MANCHESTER United’s star striker Javier Hernandez was seen as the Mexican player to watch when the teams opened the Final Round Qualification on February 6 at the much feared Azteca Stadium.

However, Jamaica’s rearguard of central defenders Nyron Nosworthy and Adrian Mariappa, along with wingbacks Jermaine Taylor and Demar Phillips did an excellent job of reducing the cunning striker to just a few opportunities.

However, it wasn’t easy, as captain Donovan Ricketts had to be at his best not once but twice to deny the wily striker who had broken free from the shackles.

But the little Mexican is as deadly a striker as they come. His record of 32 goals in 47 appearances for Mexico speaks volume. And Nigeria, whom his team battled to a 2-2 result in Houston last Friday, can attest to that fact.

The 24-year-old, who missed his nation’s 2005 Under-17 World Cup triumph in Peru, through injury, joined Manchester United three seasons ago from Chivas de Guadalajara for a transfer fee of 7.5 million euros, netting 20 goals in 45 appearances in his first season.

Known as the ‘Little Pea’, Chicharito is dogged, he fights and scrapes for every ball, he’s physically strong, leaps very well, fast in open spaces, shoots with both feet and likes to ghost in-between and behind defenders.

In fact, he makes his living playing on the shoulders of defenders, though oftentimes being caught in the offside position. But whenever the defenders slip, he is ready to walk through on the exposed goalkeepers.

He is what is popularly referred to as a poacher, or a pure natural finisher, because he has this uncanny knack of getting into extremely good positions to apply simple finishes.

He did against Honduras in Honduras in March when he netted a brace to lead his team to a 2-2 result, and the Jamaican defenders had better be prepared to keep a very close watch on him tonight. Failure to do so could be at their peril.