With his side just a day away from battling for the CONCACAF Gold Cup crown, Mexico coach Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino was in no mood to entertain questions of a weakened side for his opponent.

“We’re facing the U.S. national team, the team selected by the coach for this Gold Cup,” Martino said via an interpreter. “The reasons for his selection are not relevant for us. We don’t even analyse them. We will be facing the U.S. team in a final, and we will try to win.”

Martino had earlier replied to questioning on the topic by saying that: “we know that it’s not easy, even when we are favourites.”

Mexico dominated its quarter-final tie against Honduras, but struggled at times against Canada in a match that they could only win deep into stoppage time. The Mexican coach was under no illusions about his side being head and shoulders above the opposition come Sunday.

“I hope we can impose our game,” Martino said. “This is what we try in each match. It’s very difficult to be dominant in a game for 90 minutes.”

After his American counterpart, Gregg Berhalter, criticized officials for not dealing with Mexican players’ actions during mass confrontations, Martino was quick to criticize officials for their handling of the opposite semi-final – especially following Berhalter’s reaction to the fourth official after taking the lead.

“Maybe the referee in the [final] will do his best,” Martino said. “I don’t think that the referee of the match of U.S versus Qatar was able to do a good job, especially with the performance of the coach.”

Mexico will face the U.S. at 5:30 p.m. local time on Sunday for the continental title.