Brazil against Mexico was always going to be the sort of game that was expected to have lots of goals and lots of action, and if ever the fans of the Brazilian team felt that their team should win this tournament, it is this year. The hype and the media have all put Brazil as favourites to walk through the group stages and win the event outright. Such is the pressure on the team to be the best and do their best.
But today, they have been scuppered by the magnificence of the Mexican goalkeeper, Guillermo Ochoa, as he kept a clean sheet against arguably, one of the best national teams in the world. Before the match, pundits were talking in terms of how easy it would be for Brazil to beat Mexico and then go into their third group match knowing that they had qualified for the next round.
But what they failed to contend with was a goalkeeper on his mettle and playing a blinder of a game. Brad Friedel, himself a goalkeeper of some magnificence, said on radio 5 live that there will be managers and coaches here in the UK tonight looking at this keeper and wanting to sign him for the next season. And whilst this is true, one has to commend his performance in this match. As nil-nil games go this was never boring. It was a challenge to both teams and fantastic to watch.
Brazil carved out four chances to score in the game tonight, only to be dumbfounded by the final man in the Mexican defence. On each occasion, Ochoa was able to stop the challenge of the yellow and blue menace that is Brazil. On each occasion, he became the man of the match and the hero of the day.
Ochoa, originally from Guadalajara and most recently playing for Ajaccio, is now a free agent, so who will sign him, especially if he shows the same skills in the final game of the group stages and the team go through to the next round, as is expected, now? Would he be able to show his skills in a Premiership team? Or perhaps, could he be more successful in a team in the Championship. Whichever it is, whoever was watching tonight will be ultimately impressed by his skills and desire to be the best he can. He is now guaranteed a future filled with hope and success.
Source: DSG
