The Mexico vs Ivory Coast friendly match will take place at the MetLife Stadium this Wednesday, August 14, 2013 at 6:00 PM Pacific. Coach Chepo de la Torres will face a tough test against an Ivory Coast squad that is boasting a nearly complete side with most of its stars. This will be a chance for Chepo to prove that he is indeed the man to take Mexico to the World Cup.
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Mexico vs Ivory Coast Highlights
The Mexico vs Ivory Coast friendly match turned to be a very good change in course for ‘el Tri’. The group coached Jose Manuel ‘Chepo’ De La Torre changed its formation from a 4-4-1-1, to a 4-3-1-1. That allowed the Mexican team to dominate the midfield with Fernado Arce, Angel Reyna, and Christian Gimenez. Overall, the first half was very good for the ‘tricolor’ while the Ivory Coast was a disappointment throughout the game. The match ended in a 4-1 win with two goals from Oribe Peralta, an own goal, and a late goal from Angel Reyna; Didier Drogba scored on a penalty kick for the Ivory Coast.
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Somehow, Chepo de la Torre was able to retain his position as Mexico’s head coach, even after a dismal set of results in the first half of 2013. Arguably, the worst Mexican National Team coach in the past 20 years, Chepo has amassed these disappointments in the past 7 months:
- Through 6 CONCACAF qualifying matches, just 1 win and 5 draws (including 3 draws at the Estadio Azteca)
- An early exit in the group round during the Confederations Cup
- Eliminated in the semifinals of the Gold Cup by Panama (who defeated them twice in a matter of 2 weeks)
After careful consideration, the decision makers in the Mexican Soccer Federation decided to stick with Chepo de la Torre for the remainder of the World Cup cycle. The likely reason being that with just 4 World Cup qualifying games remaining, they did not want to bring in someone new who might not have enough time to restructure the team. Although I personally disagree completely with this decision, it looks like Mexico will either go to the World Cup with Chepo at the helm, or not go at all.
Happy with the new-found support from the FMF, Chepo proclaimed that Mexico “will make it to the World Cup!”. For the match against Ivory Coast, Chepo called up a different roster, with the surprise additions of Argentine-Mexicans, Christian Gimenez and Damian Alvarez. The rest of the squad is filled by Liga MX players, and 3 players from the European leagues: Moreno, Reyes and Dos Santos.
Related News: Mexican National Team Roster vs Ivory Coast and Analysis
The big question, however, is whether Chepo de la Torre will deviate from the horrid 4-4-2 formation he has been using this year, which has obviously proved to be ineffective. With the current roster, he definitely has the possibility of using a different formation and style. Will Chepo use a different formation?
No. Chepo is set on his ways, and he will not change anytime soon. Look for a standard 4-4-2 formation.
On the other side of the pitch, Mexico will face an Ivory Coast squad with some tough players.The full squad contains starts such as Didier Drogba, and Wilfried Bony, who will definitely test the Mexican defense. On Wednesday, we will see whether a “refreshed” Chepo has what it takes to defeat a strong African squad in front of thousands of fans in New Jersey.
Mexico vs Ivory Coast Prediction
This friendly match will be a strong test for the players Chepo chooses to lineup. This somewhat alternate Mexican team will face a strong African squad fielding several key players that have tremendous experience in the European leagues. I expect Chepo’s Mexico to show no improvement, and be defeated. The Mexico vs Ivory Coast game will end in a 1-2 loss for Mexico; the same problems will persist, i.e. weak offense.
Mexico vs Ivory Coast Television
The Mexico vs Ivory Coast match will be televised on Unimas and ESPN 2 this Wednesday, August 14, 2013 at 6:00 PM Pacific.
