Football
Tom Marshall, Mexico correspondent 8y

Juan Carlos Osorio: Mexico's objective is to reach Copa America final

PHOENIX -- Last four as a minimum, with the final a bonus.

That's Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio's take on what his team has to achieve at the Copa America Centenario for it to be considered a successful tournament.

"Our objective is to reach the final because playing finals is very difficult and winning them is extremely difficult," Osorio said in an exclusive interview with ESPN. "If we aren't in the last four of the competition, I'll take it as a real blow. I'd be in debt not just with the Mexican people, but with this group of players and myself."

Mexico kicks off its Copa America campaign with a tough test on Sunday in University of Phoenix Stadium against Uruguay, a team Osorio believes can cause problems from set pieces.

"If there is one [strong] factor [about Uruguay], it is set pieces, they have a lot of good headers [of the ball] and defend and attack them like the best club sides do," said the 54-year-old Osorio. "And in open play, their defensive solidity [stands out]. It is a nation that historically has shown tight marking, rigor, exactitude, commitment and a willingness to fight. It'll be a very tough opponent."

Osorio hinted that Mexico may play with a line of three central defenders against Uruguay, who regularly play a 4-4-2 formation.

"When one plays a team with two strikers ... you try to create numerical advantage, but at the same time [playing three center-backs] gives the team more possibility to play out from the back," explained Osorio, who has used four different starting formations in seven matches as Mexico coach and is expected to field a 3-4-3 against Uruguay on Sunday.

The big absence for Uruguay is Barcelona striker Luis Suarez, who joined up with his national team squad on Thursday but isn't expected to feature against Mexico as he continues his recovery from a right hamstring injury picked up in the Copa del Rey final against Sevilla.

"Personally, it makes me sad that Luis Suarez isn't available because I believe you prepare to compete with the best and hopefully he recovers soon because it would be extraordinary to compete against him and the best Uruguay possible," Osorio said.

In a press conference inside University of Phoenix Stadium on Saturday afternoon, Mexico midfielder Andres Guardado also called on fans to stop the chant towards opposition goalkeepers, for which the national team has been fined for by FIFA.

"I don't think what the fans do is offensive, but it stops being funny when there are sanctions," said Guardado, who fears the end result may be Mexico playing game behind closed doors. "The Hexagonal [in CONCACAF qualifying] is coming and we need our stadium and fans. We don't want them to not let them for a qualifying game."

The other news coming out of the Mexico camp is that flying winger Jurgen Damm has left Phoenix because of a left knee complaint. He will be replaced in the squad by Monterrey's Candido Ramirez.

Speaking in Saturday's news conference, Osorio hinted that there is also a possible move to Europe on the horizon for Damm, but didn't elaborate.

Finally, the Colombian coach praised Mexico fans in the United States, who dominated the 63,049 attendance in Atlanta for Mexico's warm-up game against Paraguay and the 68,258 in San Diego for the 1-0 victory last Wednesday over Chile.

Said Osorio: "We had an idea of what the national team means to the people, but being in Atlanta and San Diego, we didn't quite realize the passion the Mexican people has towards the national team. I thank them."

For Uruguay, coach Oscar Tabarez officially ruled out Suarez, saying he is a player who recovers quickly from injury, but isn't fit for the match against Mexico. The Barcelona player was present at the stadium as the team trained Saturday evening.

Mexico moves on from Phoenix to play its second Group C game against Jamaica in Pasadena next Thursday, followed by its closing group stage match against Venezuela next Monday in Houston.

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