Mexico′s all time leading scorer Jared Borgetti was ruled out of the Copa America due to injury in the latest blow to the team and coach Hugo Sanchez.
The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) mentioned in a statement that Borgetti could be replaced by Morelia forward Luis Angel Landin.
Borgetti, injured during the CONCACAF Gold Cup final against United States Sunday, has scored 43 goals for his country, that included 5 this year inspite of starting most internationals on the bench.
The ′Desert Fox′ returned home last year to play for Cruz Azul after an unhappy season with English premier league Bolton Wanderers, where he was rarely given a game.
Mexico face Brazil in their opening Group B game in Puerto Ordaz later Wednesday and go into the Copa America in disarray.
They were fiercely criticised at home after losing 2-1 Sunday and there have also been reports of a split in the camp after Pavel Pardo, Carlos Salcido and Ricardo Osorio asked to be rested from the Copa America.
14 06 2007
An inspired Carlos Pavon claimed the 1st hat-trick of the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup, and then went on to add a 4th, to help Honduras past Cuba 5-0. The result sees the Catrachos finish 1st in Group C (tied on points with Mexico, however with the decisive edge in head to head play) and assure themselves of a place in the quarter-finals.
The 2nd match of the day in Houston, Texas and the last game of the group stages saw a still-nervy Mexico labour to edge out Panama 1-0 in front of 68,000 vociferous fans to finish second. Inspite of the loss, Panama join Mexico and Honduras in the last 8 with 4 points from their 3 matches.
The quarter-finals, to be played out on Saturday and Sunday, will pit Canada against Guatemala and the USA against Panama in a rematch of the 2005 final. Honduras will take on surprise packages Guadeloupe and Mexico will meet Costa Rica in a traditional superclasico.
Wednesday′s 1st contest from Houston saw a Honduran side, getting better with every game, make easy meat of Caribbean islanders Cuba. With only 2 minutes gone, captain Carlos Pavon of local club side Real Espana CD buried a fine goal in the Central Americans′ 1st foray forward.
8 minutes later, his graft and determination made another from nothing. Unwilling to give up on what looked like a lost cause, Pavon dug the ball out, flicked it up nearer to the edge of the box and bravely headed home past Cuban keeper Odelin Molina for his 43rd goal in the blue and white of Honduras.
Pavon then went on to earn his hat-trick 3 minutes from the break when he latched onto a Carlos Costly corner kick. The captain wasn′t content with only 3 either. Collecting a ball from Mario Rodriguez in the 53rd minute, he poked home elegantly from close range to bring his tally to 4 on the day and make him the tournament′s top scorer.
The Cubans suffered further when Alain Cervantes was sent off late for an elbow and Amado Guevara added one more in a 5-0 rout as Honduras proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that their triumph over Mexico in the last round of games was no fluke.
The night′s 2nd match between Mexico and Panama proved to be a far cagier affair than the goal avalanche its undercard produced. Both sides went within inches of scoring in the 1st half however were denied by the woodwork. Nery Castillo smacked off the post for Mexico whilst Felipe Baloy spurned the best chance when he nodded against the upright at the other end in a period that produced no less than 5 yellow cards.
Inspite of lacking initiative and looking nervous in their play, the Mexicans managed to put their noses in front 15 minutes into the 2nd half. From a corner kick, Carlos Salcido poked home an opportunistic goal at the back post. And inspite of a foraging effort that saw countless chances and 2 unfortunate red cards (for Rolando Escobar and Ramon Torres), the Panamanians were unable to find a way past Oswaldo Sanchez in the Mexican goal.
The 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup continues on Saturday in Boston with the 1st 2 quarter-finals, The USA v Panama and Canada v Guatemala. The 2nd round of quarters take place Sunday in Houston with Honduras facing Guadeloupe and Mexico clashing with Costa Rica.
