Soccer-Ajaccio keeper Ochoa called up for Mexico qualifiers

MEXICO CITY, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Guillermo Ochoa, who plays in goal for French Ligue 1 team Ajaccio, has been called up for Mexico's do-or-die final World Cup qualifiers in October despite turning his country down last month. Ochoa, who last played for Mexico at the Confederations Cup in Brazil in June, is among five European-based players that new coach Victor Vucetich added on Friday to the squad he named last week. The 28-year-old missed last month's 2-1 defeat by Honduras at the Azteca and the 2-0 defeat by United States in Columbus, Ohio that secured Juergen Klinsmann's team their ticket to the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil. Mexico need to win at home for the first time in the six-nation final CONCACAF group when they host Panama on Oct. 11 and also beat Costa Rica away four days later to have any chance of reaching the finals. Vucetich, appointed two weeks ago after Jose Manuel de la Torre and his assistant Luis Fernando Tena were sacked, also called up Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez and Spanish-based trio Giovani Dos Santos, Javier Aquino and Hector Moreno, the Mexican Football Federation said on its website (www.femexfut.org.mx). Real Sociedad midfielder Carlos Vela, who last played for Mexico two and a half years ago, refused a call-up once again, this time citing poor form, national team director Hector Gonzalez Inarritu told ESPN. Mexico are outside the three automatic qualifying berths in fifth place in the group. The top three teams go through automatically with leaders United States and Costa Rica having already secured qualification. Honduras, in third place with 11 points, and fourth-placed Panama and Mexico, both on eight, are vying for the remaining direct berth and a place in a two-legged playoff against Oceania winners New Zealand in November. Mexico have failed dismally to make home advantage pay at the Azteca where they have picked up only three points from three 0-0 draws and scored only one goal. (Reporting by Carlos Calvo, writing by Rex Gowar in Buenos Aires,; editing by Tony Jimenez)