Mexico

Mexico ended the group stage of World Cup qualifying undeafeated but disappointed after a listless 0-0 outing against Hondiras in Estadio Azteca.

Honduras did the thing pretty much everybody expected them to do and parked the bus basically from the beginning. Even firing on all cylinders, Mexico might have had trouble beating this defense.

As it turned out, though, Mexico weren't firing on all cylinders, and the crowd let manager Juan Carlos Osorio know they didn't like what they were seeing.

Let's be honest, El Tri failed to meet extremely high expectations this summer. What was expected of the Mexican national team was to excel in all competitions, but they fell flat at the Copa America Centenario and the Rio Olympic Games.

Competing in the Copa America in the team’s ‘second home’, the United States, fans and spectators alike believed El Tri had a chance to make history in the competition. 

They were one of the early favorites. With a win over Uruguay and the top dogs, Brazil, crashing out early, they had a chance but blew it. 

Various pundits wondered earlier this week if the Mexico National Team was stagnating under Juan Carlos Osorio, and during the first half it looked like those pundits were right.

A Jorge Torres Nilo handball in the box gave Alexander Larin a penalty try in the 24th minute, and Mexico found themselves down 1-0 and looking mostly listless.

Then, after halftime, Mexico woke up.

Hector Moreno in the 52nd minute.

Mexico enter their final two games of the fourth round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying assured of their place in the fifth and final round, the ‘Hex’. However, their matches against El Salvador and Honduras will not be taken lightly by Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio, for whom they present something of a poisoned chalice. 

Two victories are expected, but any slip-up against the sides ranked 137th and 84th in the world would only magnify the hurt of Mexico’s last competitive match — that 7-0 defeat to Chile in the Copa America Centenario quarter-finals.

Puebla midfielder Christian "Hobbit" Bermudez is apparently in jail for not paying his child support.

And he's got visitors!

Jugadores del Puebla visitaron al Hobbit Bermúdez en el Reclusorio Norte. pic.twitter.com/iYejqdv2NJ

— Andre Marín (@andremarinpuig) August 30, 2016

America completed a perfect group stage in the Apertura 2016 Copa MX by defeating Zacatecas 2-0 on Wednesday night. The highlight of the match was certainly Ecuadorian attacker Michael Arroyo’s ridiculous scissor kick in the 24th minute. 

With qualification for the knockout stage already secured, you could’ve forgiven America for looking ahead to Saturday’s Super Clasico against Chivas. With neither side in particularly inspiring Liga MX form going into the showdown, America’s unblemished record in the Copa could give them some vital momentum.

Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez has taken to Twitter to reveal that the surgery he required after falling down the stairs of his home has been completed.

Chicharito is now recovering after the “perfect” surgery, confirming that the original timeline of a return in two week’s time is still the expected outcome.

Carlos Salcedo’s remarkable rise from unknown youngster training with Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake to representing the Mexico national team with regularity reached another milestone on Sunday. Chivas Guadalajara confirmed that the 22-year-old defender will spend the year on loan with Italy’s Fiorentina.