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| Versatile Mexico validate Osorio's tinkering with second World Cup win | Versatile Mexico validate Osorio's tinkering with second World Cup win |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| One of the main criticisms of Mexico’s coach Juan Carlos Osorio in the lead up to Russia 2018 was his constant rotations of players, starting each of the 48 different games he coached during the lead up to the World Cup with 48 different line-ups. But on Saturday, with Mexico’s 2-1 victory over South Korea in the Rostov Arena, the hidden benefits of the strategy are becoming more clear. | One of the main criticisms of Mexico’s coach Juan Carlos Osorio in the lead up to Russia 2018 was his constant rotations of players, starting each of the 48 different games he coached during the lead up to the World Cup with 48 different line-ups. But on Saturday, with Mexico’s 2-1 victory over South Korea in the Rostov Arena, the hidden benefits of the strategy are becoming more clear. |
| El Tri showed a new versatility as they were able to secure a win by keeping possession of the ball and deploying innovative offense, as opposed to their historic opening win against Germany that was based on solid defense and effective counter-attack. | El Tri showed a new versatility as they were able to secure a win by keeping possession of the ball and deploying innovative offense, as opposed to their historic opening win against Germany that was based on solid defense and effective counter-attack. |
| What all the rotations have accomplished, it seems, is that through trial and error the Colombian coach has been able to test and retest the success of different formations on the field. Now that he grasps how the strengths of individual players work in different combinations, he doesn’t have to switch up the starters during the big tournament. Only one player – Edson Alvarez – was substituted between last Saturday and this one. The switch turned out to be smart, with Álvarez’s superior speed helping to avoid attacks from South Korea’s Hwang Hee-Chan. The other change was moving Carlos Salcedo from a position of back forward to be a central defender, where he was able to be at the right place at the right time over and over again to cut off attacks. | What all the rotations have accomplished, it seems, is that through trial and error the Colombian coach has been able to test and retest the success of different formations on the field. Now that he grasps how the strengths of individual players work in different combinations, he doesn’t have to switch up the starters during the big tournament. Only one player – Edson Alvarez – was substituted between last Saturday and this one. The switch turned out to be smart, with Álvarez’s superior speed helping to avoid attacks from South Korea’s Hwang Hee-Chan. The other change was moving Carlos Salcedo from a position of back forward to be a central defender, where he was able to be at the right place at the right time over and over again to cut off attacks. |
| As jubilant Mexican fans broke out into renditions of “Cielito Lindo” in the stands, the Mexican players were able to thwart South Korea’s well-ordered defensive line with tactical discipline that drove the action to the sides of the field. The Mexicans knew how to create depth in their plays towards the goal by widening out their placement on the pitch. | As jubilant Mexican fans broke out into renditions of “Cielito Lindo” in the stands, the Mexican players were able to thwart South Korea’s well-ordered defensive line with tactical discipline that drove the action to the sides of the field. The Mexicans knew how to create depth in their plays towards the goal by widening out their placement on the pitch. |
| Mexican Miguel Layún, Hirving Lozano and Javier “Chicharito” Hernández dislodged the solid Korean defense by constantly carrying the ball to the flanks. | Mexican Miguel Layún, Hirving Lozano and Javier “Chicharito” Hernández dislodged the solid Korean defense by constantly carrying the ball to the flanks. |
| The moves paid off in the first goal when Hernandez, a center forward, broke out to the left side of the field to receive a ball from Hector Herrera and he passed it to Andres Guardado. When Guardado tried to put the ball in the box, it met the hand of South Korea’s HS Hang, leading to the penalty that earned Mexico’s goal by Carlos Vela. | The moves paid off in the first goal when Hernandez, a center forward, broke out to the left side of the field to receive a ball from Hector Herrera and he passed it to Andres Guardado. When Guardado tried to put the ball in the box, it met the hand of South Korea’s HS Hang, leading to the penalty that earned Mexico’s goal by Carlos Vela. |
| Then in the second goal, “Chucky” Lozano was able to move quickly through the center to the left side to break away from South Korean players Lee Jae-sung and Moon Seon-min. From half court he delivered the ball to Hernandez, who dribbled it to squeeze a shot into the net. With that goal, Chicharito reached a new milestone in his career. He has now joined legends Rafael Márquez and Cuauhtémoc Blanco as one of only Mexicans in the country’s history to score at least once in three World Cups. | Then in the second goal, “Chucky” Lozano was able to move quickly through the center to the left side to break away from South Korean players Lee Jae-sung and Moon Seon-min. From half court he delivered the ball to Hernandez, who dribbled it to squeeze a shot into the net. With that goal, Chicharito reached a new milestone in his career. He has now joined legends Rafael Márquez and Cuauhtémoc Blanco as one of only Mexicans in the country’s history to score at least once in three World Cups. |
| The definition of a strong coach is one who has a solid enough read on his players to know how to perfectly deploy their talents in coordination with their teammates. | The definition of a strong coach is one who has a solid enough read on his players to know how to perfectly deploy their talents in coordination with their teammates. |
| On Saturday, it was Lozano’s strengths that were perfectly positioned. He showed off his ability to swing like a pendulum from side to side across the field. At minute 12 he moved swiftly from an offensive position all the way to the defensive side to block South Korea’s attempt at a goal. | On Saturday, it was Lozano’s strengths that were perfectly positioned. He showed off his ability to swing like a pendulum from side to side across the field. At minute 12 he moved swiftly from an offensive position all the way to the defensive side to block South Korea’s attempt at a goal. |
| The most striking thing about the team’s moves against South Korea, however, were how different they were from the game against Germany. That match was dominated by control in the midfield, with Héctor Herrera and Andrés Guardado thwarting Germany’s attempts to drive plays through the center. It was also from the center that Carlos Vela consolidated his reputation as Mexico’s most creative player, when he was able to receive the ball from the midfielders and push it towards end zone and pass it off for Lozano’s epic opening goal. | The most striking thing about the team’s moves against South Korea, however, were how different they were from the game against Germany. That match was dominated by control in the midfield, with Héctor Herrera and Andrés Guardado thwarting Germany’s attempts to drive plays through the center. It was also from the center that Carlos Vela consolidated his reputation as Mexico’s most creative player, when he was able to receive the ball from the midfielders and push it towards end zone and pass it off for Lozano’s epic opening goal. |
| Now with the two wins under their belt, Mexico have taken a giant step toward a place in the knockout round where the real test still remains. | |
| El Tri have participated in six consecutive World Cups and never made it past the last 16. The key question is: will Mexico show up to its next game against Sweden with a totally different tactical plan that can be expertly executed? If the answer is yes, it could help to vindicate Osorio’s coaching decisions after months of withering critiques. Fans – many who were chanting Osorio’s name at the end of the game – are staying tuned. | El Tri have participated in six consecutive World Cups and never made it past the last 16. The key question is: will Mexico show up to its next game against Sweden with a totally different tactical plan that can be expertly executed? If the answer is yes, it could help to vindicate Osorio’s coaching decisions after months of withering critiques. Fans – many who were chanting Osorio’s name at the end of the game – are staying tuned. |
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