Mexico (National Football)

After 90 minutes of thoroughly entertaining, or heartbreaking, depending on where your loyalties stand, action at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, Mexico are set to face Costa Rica in the quarter-finals of the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup. 

El Tri only have themselves to blame for finishing second in Group C to Trinidad and Tobago, who they played to a 4-4 draw with on Wednesday night. Now, with three days in between the draw in the final group game and the clash with Costa Rica, Mexico have plenty of things to work on. 

The biggest concern Miguel Herrera's side has to take out of the draw with Trinidad and Tobago is the awful defending that allowed the Soca Warriors to claw back into the match on a few occasions. Herrera noted the imperfections after the match, per ESPN's El Tri Twitter account: 

Miguel Herrera: We didn't do what we wanted. In a 4-4 game that is back and forth game, there are a lot of errors.

— ESPN FC Mexico (@ESPNFCtri) July 16, 2015

On the first Trinidad and Tobago goal, Keron Cummings was left wide open on the left side of the penalty area before he punched in his team's opener of the chaotic contest. Kenwyne Jones exploited more gaps in the El Tri back four on his 58th-minute equalizer. Jones was able to zig-zag his way through the duo of Yasser Corona and Diego Reyes before he slotted his goal past Guillermo Ochoa. 

Adding to the confusion at the back was the inability to track back and catch Cordell Cato on the right wing before he crossed the ball over to Jones. Andres Guardado was the closest Mexico player to Cato, but he didn't seem very interested in sprinting back to either make a tackle or deflect the ball out for a corner. 

Things went from bad to worse for El Tri in the 67th minute, when Cummings benefited from some lovely hold-up play by Jones. The Cardiff City forward outmuscled Francisco Rodriguez off a throw-in and chested the ball into open space for Cummings to shoot. A lackadaisical approach from Miguel Layun and Corona also allowed Cummings to step into space and send his rocket of a shot into the back of the net. 

Just as the defense looked to be bailed out by the attack, Yohance Marshall rose above Oribe Peralta and an incoming Rodriguez to nod in a stoppage-time equalizer for Stephen Hart's side. The concession of the fourth goal capped off a brutal second half for a back line that needed to earn a bit more confidence heading into the knockout stage.

Watch Trinidad and Tobago's stoppage-time equalizer against Mexico on the LAST play of the match. http://t.co/cuLADX6Uij #GoldCup2015

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 16, 2015

Luckily for the El Tri defense, Costa Rica haven't been dangerous in the final third for long stretches of the tournament. But that could all change if Bryan Ruiz is able to pick out pockets of space. Layun and Paul Aguilar will have to initially stop Ruiz, but the rest of the defense has to be relied on as well if Ruiz cuts into the middle of the park in an attempt to open up the back line for his teammates. 

As the second half progressed, the El Tri defense mimicked the poor performance of their leader, Rodriguez. The owner of 104 caps was far from impressive when he needed to shut down Jones, and his inability to mark properly on the final Trinidad and Tobago goal went down as his final mistake. 

But as much as we want to blame the Mexico back four for everything that went wrong in Charlotte, the attackers must carry the weight of the blame as well. The biggest miss of the night came from Carlos Vela, who had a chance to put Mexico ahead 3-1 just seconds after Cummings netted his first strike. If the Real Sociedad man was able to put his second goal of the night into the net, Mexico would have had some space to close out the game and play a bit more relaxed. 

However, the overall trend of poor finishing ultimately hurt El Tri as they came up short in their quest to avoid Costa Rica until the semi-final round. Mexico attempted 22 shots in the 4-4 draw, but only six of them went on target, per MLSSoccer.com. Although he did score on a piece of individual brilliance in the 51st minute, Vela only recorded one shot on target. 

Giovani Dos Santos, who exited at the half with a right thigh injury, per Fox Sports' Francisco X. Rivera, and his replacement Peralta combined for two shots off target. That low production level is simply unacceptable in a tournament that Mexico must win to keep the dream of competing in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup alive. 

Giovani Dos Santos (right thigh) out of the game due to injury. Oribe Peralta will replace him. #Mexico #Trinidad #GoldCup

— Francisco X. Rivera (@FX_Rivera) July 16, 2015

The high level of inefficiency in front of goal has been a scary trend throughout the group stage for Herrera's side. Despite netting six strikes against Cuba, Mexico only put 18 of their 44 attempts on goal, per MLSSoccer.com. Three days later, in the 0-0 draw against Guatemala, four of their 19 shots went on target, per MLSSoccer.com.

Poor finishing will eventually catch up to Mexico, if it hasn't already, and that combined with the shaky defending shown on Wednesday, will not keep El Tri in the competition for long. 

The good news is Herrera has three days to fix all of the issues with his team, but the personnel will likely stay the same. Mexico are getting bad performances out of their stars like Vela and Dos Santos, who, when healthy, are required to be in the starting 11. 

Mexico are starting to brew a recipe for disaster. If no adjustments are made and focus still remains a problem on Sunday, El Tri could be out of the Gold Cup and looking for a new manager. 

Joe Tansey is covering the Gold Cup for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter, @JTansey90. 

First place in Group C will be on the line Wednesday night at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, as Mexico take on Trinidad and Tobago in the final group game of the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Mexico surprisingly dropped to second in the group Sunday after their 0-0 draw with Guatemala, which came a few hours after Trinidad and Tobago earned their second win of the competition by defeating Cuba.

Unless Guatemala make up a goal differential of eight on Mexico and El Tri fall Wednesday, both clubs will be at MetLife Stadium for the knockout round Sunday, but the team they play will be determined in Charlotte.

Below is all the vital information you need to know for the Group C showdown.

Match Details

Date: Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Time: 8:30 p.m. ET

TV: Fox Sports 2, Unimas (USA), BT Sport 2 (UK)

Live Stream: Fox Sports Go (USA), BT Sport Player (UK) 

Finishing a Major Issue for Mexico 

The primary reason for Mexico dropping points against Guatemala at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, was poor finishing. El Tri boss Miguel Herrera noted that during his post-match press conference, per ESPN's El Tri Twitter account:

Miguel Herrera blaming result squarely on poor finishing.

— ESPN FC Mexico (@ESPNFCtri) July 13, 2015

Three days after scoring on six of their 44 chances against Cuba, Mexico were wasteful in front of goal in their second group contest as four of their 19 attempts found the target.

Starting forward Oribe Peralta, who earned a hat-trick in the Group C opener, totalled a single shot on target against the stingy Guatemala defence, while Carlos Vela could muster only one attempt on goal in the scoreless draw, per MLSSoccer.com.

The obvious solution to the scoring problem would be to place Giovani Dos Santos into the starting 11. Since the start of the tournament, Dos Santos has seen the pitch for 40 minutes. With one group match remaining to experiment with the lineup before the knockout round begins, it would be wise of Herrera to hand Dos Santos a start.

With few other valuable options at the forward position, Mexico may be out of ideas if Dos Santos fails to produce, but El Tri will worry about that problem if they have to later in the competition. For now, the focus should be on handing the Villarreal player plenty of minutes.

Can Trinidad and Tobago Continue Their Surprise Run? 

You have to give credit to Trinidad and Tobago through two games, as they have handled weaker opposition with ease, which is something the top teams in the region haven't been able to do yet.

A three-goal surge in the first half against Guatemala allowed the Soca Warriors to close out their match with Guatemala easily. A pair of strikes in the first 45 minutes also allowed Trinidad and Tobago to play with less pressure against Cuba.

In each of the team's Group C matches, Sheldon Bateau opened the scoring. Bateau netted his first goal of the tournament in the 10th minute of the 3-0 win over Guatemala, while he added to his account in the 17th minute in the victory against Cuba.

If Bateau or one of his team-mates can put pressure on the Mexico back line and score an early goal, the entire complexion of the match could change. Although they may be better suited to sit back and counter, we shouldn't expect Trinidad and Tobago to replicate Guatemala's game plan, since they do carry a few legitimate threats in attack.

Winning Favours Both Sides Entering Knockout Round

Many see Mexico as the better side coming into Wednesday's match, but there will be plenty of motivation for Trinidad and Tobago to earn at least a draw against the vaunted El Tri attack.

The winner of Group C is scheduled to play Panama in the quarter-final round at MetLife Stadium, while the runner-up will be paired against Costa Rica after the Ticos finished second in Group B. 

The gap in quality between Panama and Costa Rica is large if you judge both teams at their best. Although Costa Rica have not played their best football just yet, they are always capable of bringing a dangerous attack to pitch with Bryan Ruiz and Joel Campbell in the squad. 

Winning the group favours both Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago since Panama looked far from the side that reached the 2013 Gold Cup Final. Three 1-1 draws allowed Panama to advance to the knockout round, but they did not produce a massive amount of quality in the final third. With that being said, a matchup with Panama, albeit a tough one, would be the better draw for either Group C team. 

Prediction: Mexico 2-1

Trinidad and Tobago will hand Mexico a fight, but the need to produce a result should drive Mexico to a close victory as they prepare for the final eight.

Joe Tansey is covering the Gold Cup for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter, @JTansey90.

As the second half wore on and Mexico remained locked in a scoreless draw with Guatemala in the CONCACAF Gold Cup on Sunday night, the partisan crowd began to chant the name of the man they wanted to see: "Gio, Gio, Gio." Miguel Herrera finally relented, introducing Giovani Dos Santos in the 83rd minute, but by that time the 26-year-old had precious little time to turn the match around.

The result held and Mexico were frustrated after dominating possession and creating the game's best chances. With four points through two matches, El Tri now must defeat Group A leaders Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday in Charlotte, North Carolina. To do so, Herrera would be wise to consider Dos Santos in a starting role ahead of Oribe Peralta.

The reasons are simple and should be relatively obvious. Peralta, despite scoring a hat-trick against an overmatched Cuba side in the opener, has not played particularly well so far in the Gold Cup. Dos Santos, on the other hand, has a long history of playing with Carlos Vela in Mexico's attack and could forge a more dangerous attacking partnership with him. Tom Marshall notes at ESPN FC:

Dos Santos' history with Vela goes back to the 2005 Under-17 World Cup and the two are good friends off the field. It must be time to see if that chemistry can be rekindled on the field.

Herrera seems to prefer a center forward who is a true number nine and can stretch the opposition defense, but surely Vela could play that role, while Dos Santos plays off him.

What is certain is that Peralta didn't do himself any favors on Sunday with a lackluster display and by missing a golden opportunity from short-range in the 75th minute.

Peralta is not the only one. With Sunday's scoreless draw, Mexico reinvited intense scrutiny only days after apparently moving past it. Following a disappointing showing in the Copa America, Herrera was under pressure to produce both the Gold Cup title and impressive performances along the way.

In routing Cuba by six goals, El Tri seemed to be on the right track. But against Guatemala's physical and disciplined defending, Mexico failed to produce the necessary quality in the final third.

"In reality, the team played well," Herrera said, per USA Today. "We controlled the ball and knew what we were doing left, right and middle of the pitch. We had a lot of shots, it's just that nothing happened. It's a situation where we couldn't score but I'm fine with the way we played."

Dos Santos added a spark after coming on, sending a deflected shot off target in the 86th minute. Guatemala failed to clear the ensuing corner, and another substitute, Carlos Esquivel slammed a long-distance shot off the crossbar.

If Herrera had given Dos Santos more time on the pitch, it's possible the 26-year-old could have helped Mexico unlock Guatemala's defense. The truth is that we'll never know, but it's clear that the alternative didn't work against the Central American side's well-organized resistance.

Follow @MiguelCominguez

Mexico will look to extend their terrific start at the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup on Sunday against Guatemala in Group C action at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. 

El Tri easily handled Cuba by a 6-0 score in Chicago on Thursday night, while Guatemala fell at the hands of Trinidad and Tobago in the opening match of the group. 

Due to the potential for Mexico to clinch first place in the group with a win, Miguel Herrera will surely bring out his best side possible against the struggling side from Central America.

Below is all the vital information you need to know for Sunday's match. 

Date: Sunday, July 12, 2015

Time: 9 p.m. ET

TV: Fox Sports 2, Unimas (USA), BT Sport 1 (UK)

Live Stream: Fox Sports Go (USA), BT Sport Player (UK) 

Mexico Need to be More Accurate Despite Scoring Frenzy 

Mexico caught plenty of headlines for their high shot total in their 6-0 victory over lackluster Cuba in Chicago on Thursday. Goal.com's Seth Vertelney noted the wide gap in shots between El Tri and their opponent at Soldier Field: 

Mexico beats Cuba 6-0. 44-3 total shots. The magic of the Gold Cup

— Seth Vertelney (@svertelney) July 10, 2015

Eighteen of the 44 shots taken by Herrera's side went on target, per ESPN.com, but they were only able to put six goals into the net. Oribe Peralta, who took the Golden Boot lead with three goals, put six of his 13 attempts on target. 

The other three scorers from Thursday also put up high numbers in the shot department. Both Carlos Vela and Andres Guardado took six shots. Substitute Giovani Dos Santos, who netted the final strike of the match in the 75th minute, sent all three of his shots in the direction of the goalkeeper. 

Although they were active in the final third, Mexico were wasteful with a good amount of their chances. One has to assume they will not take as many shots against Guatemala so they must be able to capitalize on every chance presented to them. 

With an expected squad rotation policy being pursued by Herrera, we could see Dos Santos in place of either Vela or Peralta, which would be a good sign for El Tri given his second-half accuracy against Cuba. 

Set Pieces Could Help Guatemala Stay in the Game 

Set pieces have played a big role in the early matches at the Gold Cup, and Guatemala could benefit from that in order to hand Mexico a scare at some point in the contest. 

Seattle Sounders midfielder Marco Pappa possesses a dangerous left foot that could cause plenty of trouble against the untested Mexico defense. The winger also has a worthy target in the box in the experienced Carlos Ruiz. The 35-year-old forward opened his Gold Cup account in the 61st minute of Guatemala's loss to Trinidad and Tobago. 

The former Major League Soccer star is capable of making a cunning run through the Mexico defense to connect with a dangerous cross from Pappa. If the right situation presents itself, the pair could link up for a surprising goal. 

What Will Mexico's Defense Look Like? 

It is worth questioning how the Mexico back four will perform since the center backs and goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa did next to nothing in the opening victory over Cuba. With that in mind, it would be smart for Guatemala to try and test the center backs with a few early crosses into the box. 

If, for some reason, the normally reliable defense displays some weaknesses, we could see Guatemala gain confidence as the match progresses. 

However, if Guatemala are to deliver passes from the wing, they will have to get past the two members of the El Tri defense who actually saw a good amount of action on Thursday. Paul Aguilar and Miguel Layun are known for surging forward to support the attack, but they are also more than capable of silencing a move forward from an opponent. 

If Guatemala can find a way to exploit the gaps left open by Aguilar and Layun when they move into the final third, they could make things interesting. However, if Mexico remain organized for 90 minutes, El Tri could be on their way to a second consecutive blowout victory. 

Prediction: Mexico 4-1

Given the poor quality of the sides in Group C, Mexico are expected to score quite a few goals against a Guatemala defense that couldn't handle a bevy of surges from Trinidad and Tobago. Given Ruiz's pedigree as a forward, it wouldn't come as a surprise if he nets his second strike of the tournament at some point. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Six goals scored, one overmatched opponent beaten and one victory down in the quest to reclaim the CONCACAF Gold Cup crown. Mexico dominated Cuba 6-0 on Thursday night at Chicago's Soldier Field in both teams' tournament opener, but while the result was a positive step after a poor recent run of results, the conclusions were minimal for El Tri and coach Miguel Herrera.

Simply put, Piojo and his side will face stiffer challenges in the Gold Cup, starting with the next game. On Sunday, Mexico will travel to Phoenix, Arizona, to play a Guatemala team desperate for points after losing to Trinidad and Tobago in their opener. Three days later, El Tri will trek back across the United States to play Trinidad in Charlotte, North Carolina, in a match that could determine who wins Group C.

Both of those teams will offer more of a threat than Cuba, who traveled to the U.S. without seven players—including one defector—and their head coach, as reported by the MLS website. The islanders were in disarray, and Mexico took full advantage, scoring six goals and taking 44 shots, per ESPN.

"This tournament's very even," Herrera said, according to the Daily Mail. "I mean, we had a weak opponent today, but the U.S. national team won well, Jamaica had a good game, Trinidad and Tobago had a good game. All these are good teams."

So what can we learn from this opening performance? If anything, Mexico should have scored even more goals than six, but Herrera will be pleased with how his two forwards, Oribe Peralta and Carlos Vela, were able to coexist on the pitch. Peralta netted a hat-trick, while Vela—following a series of disputes with the national federation—scored a goal in his first competitive international match since the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

That was good news for El Tri in the absence of injured forward Javier Hernandez. More good news came in the form of Giovani dos Santos, who looked lively after entering the match as a second-half substitute for his brother Jonathan, scoring a nice goal and having another ruled out for offside.

At the back, by contrast, there wasn't as much to learn. Herrera deployed his team in a 4-4-2 formation, a change brought about by the recent injury to center-back Hector Moreno. The four-man back line, anchored by center-backs Diego Reyes and Francisco Javier Rodriguez, obviously did not concede a goal, but neither were they really tested. On the other hand, full-backs Miguel Layun and Paul Aguilar did well to involve themselves in the attack, creating danger repeatedly down the flanks.

Writing for ESPN FC, Tom Marshall noted that the switch from a 5-3-2 to 4-4-2 should make for more open games later in the tournament:

Obviously, Cuba offered little threat, but there is no sense in Mexico playing the 4-4-2 with two banks of four to try to keep things tight. Rather, the system offers El Tri more options down the wings than the 5-3-2, with right midfielder Hector Herrera and left mid Andres Guardado cutting inside at times, leaving full-backs Paul Aguilar and Miguel Layun space to overlap.

It will be risky against better and more threatening teams, but it allows Mexico to have more of its best players on the field.

The formation and the approach worked well Thursday night, albeit against a clearly outmatched opponent. If not for some errant finishing in the first half, Mexico could have scored 10 or more goals on the night, but that will hardly matter moving forward.

After flopping at the Copa America—admittedly with an almost entirely different squad of players—El Tri found in Cuba just the opponent they needed at just the right moment. Against the outclassed islanders, Mexico scored nearly at will and erased many of the frustrations from a recent seven-match winless run.

Greater challenges await, as Piojo and his team must know. But Thursday's win represented a good first step in the right direction—toward reclaiming the Gold Cup title.

Follow @MiguelCominguez

Mexico made a bold statement on Friday as they opened up their Group C Gold Cup campaign with a 6-0 drubbing of Cuba.

Oribe Peralta netted a hat-trick in a confident display from Miguel Herrera's side, but Cuba were under-strength and abject.

In Group C's other match, Trinidad picked up a crucial 3-1 win over Guatemala, which puts them in a fine position to qualify for the quarter-finals.

Read on for an overview of the action from Day 3 of the CONCACAF tournament, along with updated group standings and Friday's schedule.

Group	Fixture	Result
C	Trinidad vs. Guatemala	3-1
C	Mexico vs. Cuba	6-0

Position	Team	Pl	W	D	L	GD	P
Group A
1	United States	1	1	0	0	1	3
2	Panama	1	0	1	0	0	1
3	Haiti	1	0	1	0	0	1
4	Honduras	1	0	0	1	-1	0
Group B
1	Costa Rica	1	0	1	0	0	1
2	Jamaica	1	0	1	0	0	1
3	Canada	1	0	1	0	0	1
4	El Salvador	1	0	1	0	0	1
Group C
1	Mexico	1	1	0	0	6	3
2	Trinidad and Tobago	1	1	0	0	2	3
3	Guatemala	1	0	0	1	-2	0
4	Cuba	1	0	0	1	-6	0

Date	Fixture	Group	Time (ET/BST)
Friday, July 10	Honduras vs. Panama	A	6 p.m./11 p.m.
Friday, July 10	USA vs. Haiti	A	9:30 p.m./1:30 a.m.

Mexico Make Perfect Start

Mexico sent only a shadow squad to the Copa America in Chile in the knowledge that they had the Gold Cup to come.

A tournament they have won six times, El Tri were rightly one of the favourites coming into the competition hosted by the USA and Canada.

Their match against Cuba in Chicago on Thursday could hardly have been an easier opener, but they still did well to completely dominate their opponents, who were missing several players because of visa issues, as AtTheBuzzer explained:

Cuba was missing 7 players and a coach for the @GoldCup​ game against @miseleccionmx​. How do you think it went?https://t.co/bV8iEHSZkW

— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) July 10, 2015

Peralta and Mexico's opener came after 17 minutes with Carlos Vela then doubling the lead minutes later following a poor clearance from the Cubans.

A powerful hit from Peralta then made it 3-0, and skipper Andres Guardado headed home a deserved fourth just before the break, per football writer Cristian Nyari:

Guardado was Mexico's best player today, even though his shooting could use some improving. Getting better with age.

— Cristian Nyari (@Cnyari) July 10, 2015

Peralta completed his hat-trick just after the hour from close range before substitute Giovani Dos Santos completed the rout 15 minutes from time.

It was a totally dominant display from the Mexicans and gives them terrific momentum heading into the rest of the tournament, but as Herrera noted after the match, their opponents on the day were not up to much, per AP's Dave Royse (h/t the News Tribune):

This tournament's very even. I mean we had a weak opponent today, but the U.S. national team won well (in its first Gold Cup match), Jamaica had a good game, Trinidad and Tobago had a good game. All these are good teams.Sure, the group play looks easy for us, and we had an easy game today. But the second game, and third game and second round could all increase in level of quality, and the teams in the second round will be good teams that will deserve to be there. We expect it to be harder as we go along; that's just how tournaments work.

Mexico's group rivals Trinidad and Tobago did indeed make a good start in beating Guatemala with relative ease in their opener in Chicago.

Sheldon Bateau and Cordell Cato scored inside the first 15 minutes and Joevin Jones added a third 10 minutes later to give Stephen Hart's side a 3-0 lead at the break.

They failed to add another in the second half, and Carlos Ruiz gave Guatemala a slither of hope just after the hour, but it was a comfortable win in the end for Trinidad, per ESPN FC's Tom Marshall:

Trinidad & Tobago 3-1 Guatemala. Easy win really. Joevin Jones named player of the match.

— Tom Marshall (@mexicoworldcup) July 10, 2015

The Soca Warriors will hope to pick up a second victory when they face Cuba in Phoenix on Sunday, while Guatemala face a tough challenge against Mexico.  

Mexico begin their quest to reclaim the CONCACAF Gold Cup on Thursday in Chicago against Cuba in the second game of a Group C doubleheader at Soldier Field.

El Tri enter the clash with plenty of attacking weapons despite the loss of Javier Hernandez to a broken collarbone last week. But manager Miguel Herrera's side are arguably facing the most pressure of any team in the competition. Herrera's job could be on the line, while a play-off to determine the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup representative from North America will await with a win.

As for Cuba, they come into the Group C clash as decided underdogs. To earn even a point in their first game of the Gold Cup, Cuba will have to play a miraculous game of soccer.

Below is all the vital information you need to know in the buildup to Thursday's match:

Date: Thursday, July 9, 2015

Time: 9:30 p.m. ET

TV: Fox Sports 1, Unimas (USA), BT Sport 2 (UK)

Live Stream: Fox Sports Go (USA), BT Sport Player (UK)

Mexico in Need of Impressive Start

With a massive amount of pressure on their shoulders, the Mexican players will have a chance to open the competition with a statement victory over Cuba.

In a region where few victories are guaranteed, El Tri should be able to lock up three points with ease against Cuba. But they must be wary of the challenge the United States received in their opener against Honduras. As one of the top squads in the region, Mexico will get each opponent's best test, especially in the group stage.

According to ESPN's El Tri Twitter account and ESPN reporter John Sutcliffe, Herrera has already decided on his starting 11 for the game at the home of the NFL's Chicago Bears:

.@espnsutcliffe reporting Hector Herrera and JDS will start on Thurs. Esquivel misses out, while Oribe partners Vela https://t.co/fQ1SjlQnx3

— ESPN FC Mexico (@ESPNFCtri) July 7, 2015

The early release of the lineup, which is common practice for Herrera, pairs the experienced Oribe Peralta next to Carlos Vela up top. Vela enters the Gold Cup with a decent amount to prove on a personal level. The Real Sociedad man has been out of the Mexico camp for some time, and in order to regain the trust of the fans and his team-mates, he must deliver in the scoring department. 

The extremely talented projected midfield of Hector Herrera, Jonathan Dos Santos and Andres Guardado should strike fear into the minds of the Cuba defenders. Keeping one of the three providers quiet is a hard enough task in its own right.

Miguel Layun and Paul Aguilar are more than capable of surging forward from the full-back position when called upon. Expect to see a heavy dose of Layun and Aguilar throughout the first half as El Tri make their imprint on the match.

This first-choice starting 11 leaves Giovani Dos Santos on the bench, which means we may see him at some point in the second half. With little time in between matches, it would not shock us if Herrera is resting the Villarreal player for Sunday's match with Guatemala.

Marquez Highlights Stars on Cuba Roster

Midfielder Yenier Marquez enters Thursday with 123 caps and 15 goals to his name for Cuba. If head coach Raul Gonzalez Triana's side want to gain some type of hold in the midfield battle, Marquez will need to shine. Outside of Marquez, the Lions of the Caribbean possess two other experienced midfielders on their roster in Ariel Martinez and Alberto Gomez, who have combined for 82 international appearances. 

Cuba will ask those three players to mentor the young guys in the squad in order to grind through Group C in search of points. One young player worth watching is 22-year-old forward Maikel Reyes. The scorer of one goal in six international matches may have the most potential of any young prospect on the Cuba roster. 

In the back four, 21-year-olds Adrian Diz and Andy Vaquero could play a part in the defensive effort alongside the likes of Jorge Luis Clavelo, Hanier Dranguet and Jorge Corrales.

Prediction: Mexico 4-0

This should be one of the most one-sided affairs of the tournament. Mexico are too good for Cuba, and that should become apparent in the first minute. El Tri contain too much class in the final third, which should lead to an early goal to calm the nerves.

Joe Tansey is covering the Gold Cup for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Miguel Herrera and his Mexico national team are under pressure. After a poor showing at the Copa America—albeit with an almost entirely different squad—and costly injuries at inopportune times, El Tri face a tough task to reclaim the Gold Cup title this summer.

If they don't, Herrera could find himself sitting squarely on the heat seat.

With Mexico's Gold Cup campaign set to begin on Thursday, Herrera is having to deal with the loss of two high-profile players through injury. Late last month, center-back Hector Moreno had to leave El Tri's 2-2 friendly draw against Costa Rica at halftime, and shortly thereafter, the Mexican federation announced Moreno would miss the Gold Cup with a foot problem. 

Casual followers of El Tri might remember that name and for good reason. Moreno is the same player who broke his leg during the 2014 World Cup knockout stage against the Netherlands, a game Mexico lost controversially.

Moreno has played a key role in Coach Herrera's preferred 5-3-2 formation, and though replacements are available, none are as good as the Espanyol man. In addition, the injury might force Herrera to reconfigure his formation for the tournament, with a switch to a 4-4-2 possible.

If Moreno's injury wasn't enough bad news, Mexico received a further blow when forward Javier Hernandez suffered a fractured collarbone last week during a draw with Honduras in another friendly. The 27-year-old Hernandez has been frustrated at the club level lately, failing to break into the first XI at Real Madrid while on loan from Manchester United. A strong showing at the Gold Cup might have given Chicharito's profile a boost as he considers his club options this summer, but now he'll be sidelined through injury instead.

The injury to Hernandez means Mexico will have to rely on Carlos Vela, Giovani Dos Santos and Oribe Peralta to lead the attack. Vela has not played a competitive tournament for Mexico since the 2010 World Cup following disputes with coaches and the federation, but now the Real Sociedad forward might have to carry the attacking burden for his side.

There's no doubting Vela's talent, but chemistry with teammates could be an issue. Fortunately, Mexico will be heavy favorites to advance as winners of Group C, which also includes minnows Cuba, Guatemala and Trinidad and Tobago.

If the group plays out as expected, Mexico would certainly have a more manageable route to the final than the United States and Costa Rica, the other two group favorites. If both win their groups, the U.S. and Costa Rica would meet in the semifinals, while Mexico would play the runner-up from either Group B or C.

The path thus seems clear, but Herrera will also have to deal with personal pressure after guiding Mexico to a disappointing group-stage exit last month at the Copa America. In fairness, though, that team included just one member‚ midfielder Jesus Corona, of the Gold Cup squad.

Now, with the team's stars in the squad (apart from the injured duo of Moreno and Hernandez), Herrera is under pressure to claim Mexico's first Gold Cup crown since 2011. As B/R's Rik Sharma noted upon El Tri's exit from the Copa America:

In a group with Guatemala, Trinidad and Tobago and Cuba, qualification in first position is the only real option for Herrera.

They are favourites for the tournament, along with the United States, but if Mexico are as unorganised as they were in Chile, prepare for an upset.

Herrera was sent off in the final group game, against Ecuador, frustrated by his team's inept display.

Failing to perform well in the Gold Cup could see him sidelined for good.

Herrera insisted he isn't feeling any pressure. "We can't do anything about the tournament we've lost," he said, per Reuters, after returning from Chile following his side's Copa America exit. "We've got to have a rethink; now I have to disconnect myself from (Chile) and concentrate on the (Gold Cup) team."

But in the same session with reporters, Herrera also acknowledged that more is at stake in this tournament than just continental bragging rights. The winner of this year's Gold Cup will enter a playoff with the U.S. to determine CONCACAF's representative for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. The Americans, who lifted the cup in 2013, can eliminate the need for the playoff by retaining the title.

"Losing the last (Gold Cup) tournament obliges us to win this one..." Herrera said. "What Mexico and the (federation) directors want is to go to the Confederations (Cup), hence the obligation to win this one."

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The biannual CONCACAF Gold Cup kicks off in the United States and Canada on July 7, as the top countries from North America, Central America and the Caribbean gather to compete in the 23rd edition of the tournament.

Mexico have just come off the back of a poor Copa America campaign in Chile, but will surely be more focused when the Gold Cup action begins. 

The U.S. men's national team are the holders of the trophy, having beaten Panama in 2013, and are joint favourites to win the competition with Mexico. Canada features as a host nation for the first time in history, with the Americans hosting for a 13th time. 

Read on for the full Mexico roster, including match schedules and tournament predictions: 

Position	Players
Goalkeeper	Guillermo Ochoa, Moises Munoz, Jonathan Orozco
Defence	Francisco Rodriguez, Diego Reyes, Hector Moreno, Yasser Corona, Miguel Angel Herrera, Paul Aguilar, Jesus Duenas, Jorge Torres Nilo, Miguel Layun
Midfield	Jose Juan Vazquez, Andres Guardado, Hector Herrera, Antonio Rios, Carlos Esquivel, Jonathan dos Santos, Jesus Corona
Forward	Giovani dos Santos, Oribe Peralta, Carlos Vela

Date	Team	Team	Venue
July 9	Trinidad and Tobago	Guatemala	Soldier Field
July 9	Mexico	Cuba	Soldier Field
July 12	Trinidad and Tobago	Cuba	University of Phoenix Stadium
July 12	Guatemala	Mexico	University of Phoenix Stadium
July 15	Cuba	Guatemala	Bank of America Stadium
July 15	Mexico	Trinidad and Tobago	Bank of America Stadium

Preview And Predictions

All eyes will be on the USMNT Tuesday night as they kick off the competition against play-off qualifiers Honduras. The Americans are the holder of the CONCACAF silverware, and it would take a foolhardy individual to bet against them in 2015. 

However, Mexico are the competition's most likely challengers, with the country fielding a weakened team at the Copa America in preparation for the Gold Cup.

Both the USA and Mexico look assured to cruise through the group phase, with two third-best teams making the knockout rounds. 

The Mexicans are always focused on this tournament, with their Copa participation just a byproduct of their participation here. 

El Tri coach Miguel Herrera says he is not wallowing in the recent failures of his side in Chile and is now fully focused on Gold Cup glory, as reported by Reuters (via Eurosport):

I don't feel under any pressure. We can't do anything about the tournament we've lost, we've got to have a rethink, now I have to disconnect myself from (Chile) and concentrate on the (Gold Cup) team. You have to admit you didn't reach your objective, not be afraid of the word failure.

Mexico have suffered a huge blow after their Copa defeat, with the news Manchester United's Javier Hernandez will miss the tournament. 

Chicharito's fractured collarbone has forced the striker out, but Carlos Vela is back in the fold and will be expected to provide the goals with Giovani dos Santos. 

Jon Arnold of Goal.com believes the pair will have to find a formula for Mexico to win the tournament, with Vela playing catch-up:

Vela's hiatus from representing the country cooled some of the connection the players had, but the Gold Cup will afford them time to work things out before the going gets too tough. Group stage victories, as easy as a group featuring Cuba, Guatemala, and Trinidad and Tobago might seem, aren't guaranteed. Yet Mexico should overcome the opposition with sheer talent and allow the dynamic forward duo to jell.

If Mexico can win the title this time around, they will get a chance to play America in a winner-takes-all qualification match for the 2017 Confederations Cup. The 2013 and 2015 winners meet to determine the 2017 representative in Russia, preceding the World Cup.

Chicharito's exit is a huge negative for the Mexicans, and his tournament experience will be sorely missed—especially when the time comes to face the USMNT. 

Despite the bookies not being able to split the sides, America are the team with the advantage—with their home-field territory in their back pocket. 

Vela is certain to score goals against such lowly opposition in the group stage, but it is questionable whether Mexico are fully in form after a poor Copa America showing. 

The USA should regain their title once again, as they have too much variety in their squad. The MLS is underway, so the domestic American players will have an edge in fitness—compared to the Mexicans who feature in Europe's leagues—and this small fact might have a huge bearing on which side wins the day. 

Costa Rica are likely to be the only team to seriously challenge the Americans and Mexicans, but with the Little Pea missing, it will be the United States that prevail.

Prediction: Mexico to finish runners-up at the 2015 Gold Cup. 

Mexico's chances of winning the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup took a hit on Wednesday when Javier Hernandez left El Tri's friendly against Honduras with an upper-body injury. 

As SportsCenter's official Twitter account confirmed, Hernandez suffered a broken collarbone, which will force him to miss the critical tournament that Mexico need to win in order to force a playoff for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. 

Chicharito Hernandez to miss Gold Cup after suffering fractured collarbone during Wednesday's friendly vs Honduras. pic.twitter.com/BiJnZtbPNA

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 2, 2015

Despite the absence of Chicharito in the Mexico attack, manager Miguel Herrera still has plenty of worthy options at his disposal. Since El Tri made winning the Gold Cup their top summer priority, Herrera's squad is loaded with dangerous attacking talent. Giovani Dos Santos, Carlos Vela and Oribe Peralta are all capable of carrying El Tri to the title. 

"It's hard, it could have happened to anyone, but it's Chicharito and we know what that means, he is our scorer, he is our top player. It is a big loss. Now as a team we must regroup and be stronger," midfielder Andres Guardado told ESPN's John Sutcliffe, per an ESPN report.

Dos Santos enters the Gold Cup as one of the top players in the North American region. With Chicharito no longer participating in the competition, the 26-year-old has a chance to prove his worth as the best active Mexican player.

The Villarreal forward has plenty of experience at the Gold Cup as well. Dos Santos was a part of the 2009 and 2011 squads that took home the top honors in CONCACAF. He was also a vital part of the Mexican side in the infamous 2011 final that saw El Tri embarrass the United States in front of more than 93,000 fans at the Rose Bowl.

Dos Santos, who has never been effective on a consistent basis at club level, could also enhance his standing on the club scene with a terrific Gold Cup. He is already being linked to the LA Galaxy, per Goal.com's Ives Galarcep. But one would think a few European suitors might come calling if he shines up top for El Tri.

While Dos Santos has plenty to play for at the club level this summer, Vela needs to show he can produce on the international scene following his extended absence from the Mexico squad. The Gold Cup marks Vela's first competitive action in the green and white of Mexico since the 2010 FIFA World Cup. 

Although he has plenty of class in his game, one has to worry if chemistry will be an issue for Vela at the start of the tournament. The Real Sociedad player, who has 11 goals in 39 international appearances to his name, looked fine in the friendly against Honduras, but playing in a tournament match brings more pressure to the table.

Goal.com's Jon Arnold mentioned what Vela is facing with Chicharito out on Twitter following the Honduras match: 

As if having Carlos Vela back in the fold wasn't important enough for #MEX, much of the onus now falls on him to score for #ElTri.

— Jon Arnold (@ArnoldcommaJon) July 2, 2015

The good news for Vela is he will have time to mesh into the squad since El Tri's opponents in Group C aren't quite the best in CONCACAF. Mexico should cruise to first place in the group with wins over Cuba, Guatemala and Trinidad and Tobago. While you can't rule out the unlikeliest of scenarios, it looks as though El Tri's path to the quarterfinal round will be an easy one.

But despite the seemingly smooth trail paved in front of them for the group phase, Mexico are without a victory in their last seven games, their worst winless run since 2001, per ESPN's El Tri Twitter account: 

Mexico now 7 games without a victory. Longest winless streak since 2001.

— ESPN FC Mexico (@ESPNFCtri) July 2, 2015

If Dos Santos and Vela can't find the back of the net at the Gold Cup, Herrera should be able to rely on 31-year-old Oribe Peralta. With Chicharito out of the squad, an argument can be made that Peralta is now the most consistent scorer on the Mexico roster. 

Peralta's domestic record with Santos Laguna and Club America is an impressive one, as he has scored more than 10 goals in each of his last four seasons. He has also netted five more strikes than Vela in the same number of international matches. Sometimes at competitions like the Gold Cup, an experienced hand makes a world of difference. 

We could also get a look at 27-year-old Javier Orozco at some point during the tournament if Herrera wants to give the owner of 11 caps a chance to prove himself against lesser opposition. 

With three dynamic options at forward to choose from throughout the Gold Cup, Herrera shouldn't have an issue getting production out of his side as the pressure grows on the squad to come out on top in Philadelphia on July 26. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.