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Less than a year ago, "Piojo" Miguel Herrera was coaching Mexico to great performances against Brazil, Croatia and the Netherlands at the World Cup, securing his job for the next cycle. This year, he's on the chopping block. Following El Tri's awful showing in Copa America and worse showing in their two warm-up friendlies for the Gold Cup, it looks like public opinion will turn against him entirely if he doesn't beat the United States and win the North American title.
Mexico drew Costa Rica 2-2 in their first warmup friendly, and played even worse against Honduras on Wednesday, drawing 0-0. Hector Moreno picked up an injury over the weekend that will knock him out of the Gold Cup, and it looks like "Chicharito" Javier Hernandez will miss out too. He picked up an upper body injury in the first half that appears to be a broken collarbone.
.@espnsutcliffe confirming that Chicharito's injury is a fractured collarbone.
— ESPN Tri (@ESPNFCtri) July 2, 2015
How are Mexico fans and journalists that cover the team feeling about El Tri right now? Here's a sampling.
After Chicharito's injury this game went
— Nayib Moran (@nayibmoran) July 2, 2015
Maybe I haven’t been able to analyze the game adequately in the 2nd half, but El Tri just looks all over the place, there’s no style.
— Nayib Moran (@nayibmoran) July 2, 2015
This team ain't functioning.
— Roberto Macias (@DonTical_Futbol) July 2, 2015
Highlights of the Mexico-Honduras game. pic.twitter.com/KTVWHG4pCZ
— Hector Fernandez (@Hec18) July 2, 2015
Mexico now 7 games without a victory. Longest winless streak since 2001.
— ESPN Tri (@ESPNFCtri) July 2, 2015
Idk if my bet vs my gringo friends was a good idea for this Gold Cup. https://t.co/Adtmqj4sZI
— Roberto Macias (@DonTical_Futbol) July 2, 2015
Wish I watched just about anything else other than that mess of a friendly.
— Jason Marquitz (@soccermexicana) July 2, 2015
That friendly was pretty much a disaster for Mexico. But hey, 70k showed so that's $$$$$.
— Jason Davis (@davisjsn) July 2, 2015
And so it begins. . . https://t.co/3jaTa7x8JO
— Andrea Canales (@soccercanales) July 2, 2015
Meanwhile, the USMNT are coming off wins over the Netherlands and Germany. The Americans won the last meeting between the two teams by everyone's favorite score, 2-0. The Americans suddenly look like pretty big favorites to capture the Gold Cup.