Mexico strikes fast against Vipers

By Tim Perera, WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

OMAHA, NEB. (February 6, 2011)--Omaha Vipers coach Marcelo Fontana admitted he was surprised at the outcome of his team’s exhibition against the Mexican National Indoor Soccer team. From the “Don’t let the name fool you” department, the Mexican National team is actually a group of amateur indoor soccer players from Mexico that is assembled rather quickly and hired for individual exhibition games.

The players rarely, if ever, get a chance to practice or play together as a team. You wouldn’t have known that judging by Mexico’s 23-13 rout of the Vipers in front of 3,032 fans, many seemingly rooting for both teams, at the Civic Auditorium.

“I was very surprised,” Fontana said. “They brought some good, young talented players.”

One of those players was Manuel Lira of Omaha, a late addition to the Mexican roster because of a player shortage, who plays soccer for Bellevue University. Lira, who was born in Mexico, said his short experience with the Mexican team was a good one.

“The guys treated me like I was already part of the team,” Lira said. Lira said he told his new teammates to expect a rowdy environment in Omaha. “They didn’t really know what they were coming to, but I’m from here, so I told them there were going to be a lot of fans,” Lira said.

Mexico coach Rene Ortiz said his players looked at the trip to Omaha as a unique chance to represent Mexico. “Our players were really motivated to play in a setting like this,” Ortiz said. “For them to come to the United States, represent their country and play in a professional arena, it was a chance they couldn’t let go,” he added.

Mexico proved it could gel as a team quickly as it scored seven first-half goals to build a 14-5 halftime lead and never looked back. Luis Hernandez scored four goals for Mexico, three of them in a span of 5:09 in the second quarter, and Horacio Avarez added three goals for Mexico. Johnny Torres and Fabio “Fabinho” Ribeiro had two goals each to lead the Vipers.

Fontana said the exhibition was an entertaining game for the players and fans, but that his team will need to play better defense than it did against Mexico in upcoming league games as Omaha tries to secure the final MISL playoff spot. “I think it was a good show, good for the crowd,” Fontana said. “I told the guys that it was going to be a fun game, but we’ve got to take it like it’s another game that we’ve got to work to get better,” he added.

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