SOUTHGATE TO NAME CUP SQUAD EARLY
Diego Reyes.
Ochoa and forwards Hirving Lozano and Javier Hernandez all started for El Tri after sitting out a 30 win on Friday against Iceland.
Before the game, Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio criticised Croatia’s decision to release six of their top players: Luka Modric ( Real Madrid), Mario Mandzukic ( Juventus), Ivan Perisic ( Inter Milan), Marcelo Brozovic ( Inter Milan), Danijel Subasic ( Monaco) and Nikola Kalinic ( AC Milan).
Real Madrid Zinedine Zidane requested Modric coach had return to the club, while the other players suffered bruises or minor injuries during Croatia’s 0- 2 loss to Peru on Friday in Miami. Their absence left Croatia at far less than full strength and deprived Mexico of a tougher test in the last game before its final World Cup roster is announced.
Entering the game, Mexico was unbeaten in six matches in front of friendly crowds at AT& T Stadium. The only time the squad hadn’t won here was a 2- 2 draw with Argentina in 2015.
USA DOWN PARAGUAY Tim Weah, son of Liberian president George Weah, the 1995 Fifa Player of the Year, debuted in the 86th minuteas Bobby Wood scored on a penalty kick to help USA beat Paraguay 1- 0 for their first win in three games under interim coach Dave Sarachan. London, March 29: England manager Gareth Southgate plans to name his 23- man World Cup squad early to help avoid unnecessary anxiety among his players.
Tuesday’s promising 11 draw in Italy was England’s last match before Southgate names the travelling party for the June 14- July 15 finals in Russia.
Southgate has until May 14 to register a 35man provisional squad with Fifa and needs to whittle it down to 23 by June 4 — two days after England’s next friendly, against Nigeria.
But the England boss will name his squad before the penultimate warm- up friendly, with the announcement expected shortly after the Premier League season ends on May 13.
“I’d like to ( name the squad before the next friendly) because you end up being able to run a performance camp rather than a selection camp,” the England manager said. “I think there’s a difference in the feel for everybody.
“If you name 28 and they aren’t sure, but if you name 23 and five on standby — which Sven ( Goran Eriksson) did well, then everyone knows where they sit.
“If you have got 28 or 30 who think they might have a chance, then there’s a lot of uncertainty and anxiety within the games,” he added.