On Thursday night, Mexico completely rolled over Cuba with a constant flow of pressure and shots against their Caribbean opposition.
With a final 6-0 score line in favor of Mexico, it was difficult to find very many unhappy El Tri fans at Soldier Field in Chicago. That said, Mexico still could have done a much better job with finishing in the team's Gold Cup opener.
The team finished the match with a total of 44 shots on the night. The game was totally one-sided, with Cuba desperately attempting to stop everything Mexico was throwing against them.
There is no doubt Mexico leaves the match with a significant boost in confidence, but -- as ridiculous as it sounds -- there may be some just worries for Mexico's finishing in the future.
Player Ratings (1-10, with 10 the best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating.):
GK Guillermo Ochoa, 7 -- Thursday's game might have been one of the easiest matches in Ochoa's career. Cuba had just one shot on target, which was a simple save for the Malaga goalkeeper.
DF Paul Aguilar, 7 -- Had plenty of space to roam and moved down the right wing with no trouble. The wingback had little defensive work to do and took full advantage of his opportunity to provide Mexico with movement going forward.
DF Francisco Javier Rodriguez, 6 -- Looked a little shaky during a couple of moments in the second half, but the veteran defender overall had a decent game with rare problems from the Cuban attack.
DF Diego Reyes, 6.5 -- Had a very quiet night in the back for Mexico with a couple of good interceptions but was not truly tested in his defensive role against.
DF Miguel Layun, 8 -- Layun was a constant presence in the attack and looked more like a true winger than a defender. The 27-year-old sent in numerous crosses and eventually secured an assist in the second half.
MF Andres Guardado, 8 -- The captain looked very comfortable as Mexico's leader on the pitch and scored the fourth goal of the night off a perfectly placed header. Guardado linked up well with the strikers and was threatening with his movement. The 28-year-old also had a part in the first goal for Mexico.
MF Antonio Rios, 7.5 -- Decent game from the Toluca player. The last-minute addition to the lineup helped dictate the pace of the match and provided plenty of short passes on the field. Assisted Guardado's goal in the 44th minute.
MF Jonathan Dos Santos, 7.5 -- Looked excellent for Mexico. Jonathan Dos Santos easily controlled the midfield and had terrific passes going forward for the squad. Deserves to keep his spot in Mexico's starting XI.
MF Hector Herrera, 6 -- Another surprisingly quiet game. In the sea of Mexico's attack, Herrera was lost in the movement and didn't stand out. The midfielder also had an atypical amount of mistimed passes in the match.
FW Oribe Peralta, 7 -- Scoring a hat trick gives Oribe Peralta a decent grade, but the reality of the situation is that the 31-year-old looked awful with his finishing. Peralta missed a significant number of chances but was still able to finish three of his attempts.
FW Carlos Vela, 7.5 -- Overall had a great game, but he did miss a couple of key chances near the end. The striker was crafty with his movement and was one of Mexico's most dangerous players in the attack. He scored in the 22nd minute and provided an assist for the fifth goal of the night.
Substitutions:
FW Giovani Dos Santos, 7.5 -- Was substituted in for brother Jonathan during the 57th minute. He immediately had an impact on the pitch and scored Mexico's sixth and final goal of the victory. Was unlucky to not have a second goal in his limited time on the field.
MF Jesus Manuel Corona, N/A -- Was substituted in for Vela during the 71st minute.
MF Carlos Esquivel, N/A -- Was substituted in for Guardado during the 72nd minute.
