Great article here on everything you need to know on Mexico vs NZ.
For the first time ever El Tri, as Mexico's national soccer team affectionately is known, is coming to Nashville. It's a testament to the area's swelling interest in the most popular sport in the world and the city's rapidly growing Latino population, which has increased by by 858% from 34,309 in 1980 to 328,979 in 2014 statewide.
Mexico, ranked No. 15 by FIFA in their latest world rankings, will use Saturday's game against No. 88-ranked New Zealand at Nissan Stadium, as preparation for next month's World Cup qualifier against rival USA. The U.S. and Mexico square off on Nov. 11 in Columbus, Ohio, where the U.S. has beaten the Mexicans in four consecutive World Cup qualifiers by identical scores of dos a cero.
Coming off a humiliating 7-0 loss to Chile in this summer's Copa America, and a so-so performance against Honduras at home last month, Mexico is hoping to get back on track against New Zealand before Panama in Chicago next week and the U.S. after that.
The game will feature some of Mexico's best players. Though two of their most recognizable players, Javier "Chicharito" Hernadez and Guillermo Ochoa, will be absent from this game other stars like Giovani dos Santos, his younger brother Jonathan dos Santos, Marco Fabian, Oribe Peralta and Alan Pulido were named to the roster scheduled to play here in the Music City this weekend.
New Zealand, which has only qualified for the World Cup twice since they began participating in 1970, features players who play professionally in England, Germany and three players who play in the U.S., including defender Sam Brotherton, a freshman on the Wisconsin Badger's soccer team.