Roth Regatta

Team BIO for This Match:
Mexico : Group A
Manager: Javier Aguirre
Star Player: Carlos Vela
World Cup Appearances: 13

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Uruguay : Group A
Manager: Oscar Tabarez
Star Player: Diego Forlan
World Cup Appearances: 10

Venue : Royal Bafokeng Stadium

Mexico Vs Uruguay Team Profile:
Mexico :FIFA World Ranking: 17th
Mexico overcame a sluggish start to their CONCACAF qualification to finish second behind rivals USA. Javier Aguirre, who took over from Sven-Goran E

riksson in April, led Mexico to six wins in their last nine games to guarantee their entry into the draw for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. It will be their fifth straight tournament and 13th overall. In both 2002 and 2006 the Mexicans were eliminated at the second stage, and will be hoping that they can go one better this time around.In their squad, Mexico have all the ingredients required to play good football, boasting experienced stars as well as young talents who will be eager to prove

themselves. Captain and Barcelona defender Rafael Marquez has a great deal of experience at Europe’s top level, and despite being plagued by injury problems this past season, is now back to full fitness. Cuauhtemoc Blanco, who was coaxed back from retirement during the qualification campaign, is an inspirational force around whom the team have organized themselves, and the performance of the 36 year-old will be vital to Mexico’s progress. West Ham forward Guillermo Franco and PSV defenders Ca

rlos Salcido and Francisco Rodriguez have represented Mexico many times in the past, and certainly know what is needed to compete at the top level. In addition to these veterans, the side boasts a host of exciting young attacking players, four of whom were part of the nation’s FIFA U-17 World Cup winning side in 2005. Brothers Giovanni and Jonathan dos Santos have both represented Barcelona at the first-team level, Deportivo’s Andres Guardado is one of La Liga’s up-and-coming stars and Arsenal’s Carlos Vela has been impressive at both club and international level. Young striker Javi Hernandez was signed by Manchester United less than a month ago, and has scored seven times in just 11 appearances for the country.

Manager Javier Aguirre is back in his second stint as Mexico coach, and has brought some much needed stability into a previously struggling but undoubtedly talented side. His experience and tactical astuteness will be important to ensuring that Mexico can gel as a team and live up to the potential that many of their players have demonstrated.

Key Player: Carlos Vela

Still only 21 years of age, Vela shot to fame after winning the Golden Boot at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2005, and was consequently was signed by Arsenal, who subsequently loaned him out to Osasuna, where he quickly became a fan favourite before returning to the London club in 2008. The Mexican striker, whose appearance in home games is often greeted with the chant, “he’s a jolly good Vela”, possesses the pace, finesse and creativity needed to make an impact at this year’s finals. He has scored 10 goals in 26 appearances for Mexico so far, and the team will be relying on him to net a few more in South Africa.

What they said about Maxico :
“When I came into the job we were fifth and nine points away from first place, and now we’re in the World Cup, because of the heart and character of the players. We will keep playing this way and will certainly turn a few heads” – Javier Aguirre, Mexico coach, is hopeful for his team.

What we think about Maxico :
Aguirre revived El Tricolor’s qualifying campaign after the disastrous reign of Sven-Goran Eriksson, but the side have never been beyond the second round outside Mexico, do not seem conducive for a change in that statistic. Even so, they have an exciting mix of experience and youth, and certainly enough firepower to cause the bigger sides some concern, as they showed in recent friendlies against England and Holland. At the biggest stage of all, if they are able to reproduce the form they showed at the end of the qualifying campaign, they could well be one of the surprise packages of the tournament. However, more likely than not, going beyond the last sixteen will be a challenge for the Mexicans.

Uruguay : Group A
Uruguay were the last country to qualify for South Africa after they recorded a controversial 2-1 aggregate victory over Costa Rica. Uruguay, who were the first-ever hosts of the World Cup, had finished