Jimenez repeats in Mexico starting lineup to face Ecuador

The forward is the only player in the El Tri XI who also went from the whistle against Venezuela last week

Mexico manager Tata Martino is rolling with Raul Jimenez up top once again, with the forward the only starter repeating from El Tri's 3-1 win over Venezuela on Wednesday.

Otherwise, there are 10 changes to the Mexico starting lineup. No. 1 goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa starts after Jonathan Orozco wore the gloves in the first game. At the back right back Luis "Chaka" Rodriguez and left back Jorge Sanchez will get up and down the flanks with Hector Moreno and Cesar Montes playing together at center back. Tigres center back Carlos Salcedo is dressed for the match and is likely to enter as a second-half substitute.

In the midfield, Andres Guardado wears the armband with Jonathan dos Santos and Orbelin Pineda next to him.

Article continues below

Uriel Antuna and Luis Montes likely will line up on either side of Jimenez. Antuna would make the Gold Cup roster only if midfielder Edson Alvarez can't recover from his knee injury suffered last week. However, the LA Galaxy attacker remains with the team, and Tata Martino said he wanted to keep getting to know many of the young players Mexico has at its disposal.

For Ecuador, it's the only match before the Copa America in which Hernan Gomez will have his full squad. FC Dallas midfielder Carlos Gruezo starts in the center of a three-man midfield with Tigres forward Enner Valencia wearing the captain's armband and leading the attack. Renato Ibarra and Ayrton Preciado start on the wings.