Aug. 27--Galaxy midfielder Giovani dos Santos was left off the first Mexican national team roster called up by interim Coach Ricardo Ferretti for upcoming friendlies against Argentina and Trindidad Tobago.
The 23-man team Ferretti named Friday is thick with players who helped Mexico win the CONCACAF Gold Cup last month, including captain Andres Guardado, who scored the winning goals from the penalty spot in knockout-round victories over Panama and Costa Rica.
Also summoned Friday were defenders Paul Aguilar, Diego Reyes and Miguel Layun along with forwards Oribe Peralta and Carlos Vela. Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez, who missed the Gold Cup with injury, is on the roster as well, along with veteran defender Rafael Marquez.
However the surprises are who was left off. Missing are Dos Santos along with his brother and fellow midfielder Jonathan dos Santos and goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa.
The two games next month -- Sept. 4 in suburban Salt Lake City against Trinidad and Sept. 8 against World Cup runner-up Argentina in Arlington, Texas -- mark Ferretti's lone dress rehearsal for the Oct. 10 CONCACAF playoff with the U.S. at the Rose Bowl. The winner of the game between the last two Gold Cup champions will represent the federation in the 2017 Confederation Cups in Russia.
Ferretti, the coach at Liga MX club Tigres UANL, was Monday named manager for the national team's next four matches. He replaces the successful and popular Miguel Herrera, who was pushed out after reportedly attacking a TV reporter at the Philadelphia airport after Mexico's Gold Cup victory.
The roster (with club affiliations in parentheses):
Goalkeepers: Mois鳠Mu(Club Am鲩ca); Alfredo Talavera (Toluca).
