Mexico has a name for up-and-coming stars like Barcelona’s Giovanni Dos Santos and Arsenal’s Carlos Vela: “La Generacion Dorada,” or “Golden Generation,” expected to usher in a new era of success for Mexican soccer. The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Mark Ziegler says they could start Wednesday night by helping the Tricolores defeat the U.S. for the first time on American soil since 2000.
Some might say that the U.S. should beat Mexico on home soil, but a home game against Mexico isn’t really a home game; tonight, there will be an overwhelmingly Mexican crowd at Houston’s Reliant Stadium. Even so, Mexico is 0-8-1 in its last nine games on U.S. soil, so why should Wednesday’s result be any different?
Ziegler says the Golden Generation could well be the difference. Gio (18 years old), as Dos Santos is known, Vela (18), Cesar Villaluz (19) and Guillermo Ochoa (22) have never played the United States at senior level, but each of them will be given a chance tonight. They no doubt regard the current losing streak as belonging to an older generation. As U.S. striker Landon Donovan says, “There’s kind of that carelessness when you’re younger that will probably help them.” Adds Ziegler: “That, and a ridiculous amount of raw talent.”