Mexico’s stunning 2-1 loss at El Salvador on Saturday showed the Tri-color that it will take more than dumping ex-England manager Sven Goran-Eriksson for Javier Aguiree to reach the 2010 World Cup.
Eliseo Quintanilla’s penalty kick in the 86th minute gave the Salvadorans their first victory in the six-team North American final qualifying round that decides three spots in next year’s global soccer showdown in South Africa.
In addition to boosting El Salvador into third place with a victory and two draws in four starts for five points, the win sank Mexico to fifth at 1-3 for three points, one adrift of Honduras and one atop winless Trinidad and Tobago.
PHOTO: AFP
Costa Rica and the US, the regional pace-setters, rallied from early deficits for key triumphs to pull away from the pack, with hosts US edging Honduras 2-1 and Costa Rica outlasting hosts Trinidad and Tobago 3-2.
But Mexico’s struggles will be the main focus as the first half of the qualifying schedule concludes on Wednesday with El Salvador at Honduras and the Soca Warriors from Trinidad and Tobago visiting the still-reeling Mexicans.
Aguirre, 50, guided Mexico to the round of 16 in the 2002 World Cup and spent five years in Spain leading Atletico Madrid into the Champions League. He was hired in April to fix Mexico’s woes after a 3-1 loss at Honduras.
But Julio Martinez gave El Salavador the lead in the 11th minute and even though Cuauhtemoc Blanco pulled Mexico level on a penalty kick in the 71st minute, the final blow sent Mexican fans farther into despair.
Costa Rica’s Celso Borges scored in the 52nd and 68th minutes to spark a fourth triumph in five starts for the group leaders and spoil the debut of Russell Latapy as coach of the Soca Warriors, who fell to 0-2-2.
Carlos Edwards gave the Caribbean side a lead in the 29th minute but Alvaro Saborio’s strike in the 40th minute pulled Costa Rica level. Borges’ first goal was answered by Collin Samuels in the 52nd minute but Borges followed with the decider.
At Chicago, Carlos Bocanegra dove low to nod home the winning goal in the 68th minute as the US squad bounced back from a 3-1 defeat on Wednesday at Costa Rica despite falling behind after only five minutes.
“We took it as a must-win. When we gave up that goal it became an even bigger test,” American Benny Feilhaber said. “That first goal was a little bit of a kick in the butt but we were able to come back and win. The Costa Rica game we came out a little flat and we got punished. This gives us a little bit of our confidence back.”
The triumph came despite a scare when Carlos Costly put Honduras ahead in the fifth minute.
“We were just like, ‘Not again,’” Bocanegra said. “Credit to the guys. We could have said, ‘Here it goes.’”
Landon Donovan equalized in the 43rd minute on a penalty kick and Bocanegra headed in the winner, although he left with a strained hamstring barely three minutes later.
“Hopefully it’s not too bad,” Bocanegra said. “I think [I will miss] a week, week-and-a-half. I want to be ready for the Confederations Cup.”
The US will play that event at South Africa later this month, then return to qualifying in August at Mexico in what figures to be a vital match for the Mexicans, 2-0 loser in their qualifying opener on US soil.
Tainan TSG Hawks slugger Steven Moya, who is leading the CPBL in home runs, has withdrawn from this weekend’s All-Star Game after the unexpected death of his wife. Moya’s wife began feeling severely unwell aboard a plane that landed at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Friday evening. She was rushed to a hospital, but passed away, the Hawks said in a statement yesterday. The franchise is assisting Moya with funeral arrangements and hopes fans who were looking forward to seeing him at the All-Star Game can understand his decision to withdraw. According to Landseed Medical Clinic, whose staff attempted to save Moya’s wife,
Shohei Ohtani on Wednesday homered for the fifth consecutive game, tying a Los Angeles Dodgers franchise record. Yankees star Aaron Judge was the last player to homer in five consecutive games, accomplishing that feat last year. Ohtani, who leads the National League with 37 home runs, homered in the first inning off Minnesota Twins starter Chris Paddack. He hit a slow curveball 134m to center. He carried the bat midway down the first-base line and then did a bat flip. He did not hit a home run later in the game with the Dodgers trailing, but his presence was felt. With two outs
Taiwan’s world No. 6 shuttler Chou Tien-chen yesterday defeated India’s H.S. Prannoy to advance to the quarter-finals of the China Open in Changzhou. It was former world No. 2 Chou’s eighth win in 14 matches against Prannoy, who had earlier this week lamented the age divide between him and up-and-comers, although he is only two years younger than 35-year-old Chou. The Taiwanese, who is seeded sixth at the tournament, rebounded from a close 21-18 loss in game 1 on Court 2 at the Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium. He bounced back to take the next games 21-15, 21-8 and set up a tough quarter-final
The Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday acquired Taiwanese-American outfielder Stuart Fairchild from the Atlanta Braves for cash considerations to fill the roster after All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe was placed back on the injured list. Fairchild was designated for assignment by the Braves on Monday after hitting .216/.273/.333 in 28 games for Atlanta, with most of his work coming as a pinch runner or defensive replacement. He joins Tampa Bay as a versatile fourth outfielder option. To make room for Fairchild on the 40-man roster, the Rays transferred relief pitcher Manuel Rodriguez (forearm strain) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day