He doesn’t tend to occupy half spaces like Corona does, which could limit Mexico up front. However, Antuna is a traditional winger who prefers to stay on the touchline. With Antuna and Lozano on opposite wings, Mexico can play more vertically, which can be an asset against an opponent’s high line. If Martino decides to focus his defensive tactics in Qatar (especially in game two against Argentina), a player like Antuna, who excels in transition, could be the most likely replacement for Corona.ĭuring the final stage of the CONCACAF qualifiers, Martino benched an out-of-form Corona in favor of Antuna. Instead, Antuna’s speed and direct play make him more similar to Lozano. The 25-year-old isn’t a dribbler like Corona, whose two-footed ability was unique to the national team. Whether that optimism is fulfilled remains to be seen, but in the meantime Martino must reassess his player pool, and perhaps modify his tactics (having previously done so when Lozano was seriously injured in 2021), in order to prepare for Mexico’s opening match against Poland on November 22 in Qatar. “He knows he’s going to be fine, that this is temporary, but he’s hoping to make it to the most important event, which is the World Cup.” “Tecatito is disheartened but he’s hopeful,” Bunge said. Bunge said that both Sevilla and Mexico’s team doctors believe that Corona could recover by November. On Tuesday, Corona’s agent, Matías Bunge, told TUDN reporter Gibrán Araige that it’s too early to rule the winger out of the World Cup, however. And now both players will carry even more of Mexico’s attacking weight at the World Cup. Jiménez and Lozano are back on the pitch for Wolverhampton and Napoli, respectively. While Corona’s form, and that of the rest of the national team, has dropped significantly since then, the former Portuguese Primeira Liga player of the year is someone that Mexico will miss dearly in Qatar. “Today, he’s a pillar of the national team.” “I told him after the game that if he (would’ve scored) we’d be talking about a player who is playing at an incredibly high level,” Martino said after the match. It was a nearly flawless performance from Corona. His movement off the ball allowed Jiménez and Rodolfo Pizarro, who started on the opposite wing, to find space on the ball and reach the Dutch penalty in unison. He was adventurous on the dribble, fearlessly taking on Manchester City defender Nathan Aké in one-v-one situations. That makes him even more valuable.”Ĭorona moved freely across the front three that day at the Amsterdam Arena. He tracks back and supports the fullbacks, his work to cut off passing lanes, his ball recovery. “His talent is what stands out but what isn’t highlighted enough is what he does for the team. “I told him that he’s a very important player for us,” said Martino. In October 2020, after a splendid performance from Corona in a 1-0 friendly win against the Netherlands, Martino gave his winger the ultimate compliment. Corona represents both experience and a unique skill set that manager Tata Martino may struggle to replace. To lose a team leader like Corona just three months from the World Cup is a situation every participating country dreads. At the time, El Tri supporters likely felt that things couldn’t get much worse. Lozano missed a long stretch of games after a head-first collision against Trinidad and Tobago in the first match. Hirving Lozano has battled a combination of touch-and-go muscle issues and his own significant injury scare during last summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup. 9 Rogelio Funes Mori will be out for up to four weeks with a muscle injury, a big blow considering that Raúl Jiménez hasn’t regained his form since his serious head injury in November 2020. Once considered a fearsome front three, Mexico’s attack has been an infirmary since 2020.ĬF Monterrey confirmed on Tuesday that Mexico No. Mexico national team supporters received terrible news last week when Sevilla confirmed that Jesús Manuel “Tecatito” Corona had fractured his left fibula and ruptured his ankle ligaments during a training session.Ĭorona’s injury is another setback for a team that has been in dire need of optimism since their tense World Cup qualifying campaign ended in March.
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