© Reuters 2002

MEXICO CITY, March 15 (Reuters) - Mexico coach Javier Aguirre lambasted the performance of his own team and their opponents after Wednesday's 4-0 friendly win over Albania.

"I liked the first 45 minutes, but not the second," he seethed in an interview at Mexico City airport. "We didn't play in an intelligent manner, we didn't use the flanks, we didn't go wide and we had players piled up on top of themselves in the same position. That's why I didn't like it." The east Europeans were not spared his wrath either.

"I saw them in the World Cup qualifiers when they were in the same group as England and Germany. Nobody beat them easily, so I thought they could have been interesting opponents," he said.

Goals from Jared Borgetti, Ramon Morales and two from Adolfo Bautista gave the "Tricolor" a comfortable win, although their forwards missed chances and defensively the marking was poor.

Albania were reduced to 10 men before halftime after Ardif Beqiri was sent off.

The match, hastily arranged after Bulgaria had pulled out the week before, was played in San Diego, California.

Argentine-born Gabriel Caballero, who was controversially picked by Aguirre, played well but the coach would not give any clues as to whether he would be picked again.

"That depends on the opposition and the players we need," Aguirre said.

Caballero, 30, became a Mexican citizen at the end of last year, having moved to the country in 1995.