Brazil vs. Mexico: Players Who Must Shine for El Tri in Marquee Friendly

Mexico has won the first two friendlies during the current set of games leading up to the start of World Cup qualifying, but El Tri will receive its toughest test against Brazil on Sunday. The Brazilians are coming off a 4-1 thumping of the United States.

Let's take a look at three players who will need to have strong performances for Mexico to continue building on its recent momentum. Even though the team should cruise through the opening round of qualifying, El Tri can't take anything for granted.

Javier Hernandez

Whether he's coming off the bench or in the starting lineup, Hernandez continues to provide Mexico with an offensive boost. He came on just after the hour mark against Bosnia-Herzegovina and still managed to find the net.

His season with Manchester United was plagued by inconsistency, but he always seems to raise his level of play during international duty. He dominated the Gold Cup last year, scoring seven goals in six games, to lead Mexico to the title.

A huge game against Brazil will give him a chance to keep building confidence. The only chance Mexico has is if they remain aggressive throughout the match, and Chicharito will be a key part of that effort.

Guillermo Ochoa

Brazil illustrated just how dangerous its counterattack can be against the United States. Even when the Americans were controlling the pace in the second half, the team's numerous weapons were able to strike quickly to secure victory.

It's something Ochoa will have to watch out for on Sunday. He had a pretty comfortable game on Thursday, facing just three shots, but he should expect far more scoring chances directed his way in what's setting up to be a great match.

A goalkeeper is one of the few players on the pitch that can truly steal a game for his team. That's the type of performance Mexico will likely need from Ochoa if El Tri want to walk away with the victory.

Giovani dos Santos

The most amazing thing about Dos Santos is his ability to remain in form despite receiving very little play with his club, Tottenham. He was the most explosive player on the pitch against Bosnia-Herzegovina, scoring a goal in the sixth minute.

That said, being able to do that against Brazil is an entirely different animal. He'll need to exercise a lot of patience because the back line isn't going to give him much space to operate. When he does get a chance, he needs to make it count.

With Mexico playing well right now, it should be capable of keeping things close against Brazil. But in order to pick up a statement win, Dos Santos will have to play at an elite level.