Favorites U.S., Mexico advance in Gold Cup, will meet in final

Published Friday, June 22, 2007

CHICAGO (AP) - One struggled to beat a team so small it isn’t even a country, while the other escaped with the help of a questionable call.

Mexico and the United States will meet in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final Sunday, just as expected. But neither is looking very much like a favorite.

"No, I’m not satisfied," Mexico Coach Hugo Sanchez said. "I think we’re getting better. I’m happy with the defensive performance, but the tight score, I’m not happy with."

El Tri needed a 70th-minute goal from Pavel Pardo to edge little Guadeloupe 1-0 last night. Earlier, the Americans beat Canada 2-1 after the Maple Leafs had a game-tying goal waved off on a disputed offsides call in the final minute.

Frankie Hejduk scored his first goal in almost seven years, and Landon Donovan converted yet another penalty kick for the winner. With 33 career goals, Donovan moved within one of Eric Wynalda’s U.S. record. Kasey Keller played in his 100th international game, matching Tony Meola’s American mark for goalkeepers.

"Twice in the tournament, we’ve been cruising and let teams back into the game when we had a chance to bury them," Keller said. "That’s frustrating. But we won both of them."

The Americans will play the final without both Hejduk and Michael Bradley. Hejduk picked up his second yellow card in as many games, while Bradley, the son of U.S. Coach Bob Bradley, was given a red card in the 89th minute for a reckless tackle.

The United States and Mexico have both been struggling to find a rhythm, and last night’s games were no different.

After the Americans failed to convert several chances, Hejduk finally got the offense on track in the 39th minute.

It was Hejduk’s first goal since June 11, 2000, and it sent him on a mad dash across the field.

Seven minutes later, the Americans were celebrating again when Donovan converted his third penalty kick of the tournament.

But the Americans got sloppy late. After second half sub Iain Hume scored in the 76th minute, the Canadians put even more pressure on Keller. In the final minute of stoppage time, Atiba Hutchinson got a shot past him, but Mexican referee Benito Archundia waved the goal off, saying the Canadian was offside.

Replays showed the ball went off U.S. defender Oguchi Onyewu and that Canadian attackers appeared to be even with the last American defender, meaning the goal should have counted.

Canadian players vehemently argued to no avail with Archundia, who seconds later blew the final whistle.

Mexico’s finish wasn’t nearly as chaotic, but its performance wasn’t exactly memorable.

Guadeloupe actually is a part of France - it’s called an overseas department - and isn’t one of FIFA’s 208 members. That means soccer’s world governing body doesn’t recognize it. It is allowed to have a team in this regional championship, but with its best players committed to France - Thierry Henry, Lilian Thuram and William Gallas all have roots in Guadeloupe - it essentially fielded what Mexico or the United States would consider a second- or third-string squad.

But the Gwada Boys gave Mexico everything it could handle.

With a crowd of 50,790 - 50,789 of whom seemed to be rooting for Mexico - cheering loudly, Pardo finally bailed the Mexicans out in the 70th minute. From 30 yards out, he looped a sharp ball with his right foot into the upper corner of the net.