Lozano, Giménez out for Mexico's NL quarterfinals
High-profile injured stars Santiago Giménez and Hirving “Chucky” Lozano were left out of Mexico’s 27-man roster that will take part in a two-legged Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal with Honduras on Nov. 15 and 19.
The squad selection, released on Tuesday by Mexico manager Javier Aguirre, will extend the absences of Feyenoord’s Gimenez and PSV Eindhoven’s Lozano, who were both left out of last month’s Mexico call-up due to their ongoing injury issues.
Last week, the Mexican Football Federation contacted PSV to inquire about Lozano’s current physical condition with the intention to call him up for the upcoming matches against Honduras, but the Dutch club responded that he’s still recovering from a muscle injury sustained in September, sources told ESPN’s Mac Reséndiz.
Elsewhere in the roster, Aguirre and his staff will still be able to count on marquee names like West Ham United‘s Edson Álvarez, Fulham’s Raúl Jiménez, Genoa’s Johan Vásquez, and goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa.
The upcoming Nations League quarterfinal will provide a path to not only next year’s semifinal round, but also Concacaf’s 2025 Gold Cup. Losers of the quarterfinal stage will have an additional opportunity for a Gold Cup invitation through a preliminary competition.
Cruz Azul’s Alexis Gutierrez is the lone member of the November roster that has yet to earn his senior Mexico debut. With Gutierrez as the noteworthy international newcomer, Cruz Azul have the most club representation in El Tri’s squad with a total of six call-ups.
Aguirre’s squad is his third selection after taking charge of Mexico in July. The 65-year-old also previously coached the national team in 2001-02 and 2009-10.
Following a recent 2-0 victory over Mauricio Pochettino’s United States team last month, Mexico have won both games since Aguirre took over following the departure of Jaime Lozano.
Full Mexico Squad:
Goalkeepers: Luis Angel Malagon (Club America), Guillermo Ochoa (AVS), Raul Rangel (Chivas)
Defenders: Rodrigo Huescas (FC Copenhagen), Jorge Sanchez (Cruz Azul), Jesus Orozco (Chivas), Cesar Montes (Lokomotiv Moscow), Israel Reyes (Club America), Johan Vasquez (Genoa), Jesus Angulo (Tigres), Jesus Gallardo (Toluca)
Midfielders: Edson Alvarez (West Ham), Luis Romo (Cruz Azul), Carlos Rodriguez (Cruz Azul), Orbelin Pineda (AEK Athens), Erik Lira (Cruz Azul), Alexis Gutierrez (Cruz Azul), Luis Chavez (Dynamo Moscow)
Forwards: Diego Lainez (Tigres), Ozziel Herrera (Tigres), Cesar Huerta (Pumas), Alexis Vega (Toluca), Guillermo Martinez (Pumas), Raul Jimenez (Fulham), Henry Martin (Club America), Angel Sepulveda (Cruz Azul), Julian Quiñones (Al Qadsiah FC)
