USA, Mexico through to final
June 23, 2011
The USA have progressed to the CONCACAF Gold Cup final after a Clint Dempsey strike inside the final 15 minutes handed the side a hard-earned 1-0 semi-final win over Panama in Houston.
Landon Donovan again started from the bench as Bob Bradley stuck by the strategy used to defeat Jamaica in the quarter-final on Sunday. However, the home side had to do without the services of Jozy Altidore, who will sit out the remainder of the tournament due to a hamstring strain.
The USA dominated much of the first half, with Panama seemingly content to absorb pressure and play on the counter-attack. Right-back Steve Churundolo set up the best chance of the opening stanza as he sent in a cross which was met at the near post by Juan Agudelo, only to see the ball bounce agonisingly off the bar and away to safety by the Panama defence.
After going into the break locked at 0-0, Bradley changed things up in the second half by introducing Donovan, while Freddy Adu replaced the industrious Agudelo. But Panama created their best chance midway through the half when Armando Cooper sent a cross toward the USA goal, barely out of the reach of Alberto Quintero's foot.
Dempsey then made the USA's dominance count on 77 minutes by tapping home a far-post cross from Donovan, after some fine lead-up work in midfield by Adu, who skipped past challenges before threading a through-ball that left the Panama rearguard scrambling.
Following the goal, the USA maintained possession and headed for the corners in the final minutes to hold on for a gritty but deserved victory.
In the other semi-final, Mexico edged out Honduras 2-0 in extra-time after neither team could break the 0-0 deadlock during the regulation 90 minutes.
Goals from Jesus de Nigris and Javier Hernandez, both from set-pieces in the first half of extra-time, were just enough for Mexico to see off a resilient Honduras outfit. They will now take on rivals the USA in the final.
Saturday's decider at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena will be the third straight time that the two nations have played in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final. The two countries have proven to be the dominant forces in the region, having between them won nine of the 10 trophies contested since 1991.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/929822/usa-through-to-gold-cup-final?cc=4716[ 本文被g3rMan在2011-06-23 13:51重新編輯 ]
