Chicharito headlines Mexico roster but Dos Santos, Corona out with injury

Jon Arnold

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Chicharito headlines Mexico roster but Dos Santos, Corona out with injury image

Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio has named his squad to face Costa Rica and Trinidad and Tobago in World Cup qualification but was unable to include Giovani dos Santos, Jesus "Tecatito" Corona or Hirving Lozano because of injuries.

LA Galaxy star Dos Santos tweaked his right hamstring in the first half of the MLS side's loss to the Portland Timbers on Sunday while Corona and Lozano suffered injuries earlier in the month. Frankfurt midfielder Marco Fabian also misses the squad because of a lingering hip problem that has kept him out most of 2017.

Mourinho: I never would have sold Chicharito

Mexico's attack won't be entirely without star power, though. Bayer Leverkusen forward Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez is fit and ready to go, as is Real Sociedad's Carlos Vela, who returned to action with a full 90 minutes last weekend after a knee issue had his status in doubt.

Osorio also called Tigres winger Jurgen Damm, America forward Oribe Peralta, Pumas winger Jesus Gallardo and Leon's Elias Hernandez as domestic-based attackers.

And Dos Santos' brother Jonathan, a central midfielder who is in fine form with Villarreal, is back in the team looking to reprise his starting role in Mexico's draw with Panama. PSV stars Andres Guardado and Hector Moreno also are fit and likely to start against the Ticos.

El Tri sits second in the CONCACAF qualification table, behind Costa Rica, which is off to a perfect start to the Hex after two games.

Mexico will open its camp March 19 in Mexico City before traveling to Cuernavaca, where it will train ahead of the March 24 game with Costa Rica.

Full squad:

Goalkeepers: Guillermo Ochoa (Granada), Jesus Corona (Cruz Azul), Alfredo Talavera (Toluca)

Defenders: Carlos Salcedo (Fiorentina), Diego Reyes (Espanyol), Rafa Marquez (Atlas), Nestor Araujo (Santos Laguna), Hector Moreno (PSV), Oswaldo Alanis (Chivas), Miguel Layun (Porto), Luis Reyes (Atlas)

Midfielders: Jurgen Damm (Tigres), Jonathan dos Santos (Villarreal), Hector Herrera (Porto), Andres Guardado (PSV), Jesus Molina (Monterrey), Jesus Gallardo (Pumas), Orbelin Pineda (Chivas), Jesus Duenas (Tigres), Luis Montes (Leon), Elias Hernandez (Leon)

Forwards: Carlos Vela (Real Sociedad), Raul JImenez (Benfica), Oribe Peralta (America), Javier Hernandez (Bayer Leverkusen)

Jon Arnold

Jon Arnold Photo

Jon Arnold covered the Mexico national team and Concacaf region in English for Goal until March 2020. His byline also has appeared in the Dallas Morning News, the New York Times Goal blog, FloFC and Pacific Standard. In addition to his written work, he serves as the Concacaf expert on the BBC's World Football Phone-In and has appeared on SiriusXMFC in English and Fox Deportes and Milenio in Spanish. Formerly based in Tijuana and currently living in Texas, Jon covered the 2018 World Cup, the 2015 Copa America, the 2016 Copa America Centenario and the last five Gold Cups.