Mexico beat Costa Rica in Gold Cup quarter-final after controversial penalty

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jul/19/mexico-beat-costa-rica-in-gold-cup-quarter-final-after-controversial-penalty

Version 0 of 1.

Andres Guardado scored a penalty in the final minute of stoppage time in extra time to give Mexico a 1-0 victory over Costa Rica in the Gold Cup quarter-finals on Sunday night.

Roy Miller was pulled up for a questionable foul on Oribe Peralta with the game seconds from going to a shoot-out. Guardado converted to send six-time champions Mexico to the semi-finals, where they will face Panama on Wednesday night in Atlanta.

Mexico had dominated play but were unable to score until the final moments. Angry Costa Rica fans — heavily outnumbered by Mexico fans in the crowd of 74,187 at MetLife Stadium — threw bottles toward the field in protest.

The Mexico-Costa Rica match-up looked like a potential final at the start of the tournament, but both teams were sluggish in the group stage to each finish second and set up the quarter-final meeting.

In Sunday’s earlier game, Panama squeezed past Trinidad and Tobago after a penalty shoot-out. The game ended 1-1, with Panama winning a dramatic shootout 6-5.

Hosts USA will play Jamaica in the other semi-final.