San Diego.- Mexico's national U-22 team is practicing at the University of San Diego to prepare for a friendly match Wednesday in Tijuana against a team from Colombia.
The Mexican team, which is preparing for the Copa América tournament, arrived Sunday from Las Vegas, after losing 3-0 to Venezuela on Saturday night.
Mexico's young standouts include Marco Fabián of Chivas de Guadalajara, Javier Cortés from Pumas and Giovani Dos Santos' younger brother, Jonathan, who plays for Barcelona B in Spain.
The team practiced at a USD soccer field on Sunday, according the Mexican Futbol Federation's web site (femexfut.org.mx).
El Tri Sub-22, as the team is called, will represent Mexico in the Copa América tournament in July in Argentina.
Four players from Mexico's U-20 team joined their slightly older counterparts in San Diego. Néstor Araujo, Diego Reyes, Jorge Enríquez and Erik "Cubo" Torres had been eliminated from the Torneo de la Esperanza, in Toulón, France, and are competing for a spot in the U-22 team.
"We're returning with more experience," Torres is quoted as saying in the web site. "We have to gain the trust of the coaching staff."
Torres, who plays for the Chivas, said he was motivated by having an opportunity to play in Copa América.
"It's so very important to play in that tournament," he said.
The team will remain in San Diego until Tuesday, then cross the border to Tijuana, where the members will play against the Colombian team Independiente de Medellín at Estadio Caliente the next day.
The game is scheduled to start at 5 p.m., and as of Monday morning, tickets were still available at the Xoloitzcuintles de Tijuana box office.
Alexandra.mendoza@sandiegored.com
