COLUMBUS, Ohio — Two players who play their club soccer in La Liga made Mexico manager Juan Carlos Osorio's starting XI to face the United States, next to expected starters like star forward Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez and center back Hector Moreno.
Diego Reyes, a defender for Espanyol, and Carlos Vela, a forward for Real Sociedad are in Osorio's team to open the final round of World Cup qualification Friday.
Goalkeeper Alfredo Talavera gets the start, as Osorio hinted when he said before the match that he's concerned about the United States' aerial game. Rafa Marquez, who started in Mexico's first-ever defeat in Columbus in 2001 returned to the starting XI after missing out on the 2013 edition. He also played the Columbus qualifier in 2005 and 2009.
LA Galaxy attacker Giovani dos Santos also is in the starting lineup, just a month after suiting up for Osorio for the first time when he started in a pair of October friendlies.
Osorio could again use a 3-3-3-1 formation with Miguel Layun sliding into the midfield and Reyes, Marquez and Moreno playing in a back three. That would push Chicharito up as a lone striker with Dos Santos, Vela and Corona behind him. It also could be a 4-3-3 with Reyes playing at right back and Layun staying at left back - an alignment that might suit those players better but would require midfielder Hector Herrera to do a lot of work defensively. Osorio also could play three at the back with a line of four in front of that with two attackers just behind Chicharito, moving Layun to the right side and keeping Corona on the left.
Starting XI: Alfredo Talavera; Diego Reyes, Rafa Marquez, Hector Moreno, Miguel Layun; Andres Guardado, Hector Herrera, Giovani Dos Santos; Carlos Vela, Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez, Jesus "Tecatito" Corona
