Without Guardado or Funes Mori, Mexico faces key matches

MEXICO CITY (AP) — With the notorious absences of Andrés Guardado and Rogelio Funes Mori and Israel Reyes and Santiago Giménez as big news, Mexico announced on Thursday a roster of 29 players to face the three matches that will define the world cup tie.

Guardado, captain of the Mexican team and Spanish Betis player, suffered an injury to the back of his left thigh while striker Funes Mori, one of the spoilers of Argentine coach Gerardo Martino, will not be able to be there either because he has an injury to his right thigh.

Mexico will host the United States next Thursday, visit Honduras the following Sunday and host El Salvador on Wednesday, March 30, to close the Concacaf qualifier for Qatar 2022.

The Tri has 21 points and occupies third place in the final octagonal of the tie, the last one that grants a direct ticket to the World Cup. On top of Mexico are the United States, which has the same harvest but a better goal difference, and Canada, which is the leader with 25 points.

Panama has 17 points, and is fourth, so for now it would have the right to play an intercontinental playoff against a national team from Oceania, probably New Zealand.

Equipment

Archers: Guillermo Ochoa (America), Rodolfo Cota (Leon), Jonathan Orozco (Tijuana) and Alfredo Talavera (Pumas).

Zagueros: Jorge Sanchez (America, Gerardo Arteaga (Genk, Belgium), Johan Vazquez (Genoa, Italy), Julian Araujo (LA Galaxy, USA), Jesus Gallardo (Monterrey), Cesar Montes (Monterrey), Hector Moreno (Monterrey), Israel Reyes (Puebla), Nestor Araujo (Celta, Spain), Jesus Angulo (Tigres).

Flyers: Edson Alvarez (Ajax, Holland), Hector Herrera (Atletico Madrid, Spain), Carlos Rodriguez (Cruz Azul), Luis Romo (Monterrey), Rodolfo Pizarro (Monterrey), Erick Aguirre (Monterrey), Erick Gutierrez (PSV Eindhoven, Holland) and Diego Lainez (Betis, Spain).

Forwards: Henry Martin (America), Santiago Gimenez (Blue Cross), Uriel Antuna (Blue Cross), Alexis Vega (Chivas), Hirving Lozano (Napoli, Italy), Jesus Corona (Seville, Spain) and Raul Jimenez (Wolverhampton, England).