The Mexican national soccer team took control of their World Cup qualifying hexagonal earlier this week with a defensive-driven 1-0 victory over a very athletic Jamaica team. Entering that match with only three points through three matches, El Tri won their first game in 4 contests, gaining an additional three points and catapulting themselves to the top of their pool.
El Tri's next test may be their toughest however as the Mexican nationals prepare to meet Panama, a team currently one point behind them in the hexagonal standings. Panama has never qualified for the World Cup and since the top three teams in each group get an automatic bid for next year's World Cup in Brazil, Panama has a golden opportunity to stay in the hunt with a solid performance against Mexico.
When and Where to Watch El Tri vs. Panama Qualifier
As Mexico and Panama continue to jockey for supremacy in their hexagonal, their World Cup qualifier will take place on Friday, June 7 at 10:00 p.m., EDT. The contest will be played at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez Gutierrez in Panama City with television coverage provided by the Telemundo Network.
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El Tri vs. Panama Preview
Searching for their first win in four qualifying contests, Mexico traveled to Kingston, Jamaica to face a Jamaican team with loads of speed and tremendous athleticism. Despite their offense showing signs of life through the first 45 minutes of play, El Tri found themselves in a scoreless tie at the break. That would change in the 48th-minute of the match, however, when one of Mexico's stars put his squad out it front.
Taking a beautiful feed from Carlos Salcido, Aldo De Nigris capitalized on his second scoring opportunity, this time heading a shot past Donovan Ricketts giving Mexico a 1-0 advantage. De Nigris had an opportunity early in the first half to break a scoreless tie when he took a centering header from teammate Pablo Barrera. Getting the shot on goal, Jamaica goalie Donovan Ricketts made the save to keep El Tri off the scoreboard.
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Consistent play from De Nigris and Barrera will be crucial for Mexico moving forward, especially since they're two players the club relies heavily on to support star scorer Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez. Hernandez leads El Tri with 5 goals in qualifying play and if this trio is able to dial up the offensive pressure on a game-by-game basis, the Mexican nationals should earn themselves a trip to Brazil in 2014. A quick start Friday night against a very talented Panama team will be crucial towards the success of El Tri in the match.
While Mexico's win put them atop the hexagonal pool, Panama is not far behind. With 5 points through three matches, the Panamanian national squad is in the hunt to claim the countries first World Cup berth. Meeting Mexico for the first time in this portion of the qualifying rounds, Panama knows gaining three points by defeating Mexico will certainly up their chances of finishing in the top three of the hexagonal.
Much like their Mexican opponents, Panama's offense mostly surrounds the play of one individual. Blas Perez leads the team on the offensive end as the star striker has already scored 9 goals in the qualifying stages. A member of Major League Soccer's FC Dallas, the 32-year-old veteran has been a member of the Panama national team since 2001. Scoring 29 goals in 74 national appearances, Blas continues to be a focal point of opposing defenses, something he's done for well over a decade.
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With two draws against Costa Rica and Jamaica, Panama's lone win came against Honduras and a second win Friday against a Mexico team that may be on the verge of finding their rhythm would surely go a long way.
For a look at the complete hexagonal standings, follow this link.
Qualifier Wrap-Up
As El Tri and Panama look to establish themselves as the favorites in their hexagonal group, their Friday match should bring tons of energy and excitement as each match in qualifying play becomes more and more crucial with every passing game.
Be sure to catch Mexico battle Panama on Friday, June 7 at 10:00 p.m., EDT. Television coverage of this World Cup qualifier will be available through the Telemundo Network.
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