Weekend Recap: 11/23 - 11/24

A stunning eruption of goals from Carlos Vela highlights a quiet weekend for Mexicans abroad:

Carlos Vela had a massive game for Sociedad

Liga BBVA

Carlos Vela helped his team overcome a 1-3 second-half deficit by scoring 4 goals, including three in the final 30 minutes, as Real Sociedad edged Celta de Vigo 4-3.  Vela was on fire the entire match, although his second and third goals appeared to be offside on second viewing.  Regardless, this was one of Vela's strongest games since transferring to the Basque side over two years ago.  It has been a difficult 2013 so far for Sociedad, but Vela is rounding into form to try to salvage their season.  With Mexico's arduous World Cup qualification process now officially successful, will Vela be mentioned for call-ups to Brazil next summer?

Elsewhere in La Liga, Giovani Dos Santos sat out Villarreal's 3-0 beatdown of Levante,  but Javier Aquino was subbed on at 62' after starting on the bench.  Villarreal remains in 4th place in La Liga.  Dos Santos sustained a thigh injury in league action two weeks ago and was being held out of Sunday's game as a precautionary measure.

Last, Hector Moreno's Espanyol destroyed Nery Castillo's Rayo Vallecano 4-1.  Castillo has been sidelined for the month of November following a muscle tear, while Moreno played his customary 90' for Espanyol.  Rumors continue to swirl over Moreno's future at the club, linking him with a possible move to the Premier League or elsewhere.

English Premier League

Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez received a rare start for Manchester United as they traveled to Wales to face Cardiff City.  While he did provide a gorgeous assist for Wayne Rooney on United's first goal, Hernandez remained quiet for most of the match before being substituted at 73' when the game was still 2-1.  Cardiff later tied the game at 90', giving United a disappointing 2-2 draw against the recently-promoted side.

Primeira Liga

Hector Herrera started at CM for Porto as they fought to a 1-1 draw against Nacional in the Portuguese Primeira Liga.  He was substituted at 88', while his compatriot Diego Reyes remained an unused substitute.  Porto remain at the top of the table with 24 points, 1 point better than Sporting and Benfica.

Ligue 1

Guillermo Ochoa had a tough day as AC Ajaccio fell 3-1 to Olympique Marseille in French League action.  Ajaccio is now in relegation territory after going winless in their last 7 Ligue 1 matches.

Eredivisie

Jesus "Tecatito" Corona was subbed on at 87' in FC Twente's 5-2 win over NAC Breda.  Twente now sit in third place in a very tight Eredivisie, where 3 points separate the top 4 teams.

Midweek Play: 10/29 - 10/31

Javier Hernandez puts in a dazzling start in the Capital One Cup and Andres Guardado will miss three weeks after picking up a hamstring tear as we focus on midweek action for Mexicans abroad:

Liga BBVA

Andres Guardado's Valencia allowed 2 second-half goals to fall 1-2 against Almeria, but the bigger story is the torn hamstring that will sideline Guardado for the next three weeks.  Guardado started at LB for Valencia before being subbed at 41' after picking up the injury.  It has been a difficult year for Guardado, who has lost his once-assured starting spot at LW on El Tri after a run of bad form, and was not even called up for the last Hexagonal qualifiers under then-manager Victor Manuel Vucetich.

Elsewhere in La Liga, Carlos Vela and Real Sociedad blew a 2-goal lead in the final 15 minutes and nearly lost were it not for the heroics of Chilean goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, who saved a penalty in stoppage time to preserve a 2-2 tie.  Vela assisted on the first goal with a classy through-ball finished by Frenchman Antoine Griezmann at a very tight angle.

Last, Giovani Dos Santos' and Javier Aquino's 4th-place Villarreal squad dropped their Thursday match against 5th-place Getafe 2-0.  Villarreal maintains a 1-point lead over Getafe for 4th place.  Dos Santos and Aquino both started, but Aquino was substituted at halftime after Villarreal's Pablo

Iñíguez was red-carded at 39'.

Capital One Cup

Chicharito bagged two goals against Norwich City

In England's Capital One Cup, Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez made the most of his starting opportunity, scoring two goals against Norwich City as Manchester United won 4-0.  United dominated the match from the outset, with Hernandez netting first from the penalty spot at 20' after Adnan Januzaj was taken down inside the box, and then again at 54' with a rebounded header after Norwich goalkeeper Mark Bunn saved his initial header.  Hernandez has now scored 3 goals in his last 2 matches for Manchester United.  Whether this will translate into more playing time for Chicharito remains to be seen.

Weekend Recap: 10/25 - 10/27

A Man-of-the-Match performance from Giovani Dos Santos and the return of Chicharito the Supersub highlight the action of Mexicans in Europe this last weekend:

Liga BBVA

In La Liga, Giovani Dos Santos' & Javier Aquino's Villarreal took on Andres Guardado's Valencia (although Guardado did not play).  Aquino was subbed on at 73' when the game was firmly in Villarreal's control.  However, Giovani Dos Santos was the main attraction here, as he started and had a monster game for Villarreal CF as they defeated Valencia 4-1.  Dos Santos atoned for a missed penalty at 47', when on the ensuing corner kick he managed a ridiculous backheel goal in front of net.  Forty minutes later, Dos Santos added another golazo with a 20-yard strike past the outstretched arms of the goalkeeper.  Dos Santos also provided a brilliant cross to Ikechukwu Uche for Villarreal's first goal, and was unlucky to hit the post on a difficult, close-range header midway through the game.  This was easily Dos Santos' finest game as a Submarino.

 

Elsewhere in La Liga, Carlos Vela's Real Sociedad got back in the win column with a solid 3-0 victory over Almeria.  Vela did not start, but was subbed on at 81' after playing 90 minutes in the Champions League loss to Manchester United earlier in the week.  Also, Nery Castillo started at Forward and played 63 uninspiring minutes in Rayo Vallecano's 0-3 loss to Valladolid.  Rayo sits just one spot out of the relegation zone in the La Liga table.

In injury news, Jonathan Dos Santos will miss about 6 months due to a knee ligament tear suffered in practice.  This will more than likely end any hope that the younger Dos Santos might have had in representing Mexico in the World Cup in Brazil (if, indeed, Mexico makes the World Cup), and might mark an end to his Barcelona career (a career which never got off the ground, to be honest).

Last, Hector Moreno had a rough week for Espanyol.  Starting his third game after missing time with a hamstring injury, Moreno not only had to endure Espanyol's 0-3 drubbing at the hands of Levante, he was also booked with a yellow card at 57' and then left the game with a quadriceps injury at 59', which might cause him to miss this Tuesday's match against Malaga.

English Premier League

Chicharito scored the gamewinner in United's win

Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez was substituted at 68' into Manchester United's home match against Stoke City and helped to make an immediate impact.  United were struggling in attack with a Wayne Rooney and Robin Van Persie strikeforce, shockingly losing to the lowly Potters 2-1 and looking very sluggish in midfield.  So manager David Moyes moved Rooney to midfield and Chicharito to striker and saw an immediate improvement to his squad.  Rooney scored with an excellent header to tie the game at 78', and Hernandez scored just 2 minutes later with a nice header past goalie after losing his marker.  It was Chicharito's first Premier League goal this season, and second overall for the club after scoring in the Capital One Cup against Liverpool earlier this year.

Primeira Liga

The top two teams in the Portuguese Primeira Liga squared off as Hector Herrera's FC Porto took on Sporting CP at the Estádio do Dragão in Porto.  Herrera received a vote of confidence from Porto manager Paul Fonseca as he was handed the start after his infamous double yellow card during Porto's 0-1 Champions League loss to Zenit St. Peterburg earlier in the week.  Herrera played 67' before being subbed off with the score Porto 2-1 Sporting.  Porto went on to win the match 3-1.

Elsewhere, Diego Reyes started and played 90 minutes as Porto B suffered a 1-2 defeat against Chaves in the Portuguese second division.

Ligue 1

Guillermo Ochoa had a rough time in front of net as Ajaccio was defeated 2-1 by Guingamp for their third consecutive defeat.  Ochoa allowed two goals in the final 5 minutes after keeping a clean sheet for the majority of the match.

Eredivisie

Jesus "Tecatito" Corona was subbed on at 63' in FC Twente's 2-3 loss versus ADO Den Haag in the Dutch League.  Corona played inspired minutes as his team managed to pull the match to a draw after being down 0-2 when he was called on.  Twente came back to tie the game before Den Haag scored at 88'.

Back to Liga MX for El Cubo?

MLS

Erick "Cubo" Torres' Chivas USA was completely embarrassed by the Portland Timbers 0-5 in the last (mercifully) game of the season for the squad.  Torres ended the match with 3 shots on target but could not get one past the goalie.  Cubo's loan spell to Chivas USA now comes to an end, and it remains to be seen if he will end up back at Guadalajara at the start of the Liga MX Clausura.

Champions League Roundup: 10/22 - 10/23

A Champions League record for Hector Herrera, but not a good one

Hector Herrera's huge gaffe overshadowed Carlos Vela v Javier Hernandez in the third round of Champions' League Group Play:


Hector Herrera received his first Champions League start for Porto as they faced Zenit St. Petersburg.  Unfortunately, it all ended horribly for him only 6 minutes into the game after receiving two yellow cards in 20 seconds (a Champions League record).  His first yellow was received after a sloppy tackle against Zenit's Hulk.  The second, more controversial, yellow card came on the ensuing free kick, where Herrera broke from the wall too early to interfere with the kick.  The referee was in no mood to deal with Herrera's transgression, and bypassed a warning for the yellow.  Herrera must now sit out the November 6th UCL match as Porto travel to Zenit.  Porto fought hard with a ten-man squad and were unlucky to lose the game 1-0.  Porto has started group play with 2 straight home losses and are in dire straits.  Worst for Mexico fans, will Herrera be trusted with a start in a critical match again this season?

Diego Reyes was not called by Porto for this match.

Chicharito receiving a high kick during Champions League action

Elsewhere, Javier Hernandez received a rare start for Manchester United as they took on Carlos Vela and Real Sociedad at Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester.  There were no goals scored aside from an own-goal by Sociedad goalie Inigo Martinez in the second minute.  Hernandez' movement, coupled with an energetic Shinji Kagawa, helped to make the United side more pacey than they have been in recent weeks.  Vela was often dangerous for Sociedad, but the goals never came.  The teams meet again in San Sebastian on November 5th.


Elsewhere, Jonathan Dos Santos was not called for Barcelona's 1-1 draw with AC Milan in San Siro.

Weekend Recap: 10/19 - 10/21

Hector Moreno's Espanyol shocked the world and the clash of Andres Guardado's Valencia against Carlos Vela's Real Sociedad were the highlights of this last weekend of Mexicans abroad:

Liga BBVA

Hector Moreno helped Espanyol with a huge defensive effort

Hector Moreno's Espanyol were on the winning end of probably the biggest upset of the season so far as they ended Atletico Madrid's perfect start to the season with a 1-0 victory, with the lone goal being scored on an own-goal by Atletico's goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.  Moreno played 90 minutes at CB for 7th-place Espanyol.

Giovani Dos Santos and Javier Aquino both started for Villarreal as they traveled to the San Mamés Barria Stadium to take on Atletico Bilbao.  Villarreal never really got moving offensively, and fell behind on a fantastic Mikel Rico header from a gorgeous Andoni Iraola cross from the right wing.  A horrendous defensive blunder allowed Aritz Adriz to extend Bilbao's lead to 2-0 two minutes later.  After two yellows in ten minutes from Villarreal's Bruno, Villarreal were down to ten men.  Aquino was subbed at the start of the second half, with Dos Santos taken off at 65'.  Any hopes of a Villarreal comeback were stifled after the red card.

Villarreal next take on Valencia, where Andres Guardado plies his trade at LB.  Valencia took on Carlos Vela's Real Sociedad last Saturday, with Sociedad snapping their 7-game winless run in La Liga with a 2-1 victory.  Carlos Vela provided an assist on the second goal at 59', and Sociedad controlled the entire game from start to finish, with Valencia tacking on a goal at 90'+3'.

Last, Jonathan Dos Santos was once again left on the bench during Barcelona's surprising 0-0 draw at Osasuna.

English Premier League

Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez was left on the bench during Manchester United's 1-1 draw versus Southampton.  Moyes' conservative, defensive substitutions in the second half while clinging to a 1-0 lead backfired as Southampton tied the game at 89'.  Chicharito's playing time has been sparse of late, and with World Cup play around the corner the drumbeat for him to leave Old Trafford only grows louder with each passing week.

Primeira Liga

Diego Reyes started his first game for the FC Porto first team during Porto's 1-0 victory over Liga de Honra (Portugal's second division) basement dwellers Trofense.  Porto played a team of substitutes for this Taca de Portugal (Portuguese Cup) match, and can probably be accused of looking ahead to Tuesday's Champions League clash with Zenit St. Petersburg.  Hector Herrera did not play in Saturday's game, so he may feature against Zenit.

Ligue 1

Guillermo Ochoa started in front of net for AC Ajaccio in their 0-1 loss to Nantes.  Ochoa played a solid game before US international Alejandro Bedoya came off the bench to score on his familiar foe at 87'.

Eredivisie

Jesus "Tecatito" Corona did not play in FC Twente's 1-1 draw versus Ajax.

MLS

Erick Torres' Chivas USA did not play this weekend and have the Wednesday game against Real Salt Lake.  Chivas USA has been deplorable of late, being outscored 1-11 in their last three matches.

As the Dust Settles from the Hexagonal...

...we wonder what happens from here.

The final two games of the Hexagonal have been a roller coaster of emotions for El Tri fans.  From Raul Jimenez's immense bicycle kick to Chicharito's misfired strike in front of an open net to being eliminated from the World Cup with 2 minutes to spare to being saved by our fiercest rival, Mexico does not really know what is going on at the moment.

To add even more confusion to our emotions, Victor Manuel Vucetich was unceremoniously fired from his position of manager after only two games in charge.  The next coach will be Club America's Jorge "El Piojo" Herrera, who is the current manager of the strongest side in Liga MX.  The general consensus is that Herrera will employ mostly Club America/Leon players for the playoff against New Zealand, using the European contingent very sparingly if at all.

It has been a brutal 2013 for Mexico, and stability is badly needed.  We will see what Herrera has to offer a team that has been shaken to its core.

Sometimes...

...the Sun shines on El Tri.

In what has been the most awful year in a long time for the Mexican National Team, a ray of hope came bursting through the darkness in the form of a masterful chilena from Raul Jimenez in the 85th minute of a tied game.  The live call is required viewing:

Mexico had just finished a ten-minute sequence where their most famous player, Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez, bungled a penalty kick, followed by a comical show of defense where Panama's Luis Tejada practically jogged a ball through three defenders and the goalie and into the back of the net.  It looked like another lowly draw for Mexico at the Azteca, when suddenly Jimenez came through with one of the most clutch goals in Mexico history.

Could this ridiculous goal be the thing which wakes Mexico from its slumber?  Will a team that could not catch a break in the first 10 months of 2013 suddenly have fortune smile upon it?  Will all the trials and tribulations suffered in the Hexagonal finally be shirked off, and Mexico finally meld together into the team that its supporters know it can be?

There is little time for self-glorification.  Mexico must now travel to Costa Rica to secure the final Hexagonal spot.  This will require securing a point from a team that has been dangerous in the CONCACAF region, having already tied Mexico in El Azteca and defeated the United States, leaders of the Hexagonal field, earlier in the year.  Will a new, confident Mexico emerge from this last game, or will it be back to the same nervous, uneasy play that has been a trademark of El Tri in 2013?  Tuesday evening we will find out.

Weekend Recap: 10/4 - 10/6

Mexicans abroad had a fairly quiet weekend:

Liga BBVA

Villarreal CF rebounded from their first league loss last week to soundly defeat Granada CF 3-0.  Giovani Dos Santos scored the second goal of the game at 49', a strong, running finish off of a short cross.  Dos Santos played all 90 minutes, while his compatriot Javier Aquino started but was subbed off at 63'.

Carlos Vela played 90 minutes in Real Sociedad's shocking 0-1 loss to league cellar-dwellers Rayo Vallecano, where Nery Castillo made his first start and played 62 minutes.  An 89' penalty was the only score of this match.  Real Sociedad has been reeling since qualifying for Champions League group stage, having been winless in their last 7 La Liga fixtures.

Hector Moreno will miss several weeks

Elsewhere in La Liga, Andres Guardado played 90 minutes in Valencia's 1-1 draw at Atletico Bilbao, and Jonathan Dos Santos was on the bench for the entirety of Barcelona's 4-1 thrashing of Valladolid.

Last, Hector Moreno did not feature in Espanyol's 2-1 loss at Elche due to a hamstring tear.  Moreno will miss several weeks, including Mexico's all-important October 9th hexagonal qualifier versus Panama.

English Premier League

Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez did not feature in Manchester United's 2-1 victory over Sunderland.

Primeira Liga

Hector Herrera received his first start since transferring to FC Porto, playing 90 minutes in their 3-1 win at Arouca.  Diego Reyes started for Porto B, playing 90 minutes in a 2-1 loss to Sporting Covilha.

Ligue 1

Guillermo Ochoa had a rough day in front of net as Ajaccio was smoked by Lille 3-0 in Ligue 1 action on Saturday.  Ajaccio sits uncomfortably in 17th place in the French League table, barely avoiding the relegation zone.

Eredivisie

Jesus "Tecatito" Corona was not called for Twente's 1-0 victory over Cambuur.  Tecatito had scored his first career Eredivisie goal last week for his new Dutch club, who now sit atop the Eredivisie table.

MLS

Erick Torres' Chivas USA was devastated 5-0 by the LA Galaxy in MLS action.  Nothing positive could possibly be taken from this match.  After a promising start to his MLS career and what seemed like a resurgence at Chivas USA after a terrible first half of the season, Chivas USA has been performing terribly in the last several weeks.

Champions League Roundup: 10/1 - 10/2

Several Mexicans saw action in the second week of Champions League group play for the 2013-2014 season.  Here is a recap of the action organized by league:

Liga BBVA

Vela slips his rebounded penalty past the goalie in CL action

Carlos Vela scored 1 goal, a rebound from his own penalty miss, in Real Sociedad's 2-1 loss to German Club Bayer Leverkusen in San Sebastian on Wednesday.  Sociedad was stunned in stoppage time as Bayer was able to convert a beautiful, bending, free kick from Jens Hegeler, which was awarded after a controversial offside call on Antoine Griezmann.

Elsewhere in Champions League play, Jonathan Dos Santos was not called as Barcelona traveled to Celtic Park to beat Celtic 1-0.

English Premier League

Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez did not feature from the bench in Manchester United's 1-1 draw at Shakhtar Donetsk.  United are only the second English team in history to win points at the Ukrainian side's Donbass Arena.

Primeira Liga

Hector Herrera was called, but did not play, in Porto's 1-2 home loss to Atletico Madrid.  Diego Reyes was not called for the match.

Champions League play resumes on Tuesday, October 22nd, as Porto host Russian power Zenit St. Petersburg and Barcelona travel to Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in Italy to face a currently struggling AC Milan.  On October 23rd, Manchester United host Real Sociedad at Old Trafford in what may be billed as a battle of Mexican strikers, with Javier Hernandez's struggling United side taking on Carlos Vela and Real Sociedad.

Weekend Recap: 9/28 - 9/29

It was a mostly disappointing weekend for Mexicans abroad, with Jesus "Tecatito" Corona being one of the sole bright spots:

Liga BBVA

Giovani Dos Santos and Javier Aquino both saw action as Villarreal CF dropped their first league game of the season at Real Betis.  Aquino played 90 minutes while Dos Santos was subbed on at 57'.  Neither had a shot on goal in what was a pretty quiet offensive performance for the normally dynamic Villarreal.

Andres Guardado, who has recently been linked to a January move to English Premier League side Everton, was not called for Valencia CF's 1-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano.  However, Mexican International Nery Castillo did make his first appearance in the losing effort for Rayo, being subbed on at 86'.

Carlos Vela played 90 minutes for Real Sociedad on Saturday as the Basque side managed a 1-1 draw as they hosted Sevilla in San Sebastian.  The one goal scored by Frenchman Antoine Griezmann was the first goal scored by Sociedad in League play in 3 matches.

Elsewhere in La Liga, Jonathan Dos Santos was substituted at 90' in Barcelona's 2-0 defeat of Almeria.  In addition, the rumors linking Dos Santos to a Real Sociedad move appear to be dead.

Last, Hector Moreno played 90 minutes in Espanyol's 2-0 defeat to Getafe.

English Premier League

Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez made his first Premiere League start of the season in a very disappointing 2-1 home loss to West Brom.  Hernandez played the first 60' before being replaced by Robin Van Persie, who also failed to score in the time given him.  Manchester United's only goal came from a Wayne Rooney free kick, making this the 5th straight league game without a goal from open play from United, a very worrying sign indeed.

Primeira Liga

Diego Reyes and Hector Herrera were not called as FC Porto defeated Vitoria Guimarães 1-0 at home.  The two did start and play 90 minutes for Porto B's 2-1 victory over Santa Clara in second division action.  Herrera and Reyes have yet to break into regular 1st-team rotation in the Primeira Liga.

Ligue 1

Guillermo Ochoa started in front of net for AC Ajaccio in their 1-1 draw versus Montpellier.  Ochoa has had a dynamic start to the season despite AC Ajaccio floating just above the regulation zone in Ligue 1.

Tecatito Corona celebrates his first European goal

Eredivisie

In one of the few bright spots for Mexicans abroad this weekend, Jesus "Tecatito" Corona scored his first career goal for FC Twente, a pretty chip over the goalkeeper at the end of Twente's 5-0 devastation of Groningen.  Corona was substituted in at 69' for his first Eredivisie minutes after making his debut in the Dutch Cup earlier in the week.

MLS

Erick Torres' Chivas USA was defeated 1-0 on a late goal versus the San Jose Earthquakes.  Chivas USA has had a rough season, and Torres has not scored a goal in 3 straight league matches after scoring 7 in his first 9.

Midweek Play: 9/24 - 9/26

Carlos Vela's team continues a run of bad form, Chicharito returns to the score sheet, and other midweek developments for Mexicans in Europe:

Liga BBVA

Andres Guardado played 90 minutes as Valencia snuck away with a 1-0 victory on Wednesday at Granada after a stoppage-time goal from Jonas.  Valencia has now won 2 in a row after a disastrous run of games that saw a fan boycott during their 3-0 Europa League home loss to Swansea City.  Valencia now sit in 7th place in La Liga with 9 points.

Elsewhere in La Liga, Carlos Vela was rested as Real Sociedad were thrashed by Barcelona, 4-1, at the Camp Nou on Tuesday.  Fellow Mexican Jonathan Dos Santos was not called to the Barcelona squad for the match as a pending move to Real Sociedad is still up in the air.

In another match featuring teams with Mexicans in their ranks, Villarreal, where Javier Aquino and Giovani Dos Santos ply their trade, hosted Hector Moreno's Espanyol at La Madrigal Stadium.  Villarreal scored in the first minute of the match, and took off to a 2-0 lead before eeking out a 2-1 victory.  Dos Santos started the match and played 90 minutes, while Aquino was substituted on at 60'.

And last, Nery Castillo once again missed a match as his team, Rayo Vallecano, were beaten soundly at Sevilla, 4-1.  Castillo is expected to miss the remainder of the month before his debut.

Capital One Cup

Chicharito's In-Air Wizardry

In England's Capital One Cup, Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez was given a rare start for Manchester United and made the most of his minutes, scoring the match's only goal 45 seconds after halftime to give his team a 1-0 victory and eliminating bitter rival Liverpool FC from the tournament.  Chicharito scored on a corner from Wayne Rooney, with a fabulous bit of evasion from his marker and in-air redirection that saw him neatly tuck the ball into the corner of the net.  Hernandez had a very quality match before being substituted at 72'.  Whether this wins him playing time during more important matches is another question.

Ligue 1

Guillermo Ochoa had one of his patented, ridiculous saves against Lyon as AC Ajaccio won 2-1 in midweek French League action.  Ochoa has become accustomed to these sorts of saves as Ajaccio is once again struggling to avoid relegation.

KNVB ("Dutch") Cup

In KNVB Cup action, Jesus "Tecatito" Corona made his debut with Twente, being substituted at 69' as his side took on Heerenveen.  Twente was playing a man down after a red card to Roberto Rosales at 24'.  Twente was hammered 3-0 by Heerenveen in the match, as Twente were eliminated from the Cup.

Weekend Recap: 9/21 - 9/22

It was a very quiet weekend for Mexicans abroad:

Liga BBVA

The Mexican contingent in La Liga had a mostly forgettable weekend.

Andres Guardado's Valencia turned things around versus Sevilla

Andres Guardado played 90 minutes at LB as Valencia rebounded from a shocking 3-0 loss to Swansea in Europa League play to defeat Sevilla 3-1.  Valencia had begun the season on a rough note, beginning Spanish League play 1-0-3 and having their fans walk out on them during the Swansea match earlier in the week.

The two Mexicans on Villarreal CF, Giovani Dos Santos and Javier Aquino, started the game as their team managed a 0-0 draw against Celta de Vigo.  Villarreal remains undefeated in La Liga play, although the team has drawn their last 2 matches after beginning the season with 3 straight wins.  Dos Santos was substituted after 77 minutes, while Aquino played the full 90.

Carlos Vela played 90 minutes in yet another scoreless draw for Real Sociedad, who have now scored only 1 goal in their last 3 La Liga matches.  Sociedad has hit a bit of a rough patch in their last several matches, having gone 1-3-1 in La Liga play so far this year.  Things will not get easier as they travel to Camp Nou tomorrow for a Tuesday matchup against Barcelona before hosting Sevilla on Saturday.

Jonathan Dos Santos is rumored to be making a move to Real Sociedad

Elsewhere in La Liga, Jonathan Dos Santos was substituted at 84' in Barcelona's 4-0 thrashing of Rayo Vallecano, where Nery Castillo is still to feature due to a thigh strain.  The younger Dos Santos brother is also hotly rumored to be moving to Real Sociedad after the recent injury to Esteban Granero in Champions League play.

Last, Hector Moreno will return to the Espanyol lineup after a week's absence as his team hosts Atletico Bilbao on Monday night.

English Premier League

Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez was an unused substitute as Manchester United was dismantled 4-1 by crosstown rivals Manchester City at Etihad Stadium.

Primeira Liga

Hector Moreno and Diego Reyes were unused substitutes as FC Porto managed a 2-2 draw at Estoril.

Ligue 1

Guillermo Ochoa's AC Ajaccio suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Stade Rennes in French Ligue 1 play.  Ochoa ended the match with 5 saves after allowing 2 goals in the first 16 minutes of play.  His teammates could only manage 2 shots on goal as Rennes easily won the match.

Eredivisie

Jesus "Tecatito" Corona was an unused substitute in Twente's 3-0 beatdown of Heracles.  Corona has yet to make an appearance for the Dutch club since signing late in the summer.

MLS

Erick Torres' Chivas USA was brutally demolished 5-1 by the Houston Dynamo.  Torres played 90 minutes but did not find the back of the net in what was certainly Chivas USA's worst loss since he came on loan from Chivas Guadalajara.

Champions League Roundup: 9/17 - 9/18

Several Mexicans saw action in the first week of Champions League play for the 2013-2014 season.  Here is a recap of the action organized by league:

Liga BBVA

Carlos Vela played 90 minutes in Real Sociedad's 0-2 loss at Ukrainian club Shaktar Donetsk.  Several chances were created for the Spanish side, but none finding the back of the net.  Sociedad has been struggling on offense lately, having scored only 1 goal in their last 3 fixtures.

Elsewhere in Champions League play, Jonathan Dos Santos was not called as Barcelona hosted Dutch club Ajax.  Barcelona defeated Ajax 4-0.

English Premier League

Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez substituted Wayne Rooney at 84' as Manchester United cruised to a 4-2 home victory over German club Bayer Leverkusen.  Hernandez has featured little for Manchester United thus far in the 2013-2014 season, even as Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck have missed time with injury.

Hector Herrera played his first Champions League minutes for Porto

Primeira Liga

Hector Herrera and Diego Reyes both began Porto's Champions League opener at Austria Wien on the bench.  Reyes remained on the bench throughout Porto's hard fought 1-0 victory, while Herrera was substituted at 79' for his first career UEFA minutes

Champions League play resumes on Tuesday, October 1st, as Porto host red-hot Spanish power Atelico Madrid and Barcelona travels to Scotland to face Celtic.  On October 2nd, Real Sociedad travel to Germany to face Bayer Leverkusen, and Manchester United face Shaktar Donetsk in Ukraine.

Weekend Recap: 9/14 - 9/15

Aside from the two Mexicans playing for Villarreal CF in Liga BBVA, it was a forgettable weekend for Mexicans abroad:

Liga BBVA

Giovani Dos Santos and Javier Aquino (far left) celebrate with teammates

Giovani Dos Santos and Javier Aquino had a memorable weekend for Villarreal CF, as the heavy underdogs battled to a 2-2 draw against heavyweight Real Madrid.  In a game where much of the attention was paid to the debut of Gareth Bale for Real Madrid, Giovani Dos Santos scored the equalizer at 70', while Aquino played a large part in the Villarreal attack (and was the victim of Real Madrid keeper Diego Lopez' double save early in the game).  It was the first dropped points of the season for Villarreal, although certainly nothing to be ashamed of when playing a world class team like Real Madrid.  And, if Saturday's match was any indication, Aquino and Dos Santos will play a large part in the remainder of Villarreal's season.

Elsewhere in La Liga, Carlos Vela and Real Sociedad were held scoreless in a 0-0 draw versus Levante; Vela was substituted off at 84' after a relatively quiet night.  Hector Moreno was left out of the lineup for RCD Espanyol due to playing 180 minutes for Mexico in the previous week; Espanyol went on to win their match versus Granada, 1-0.  Andres Guardado was left on the bench in Valencia's 3-1 defeat at the hands of Real Betis.  Jonathan Dos Santos was also an unused substitute in Barcelona's thrilling 3-2 victory over Sevilla.  And Nery Castillo continues to miss time due to a thigh injury and was not in the lineup for Rayo Vallecano as they were demolished 5-0 at the hands of Malaga.

English Premier League

Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez substituted Robin Van Persie at 79' for Manchester United in their 2-0 victory over recently-promoted Crystal Palace.  He had one shot on target in what were relatively quiet minutes.

Primeira Liga

The two Mexicans playing for Porto FC saw no action last weekend for the Portuguese giants.  Hector Herrera did play 90 minutes for Porto B as they settled for a 0-0 draw with second-division Moreirense.  Diego Reyes is expected to make his debut with the first team in their Wednesday Champions League clash against Austria de Viena.

Ligue 1

Guillermo Ochoa had his worst game of the season so far in the French Ligue 1, as the keeper allowed 3 first-half goals against Evian before Ajaccio attempted a furious rally in the last ten minutes to finally settle for a 3-2 loss.

Eredivisie

Jesus "Tecatito" Corona was an unused substitute in Twente's 1-1 draw against PSV.  Corona was only recently signed to the Dutch club, and will hopefully make his debut in the coming weeks.

MLS

Erick Torres played 90 minutes but did not find the back of the net in Chivas USA's 1-1 draw with the Portland Timbers.  Torres had been in excellent form, having scored 7 goals in 9 games before Sunday's match.

Down, Not Yet Out

Giovani Dos Santos in action against USA

To add insult to an already beleaguered squad, Mexico lost to CONCACAF archrivals the United States in a 2-0 defeat that all but ended any hope of Luis Fernando Tena retaining the managerial position.

A few chances were created by Mexico's increasingly ineffective offense, but all shots on goal were easily controlled by USA keeper Tim Howard.  Mexico is now 1-5-2 in World Cup Qualifying, and stands in 5th place behind Panama.

Victor Manuel Vucetich is now in charge

Two days after the defeat, Victor Manuel Vucetich, former National Team manager and recently fired from his position at Monterrey CF, was appointed as the new manager.  His immediate concern will be to not only change the mood of players who were obviously downtrodden even before the start of the USA match, but to also instill a sense of team unity that has been missing from this squad in the de la Torre era.

All of this must happen before an all-important match against Panama at El Estadio Azteca in October.  A victory there would give El Tri a chance at the playoff spot generated by finishing 4th in qualifying.

Mexico is 0-3-1 in qualifying thus far at the once-vaunted Estadio Azteca.

Chepo Axed

Jose Manuel "Chepo" de la Torre was fired after 31 months as manager.

In a move that surprised absolutely no one, Jose Manuel "Chepo" de la Torre was fired minutes after Mexico's 1-2 loss to Honduras at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.  This was the first time since 2001 and only the second time in history that Mexico had lost a World Cup Qualifying match at home.

Mexico started the game strong, scoring the opener at 5' from a strong Giovani Dos Santos  to Oribe Peralta counterattack.  Mexico had one or two more chances to extend their lead before settling in at 1-0 at halftime.

The second half was dominated by Honduras, who scored two goals in 3 minutes to pull ahead, and then settled in on defense to quell an inept Mexican attack.  In fact, were it not for Jerry Bengston missing an absolute sitter in the 80th minute, this match could have ended a lot worse for Mexico.

Assistant manager Luis Fernando Tena, who managed the Under-23 Olympic Squad to a gold medal in 2012, will serve as interim coach during the ever-important match at the United States on September 10th.  Whether Tena remains coach after this game remains to be seen.

Erick "Cubo" Torres has been a bright spot for Chivas USA.

In other, more happy news, Erick "Cubo" Torres continued his red-hot form in MLS, scoring at 51' to lift Chivas USA to a 1-0 victory over DC United.  It has been a long, dark season for the American Chivas side, but Torres' transfer at midseason has given them something to be excited about.  He has now scored 7 goals in 9 games.

Weekend Recap: 8/31 - 9/1

It was a relatively quiet weekend for Mexicans in Europe.  Here is a recap:

Liga BBVA

Javier Aquino scored his first La Liga goal

Two Mexicans ply their trade for newly-promoted side Villarreal, who faced Osasuna on Saturday.  Giovani Dos Santos saw no action due to a thigh strain suffered the prior week, but his compatriot Javier Aquino scored his first career Liga BBVA goal with a short chip between 2 defenders. 

Carlos Vela, who dominated earlier in the week in Champions League play for Real Sociedad, was held scoreless in 90 minutes of action as his team suffered their first loss of the young season, a 2-1 defeat at the hands of league heavyweight Atletico Madrid.

Elsewhere in La Liga, Hector Moreno played his usual 90 minutes as Espanyol settled for a scoreless draw versus Real Betis.  Andres Guardado started at LB for Valencia in a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Barcelona, where Jonathan Dos Santos was substituted at 80' for the winning side.  And Nery Castillo was not in the lineup for Rayo Vallecano in their 1-2 loss to Levante on Friday.

English Premier League

Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez saw his first minutes of the season for Manchester United after being subbed on for Ryan Giggs in the 73rd minute of a 0-1 loss at Liverpool.  Chicharito was unavailable for the first 2 weeks of the EPL season due to a hamstring injury suffered in training.

Primeira Liga

The two Mexicans playing for Porto FC saw no action last weekend for the Portuguese giants.  Diego Reyes, the 20-year-old transfer from Club America, is still playing the Porto's B Team, while Hector Herrera was in the lineup as a substitute for the first team, but was not subbed into the game.  Porto did defeat Pacos de Ferreira 1-0.

Ligue 1

Guillermo Ochoa maintained a clean sheet in front of net for French side AC Ajaccio, his second in as many weeks, in a scoreless draw with Sochaux.  Ochoa has conceded just 3 goals in the first 5 weeks of French Ligue 1 action.

Eredivisie

The lone Mexican in the Dutch first division, Jesus "Tecatito" Corona, was not in the lineup for Twente's 1-1 draw with Heerenveen.

Chicharito vs. Vela

It will be Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez vs. Carlos Vela in the Champions League group stages, as the former's club, Manchester United, was drawn into the same group as Vela's Real Sociedad.

Carlos Vela with Real Sociedad

Group A will consist of England's Manchester United, Spain's Real Sociedad, Germany's Bayer Leverkusen, and Ukraine's Shakhtar Donetsk.  Each team will play each other in a home-and-away series, for a total of 6 games, with the top 2 teams advancing to the knockout stages to face the top 2 teams of the 7 other 4-team groups.

Chicharito with Manchester United

The first matchup between Sociedad and United is set for Wednesday, October 23rd, when Manchester United will host Real Sociedad at Old Trafford in Manchester, England.  The second leg is set for Tuesday, November 5th, at Anoeta Stadium in San Sebastian, Spain.

Even without two of Mexico's biggest stars, this is definitely a tasty matchup between the legendary English club and the red-hot Spanish club.  But fans of El Tri will certainly look on this as a battle of the country's top forwards in Europe.

The Omissions

The recent convocation of Mexicans for upcoming World Cup Qualifying matches left two glaring omissions:  Carlos Vela and Guillermo Ochoa.

The former is not a surprise.  Despite blistering form that only seems to improve week-in and week-out, Vela continues to refuse call-ups to El Tri.  The latter, however, sent mini-shockwaves through the Mexican media in the last week.

Guillermo Ochoa with one of many saves against PSG

Ochoa has been a soldier for the National Team for years, despite not making many recent starting appearances in front of goal.  His not being in the starting lineup for World Cup 2010 was a grave injustice in the minds of many fans, and his continued relegation to the bench in favor of Cruz Azul portero Jose de Jesus Corona (whose has been extraordinary, make no mistake) is a controversy that inflames many passions.  And his recent form for Ajaccio, the French club for which he plies his trade, coupled with Corona's recent positive doping test, would only suggest that embattled manager Jose Manuel "Chepo" de la Torre should turn to Ochoa as the guaranteed starter.

It is difficult to argue with this logic, particularly after Ochoa almost single-handedly salvaged a point for Ajaccio against European powerhouse Paris Saint Germain.  The performance was absolutely jaw-dropping, and might have opened the door for Ochoa to finally leave the mid-table French club for greener pastures in Europe.

However, per Chepo, Ochoa insisted that he will not travel with El Tri to the upcoming World Cup Qualifying matches at home against Honduras or on the road against the United States unless he is guaranteed the starting position.  Chepo did not flinch, explained to media outlets that no one on the team is a guaranteed starter, and thus Ochoa will remain in France for the vital contests.

Carlos Vela is currently unstoppable for Real Sociedad

Carlos Vela, on the other hand, is not involved in any kind of controversy over who should start in his position.  He is unequivocally the hottest Mexican footballer on the planet right now, enjoying a run of form for Liga BBVA squad Real Sociedad that might leave him as one of the top transfer targets next year should he continue to play at the pace he is currently enjoying.  If he were to show up, not even bull-headed Chepo could deny him a starting spot (or could he?).

On Wednesday, Carlos Vela was instrumental in a dazzling display for the surprise San Sebastian side.  In the second leg of a home-and-away qualifier for Champions League group play against French club Olympique Lyon (the first leg was won by Sociedad 2-0), Vela absolutely dominated.  His 67' goal showed a remarkable heading ability and pretty much secured the series for Sociedad.  However, his 91' run and goal was one of the most stunning displays by a Mexican in a top European competition in many, many years, and justifiably made highlight reels across the continent.

Jose Manuel "Chepo" de la Torre on the sideline

Fans of El Tri are understandably upset that two of their most outstanding performers will not be suiting up for the underachieving national team.  Players of Vela's and Ochoa's caliber would make any squad stronger, much less a team that has managed to only score 3 goals in 6 matches of CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying.

However, what may be most frustrating is the vacuum that surrounds this team.  There is no indication why certain decisions are made, why certain players and tactics are continually trotted out despite an obvious lack of results, or what exactly the situation is between Carlos Vela and Chepo.  At this point, we have all heard the hooker party story, but is that really all there is to it?

Regardless, Carlos Vela and Guillermo Ochoa are enjoying the prime of their careers and are playing absolutely dynamic football right now.  We can enjoy watching them play for club, if nothing else.

Angel Reyna has stepped up his role

In the meantime, Mexico looked absolutely revitalized in their last game, a friendly against Ivory Coast in New Jersey.  New blood in the form of naturalized Argentinean Christian "Chaco" Gimenez, coupled with the brilliant displays of Veracruz attacker Angel Reyna and fan favorite striker Oribe Peralta, saw El Tri move the ball with a fluidity and purpose not seen in many months, with a dominating 4-1 result the outcome.  Whether this can carry over to qualifying is something we will have to wait and see.