[USA-MEXICO COUNTDOWN] Mexico captain Rafael Marquez, who just two weeks ago was expected to miss El Tri's World Cup qualifying against the USA in Ohio because of a  muscle strain, scored on a free kick in Barcelona's 2-0 Spanish Copa del Rey first-leg semifinal win over Mallorca. Marquez is one of seven European-based players called up by Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson for the Hexagonal opener.

Marquez came back earlier than expected when he played in last Sunday's 2-1 win at Racing Santander. Marquez was red-carded in that game, which means he'll miss this Sunday's game against Sporting -- something Eriksson won't lament.

Thierry Henry scored Barcelona's other goal in the win over Mallorca.

Villarreal's Guillermo Franco, Nery Castillo of Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk, PSV Eindhoven's Carlos Salcido, Stuttgart's Ricardo Osorio, Tottenham's Giovani Dos Santos and Deportivo Coruna's Omar Bravo are the other foriegn-based players in the Mexico roster.

MEXICO ROSTER:
Goalkeepers: Oswaldo Sanchez (Santos), Guillermo Ochoa (Club America), Jose de Jesus Corona (UAG).
Defenders: Juan Carlos Valenzuela (Club America), Julio Cesar Dominguez (Cruz Azul), Carlos Salcido (PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands), Ricardo Osorio (VfB Stuttgart, Germany), Rafael Marquez (Barcelona, Spain), Aaron Galindo (Guadalajara), Leobardo Lopez (Pachuca).
Midfielders: Fausto Pinto (Cruz Azul), Pavel Pardo (America), Leandro Augusto (Pumas), Luis Perez (Monterrey), Israel Martinez (San Luis), Antonio Naelson (Toluca).
Forwards: Alberto Medina (Guadalajara), Cesar Villaluz (Cruz Azul), Giovani Dos Santos (Tottenham, England), Matias Vuoso (Santos), Carlos Ochoa (Guadalajara), Nery Castillo (Shakhtar Donetsk, Ukraine), Guillermo Franco (Villarreal, Spain), Omar Bravo (Deportivo La Coruna, Spain).

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