Football
Cesar Hernandez 5y

Hirving Lozano, Hector Herrera, Jesus Corona stellar with Champions League goals

With the UEFA Champions League and Europa League now underway, a number of Mexico's most prominent players have had the opportunity to gain highly valuable minutes during the recent mid-week matches. In case you missed any of the games, here's a quick rundown on how each of the players fared in the European competitions.

Hirving Lozano -- PSV Eindhoven (UEFA Champions League)

Lozano was brilliant for PSV during Wednesday's 2-2 draw at home against Tottenham Hotspur. After stealing the ball away from Toby Alderweireld and scoring in the 1st half, "Chucky" later forced a red for Spurs late into the game after goalkeeper Hugo Lloris came off his line and tackled the Mexican. With a one-man advantage, PSV were able to earn a crucial point thanks to an equalizer from Luuk de Jong in the 87th minute. Lozano's play is reportedly drawing attention from other clubs around Europe. 

Erick Gutierrez -- PSV Eindhoven (UEFA Champions League)

The 23-year-old remained on the bench for PSV in the mid-week match. The midfielder, who has three goals and one assist this season, has yet to earn his first Eredivisie or Champions League start for PSV.

Hector Herrera -- Porto (UEFA Champions League)

Like usual, Porto's captain covered an immense amount of ground during Wednesday's 3-1 win over Lokomotiv Moscow. Herrera not only did an excellent job as a vital distributor, but also provided a goal for the Portuguese side in the 35th minute. Performances like these will only continue to fuel the rumors of a potential transfer to a bigger European club.

Jesus Corona -- Porto (UEFA Champions League)

Little by little, Corona is beginning to show glimpses of his old self. Against Lokomotiv Moscow, the winger was arguably the man of the match after collecting a goal and assist. "Tecatito" is in fine form for Porto in recent weeks, and if he can find a way to maintain his momentum, it wouldn't be much of a surprise if the gifted yet capricious 25-year-old emerges as one of the more exciting players in the Champions League.  With Cor

Diego Reyes -- Fenerbahce (UEFA Europa League) 

Reyes had a decent 90 minutes for Fenerbahce on Thursday's 2-2 away draw against Anderlecht. Although he could have done a better job of halting the first goal by the opposition, Reyes stepped up with a handful of significant defensive interventions as Fenerbahce's left center-back. The mid-week Europa League performance should help the lanky player who still needs time to adjust to his new club.

Miguel Layun -- Villarreal (UEFA Europa League)

Layun was superb for Villarreal during the 5-0 Europa League victory over Rapid Wien. As a left winger, the 30-year-old took charge with a number of dangerous crosses and passes in the final third. Whether it be as a defender or midfielder, Layun has once again proven to be highly versatile in a number of different positions on the pitch.

Guillermo Ochoa -- Standard Liege (UEFA Europa League)

Ochoa was brilliant on Thursday with his seven saves in net for Standard Liege. After allowing an early goal, the Mexican international quickly bounced back with decisive stops that helped his Belgian squad secure a 2-1 Europa League win against Krasnodar. Another impressive match for the goalkeeper that has been a key figure in all three of Standard Liege's group stage game.

Andres Guardado -- Real Betis (UEFA Europa League)

Without the injured midfielder, Real Betis earned a stunning a 2-1 away win over AC Milan on Thursday. As for Guardado, the Mexican veteran nearly appears ready to make his return after he was seen back at training earlier this week.

Note: Eintracht Frankfurt left Marco Fabian and the injured Carlos Salcedo out of their Europa League team registration. If the German clubs reaches the round of 32 for the tournament, they could potentially include them through a subsequent registration which would allow three new players.

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