Reflections on the match with Mexico

Final Update from USA From Ian Gwyn Hughes:

There was a reflective and disappointed mood in the Welsh camp following the 2-0 defeat against Mexico. Everyone, players and management, recognised that they had been beaten by a very good Mexican side. They acknowledged that Mexico are in the middle of a hectic period of matches, whereas for many of the Welsh players, it was their first game for two or three weeks. In the energy sapping heat, they felt that maybe this made a difference.

Manager, Chris Coleman, was disappointed to concede goals so late in each half and said that this was an excellent test for this young Welsh team. “Mexico are a very, very good team. They have some excellent players and a fine manager. Belgium , who we face in the first game of the World Cup Qualifiers are a fine side too, but I don’t think they are as good as Mexico, so this kind of test is exactly what we wanted”.

Chris went on to say that he was more than happy with the effort of the team and was full of praise for goal keeper Jason Brown. The manager, and one of his assistants, Osian Roberts, are staying on in the United States to go and watch the USA play in Washington.

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Chris Coleman's team battled hard for no reward in New Jersey against Mexico.

In his first match as manager of Wales, Chris was forced to make four changes from the side that lost to Costa Rica in the Gary Speed Memorial match.

In goal, Jason Brown was winning only his third cap and he was to become the Wales star of the evening, making save after save to keep the lively Mexicans out. With Darcy Blake one of the absentees in the middle of defence, Chris Gunter moved inside to partner Ashley Williams and he was to have a torrid time, along with the other Wales defenders as Mexico launched attack after attack in the opening twenty minutes down both flanks.

On a warm humid afternoon, the conditions certainly helped the Mexicans, though the newly laid grass pitch helped neither side as it appeared lifeless.

As early as the first minute a chance fell to Mexico but the shot was wide and that set the pattern as Wales tried to settle and Mexico looked to kill the game-off quickly. Steve Moruison was playing as a lone striker with Craig Bellamy behind him, plus captain Aaron Ramsey and Hal Robson-Kanu looking to give support. Joe Allen and David Edwards looked to play deeper in midfield, but Mexico exploited the flanks and the Welsh full backs, Adam Matthews and Neil Taylor had very busy afternoons.

There was a scare for Wales in the 19th minutes when a cross-come-shot from Also De Nigris hit the Wales post, though Brown seem to have it covered. A minute later captain Aaron Ramsey found his name in the book of referee Ricardo Salazar (USA) for a clumsy challenge.

All to often possession was given-away in midfield and there was little chance to relieve the pressure on the Welsh defence, where Ashley Williams was once again having a busy time. After 25 minutes, Wales had a half chance that fell to Hal Robson-Kanu from a good cross from Bellamy. The Reading midfielder's header went well wide however. Ten minutes later two more golden chances slipped through Mexico's hands and it looked as though Wales would go-in at half time on level terms.

Sadly it was not to be, as with 42 minutes gone, centre forward Alodo De Nigris rose at the back post to bravely head past Brown to open the scoring. The pressure from the Mexican wingers had finally paid-off.

The second half opened with no substitutions and Wales looked keen to try and get back on level terms. Bellamy was well marshalled but always looked to be the key man for the men in red.

Six minutes into the second half the Mexicans went-up a gear once more and had three chances in the space of as many minutes, with Jason Brown once again single-handedly keeping Wales in the game. Manager Chris Coleman took the opportunity to send-on fresh legs up front with Sam Vokes and Simon Church replacing Morison and Robson-Kanu. A third substitution was needed after Adam Matthews injured himself as he slipped on the turf after being beaten to the ball by a Mexican forward. Sam Ricketts came-on to add more experience to an under pressure defence.

As the second half wore-on Mexico also began to make changes and the tempo of the game dropped. Wales sent-on Andy King for Edwards on 71 minutes to assist in midfield, but the change made little difference - Wales still kept giving the ball away too easily, allowing Mexico to shoot at will.

However, Jason Brown was having an afternoon to remember and he was equal to most of what was thrown at him. This will certainly have helped him to look for promotion from his No.4 goalkeeping position at present, behind Hennessey, Myhill and Price.

With ten minutes to go, Coleman gave a first cap to Ashley 'Jazz' Richards, the young Swansea City defender, who replaced his over worked club mate, Neil Taylor. He fitted-in well and looks one for the future.

Wales certainly looked more mobile with Church and Vokes up front and the evergreen Bellamy behind them, but chances would just not come.

Then, on 89 minutes, De Nigris struck again as a cross came-in and he was able to chest the ball past Brown to make it 2-0. Chris Gunter will have been disappointed that he let his man get-away from him.

The whistle blew a few minutes later for the end of the game and few could have disagreed that Mexico were worthy winners on the afternoon.

For Wales and Chris Coleman, there was much learnt on a difficult afternoon when Gareth Bale and Darcy Blake were sorely missed, so too the experience of midfielders Joe Ledley, Andrew Crofts and David Vaughan.

However, the side was not disgraced and with one more friendly fixture to come at the start of next season against Bosnia-Herzegovina, he will feel that a full-strength side can certainly worry most opponents.

The attendance was 35,518, including several hundred well-behaved Welsh fans.

The team was:

1 Jason Brown (Aberdeen)
2 Adam Matthews (Celtic)
3 Neil Taylor (Swansea City)
4 David Edwards (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
5 Chris Gunter (Nottingham Forest)
6 Ashley Williams (Swansea City)
7 Joe Allen (Swansea City)
8 Craig Bellamy (Liverpool)
9 Steve Morison (Norwich City)
10 Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal) ©
11 Hal Robson-Kanu (Reading)

12 Owain Fon Williams (Tranmere Rovers)
13 Sam Vokes (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
14 Adam Henley (Blackburn Rovers)
15 Sam Ricketts (Bolton Wanderers)
16 Andy King (Leicester City)
17 Jermaine Easter (Crystal Palace)
18 Simon Church (Reading)
19 Joel Lynch (Nottingham Forest)
20 Ashley Richards (Swansea City)
21 Rhys Taylor (Chelsea)

Match Kicks Off at 8.06pm UK time.

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Sunday Update from Ian Gwyn Hughes.

On Saturday, members of the Football Association of Wales, headed by Chief Executive Jonathan Ford and president Phil Pritchard, along with some of the Welsh supporters over here for the game in New York, went to pay their respects to those who died in the tragedy of 911. It was a humbling experience for all those concerned and difficult to comprehend the devastation that took place on that horrific day.

Chris Coleman and his squad had their first opportunity to train at the magnificent Metlife Stadium. All were hugely impressed by the facilities and there is no doubt that, when full, this stadium generates a fantastic atmosphere. It will be here that the 2014 Superbowl Final will be played. For the game between Wales and Mexico, a crowed of over 50,000 is expected and with huge support for Mexico, it will be a real test for Wales. This is exactly what Chris Coleman wants as he prepares his squad for the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers.

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Saturday Update from Ian Gwyn Hughes:

Its holiday weekend in New York as America remembers its war dead on memorial day.

New York, as ever, is heaving and the main sporting event on Friday was the ice hockey Stanley Cup finals game between the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils, with the Devils winning in overtime and the news that the major league baseball team The New York Yankees, if sold, would be worth around 4 billion dollars.

Against this background the Welsh Squads preparation for the match against Mexico continued at the New York Giants training ground. The heavy rain of Thursday was replaced by the heat with Wales training in mid-afternoon temperatures approaching 85 degrees. Assistant coach, Kit Symons, was delighted with the attitude shown by the players as Wales look forward to their first real test under new manager Chris Coleman.

Today the management and squad will have their first look and feel of the New York Giants’ Metlife Stadium. The squad will train there for the first time and are bound to be impressed by the facility that cost 1.6 billion dollars when it was refurbished 3 years ago. The players will once again have to contend with the heat, with the temperatures expected to hit the high 80s again this afternoon.

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Friday Update from Ian Gwyn Hughes:

What a contrast! After training in the heat on Wednesday, it was all change for the Wales squad on Thursday at the New York Giants’ Training Centre.

Intense heat had been replaced by incessant heavy rain with the whole city on “weather alert”. The squad trained indoors in a fantastic complex. These facilities cost a staggering $160 billion and are truly breath-taking.

In the evening Chris Coleman, Kit Symons, Osian Roberts, along with five players, Ashley Williams, Joe Allen, Simon Church, Chris Gunter and David Edwards, spent time with members of the Welsh business community based in New York. This social event, arranged by the Football Association of Wales and Welsh Assembly Government proved to be a big success and the Chief Executive of the Welsh Football Trust, Neil Ward, said that many important contacts had been established.

The management and five players in attendance then joined up with the rest of the squad and staff for a meal at the famous Legends Sports Bar where they received a very warm welcome.

Today Chris Coleman will be hoping for a change in the weather so that, in terms of match preparation, normal service can be resumed.

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Thursday Update:

The Wales squad is in preparation for the match with Mexico on Sunday. They arrived without problems in New York on Tuesday and have been training daily. There was one further withdrawal when Andrew Crofts was released from the squad for personal reasons. The squad is now 21.

The match is on Sunday at 8.06pm UK time and can be seen on S4C or on BBC Radio Wales or BBC Radio Cymru.

From Ian Gwyn Hughes in New York: The Wales players arrived touched down at JFK Airport, New York, late on Monday night. The squad and management spent Tuesday getting used to the surroundings and time difference in New York.

Some of the players had time for a stroll while Swansea City’s Joe Allen, as ever, was busy on media duty.

The players had their first training session at the impressive New York Giants’ facilities in the heat and brilliant sunshine of Wednesday afternoon. It was a short sharp session, with the players eager to blow away the cobwebs after their long journey.

Manager Chris Coleman was delighted with the surroundings as he prepares his team for his first match in charge.

On Wednesday night, some of the players attended a baseball match, others explored Manhattan while Chris Coleman, Kit Symons, and Osian Roberts spent the night watching Thierry Henry playing for the New York Red Bulls.

Coleman added “today (Thursday) we’ll be getting down to serious business and the intensity will increase”.

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Update 2.

The following players have withdrawn from the Wales squad to play Mexico in the USA on Sunday 27th May 2012:

Gareth Bale - Tottenham Hotspur
Joe Ledley - Celtic
Neal Eardley - Blackpool
Darcy Blake - Cardiff City
David Vaughan - Sunderland
Lewis Price - Crystal Palace

All the above have minor injury concerns and it has been agreed that they will not travel.

Replacements are:
Joel Lynch - Nottingham Forest
Ashley Richards - Swansea City
Adam Henley - Blackburn Rovers
Jermaine Easter - Crystal Palace
Owain Fon Williams - Tranmere Rovers

This means a squad of 22 will now travel.

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Update 1.

Neal Eardley (Blackpool) has withdrawn from the squad and is replaced by Joel Lynch (Nottingham Forest). He is a defender. The FAW is awaiting the appropriate documentation from his family to confirm eligibility. Joel's father comes from Barry, but the FAW must receive paperwork (i.e. birth certificate) to confirm this.

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Wales manager, Chris Coleman, has named his 23 man squad for the match with Mexico in the USA.

The friendly match will be played at the MeLife Stadium in Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday 27th May 2012. Kick off will be at 3.06pm local time, 8.06pm UK time.

It will be the final game of the season for the men's senior team.

The side will have one more friendly in August before the start of the FIFA 2014 World Cup Qualifying campaign next September. That will be against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The squad is:

Player & Club

Jason Brown - Aberdeen
Lewis Price - Crystal Palace
Rhys Taylor - Chelsea

Darcy Blake - Cardiff City
Neal Eardley - Blackpool (Out) - Replaced by Joel Lynch (Nottingham Forest)
Chris Gunter - Nottingham Forest
Adam Matthews - Celtic
Sam Ricketts - Bolton Wanderers
Neil Taylor - Swansea City
Ashley Williams - Swansea City

Joe Allen - Swansea City
Andrew Crofts - Norwich City
David Edwards - Wolverhampton Wanderers
Andy King - Leicester City
Joe Ledley - Celtic
Aaron Ramsey - Arsenal
David Vaughan - Sunderland

Gareth Bale - Tottenham Hotspur
Craig Bellamy - Liverpool
Simon Church - Reading
Steve Morison - Norwich City
Hal Robson-Kanu - Reading
Sam Vokes - Wolverhampton Wanderers

Stand-By:
Owain Fon Williams - Tranmere Rovers
Adam Henley - Blackburn Rovers
Rhoys Wiggins - Charlton Athletic
Billy Bodin - Swindon Town
David Cotterill - Unattached
Jermaine Easter - Crystal Palace

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