Mexico beat Canada to revive Gold Cup bid
Two-time defending champions Mexico got their CONCACAF Gold Cup campaign back on track Thursday with a 2-0 victory over Canada.
Raul Jimenez scored in the 41st minute and Marco Fabian converted a penalty in the 57th to give Mexico the much-needed Group A victory and their first three points in a tournament they have won a record six times.
Mexico brought the crowd of 28,345 to life shortly before halftime when Luis Montes's corner kick found Jorge Enriquez, who flicked the ball in front of the goal for Jimenez to blast a header into the net.
Fabian doubled the lead in the second half with his shot from the spot after he was taken down in the penalty area going after a pass from Rafael Marquez, and Mexico now find themselves back in the hunt for a quarter-final berth.
In the first match of the Group A double-header, Panama defeated Martinique 1-0 with a penalty converted by Manuel Gabriel Torres in the 83rd minute.
The victory secured a quarter-final berth for Julio Cesar Dely Valdes's Panama, who had shocked Mexico 2-1 with two goals from Torres on the opening day of the tournament.
Canada, stunned in their opener by Martinique, remained in search of their first victory and in danger of missing out on a quarter-final berth.
The Gold Cup continues on Friday with Group B matches in Miami, where Trinidad and Tobago will take on Haiti and Honduras face El Salvador.
On Saturday, the United States face Cuba and Costa Rica take on Belize in a Group C double-header at Sandy, Utah, near Salt Lake City.
The winners of the North and Central America and Caribbean regional football championship will battle the 2015 champions for a place in the 2017 Confederations Cup.
Post new comment