Santos Laguna goalkeeper Carlos Acevedo and Chivas playmaker Roberto Alvarado will now join Mexico ahead of crucial World Cup qualifiers, while Club Tijuana’s Jonathan Orozco and Monterrey’s Rodolfo Pizarro will be dropped due to injury.
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The roster changes come ahead of matches against the United States (Mar. 24) at Estadio Azteca, away at Honduras (Mar. 27), and back in Mexico City against El Salvador (Mar. 30).
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Acevedo last featured for El Tri as a starting goalkeeper in a friendly last December against Chile. The appearance in the 2-2 draw for the 25-year-old was his first in a senior national team game. Alvarado, 23, last earned minutes as a midfield substitute for Mexico in November’s 2-1 loss to Canada in World Cup qualifying.
Both will now join the roster that is preparing to face the United States on Thursday.
Thursday’s qualifier will utilize new fan protocols that were tested in previous home games. As part of a punishment over the usage of an anti-gay chant by fans, a limited number of 2,000 pre-selected attendees were hosted at the venue in Mexico’s two previous home qualifiers.
The FMF have yet to confirm what the capacity will be for the game, although reports stated that attendance will be at 40-45,000.
In the eight-team Octagonal table, Mexico currently sit at third place with 21 points, level with the USMNT who are at second place in the table thanks to a higher goal differential. A win on the 24th for either side would significantly boost the World Cup hopes for the two nations that have yet to secure a place for Qatar 2022.
