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Mexico is the first CONCACAF team in action in the 2017 Men's U-20 World Cup. El Tri has something of a point to prove, having been relieved of its CONCACAF U-20 crown by the USA this year. It is traditionally the region's best men's team at the youth levels, but the current U-17 and U-20 cycles have put that reputation under pressure. Mexico was last in its group in 2015, and will very much hope for a better showing at this tournament.
A stronger showing at this World Cup than the rest of CONCACAF would help to counter the perception that Mexico's player development programs are losing ground to the USA.
Mostly, of course, a team just wants to win the game and the tournament it is in. El Tri will hope for a good start against Vanuatu, regarded as the weakest team in Group B, if not the entire field.
But underestimating Oceania's qualifiers can be costly. In the 2015 edition of this tournament, Fiji was thought likely to be out of its depth - and it did finish bottom of its group. But it also beat Honduras, 3-0; a result that ultimately cost Los Catrachos a place in the knockout rounds.
Mexico was last in its group in 2015, and will very much hope for a better showing at this tournament. Beating Vanuatu should not be taken for granted, but it should be achieved if El Tri is going to convince anyone this U-20 team will out-perform the 2015 cohort.
Per livesoccertv.com, here's where to find the game if watching from the USA:
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