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Costly scores twice as Honduras win

Carlos Costly of Honduras celebrates in the arms of a coach after defeating Mexico 2-1 in their CONCACAF Gold Cup match on Sunday at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. PHOTO: AFP

Carlos Costly scored two second-half goals -- including the winner in injury time -- to lift Honduras over four-time champion Mexico 2-1 on Sunday and revive its hopes of advancing to the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Both of Costly's goals came after Mexico was reduced to 10 men in the 49th minute when Cuauhtemoc Blanco was expelled for elbowing defender Samuel Caballero in front of the Honduran goal as the two jostled for position awaiting a Mexican corner kick. Caballero nudged Blanco, who reacted with an elbow to the Honduran's midsection.

Caballero immediately fell and Costa Rican referee Walter Quezada consulted with his linesman before retrieving his red card from his back pocket.

Costly equalized in the 60th, running on to a pass from Amado Guevara that nearly reached the byline and hitting a left-footed shot into the far-side netting. He headed the winner 16 seconds into injury time off a cross from Emilio Izaguirre, leaving Mexican goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez flat-footed.

"Honduras can't dream yet about winning the Gold Cup," Costly said. "This is historic. I'm elated about the victory, but we have to keep our feet on the ground."

The loss was the third in eight games -- and first in a competitive match -- for Mexican manager Hugo Sanchez, who complained bitterly about the natural grass field at Giants Stadium after Friday night's 2-1 victory over Cuba.

"The key was Blanco's expulsion," Sanchez said. "They were provoking him the whole game. On the corner, they spat on him. They were intelligent and he fell into the trap."

The result left Honduras and Mexico both with three points, one behind Group C leader Panama, which drew 2-2 with Cuba later on Sunday.

It was Honduras manager Reinaldo Rueda's second victory over Mexico in the Gold Cup.

"It was a beautiful result, but now it's history and we have to start thinking about Cuba," Rueda said.

Group C play moves to Houston tomorrow when Mexico faces Panama and Honduras takes on Cuba.

Two teams from each of the three groups advance along with the two best third-place teams.

While hardly dominant, Mexico controlled the match until Blanco's expulsion. But the goal by Costly, who also scored in injury time in Friday's loss, invigorated the Hondurans and the Giants Stadium crowd of 68,123, which was evenly split between Mexican and Honduran fans.
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