MEXICO CITY (AP) — Victor Manuel Vucetich was hired Thursday as coach of the Mexican national team as it tries to recover from a pair of losses in World Cup qualifying and avoid missing the tournament for the first time in a quarter century.
The 58-year old Vucetich, who led Monterrey to three straight CONCACAF Champions League titles before leaving this year, follows Jose Manuel De la Torre, who was fired after Friday’s 2-1 home loss to Honduras, and Luis Fernando Tena, who led El Tri in Tuesday’s 2-0 loss at the United States.
Vucetich is known as “King Midas” after winning 14 of 15 the finals he has managed in his career.
Mexico is in danger of missing the World Cup for the first time since 1990.
The top three nations from North and Central America and the Caribbean qualify, and the fourth-place team advances to a home-and-home playoff against New Zealand. The U.S. (5-2-1) and Costa Rica (4-1-3) already have clinched, and Honduras (3-3-2) is third with 11 points. Panama leads Mexico (both 1-2-5 and eight points) on total goals for fourth, and Jamaica (0-4-4) is last.
Mexico hosts Panama on Oct. 11, then closes at Costa Rica four days later.
