Manchester United striker Chicharito dedicates goal to Mexico team-mate’s father who passed away

Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez, Mexico (Getty Images)

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It’s safe to assume that Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez will light up the scoreboard throughout this month’s Gold Cup, leaving opponents frustrated and looking for answers.

Just ask El Salvador, who watched the Mexican star record a hat-trick in his tournament debut in El Tri’s 5-0 thrashing of the Central American nation last Sunday.

Chicharito is widely considered the best player in the Concacaf region and will look to prove it once again when Mexico takes on Cuba Thursday night in Charlotte in what will likely be another packed house filled with green and red jerseys.

There were over 80,000 supporters of the team at Cowboys Stadium to watch the team embarrass El Salvador.

Chicharito did not disappoint in the Group A contest as he scored the final three goals of the match, including a penalty kick that lobbed into the net in extra time. Efrain Juarez and Aldo De Nigris started a scoring spree of four goals in a span of 12 minutes.

Chicharito dedicated his goals to the father of team-mate Sinha who recently passed away.

“It was a really nice gesture on his part, I wasn’t expecting it,” Sinha said. “I thank God for having such nice people on my side.”

While the result was more than anything Mexico could ask for, coach Jose Manuel de la Torre has to be a bit concerned about his team’s slow start in the match. The less-talented El Salvador squad held Mexico scoreless through the first 55 minutes.

De la Torres will need to make a change in his line-up with defender Ricardo Osorio leaving the team due to illness. Osorio had recently complained of pain in his urinary tract, and with a family history of prostate disease, Mexico’s medical staff decided to send him home for tests.

Rafa Marquez of New York Red Bulls, who did not get off the bench Sunday after originally losing his starting spot due to injury, could earn some playing time this week.

“If I start or not against Cuba is ‘Chepo’s’ decision,” he said. “We have work as a group to win the Cup, we can’t do much more than that.”

The Cubans, meanwhile, were on the wrong side of a 5-0 decision against Costa Rica on Sunday in the undercard for Mexico. Now, on the big stage, it will have to play its best to knock off the tournament favorite.