PHILADELPHIA -- Mexico coach Miguel Herrera still has some major doubts over his starting team to face Jamaica in the Gold Cup final on Sunday, with Jonathan dos Santos, Giovani dos Santos and Andres Guardado all doubtful because of injuries.
LA Galaxy forward Giovani dos Santos picked up an injury to his left abductor in the final Gold Cup group stage match against Trinidad and Tobago, while his brother Jonathan and Guardado were hurt in Mexico's controversial semifinal against Panama on Wednesday.
"There are a few players hurt," Herrera said on Saturday in his pregame news conference. "We'll see about Gio and Jona later in the afternoon. Guardado is better."
With striker Carlos Vela suspended and Giovani dos Santos a major doubt for the match, it leaves Herrera with few options up front, though he didn't give any hint that Twente youngster Jesus "Tecatito" Corona would be involved from the start, indicating that he isn't yet sure of his starting team.
"The team has been working on recovering," said Herrera, who could also call on Oribe Peralta and Javier Orozco up front. "The team is very tired, we've done very little [training]."
Herrera did say Mexico would stick with the system of five central defenders and is hoping for an improvement on the semifinal against Panama, after which there was no celebration in the Mexico camp.
"We all knew and understood that we played badly," he said. "We have to correct the errors."
"It's been a difficult summer, as we knew it could be," he added. "The gap [between CONCACAF teams] has been reduced a lot."
Defender Diego Reyes said Mexico would be worthy winners if El Tri does lift the cup in Philadelphia, despite the criticism that the team has faced and the controversial path that has brought El Tri to the final.
"I want to bring the cup to Mexico, however it may be," said the Real Sociedad defender. "We deserve it as a group."
Both Reyes and Herrera stressed that Jamaica is a good team that will pose problems from set pieces and on the counter-attack.
Jamaica coach Winfried Schafer once again said that all the pressure is on Mexico to get a result, stating that it would be catastrophic for El Tri to lose.
"Nobody deserves [to win the cup] more than my team," said the German in his news conference. "No one gave us a chance. I hope we play Bob Marley after the match."