Gameday for the Mexican National Team has arrived. Today at NRG Stadium in Houston, they will face Honduras in the Gold Cup. Both teams have a history of rivalry in CONCACAF. In fact, Honduras is the opponent that “El Tri” has faced the most in this tournament.
Mexico comes into this match after a third place finish in the Nations League and a coaching change. Now in charge is Jaime Lozano, who already knows the players and, in his few days on the job, has explained them the style he wants to see on the field. For those who do not know Lozano, he already has experience coaching Mexico, he did it with the U-23 team with whom he won the bronze medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
His life has been dedicated to soccer, and Lozano has used it to help and fulfill dreams. In addition to playing and coaching, he has dedicated himself to raising awareness of autism through soccer. The oldest of his three children, Luca, has autism, which in Mexico was not diagnosed correctly, so he went abroad to find the help he needed. He and his wife wrote a book about the process, which was made into a film that has helped to involve many soccer players to talk about this issue and generate more awareness.
In a press conference, Lozano assured that they are ready to face Honduras and have what it takes to play a great game. They will have to concentrate on finishing plays, set pieces and playing with quality. Due to the absence of Sebastián Córdova, Tigres midfielder Diego Lainez is already in the training camp to join the national team.
The record between these teams leans in Mexico's favor, as they have met 14 times, leaving a record of eight matches won by Mexico, four ties and two victories for Honduras.The Mexicans are the favorites to take the first three points in Group B. Next, they will face Haiti and to Qatar, invited for the last edition and for 2023.
What's at stake in the Gold Cup?
The Gold Cup is no longer the same as before. It has lost some prestige after the elimination of the Confederations Cup. The champion used to qualify for a sort of "Little World Cup" along with the champions of the other confederations, such as the Euro and Copa America, but now the tournament only awards $1 million to the champion team and points in the FIFA ranking.
