Mexico announce squad for Australia and Uzbekistan friendlies

Head coach Jaime Lozano made his first official callup as Mexico’s National Team manager this Tuesday as he named the squad for the friendly matches against Australia and Uzbekistan. Although he coached the NT to the 2023 Gold Cup title, Lozano didn’t actually make the call up list, as it was done by previous coach Diego Cocca. Mexico will face Australia on September 9th in Arlington, Texas and then play Uzbekistan on September 12th in Atlanta, Georgia.

The call up list was the following:

Goalkeepers: Guillermo Ochoa (Salernitana) , Luis Malagon (America), Jose Antonio Rodriguez (Tijuana).

Defenders: Johan Vasquez (Genoa), Julian Araujo (Las Palmas), Jesus Orozco (Chivas), Jesus Gallardo (Monterrey), Kevin Alvarez (America), Jesus Alberto Angulo (Tigres), Gilberto Sepulveda (Chivas).

Midfielders: Edson Alvarez (West Ham United), Orbelin Pineda (AEK Athens), Hector Herrera (Houston Dynamo), Cesar Huerta (UNAM Pumas), Jordi Cortizo (Monterrey), Roberto Alvarado (Chivas), Erick Sanchez (Pachuca), Luis Romo (Monterrey), Sebastian Cordova (Tigres), Carlos Rodriguez (Cruz Azul).

Forwards: Raul Jimenez (Fulhalm), Santiago Gimenez (Feyenoord), Alexis Vega (Chivas), Uriel Antuna (Cruz Azul).

The new additions are Cesar Huerta and Jordi Cortizo, who have both played really well with their respective clubs. There is also the call up of Chivas CB Jesus Orozco, who despite making his first list for the summer match, was cut before any friendlies were played. Still, most of this list’s controversy has been focused on the return of Hector Herrera, who does so for the first time since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Herrera hasn’t particularly lit things up in MLS, but with so many absences, it shouldn’t be as surprising.

There were a number of omissions as well, as Lozano decided not to call up European players who either just arrived to new clubs or are in the middle of transfers talks. So players like Jorge Sanchez and Luis Chavez, who just arrived to their new teams, as well as players like Gerardo Arteaga, Cesar Montes, Jesus Corona, and Hirving Lozano, all of whom are in the middle of possible club moves, weren’t called up for this match. Most of them should be expected to return for the October friendlies, especially with the big match in Philadelphia against Germany.