International Friendly Preview: Mexico vs. Iceland

El Tricolor set their sights on Iceland as the road to the World Cup continues moving forward.

Mar 24, 2010 12:47:00 AM

By Luis Bueno

More On :  Iceland, Mexico
Miguel Sabah - Mexico (Mexsport)

Who: Mexico vs. Iceland
What: International friendly
Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, N.C.
When: Wednesday, March 24, 7 p.m. ET
TV: Telemundo

Mexico will play their fourth game in the last five weeks when Mexico lines up against Iceland in Charlotte, N.C. Mexico brought a domestic roster for the match as El Tri continues their path towards the 2010 World Cup.
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Phase One, Nearly Complete

This game will serve as the final game in the first portion of Mexico's run-up to the World Cup. Mexico will not play again until early May, at which time they will have most of the squad complete. Manager Javier Aguirre will call in an 18-man roster to participate in training camp, a squad he will use in games against Ecuador, Senegal and Angola in May. While not all the players from that team will go on to represent Mexico in South Africa, the majority will.

Iceland could be the final opportunity for some fringe players to impress, and might help others lock down spots of their own. The longest shots on the squad appear to be Adolfo "Bofo" Bautista and Matias Vuoso, simply because they have not had any playing time under Aguirre, while players such as Gerardo Torrado and Guillermo Ochoa are all but locks to make the team no matter how they do against Iceland.


Forward Depth Necessary?

Carlos Vela had one opportunity to play for Aguirre this year and impressed as he scored a goal against New Zealand. Guillermo Franco has not had any chance to play this year for El Tri but scored some clutch goals for Mexico in 2009.

Still, Aguirre might look to this squad for scoring depth. On the squad are potential spark plugs in Miguel Sabah and Pablo Barrera, along with veteran Alberto Medina. Vuoso and Bautista are also among the options up top for Aguirre.

The player who everyone is chasing is seemingly Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez, who has scored four goals in three games for Mexico this year. Hernandez, though, was not called up for this game.

Giovani Dos Santos and Cuauhtemoc Blanco are also not part of this game, but the two add considerable punch for Mexico. It's likely then that the spots up for grabs for forwards are few.

Carolina On Tri's Mind

Mexico-Iceland will be El Tricolor's first venture into North Carolina. Known for its college basketball, North Carolina sprouted NBA, NFL and NHL roots in the 1990s. More than 65,000 tickets were sold for the match, and the game could sell out.

Mexico last played in the southern part of the United States prior to the Gold Cup last year when Mexico beat Venezuela 4-0 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

Mexico have drawn well in their two previous two trips to the U.S. this year. Mexico drew some 35,000 to San Francisco's Candlestick Park for a 5-0 win over Bolivia, and more than 90,000 crammed into the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., for a 2-0 win over New Zealand.

To help welcome Mexico to the stadium, Carolina Panthers star receiver Steve Smith met the national team and posed for pictures with Mexico's Gerardo Torrado and Aguirre. Smith was asked about El Tricolor and admitted he was not up to speed on El Tri.

"I know very little about the Mexican national team but to be honest I respect any type of athlete," he told reportres. "To be a professional as a gift."

As for his own prediction for the match, Smith said he had faith in Mexico's defense.

"I would be surprised if Iceland scored a goal," said Smith, who is expected to take in the match in person.

Projected Starting Lineups

Mexico

Guillermo Ochoa; Efrain Juarez, Jonny Magallon, Juan Carlos Valenzuela, Paul Aguilar; Pablo Barrera, Gerardo Torrado, Israel Castro, Braulio Luna; Miguel Sabah, Matias Vuoso.

Iceland

Gunnleifur Gunnleifsson; Valur Gislason, Jon Gudni Fjoluson, Skuli Jon Fridgeirsson, Gudmundur R. Gunnarson; Gunnar Orn Jonsson, Bjarni Gudjonsson, Johan Berg Gudmundsson, Matthias Vilhjalmsson; Bjorgolfur Takefusa, Kolbeinn Sigthorsson.

Goal.com Prediction: Mexico 2, Iceland 0.

For more coverage of the Mexican national team, visit Goal.com's Mexico page.
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