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.
PHOTO: AFP
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.
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before