HOUSTON – Mexico faces an uphill battle in its second game against Brazil.
Playing the host country is tough, especially when they are one of the favorites to win the World Cup. Both teams are entering this game with confidence after their opening-game victories. Unfortunately for Mexico, Brazil will be playing much more relaxed after getting a good result against Croatia.
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I believe that if Mexico is to be successful in this game they must stay organized and not get too stretched defensively. This means that they need to be careful pushing too many people into the attack because Brazil can break out quickly and make opposing teams pay for their mistakes.
They also need to prevent Neymar from getting the ball in midfield and running at them. If they can get tight on him and make him play with his back to goal as much as possible they can limit his playmaking and goal-scoring opportunities.
Another area of concern for Mexico is set pieces. Brazil's team has a huge advantage in height and athleticism, so Mexico will need to limit these in their defensive third. If Mexico gives up too many opportunities I feel they will give up a goal.
The longer Mexico can frustrate Brazil, the better the chances become of them getting a result out of this game. They will need to start strong and keep possession early. If they can get into their passing rhythm it could frustrate the crowd and add pressure to the Brazilian players.
In the end, I think the speed and power of Brazil will ultimately be the deciding factor in this game. Brazil wins 2-1.
Mexico and Brazil take the pitch Tuesday afternoon.
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