Mexico seek ticket to final round of World Cup qualifiers

Mexico will receive Canada on Tuesday evening where the home team will try to win again to secure their pass to the final round of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) World Cup qualifiers.

The second leg between the two teams will be played on Tuesday in the Azteca Stadium in Mexico's capital after the Latin American team defeated Canada 3-0 in the first leg on March 25 in Vancouver, Canada.

The Mexican team held their last training session before the match on Monday and, according to their coach, Colombian Juan Carlos Osorio, there will be changes to the starting eleven before the match.

Mexico are seen as favorites in the Concacaf qualifiers, and winning this match would take the team through to the fifth and final round of the qualifiers, known as "the Hexagonal".

If they win this match, Mexico will be undefeated in their three qualifiers as well as a friendly. All these wins have come since Osorio took over six months ago.

Canada's team are also looking for a win to stay in the fight for a ticket to the final stage. A draw would only just keep them in the running.

Mexico are currently at the top of Group A with nine points, followed by Canada (four points), El Salvador (two) and Honduras (one), with each team having played three matches.

The match against Honduras and El Salvador will also determine Mexico's fate as if these teams draw, Mexico will be one point away from securing first place, with two matches still to play.

If Mexico beat Canada, they will automatically advance to the final round of the qualifiers with 12 points which will give at least a seven point difference between the team and Honduras or El Salvador.

Canada's coach, Spaniard Benito Floro, said on March 27 that defeating Mexico is not impossible.

"Soccer is a game and mission impossible doesn't exist. It will be a great experience and we aim to win the match," Floro said back then to the Mexican media. Endit