Gold Cup will get harder – Herrera

Mexico coach Miguel Herrera played down the significance of his team’s win over Cuba as he reiterated his desire to win the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Herrera’s men thrashed Cuba 6-0 in their Gold Cup opener on Thursday, with Oribe Peralta scoring a hat-trick as Mexico ended a seven-game winless streak at Chicago’s Soldier Field.

But afterwards Herrera was keen to remind his side that their campaign is far from over if they are to be crowned CONCACAF champions, and he warned against complacency following a comfortable win over one of the confederation’s minnows.

“We do not come for a win, we came for the tournament, the cup and we will add up win after win,” the 47-year-old said at his media conference.

With 84 spots separating Mexico from Cuba in FIFA’s rankings, Herrera warned his players to expect tougher fixtures against their other Group C opponents Guatemala and Trinidad and Tobago.

Mexico lead Group C with three points and a plus-six goal difference, with Trinidad and Tobago (three, plus two) in second after their 3-1 triumph over Guatemala, which was also held in Chicago.

“This tournament’s very even,” Herrera said.

“I mean we had a weak opponent today but… the USA won well, Jamaica had a good game, Trinidad and Tobago had a good game. All these are good teams.

“Sure, the group play looks easy for us, and we had an easy game today. But the second game, and third game and second round could all increase in level of quality, and the teams in the second round will be good teams that will deserve to be there,.

“We expect it to be harder as we go along; that’s just how tournaments work.”

Mexico are six-time Gold Cup champions but lost the crown to the USA two years ago.