Luis Reyes added to Mexico squad for Gold Cup after duty in Russia

HOUSTON -- Three players currently with Mexico at the Confederations Cup will join up with the squad that will compete in the Gold Cup, the Mexican Football Federation announced.

Mexico revealed its final 23-man Gold Cup roster on Wednesday, making five cuts from its 25-man preliminary squad and adding defenders Edson Alvarez, Alejandro Mayorga and Luis Reyes.

Those three are currently in Russia ahead of Mexico's Confederations Cup semifinal against Germany on Thursday, though Alvarez and Mayorga only made the trip to Russia to participate in the team's training sessions, not to take part in the tournament.

Their presence has been critical for manager Juan Carlos Osorio, who has seen defenders Carlos Salcedo and Diego Reyes fall injured.

Luis Reyes did not play in Mexico's first two games but came on as a substitute for Diego Reyes against Russia last Saturday.

Trimmed from the Gold Cup preliminary squad were Carlos Vargas, Javier Salas, Jesus Isijara, Walter Gael Sandoval and Jorge Torres Nilo.

The Houston Dynamo's Erick "Cubo" Torres, who has 11 goals in the current MLS season, was omitted from the team, as Osorio and his coaching staff opted to take three Liga MX based strikers in Alan Pulido, Angel Sepulveda and Martin Barragan.

The base of the Gold Cup team is made up of Liga MX clubs Chivas, Tigres and Pachuca. Tigres provides three players, Chivas six and Pachuca three.

Mexico's national team is scheduled to make its Gold Cup debut on July 9 against El Salvador at San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium.

The full squad:

Goalkeepers: Moises Munoz (Puebla), Jose de Jesus Corona (Cruz Azul), Miguel Fraga (Atlas)

Defenders: Raul Lopez (Pachuca), Luis Rodriguez (Tigres), Hedgardo Marin (Chivas), Hugo Ayala (Tigres), Cesar Montes (Monterrey), Jair Pereira (Chivas), Luis Reyes (Atlas), Alejandro Mayorga (Chivas)

Midfielders: Jesus Molina (Monterrey), Jesus Gallardo (Pumas), Jorge Hernandez (Pachuca), Jesus Duenas (Tigres), Rodolfo Pizarro (Chivas), Orbelin Pineda (Chivas), Erick Gutierrez (Pachuca), Edson Alvarez (Club America)

Forwards: Elias Hernandez (Leon), Martin Barragan (Atlas), Alan Pulido (Chivas), Angel Sepulveda (Morelia)

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