Mexico to Face U.S. Men’s National Team; New Coach Will Watch from Stands

Juan Carlos Osorio

By Francisco Romero. – El Tri will take on the United States Men’s National Team on Saturday, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, in a one-game playoff game for the right to represent the CONCACAF in 2017 Confederations Cup in Russia.

At the same time, from the stands, the newly hired Mexican coach, Colombian Juan Carlos Osorio will be watching his new team play.

Osorio admitted last week that he was resigning Sao Paolo FC to accept the post as the new Mexican National Team head coach.

Osorio arrived Friday in Los Angeles, California to meet with the Mexican Football Federation and formalize his post.

Osorio has coached in the MLS, Mexico and Brazil.

For Mexico, the game against the United States will be the last one for interim head coach Ricardo “El Tuca” Ferretti.

Mexico and the US MNT will face each other by virtue of winning the Gold Cup.  Mexico won it in 2015 and the US MNT took the cup in 2013.

“We have the commitment to go out and do everything possible to get the win,” said Ferretti during a press conference on Friday.

Mexico’s Rafa Marquez expressed the importance of playing against the United States, “We have a great rivalry, it is a new opportunity to face them and enjoy this type of classic game, all I can do is play hard and enjoy playing this game with so much on the line.”

The US MNT head coach Jurgen Klinsmann agrees with Marquez as he has put together an experience roster to face El Tri, “There are a lot of players that experienced different challenges over their careers and managed them and bring now their experience into this one-off clash against Mexico. That’s why you look for players – like a DaMarcus Beasley, a Jermaine Jones, Michael Bradley, Brad Guzan, Tim Howard, Kyle Beckerman and Chris Wondoloski – these types of players that have done so much for the National Team program that they understand exactly now what this is all about. This is about momentum.”

And momentum is what the newly hired Mexican coach (Juan Carlos Osorio) will be looking for from the stands from his new team.