photo by Kim Klement/USA Today Sports
By FRANCO PANIZO
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Giovani Dos Santos is making his way back to full health, but it remains to be seen whether he will be ready in time to participate in Mexico’s semifinals match.
Mexico made it out of the CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinals on Sunday night by defeating Costa Rica, 1-0, in extra time thanks to a controversial penalty kick. Dos Santos started the match at MetLife Stadium on the bench because of an adductor injury sustained last Wednesday, but looked ready to contribute midway through the second half when he began warming up alongside the rest of El Tri’s reserves.
Ultimately, Dos Santos was an unused substitute in the match and questions persist about his availability for Wednesday’s semifinals date with Panama – questions that not even Mexico head coach Miguel Herrera has answers to yet.
“We’ll see with Giovani,” Herrera said Sunday night. “We’ll keep working (on Monday) with him and the day after to see where he’s at. I’ve told him, ‘If you’re at 100 percent then you’ll be able to play again.’ But if he has any discomfort or doubt then we won’t play him. There’s no need to risk anyone when they’re hurt.”
The 26-year-old Dos Santos has been used primarily as a substitute so far in this Gold Cup. He started just one of the three games in a disappointing group stage campaign for Mexico before picking up the adductor injury in a 4-4 draw with Trinidad & Tobago last week.
There was the thought that Dos Santos would start against Costa Rica on Sunday had he been completely healthy. The LA Galaxy’s newest Designated Player had performed well in his cameos off the bench in the group games, but was not deemed ready enough to either start or play in the narrow victory over the Ticos.
“We knew he hadn’t made any hard cuts or moves like that, but during the game I told him to warm up as if he was going to come on,” said Herrera. “He made a few cuts and moves, but didn’t feel confident. There wasn’t any pain or discomfort to make him come back to the bench, but he said he didn’t feel confident and that was it.”
The Mexicans take on Panama, who beat Trinidad & Tobago on penalty kicks on Sunday, in the second semifinals match at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on Wednesday night.
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What do you think will be Dos Santos’ availability for Wednesday’s semifinal? How badly does Mexico need him? Thinking he might miss the rest of the tournament?
Share your thoughts below.
He’s getting those buns ready for his San Francisco treat.
“Aaaah, Push It…Push It Real Good!”
A little Salt’N’Peppa stretching music never hurt nobody.
And the most homophobic comment of the day goes to you. Congratulations. Be sure to stop by the studio to pick up ur prize which is a club which should be ideal for capturing ur next victim ummm. I mean unwilling girlfriend. It’s OK. We too believe she deserved it because why else would her shorts be that small. Your reasoning is impeccable . You truly are the homophobic hero we all deserve.
Your criticizing one extreme while going to your own extreme. You both look absurd.
^ ^ ^ This ^ ^ ^
Who’s The Black Sheep?
Are you butt hurt LLOLLL!!! Go back to your bath house!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The dude is clearly butt-hurt… He’s probably bummed that Gio didn’t roll out and bend him over
Dos Santos is a little Mexican fruitcake. He and Mr. Rogers should get along really well.
Get off this site, bigot.
Your favorite food is probably platano con cholocate, LLOLLL
They’re both cuties, that’s for sure. Are you sure you don’t have a thing for them pent up in that closeted homo-erotic brain of yours?
Don’t think that would work, both are bottoms…
LOL. They both look too cute to be tops LOL
My nephew played on the UNAM Pumas development squad with Giovanni dos Santos.
My niece who is blond and blue eyed like her brother, was the object of Gio’s obsession for more just than a little while – he may look like he is a switch hitter but I have direct evidence that Gio is definitely into the ladies.
LLOLLLL!!!!!! Yeah right!
Gio,err, i mean tacos… Nice cover, but no, he definitely is not “into the ladies” Any chick that’s with him is only his beard.
As a Galaxy fan, I hope they didn’t buy a pig in a poke. For the younger ones here, if you don’t know what that means, it means you buy what you think is a race horse and it turns out to be a mule.
If you have to explain it, it was probably never going to be that funny…
LOL
I plead not guilty here; not going for a joke, just added an after thought. I do plead guilty to often making bad jokes, however.
TheFrenchOne echoed exactly what I was thinking. Valiant effort though.
Gary, in this metaphor which is the pig and which is the poke?
I was going Herrera for the pig.
I got know idea about the poke?
:-[
Hopefully he stays on the bench for the duration of the tournament. Best case scenario, Mexico is eliminated by Panama and he can make his way to the Galaxy without further harm.
I like the way of thinking!!!
It was part of the contract
Duh
What’s the Spanish translation for “Lampard”
“No Oribe. Like THIS.”
Winner.
Props!!!