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Mexico edges past Ecuador 2-1 in Copa

Mexico beat Ecuador 2-1 on Sunday for its second straight win and became the first team to assure itself of a place in the Copa America quarter-finals, while Robinho scored three and put Brazil back on course with a 3-0 victory over Chile.

Nery Castillo scored for the second consecutive match and paced El Tri, which led 2-0 by the 80th minute.

Robinho converted a first-half penalty and added two more late for an unconvincing Brazil, which nevertheless recovered from an opening 2-0 loss to Mexico.

Yesterday, Colombia was to play tournament favorite Argentina in Maracaibo after receiving a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Paraguay in its opener. An inexperienced US team faces a similarly difficult task in the first Group C match against Paraguay in Barinas.

Mexico's win puts it atop Group B with a game remaining against Chile and guarantees it one of the quarter-final spots reserved for the two best third place finishers of the three groups.

Castillo, who also scored in El Tri's 2-0 victory over defending champion Brazil in the tournament's opener on Wednesday, again was the key to Mexico's attack.

After Rafael Marquez sent the ball out of his own half, the Olympiakos midfielder eluded charging Ecuadorean keeper Cristian Mora before easily tapping in Mexico's first goal in the 22nd minute. Omar Bravo added a header in the 80th minute to double the lead.

Ecuador cut the lead in half five minutes later when a driving shot from outside the area by Edison Mendez deflected off the foot of a Mexican defender and slid inside the left post.

Winless Ecuador will play Brazil in a group match tomorrow.

Robinho dazzled against Chile, but the rest of the young Brazilian squad -- lacking several well-known regulars like Ronaldinho and Kaka -- still struggled.

Robinho's first goal was on a disputed penalty.

But the Real Madrid striker doubled the lead in the 83rd, chipping a cross over goalkeeper Claudio Bravo and sealing the victory four minutes later, beating Chile's defense and scoring just inside the right post.

The three goals gave Robinho a share of the tourney's scoring lead with Bayern Munich forward Roque Santa Cruz, who scored three for Paraguay against Colombia.

Argentina's match against Colombia is sure to have special significance for manager Alfo Basile, who was at the helm for La Albicelste's 5-0 loss to Colombia in a 1993 World Cup qualifying match.

That stunning defeat, which Colombians still celebrate, forced Argentina into a two-legged playoff against Australia in which soccer legend Diego Maradona, returning to the national team after a doping suspension, rallied Argentina to an appearance in the 1994 World Cup.
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