Gold Cup: Mexico-Nicaragua Preview

Who: Mexico vs. Nicaragua
What: Gold Cup Group C
When: 7:00 p.m. ET, Sunday, July 5
Where: Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, Calif.
TV: Univision (Spanish)

Much has changed since the last time Mexico played in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. In June 2007, a seemingly recharged Mexico hit the regional championship with a full squad. Mexico struggled along the way but reached the final before losing to the United States in the final. In an attempt to right those wrongs, Mexico will begin their 2009 Gold Cup quest against regional lightweights Nicaragua.

Stepping Out

Carlos Vela and Giovani Dos Santos combined to help Mexico win the 2005 Under-17 world title, and the two will now be heavily counted on to guide Mexico to regional glory. Vela and Dos Santos do not have a stellar career with the senior team but the youngsters will no doubt continue to have the path to success cleared for them. Vela and Dos Santos teamed together well for a 4-0 win over Venezuela as the two players combined for three goals. The talented duo must pay immediate dividends in order to help quell fears of another challenging group stage.

Changing History

Javier Aguirre may have had a brief spell as manager in 2001-02 but he participated in a Gold Cup during that span. Aguirre, who stepped in for the deposed Sven-Goran Eriksson in April, took a young and inexperienced squad (only one player went on to make the World Cup rosters) to the confederation championship seven years ago. While Mexico advanced out of the group stage, South Korea knocked Mexico out in penalties in the quarterfinals. Aguirre has once again called in a young team. Players like Vela, Dos Santos, Guillermo "Memo" Ochoa, Pablo Barrera and Edgar Dueñas are hoping to make their mark on the team and perhaps increase their own stock for the second of World Cup qualifying.

Contrasting Past

Mexico have been a part of more World Cups than any other country in CONCACAF and have won four Gold Cups in their history. Nicaragua will play their first Gold Cup game in history against Mexico. Nicaragua has produced some quality athletes in other sports - former Major League Baseball standout Dennis Martinez and boxer Ricardo Mayorga are prominent Nicaraguan athletes - but a footballing past is not something Nicaragua can count on. Perhaps a reminder that football is not the national sport, Nicaragua will honor boxing hero Alexis Arguello, possibly one of the nation's biggest sporting idols, before the match. Arguello, 57, died on Wednesday in what has been reported as a suicide.

Projected Lineups

Mexico: Guillermo Ochoa; Jose Antonio "Gringo" Castro, Edgar Dueñas, Jonny Magallon, Fausto Pinto; Israel Martinez, Gerardo Torrado, Luis Miguel Noriega, Giovani Dos Santos; Carlos Vela, Omar Bravo.

Nicaragua: Denis Espinoza; David Solorzano, Carlos Alonso, Silvio Aviles, Marvin Molina; Juan Barrera, Jose Carballo, Armando Collado, Franklin Lopez; Felix Rodriguez, Samuel Wilson.

Goal.com Projection: Mexico 4, Nicaragua 0

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