Iceland match big for Mexican players looking for spot on El Tri’s World Cup roster

Iceland match an audition for many Mexican players

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Mexico coach Javier Aguirre has referred to El Tri’s current stretch of exhibitions as “observation games” before he picks his World Cup roster.

Now healthy again, forward Vicente Matias Vuoso is eager to finally make an impression.

The Argentina-born Vuoso of the Mexican club Santos is hoping to get time Wednesday night when Mexico meets Iceland.

The 28-year-old Vuoso was called up to the team for last week’s 2-1 win over North Korea, but didn’t play because of a leg injury.

“I want to do things well,” Vuoso said Tuesday through an interpreter. “Even if it’s one, two, three games, I have to play my life, I have to play to the best of my abilities in order to be on the national team.”

It’s also a chance for Adolfo Bautista, Jonny Magallon, Paul Aguilar, Miguel Sabah and others to impress Aguirre before he picks his 23-man World Cup roster.

“There is a lot of competition, very healthy competition,” Vuoso said. “We all want to be on that final roster, but it all depends on what Javier says. The last word, he’s got it.”

Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa also will get a chance to erase memories of his embarrassing gaffe last week, when he badly misjudged a free kick on North Korea’s lone goal. The victory moved Mexico to 3-0 in World Cup warmups this year.

None of Mexico’s players from overseas-based players are on the roster to face Iceland, which failed to qualify for the World Cup.

It hasn’t slowed enthusiasm for Mexico’s first match in Charlotte, which has a large Hispanic population. About 60,000 tickets had been sold as of Tuesday afternoon.

“We’ve seen through the press all the attention that we’re getting here,” Magallon said. “I can tell you personally that I have family that lives near here that are going to be able to see me.”

Magallon, a defender with Chivas Guadalajara, has played in World Cup qualifiers and the CONCACAF Gold Cup. He’s hoping a final push will give him a trip to South Africa in June.

“Every game is an opportunity to show Javier that he can trust me,” Magallon said.

Bautista hasn’t played for Mexico since 2008. Vuoso initially was dropped from the team when Aguirre took over last year.

Javier Hernandez, who has four goals in three games, and Cuauhtemoc Blanco, who scored against North Korea, were left off the 18-man roster for Iceland as Aguirre looks down his depth chart.

“The goal is to risk everything,” Vuoso said. “That’s what a World Cup calls for.”