GOLD CUP NOTEBOOK: PRESENCE OF OCHOA FELT EARLY.Byline: Fred J. Robledo Staff Writer PASADENA - With Mexico sending what amounts to a ``B'' team for the Gold Cup, former Azusa Pacific striker Carlos Ochoa Carlos Augusto Ochoa Mendoza (born March 5, 1978 in Apatzingán, Michoacán) is a Mexican footballer, who currently plays for Monterrey. He started his acreer as a substitute for Necaxa, but rose to fame for playing with UANL Tigres, where he reached the final. made his debut Saturday for the Tricolores. After finishing the 1999 season with the Cougars, Ochoa was given a brief tryout with the L.A. Galaxy but didn't make the roster and returned to Mexico, where he had lived most of his childhood before moving to Baldwin Park Baldwin Park, city (1990 pop. 69,330), Los Angeles co., S Calif., a suburb of Los Angeles, in the fertile San Gabriel valley; settled 1870, inc. 1956. Its industries include metal fabrication, printing, and plastics manufacturing. when he was 10. Ochoa, who debuted in the Mexican first division with Necaxa in the 1999-2000 season, was traded to Tigres and scored five goals during the winter-league season. On Saturday, it didn't take long for Ochoa to make an impression in Mexico's opening 1-0 victory over El Salvador El Salvador (ĕl sälväthōr`), officially Republic of El Salvador, republic (2005 est. pop. 6,705,000), 8,260 sq mi (21,393 sq km), Central America. in Group B. He passed to Tomas Campos at the top of the penalty area. Campos fired a hard, low shot at El Salvador goalkeeper Santos Rivera, who allowed the ball to get away from him, allowing Jair Garcia Jair García (Born on October 25, 1978), is a Mexican Football player currently playing for CF Atlas as a Forward. Jair made his debut in Mexico's Primera División with CF Monterrey in February 2, 1999 against Tigres. to rush in and score from a few yards out to give Mexico the game winner in the 31st minute. Ochoa, who was befriended by former Galaxy and Mexican national-team striker Carlos Hermosillo Carlos Manuel Hermosillo Goytortua (born August 24, 1964 in Cerro Azul, Veracruz, Mexico) is a Mexican soccer player, one of the top all-time goalscorers for the Mexican national team. He's also known as "El Grandote de Cerro Azul". while he trained with the Major League Soccer club, was given a chance to try out with Necaxa thanks to Hermosillo, who arranged it. At the time, Ochoa was disappointed the Galaxy didn't want him. ``I really wanted to play here, but thank God now, because I'm playing for Mexico,'' said Ochoa, originally from Jalisco. ``When they called me in, I was so excited. I couldn't believe it. I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. what the chances are of playing in the World Cup, but we're playing right now and just trying to do our best.'' --Arena on contraction: U.S. coach Bruce Arena Bruce Arena (born September 21, 1951 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American soccer coach, currently Head Coach and Sporting Director for Red Bull New York of Major League Soccer and the former coach of the United States men's national soccer team. led D.C. United D.C. United is a professional soccer club located in Washington, D.C. that participates in Major League Soccer. The club's official nickname is the "Black-and-Red" and home uniforms are black and white with accents of red. The team's name refers to Washington, D.C. to the first two MLS See multilevel security. championships, in 1996 and '97, and the championship final in 1998 before replacing coach Steve Sampson on the national team. Arena offered his thoughts on the effect the MLS' contraction from 12 to 10 teams this month will have on the league and national team. ``I think that it only makes the league better,'' Arena said. ``The quality from players (one through 18) has improved due to contraction. Let's face it, New England and Colorado were handed a bunch of players to make them stronger and those are traditionally the weak teams. ``The face of the league has changed. It looks like, instead of having teams that are not in the top tier, that on balance, there are 10 teams that on a given day are equal to each other. ``That kind of competition game in and game out will make the league more attractive to the fans and will make the year very exciting. It will really help me in terms of making some final decisions and evaluating some of those players in the MLS pool.'' CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Mexico's Jair Garcia, left, darts in but El Salvador's Santos Rivera made the save Saturday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Kevork Djansezian/Associated Press |
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