A tremendous victory -- now Sánchez must build on it

	Juan Carlos Cacho (left), here battling with Alex, set up Mexico's first goal with a crossing pass to Nery Castillo in the penalty area. Luis Acosta/AFP/Getty Images
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Dunga's career as coach of the Brazil national team couldn't have gotten off to a worse start, a disastrous 2-0 trouncing by Mexico in the Copa América opener for both sides.

But if he needs any advice on how to overcome adversity, Dunga need only ask his counterpart. For the national team that Hugo Sánchez promised he would deliver when he landed the Mexico coaching job in November finally showed up in Venezuela.

Mexico displayed a brilliant attacking prowess, a dedication to defense and the trademark Mexican picardia, the edgy and aggressive attitude Mexican teams in the past have often shown -- but one that inexplicably hadn't been present under Sánchez.

In both body and spirit, this was not the same team that lost to the U.S. in the final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup on Sunday.

Sánchez worked his first piece of magic when filling out the starting lineup. With Carlos Salcido, Ricardo Osorio and Pavel Pardo resting up for their upcoming club campaigns and Jared Borgetti and Andrés Guardado unavailable because of injury, Sánchez was left without what many consider the base of the national team.

But Sánchez showed that Mexico does indeed have depth and should not rely on any player or group of players. While Salcido and his missing teammates are Mexico's best, those in their wake have plenty to offer.

With no Borgetti, Sánchez gave Juan Carlos Cacho the start, and Cacho responded. He did well against the Brazilian backline and made his mark on the game in the 23rd minute with a fantastic cross into the penalty area to the feet of Nery Castillo, who flicked the ball over Brazil's Maicon and tapped the ball into the back of the net.

Not five minutes later, veteran Ramón Morales sent a well-struck free kick into the back of the net and Mexico's confidence was soaring.

It wasn't just on offense, though. Guillermo Ochoa showed that he's willing and able to perform whenever Sánchez decides not to use veteran goalkeeper Oswaldo Sánchez.

Ochoa was brilliant in goal, and perhaps no other play symbolized that more than Afonso's side volley attempt in the 63rd minute. Anderson lobbed a ball from the left flank to the right side of the penalty area. Afonso timed the ball perfectly and hit a wicked volley on goal but Ochoa turned it away without much difficulty.

One blemish, though: Castillo's inability to score on a pair of breakaways that would have made the score an even more resounding victory. Another was the early disallowed goal that Brazil's Diego put past Ochoa. The goal was waved off because of an offside call -- but only Robinho was offside; Diego was not. Still, it's doubtful the Mexican media will complain about that call as much as some did about Jonny Magallón's penalty kick call on Brian Ching on Sunday.