Chepo de la Torre obviously not only liked what he saw in the first half of the game, but also decided that he had seen enough. As a result Mexico has made four substitutions to start the half, replacing one of their central midfielders and all of their band of three that were supporting Aldo de Nigris. It’s a smart move, as most of El Tri’s bench players are very talented and proven in the Mexican Primera, but not yet proven at the international level.
Mexico Vs. New Zealand 2011: El Tri Starts Second Half With Four Substitutions
All four changes were like for like swaps. Jesus Zavala replaces Israel Castro at central midfield, Elias Hernandez replaces Pablo Barrera on the right wing, Angel Reyna replaces Andres Guardado on the left wing, and Christian ‘Hobbit’ Bermudez replaces Giovani Dos Santos at the central attacking midfield spot. All four players are fairly young, and all could have a very bright future with the national team.
For more on this game, the Gold Cup, and Mexican football, visit SB Nation’s Mexican football blog FMF State Of Mind.
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