Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Positive Mexico rattled Germany
MEXICO coach Juan Carlos Osorio said his side’s 1-0 victory over defending champions Germany i n Moscow was six months in the planning but delivered by a team who played with glory in mind, not worry.
Ranked No 1 by Fifa, Germany had not lost an opening game at the World Cup since 1982 and thrashed Mexico 4-1 at last summer’s Confederations Cup.
However, Osorio, who spent four years as an assistant coach with Manchester City more than a decade ago, knew exactly how he wanted his team to approach this task.
The 57-year-old Colombian said: “I told them to play for the love of winning, not the fear of losing.
“I always tell the players I’m supposed to be the one who carries all the pressure. They just need to concentrate on the game and when they win it’s their credit and if we lose it’s my fault.
“That’s the way football is and they really focused on the beautiful game and they beat the world champions.”
However, there was so much more to this stunning victory – the first big upset at Russia 2018 – than Osorio’s powers as a motivator. This was a tactical triumph, too.
Mexico played with speed on the wings in the shape of Miguel Layun on the right and Man of the Match, goalscorer Hirving Lozano, on the left.West Ham striker Javier Hernandez was a buzzing nuisance at the spearhead of Mexico’s attack with former Arsenal hope Carlos Vela finding space between Germany’s lines and pulling them apart.
“We drew up a plan six months or so ago but due to injuries we had to change some of the protagonists,” added Osorio.