Our prediction for this Copa America match:
There will be fireworks when Mexico and Ecuador lock horns at State Farm Stadium in an eagerly-awaited Group B game. A place in the Copa America quarter-finals is at stake, with Ecuador being one point away from booking their spot in the knockout stages. Pacey Cercle Brugge forward Alan Minda should be recalled to the starting XI after the 21-year-old scored a beautiful goal in a 3-1 win over Jamaica, while experienced forward Enner Valencia is back from suspension.
El Tri, on the other hand, aim to recover from a 1-0 shocking loss to Venezuela. As Mexico face a must-win situation in the decider, we predict that Ecuador forwards will have a number of opportunities to find the net on the break. Even though there are no fresh injury worries in Jaime Lozano’s team, Club America defender Israel Reyes should be recalled to the starting XI.
Highlighted Player (Enner Valencia):
Enner Valencia is a prolific 26-year-old striker who plays for West Ham United in the English Premier League. Nicknamed “Superman”, Valencia started his career with Emelec in 2010. He enjoyed league success with Emelec and was awarded the “Copa Sudamericana Golden Boot” in 2013.
He also played for Pachuca in Mexico winning the Liga MX Golden Boot in 2014. His goal-scoring record and pace caught the attention of West Ham which bought him for an estimated £12 million in July 2014. At international level, Valencia made his debut in 2012 and has represented the country in 24 games so far. He is one of Ecuador’s top ten goal scorers of all time with 14 goals.
He has already represented Ecuador at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2015 Copa America tournaments. Enner Valencia is Ecuador’s joint top scorer – along with Agustin Delgado – in World Cup tournaments with three goals.
Highlighted Team (Mexico):
Football was brought below the United States border by European immigrants who build the foundations for what went on to become one of the most prominent footballing nations in the world. El Tri have qualified to the total of 15 World Cups and have become one of six nations to qualify successfully for the tournament since 1994.
Alongside Brazil and Germany, Mexico are the only country to make it past the group stage over the last six World Cups so it is fair to say that miners from Cornwall and Spanish exiles fleeing the Civil War made a pretty good job embedding the football gene. Mexico are the reigning CONCACAF champions having beaten the surprise package Jamaica 3-1 in the final. Juan Carlos Osorio’s team is captained by Rafael Marquez who is the fourth most-capped player behind Gerrardo Torrado, Pavel Pardo and Claudio Suarez.
Bayer Leverkusen striker Javier Hernandez is the team’s biggest star and current squad’s top scorer with 81 goals to his name. Chicharito is only eight goals behind Jared Borgetti who is the nation’s top scorer.