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 News Around the Republic of Mexico | March 2008 
Mexico Rolls, but Falls Short of Olympics
 Ivan Orozco - Today's Local News
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Carson – As a steady wind blew in murky clouds above The Home Depot Center yesterday, things began to grow dimmer for Mexico's under-23 national soccer team and its coach, Hugo Sanchez.
Sanchez's “El Tri” won't be going anywhere this summer, certainly not to Beijing for the Olympic Games.
What is dubbed as the “Golden Generation,” the team that is supposed to change international fortunes for Mexican soccer, faced the virtually impossible task of scoring six goals to stay alive and contend for one of two CONCACAF berths to China.
Contrary to its outings earlier in the eight-team qualifying tournament held in Carson and Tampa, Fla., Mexico scrounged up more goals in a 5-1 win against a short-handed Haiti team than in its previous two matches combined.
But that wasn't enough. Urged by a mostly pro-Mexico crowed of 12,824, El Tri fell one goal short of moving on to Thursday's semifinals in Nashville, Tenn.
Instead, facing the United States will be Canada, which routed Guatemala 5-0 in the first match of a doubleheader. That gave the Canadians four points, same as Mexico, but Canada had the advantage in the goals-scored column.
Guatemala will take on Honduras in the other semifinal.
Not only failing to reaching the Olympics, but not making it out of the qualifying group could put Sanchez's job in danger more than ever.
Sanchez had come under fire from fans and Mexican media for the team's poor performance during preparation matches and qualifiers.
“This is a failure,” Sanchez said. “I don't like to use that word, but you guys (the media) are going to keep asking me until I say it. It was our plan to go to the Olympics, so not being there is disappointing. It also stops us from making history. We've never won an Olympic medal.”
Sanchez blamed the media earlier in the tournament for contributing to his players' “lack of confidence” for critiquing their lack of goal production.
Justino Compean, president of Mexico's soccer federation, said, “Hugo is plan A, Hugo is plan B and Hugo is plan C.” But that was before Mexico's embarrassing 2-1 loss to Guatemala on Friday.
Campean backpedaled slightly on Saturday, telling reporters that Mexico had to qualify for Beijing, although reaching the 2010 World Cup in South Africa is the more important goal.
Mexican League club directors are to meet later this month to evaluate Sanchez's future.
“As far as my contract, I have a contract until 2010,” Sanchez said. “However, as with every business there are evaluations to make sure everything is going as planned. We've had difficult tests before us, the Gold Cup, Copa America and this one.”
Luis Angel Landin (90th minute), Enrique Esqueda (83rd), Santiago Fernandez (70th), Edgar Andrade (61st) and Cesar Villaluz (18th) scored for Mexico.
Leonel Saint-Preux scored in the 63rd minute for Haiti, which played most of the match with only nine players.
Ivan Orozco: ivan.orozco@tlnews.net |
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