Tom Marshall – Page 5 – Football Scout

Gignac cements his status as a Tigres legend

Brian McBride explains how playing Liga MX teams mid-season in the Leagues Cup will either help or hurt the four MLS teams involved.

A cat took to the pitch and got a touch on the ball in the Leagues Cup match between Real Salt Lake and Tigres.
Round four of games in the Liga MX Apertura saw Santos Laguna win once again, Chivas pick up a vital three points and Veracruz’s winless streak increase to 30 games.
Here’s a run-down of the key events in Mexico this past weekend:
Santos Laguna, Queretaro, America remain unbeaten
Santos Laguna remains perfect and top of the league, following Sunday’s 4-1 win over Puebla. The impressive thing for Los Guerreros is that it was achieved after playing the whole of the second half with 10 players, having…

Vela sets Mexican goals mark, defends MLS move

Carlos Vela converted a penalty and set up two goals in LAFC’s 4-2 win over the New York Red Bulls. To watch more MLS sign up to ESPN+.
Carlos Vela became the leading all-time Mexican scorer in MLS when he netted in LAFC’s 4-2 win over the New York Red Bulls on Sunday and is vowing to continue to ignore criticism of his move to the U.S. and break more records.
Vela scored his 37th MLS goal and LAFC’s third of the evening from the penalty spot to move past Erick “Cubo” Torres and help extend LAFC’s lead at the top of the Western Conference.
And despite some of the criticism Vela came in for when he left Real Sociedad to join LAFC…

Tigres to build statue for record scorer Gignac

A cat took to the pitch and got a touch on the ball in the Leagues Cup match between Real Salt Lake and Tigres.
Liga MX champions Tigres will build a statue outside Estadio Universitario in honor of French striker Andre-Pierre Gignac, who responded to the news by scoring a hat trick inside 23 minutes 3-1 win over Necaxa on Saturday.
Gignac broke Tigres’ scoring record last weekend when he netted his 105th goal for the club in the 1-0 win against Pumas and was serenaded by 105 mariachis with a rendition of “El Rey” [The King] after the team’s warm-up on Saturday.
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Guillermo Ochoa returns to Club America

Brian McBride explains how playing Liga MX teams mid-season in the Leagues Cup will either help or hurt the four MLS teams involved.

Herculez Gomez explains why the new Leagues Cup is a first step toward more direct competition between MLS and Liga MX.
MEXICO CITY — Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa is set to return to Club America from Standard Liege, the Liga MX side announced on Tuesday evening.
Ochoa was thought to be intent on staying in Europe, but offloading Agustin Marchesin to Porto last week left America in need of a starting goalkeeper and the 34-year-old has chosen to return to the Mexico City club he made his professional debut for in 2004.
“‘Memo’ Ochoa is without doubt one of our fans most beloved players and one of the references…

Griffa: The man who shaped Argentine football, discovered Pochettino, mentored Bielsa and many more

ESPN FC’s Paul Mariner questions whether Tottenham will have depth issues this season with several key players linked to summer exits.

Tottenham captain Hugo Lloris shares his views on ICC opponents, Juventus’ Champions League chances, and what new signing Tanguy Ndombele brings to Spurs.
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — The story of Jorge Griffa and Marcelo Bielsa knocking on the Pochettino family’s door during a scouting trip to see a 13-year-old Mauricio sleeping is relatively well known by now.
As Griffa remembers it, he and Bielsa had gone to Santa Isabel in the Santa Fe province of Argentina looking for talents to bring to Newell’s Old Boys in Rosario. While they were there, locals commented that a kid named Pochettino — from Murphy, about a 30-minute drive away — was the best…

Ochoa wrong choice for America in goal – Vucetich

Brian McBride explains how playing Liga MX teams mid-season in the Leagues Cup will either help or hurt the four MLS teams involved.
MEXICO CITY — Queretaro coach Victor Manuel Vucetich believes signing Guillermo Ochoa to replace the outgoing Agustin Marchesin would be a step down in quality for Club America.
A possible return for Ochoa to America has been the talk of the Mexican press following the departure of Argentine international Marchesin to Porto on Wednesday, but former Mexico coach Vucetich believes there are shortcomings in the national team keeper’s game.
“He’s a great shot-stopper, but he has difficulty playing…

Mexico chief meets with U.S., Galaxy youth Araujo

Brian McBride reflects on the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup and examines the tournament’s impact on the U.S. and Mexico.

Cristhian Paredes found the net twice for Portland, to ensure the Timbers 4-0 win over LA Galaxy at Providence Park. To watch MLS, sign up to ESPN+.

Herculez Gomez and Shaka Hislop weigh the pros and cons of CONCACAF’s qualifying format for the 2022 World Cup, which emphasizes the FIFA rankings.
Mexican Football Federation sporting director Gerardo Torrado visited LA Galaxy’s training on Tuesday and was seen talking to young full-back Julian Araujo, who recently left the door open to a switch from U.S. national teams to Mexico.
Araujo has recently broken into the Galaxy’s starting XI under Guillermo Barros Schelotto, featuring in 10 MLS games since signing a deal with the first team on March 1.

- Sources: Galaxy see $16m bid for Pavon rejected
- Garber defends pace of MLS expansion…

America eyes Ochoa after Marchesin joins Porto

Despite interest from Club America, Guillermo Ochoa has previously stated he wants to remain in Europe.
MEXICO CITY — Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa is on the list of possible replacements after Club America announced the sale of Augustin Ma…

Herrera impresses but must earn role – Simeone

Steve Nicol and Stewart Robson explain why they’re convinced Atletico Madrid are set up to have more success than rivals Real Madrid this campaign.

Hector Herrera outlines why he chose Atletico Madrid and the achievements he hopes to accomplish with his new club.
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone won’t guarantee Mexico international Hector Herrera will be a starter this season, but has been impressed at how he has adapted to the club so far.
Herrera, 29, signed for Atleti earlier this month on a free transfer after his contract with Porto had run down and the former Pachuca midfielder missed the Gold Cup in order to focus on preseason at his new club.
“Hector is a guy that has very clear qualities, he’s very good arriving into the area, he covers a lot…

Piojo Alvarado shines as Conejo Perez bids farewell

Oscar Perez called time on a storied career on Saturday.
MEXICO CITY — Oscar “Conejo” Perez couldn’t contain the tears as the crowd inside Estadio Azteca sung his name ahead of his farewell ceremonial appearance on Saturday. The 46-year-old, 1.72-meter goalkeeper made his debut for La Maquina when UB40 was topping the Billboard charts back in 1993 and recently brought to an end a career that saw him establish himself as a legend of the Mexican domestic game.
It was a touching moment, but when the match started for real, the Conejo show became the Piojo…

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