Mexico beats Costa Rica 2-0, advances to CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal
Costa Rica midfielder Josimar Alcócer (8) controls the ball in front of Mexico midfielder Orbelín Pineda (17) and defender Jesús Gallardo (23) during the first half of a CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer quarterfinal Saturday, July 8, 2023, in Arlington, Texas.
Costa Rica forward Anthony Contreras (7) controls the ball as Mexico defender Jesús Gallardo (23) defends during the first half of a CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer quarterfinal Saturday, July 8, 2023, in Arlington, Texas.
Costa Rica defender Jefry Valverde (22) is tripped by Mexico defender Jesús Gallardo (23) during the first half of a CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer quarterfinal Saturday, July 8, 2023, in Arlington, Texas.
Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa (13) watches as a shot goes wide past his goal during the first half of the team's CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer quarterfinal against Costa Rica, Saturday, July 8, 2023, in Arlington, Texas.
Costa Rica forward Anthony Contreras, front, passes the ball away from Mexico midfielder Edson Álvarez during the first half of a CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer quarterfinal, Saturday, July 8, 2023, in Arlington, Texas.
Costa Rica forward Joel Campbell (12) controls the ball in front of Mexico defender Jesús Gallardo (23) during the first half of a CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer quarterfinal Saturday, July 8, 2023, in Arlington, Texas.
Mexico defender Jesús Gallardo (23) and Costa Rica defender Jefry Valverde go for a head ball during the first half of a CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer quarterfinal Saturday, July 8, 2023, in Arlington, Texas.
Panama celebrates after forward Ismael Díaz scored a goal against Qatar during the second half of a CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer quarterfinal Saturday, July 8, 2023, in Arlington, Texas.
Panama forward Ismael Díaz celebrates after scoring a goal, his third of the match, during the second half of a CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer quarterfinal against Qatar, Saturday, July 8, 2023, in Arlington, Texas.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Orbelín Pineda scored on a penalty kick in the 52nd minute, Érick Sánchez added a goal in the 87th and Mexico beat Costa Rica 2-0 Saturday night to reach the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals.
Mexico will play Guatemala or Jamaica on Wednesday at Las Vegas for a berth in the final on July 16 at Inglewood, California.
Pineda got his second goal of the tournament and ninth in 58 international appearances, sending his kick to the left of goalkeeper Kevin Chamorro, who reacted the other way. Mexico was awarded the penalty by Honduran referee Saíd Martínez when Kendall Waston charged into the back of Henry Martín.
Sánchez entered in the 84th minute and scored his second international goal, from Roberto Alvarado’s cutback pass.
In the first game, Panama routed invited guest Qatar 4-0 and advanced to a semifinal against the United States or Canada on Wednesday at San Diego. Ismael Díaz scored a hat trick in a span of just over nine minutes of the second half.
Édgar Bárcenas put Panama ahead in the 19th, and Díaz added goals in the 56th, 63rd and 65th minutes.
The U.S. plays Canada on Sunday at Cincinnati in the second game of a doubleheader opening with Guatemala-Jamaica.
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