A goal by Rodolfo Pizarro just more than three minutes into the game was all the offense Mexico could muster but it was enough for a 1-0 victory over Honduras on Thursday night in the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
While its offense bogged down, Mexico survived several near-misses by Honduras in the second half.
The victory in front of 37,404 at University of Phoenix Stadium moved Mexico into a semifinal match against Jamaica in the Rose Bowl on Sunday.
It’s a rematch of the championship game of the last Gold Cup, a 3-1 Mexico victory in 2015.
Mexico and Jamaica played to a 0-0 draw this year in the Gold Cup group stage.
The United States plays Costa Rica on Saturday in Arlington, Texas, in the other semifinal.
The Mexican team was without several top players who had played in the recently completed Confederations Cup in Russia.
Jamaica got an early goal from Shaun Francis and led the rest of the way.
Romario Williams put Jamaica up 2-0 five minutes into the second half.
Canada’s David Junior Hoilett scored on a soaring shot from well beyond the penalty area in the 61st minute.
Canada was in the Gold Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 2009 and hasn’t made it to the semis since 2007.
This was said to be Canada’s best team in years, but it had to play from behind virtually all night against the stingy Jamaican defense.
Hoilett’s goal was only the second allowed in the tournament’s four games by Andre Blake, who plays for Philadelphia and was named outstanding goalkeeper in Major League Soccer last season.
Among Blake’s saves Thursday was one on a point-blank header by Alvis Powell. That shot came moments after Powell’s left-footed attempt went just left of the Jamaica net.
It was that kind of evening for Canada in a match played before a sparse audience before the anticipated horde of Mexico fans for the nightcap.
Source: AP
