 - Week 1
Arturo Albarrán, CD Águila
1/31: CD Águila 1-2 L. Á. Firpo (90 minutes)

José Luis Osorio, Club Deportivo Chalatenango
2/1: Chalatenango 1-1 Alianza

Manuel Luna García, Club Deportivo Chalatenango
2/1: Chalatenango 1-1 Alianza

PERU
Primera Profesional de Perú
Rodolfo Espinoza, Universitario de Deportes
The latest Mexican footballer to ply his trade abroad is 27-year-old Rodolfo Espinoza. The former Jaguares, Necaxa and Atlante player indicated that he wanted to participate in the Copa Libertadores 2009. Universitario kicks-off their participation in the Libertadores on the 11th of February, against Libertad de Paraguay.

VENEZUELA
Primera División - Weeks 2 & 3
Rodrigo Prieto, Caracas FC
1/28: Caracas FC 4-1 Guaros de Lara (80 minutes, 2 goals)
2/1: Caracas FC 3-2 Estrella Roja (90 minutes)

Gerardo Torres, Caracas FC
1/28: Caracas FC 4-1 Guaros de Lara (21 minutes)
2/1: Caracas FC 3-2 Estrella Roja (Substitute, Not Used)

Junior Madrigal, Carabobo FC
2/1: Carabobo FC 0-3 Zamora (90 minutes)

--César García's "Mexicans Abroad" report appears every Monday on Goal.com. Contact him with any questions or comments at: cesar.garcia@goal.com.

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