Giovani Dos Santos (pictured) was one of 20 players named to Mexico's roster for its friendly against Ivory Coast on August 14, 2013. (Photo: Mexsport)
MEXICO CITY – Mexico announced on Friday the roster for its August 14 friendly against Ivory Coast at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA.
The 20-player selection is highlighted by the inclusion of 24-year-old Giovani Dos Santos, who recently joined Spain’s Villarreal after spending a season with Mallorca. The attacker played in all three of El Tri’s games at the FIFA Confederations Cup in June.
Head coach Jose Manuel de la Torre also selected four players – defender Miguel Layun, midfielder Luis Montes, plus forwards Marco Fabian and Raul Jimenez – who competed for Mexico during July’s CONCACAF Gold Cup. The six-time tournament champion advanced to the semifinals before falling to Panama, 2-1.
Javier Hernandez, Mexico’s top scorer in 2014 World Cup Qualifying with five goals, will miss the match with a sore right hamstring.
The encounter against the 2012 African Cup of Nations runner-up is the last for the Tricolor before it faces visiting Honduras in the CONCACAF Hexagonal on September 6. Mexico currently sits in third with one win and five draws in games, five points behind table-toping United States.
MEXICO ROSTER
(August 14, 2013 – v Ivory Coast at East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA)
GOALKEEPERS: Jesus Corona (Cruz Azul), Alfredo Talavera (Toluca)
DEFENDERS: Miguel Layun (Club America), Severo Meza (Monterrey), Hector Moreno (Espanyol/Spain), Diego Reyes (Porto/Portugal), Francisco Javier Rodríguez (Club America), Carlos Salcido (Tigres), Jorge Torres Nilo (Tigres)
MIDFIELDERS: Damian Alvarez (Tigres), Fernando Arce (Club Tijuana), Christian Gimenez (Cruz Azul), Luis Montes (Leon), Angel Reyna (Veracruz), Gerardo Torrado (Cruz Azul), Jesus Zavala (Monterrey)
FORWARDS: Giovani Dos Santos (Villarreal), Marco Fabian (Guadalajara), Raul Jimenez (Club America), Oribe Peralta (Santos)
