Mexico

Mexicans Abroad: Fitness Race

Carlos Vela stole the headlines with an exquisite classy finish in the FA cup, while several of the legionarios are far from being match ready and one dreams of El Tri. Also, Rodolfo Espinoza had a goal and assist in Peru.

Mar 9, 2009 2:49:53 AM

More On : Mexico, Mexico Women, Antonio De Nigris, Héctor Alfredo Moreno, Carlos Vela, N. Castillo, Rodolfo Espinoza, Jose Andrés Guardado

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FA Cup : Carlos Alberto Vela, Arsenal - Burnley (PA)

By César García

While Omar Bravo’s return to Mexican football with Tigres was made official this week, several legionarios find themselves in a fitness race to be considered for the upcoming World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica.

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After a promising participation in training during the week, it was anticipated that Andrés Guardado would return to the pitch this weekend with Depor. However, a last minute decision left him out of match consideration and has raised doubts whether he will be match ready for the qualifier.

Shakhtar’s Nery Castillo and AZ’s Héctor Moreno continue to show progress with their injury rehabilitation but there’s no official return date set by their team doctors. Castillo’s fitness will once again be under scrutiny ahead of the call-up list for the match against Costa Rica. While Moreno is completely out of consideration.

In turn, Antonio De Nigris continues to raise his hand for a return to El Tri. “El Tano” has found regularity with his new club and continues to work for the desired national team call-up.

The following is a weekly report of the participation of Mexican footballers plying their trade abroad in the top leagues, youth sectors and lower divisions around the globe.

FIRST DIVISIONS

EUROPE

SPAIN
LIGA BBVA — Week 26

Coach Hugo Sánchez, UD Almería
3/8: UD Almería 1-2 Sevilla FC

Rafael Márquez, Barcelona
3/4: Copa del Rey — Barcelona 1-1 Mallorca (Agg 3-1) (36 minutes)
3/7: Barcelona 2-0 Athletic Bilbao (90 minutes)

Andrés Guardado, Deportivo La Coruña
3/8: Deportivo 5-3 Racing Santander (Not Considered)
Guardado was selected for the match but was left out of the starting eleven and the substitutes bench at the last minute.

Guillermo Franco, Villareal
3/7: Villareal 1-0 Espanyol (27 minutes, 1 yellow card)

SUPERLIGA FEMENIL — Week 22
Maribel Domínguez, Euromat Unió Esportiva L'Estartit
3/8: L’Estartit 3-1 Atlético Málaga

ENGLAND
PREMIER LEAGUE — Weeks 27 & 28

Carlos Vela, Arsenal
3/3: Arsenal 3-1 West Bromwich Albion (Substitute, Not Used)
3/8: FA Cup — Arsenal 3-0 Burnley (60 minutes, 1 goal)
Arsenal’s website calls Vela’s goal: “a class finish – a mixture of vision, tenacity, speed and skill. It was also his fifth goal of the season – already a decent return for a rookie striker who has been in and out of the side.”

Giovani Dos Santos, Tottenham Hotspurs
3/4: Tottenham 4-0 Middlesbrough (Not Considered)
3/7: Tottenham 1-1 Sunderland (Not Considered)

GERMANY
BUNDESLIGA — Week 23

Ricardo Osorio, VfB Stuttgart
3/7: Stuttgart 2-1 Borussia Dortmund (90 minutes)

NETHERLANDS
EREDIVISIE — Week 26

Carlos Salcido, PSV Eindhoven
3/8: PSV 1-1 Twente Enschede (90 minutes)

Francisco Rodríguez, PSV Eindhoven
3/8: PSV 1-1 Twente Enschede (4 minutes)

Héctor Moreno, AZ Alkmaar
3/5: Dutch Cup — AZ 1-2 NAC Breda
3/8: AZ 1-0 NEC Nijmegen (No Activity - Injured)
Moreno is on his 11th week of rehabilitation and the recuperation is progressing well. In his blog, Moreno mentions that he feels better everyday especially after they removed the orthopedic boot from his foot which gives him more freedom with his training. He has yet to return to full-team training and is focusing on recovering his strength and rhythm. The 21-year-old defender is anxious to return to the field with nine weeks left in the Eredivisie and help AZ on their championship run, but he understands that he needs to be patient and wait for a full recovery to avoid any setbacks.

TURKEY
Süper Lig — Week 23

Antonio De Nigris, Ankaragucu
3/8: Ankaragucu 0-2 Genclerbirligi (90 minutes)
During the week, “El Tano” expressed his joy of playing for a club where his participation is valued and receives the minutes to prove his worth. In five matches with Ankaragucu, he has scored two goals and has helped the club abandon the drop zone of the Turkish Süper Lig. De Nigris also mentioned that he does not believe playing in Turkey has affected his national team consideration. “El Tano” does not hide his desire to return to El Tri and indicated that he works for that objective and anxiously awaits for the call.

UKRAINE
PREMIER LEAGUE

Nery Castillo, Shakhtar Donetsk
3/2: Shakhtar 2-1 Illichivets (No Activity - Injured)
3/7: Shakhtar 1-0 Dnipro (No Activity - Injured)
After more than three weeks of inactivity due to a muscular injury, Nery Castillo continues with his physical exercises and has started to run. However, even if the progression of his rehabilitation is progressing smoothly, Shakhtar doctors have not set a date for when he can start touching the ball and return to the playing pitch.

AMERICAS

COLOMBIA
COPA MUSTANG 1 — Week 6

Mario García, Boyacá Chicó FC
3/7: Boyacá Chicó 2-0 La Equidad (90 minutes, 1 yellow card)

ECUADOR
Primera A de Ecuador — Week 5

Carlos Morán, Club Deportivo Cuenca
3/4: CD Cuenca 2-3 Emelec (Substitute, Not Used)

EL SALVADOR
Torneo Clausura 2009 — Week 8

Arturo Albarrán, CD Águila
3/4: CD Águila 1-0 Juventud Independiente
3/8: CD Águila 2-2 Chalatenango (90 minutes, 1 red card)

José Luis Osorio, Club Deportivo Chalatenango
3/4: Chalatenango 0-2 Luis Ángel Firpo
3/8: Chalatenango 2-2 CD Águila (Not Considered)

Manuel Luna García, Club Deportivo Chalatenango
3/4: Chalatenango 0-2 Luis Ángel Firpo
3/8: Chalatenango 2-2 CD Águila (56 minutes)

PERU
Primera Profesional de Perú — Week 4

Rodolfo Espinoza, Universitario de Deportes
3/6: Universitario 3-0 Total Chalaco (32 minutes, 1 goal, 1 assist)

Nathaniel Revetria, Sport Ancash (on loan from River Plate Uruguay)
3/8: Sport Ancash 0-1 Universidad César Vallejo (90 minutes)

VENEZUELA
Primera División

Rodrigo Prieto, Caracas FC
3/3: Libertadores — Caracas FC 2-0 Guadalajara (65 minutes)

Gerardo Torres, Caracas FC
3/3: Libertadores — Caracas FC 2-0 Guadalajara (Substitute, Not Used)

Junior Madrigal, Carabobo FC
3/8: Carabobo FC 1-2 Minerven (Substitute, Not Used)

YOUTH SECTOR

ITALY
Primavera — Girone A — Week 19
Carlo Crociani Barcenas, AC Siena
3/7: Siena 2-1 Grosseto

SPAIN

División de Honor Juvenil — Group 3 — Week 26
Jonathan Dos Santos, Barcelona
3/8: Barcelona Juvenil ‘A’ 2-3 CD San Francisco

Primera División Autonómica Cadete — Week 21
Cadete A
Richard Sánchez, Atlético de Madrid
3/7: Atlético 2-1 Rayo Majadahonda

Cadete B
Carlos Plascencia, Atlético Madrileño
3/7: Atlético 1-3 Real Madrid

LOWER DIVISIONS

SPAIN
SEGUNDA DIVISIÓN “B” — Group 1 — Week 28

Juan Seguro, Real Unión
3/8: Real Unión 1-1 Racing Club de Ferrol (Not Considered)

Javier Iturriaga, SD Lemona (on loan from UD Salamanca)
3/8: SD Lemona 0-1 Lugo (Not Considered)

TERCERA DIVISIÓN

Group 1 — Week 27
Martín Pérez Vásquez, CD Ourense
3/8: CD Ourense 0-0 Compostela

Group 3 — Week 28
Gerardo Llano Collera, Atlético Deva
3/7: At. Deva 1-2 Laredo

Group 6 — Week 26
Adrián Abascal, Villajoyosa Club de Fútbol
3/7: Villajoyosa CF 2-1 J. Barrio Cristo

HUNGARY
NB II (Nemzeti Bajnokság II)
Juan “Kichi” Pérez, FC Tatabánya
3/7: FC Tatabánya 1-3 Budaörsi SC (90 minutes)

AMERICAS

ARGENTINA
Primera “D”
Christián Buglione, Deportivo Riestra
3/8: Deportivo Riestra 0-0 CA Puerto Nuevo

GUATEMALA
Primera División de Ascenso
Coach Rafael Loredo, Club Universidad San Carlos Guatemala
3/7: Universidad SC 0-0 Cobán Imperial

Carlos Kamiani Félix,
Club Universidad San Carlos Guatemala
3/7: Universidad SC 0-0 Cobán Imperial

--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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