This game is a dead rubber for Mexico, who have already won the group
to make the next stage. El Salvador only have 2 points but can really
haul themselves back into qualification reckoning if they can manage to
pull off a shock win.
Their form is not good though and you have
to go back almost a year to find their last win which came against
minnows Curaçao in qualifying for this stage. Since losing their opening
game 3-0 in Mexico, they have been very competitive with the other two
teams in the group though. They’ve drawn at home to both Canada and
Honduras and are only 2 points behind the pair who meet in the other
game this Friday. San Salvador is a tough place to go and they have a
strong overall home record in World Cup qualifiers and the likes of the
Mexicans and USA have come unstuck here in the not too distant past.
Mexico
meanwhile are picking up the pieces from a Copa America Semi-Final
horror-show against Chile when they were hammered 7-0 in what was
essentially a home game given the make-up of the crowd. It came out of
nowhere too as Mexico had gone 22 matches without defeat prior to
that. Juan Carlos Osorio who oversaw most of that run remains in charge
but has opted to experiment a little with his squad here leaving big
name forwards Javier Hernandez and Oribe Peralta out.
This is
essentially a friendly match for the Mexicans but it won’t be a friendly
atmosphere. El Salvador will be desperate to cause a shock here and if
the visitors aren’t up for it, they could just pull it off. Mexico have
much the better team but at 1/3 for the win when there is nothing at
stake, not to mention the fact they were beaten 7-0 in their most recent
match, that looks very short.
El Salvador with a big crowd behind
them are capable of getting a result and there looks to be value in
backing Double Chance – El Salvador or Draw at 9/4.
Head To Head
Mexico won the reverse fixture 3-0 last year. They've lost on 2 of their 4 visits to El Salvador for World Cup qualifiers.
Stats
Since
the start of 2010 World Cup Qualifying, Mexico have won only 8 of their
19 away matches. That includes a 2-1 defeat to El Salvador, who have
only lost 4 of their 20 home games over the same period.
El Salvador have axed experienced forward
Rafael Burgos from their squad while Néstor Renderos is another of many
players dropped following a friendly defeat to Armenia in June. Nelson
Bonilla is likely to start up front.
Forwards
Javier Hernandez and Oribe Peralta are left out. Uncapped trio Martín
Barragán, Ángel Sepúlveda and Ángel Zaldívar are contenders to make
their debuts in this match.
