THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Gerardo Torrado and Miguel Sabah scored either side of halftime to give Mexico a 2-0 win over Guadeloupe on Sunday to win Group C in the CONCACAF Gold Cup without suspended coach Javier Aguirre.
"We qualified and we feel good," Aguirre said through an interpreter. "We seemed lighter on our feet and more confident. I hope that we stay that way."
Mexico will face Haiti in the quarter-finals on July 19 in Arlington, Texas. Guadeloupe, the second-place Group C finisher, will take on Costa Rica on July 19, also in Arlington.
Also Sunday, Blas Perez scored his third goal of the tournament and Luis Tejada added a pair in the second half to send Panama through to the quarter-finals with a 4-0 win over a 10-man Nicaragua side.
Panama finished Group C with four points and will play the United States in Philadelphia on Saturday.
Canada also qualified for the quarter-finals by winning Group A and will face Honduras on Saturday.
In the 41st minute, Torrado gathered in a feed from Efrain Juarez near the top of the penalty area, then drilled a right-footed shot past diving goalkeeper Yohan Bus and inside the left post. It was Torrado’s second goal of the tournament.
Guadeloupe chances all but died when two players were sent off late. Alain Vertot earned his second yellow card for pulling down a Mexican attacker, and Ludovic Gotin was shown a red for a dangerous tackle.
With Guadeloupe down to nine men, Sabah scored the winner with a header in the 85th minute.
"We keep working hard, and now we are more confident, more relaxed and that helps us a lot," Torrado said.
Guadeloupe also played without four injured players and another who was suspended.
"We found ourselves chasing the game in the first half," Guadeloupe coach Roger Salnot said through an interpreter. "In the second half, we started to play a little more, but we couldn’t turn the game around. Mexico was a superior team."
With green-clad El Tri fans dominating the crowd of 23,876 in air-conditioned University of Phoenix Stadium, Mexico didn’t skip a beat without Aguirre.
Aguirre began a three-match suspension for starting a melee during a match against Panama on Thursday night in Houston, putting him in danger of missing a World Cup qualifier against the United States. The Mexican Football Federation was also fined US$25,000 for what the CONCACAF disciplinary committee considered "serious irresponsible behaviour" by the national coaching staff.
He’s eligible to return for the final on July 26 if Mexico qualifies.
Aguirre watched from a suite high above the field while Mario Carrillo directed Mexico from the bench.
"Very tough, but I had to deal with it," Aguirre said. "I was penalized, but I really believe in my team. It was definitely tough, but it gave me a lot of perspective watching from up there."
The players said they didn’t want to let Aguirre down.
"He’s a great coach and he trusts us," Torrado said.
Mexico has won four Gold Cups, the last in 2003, but it is facing mounting pressure at home to restore its prominence internationally. The Mexicans lost to the United States in the 2007 Gold Cup final.
Sunday’s result gives El Tri a boost heading into the knockout stage.
"We’re very much in sync," Aguirre said.
Earlier, Gabriel Gomez also scored in Panama’s key win.
Perez opened the scoring in the 35th minute, knifing through the defence and heading a cross from Victor Herrera, giving him the tournament goal-scoring lead.
Nicaragua’s Franklin Lopez was sent off for a rough foul at the end of the first half, and the Red Tide dominated the second half.
Gomez made it 2-0 in the 56th minute, when Jorge Luis Garces’ shot ricocheted off goalkeeper Carlos Mendieta and Gomez played the ball off his chest from the goal-line.
Tejada scored the third on a header from Alberto Blanco in the 75th minute, and 13 minutes later chipped in from about 10 yards out over the sprawling Mendieta.
In the 41st minute, Torrado gathered in a feed from Efrain Juarez near the top of the penalty area, then drilled a right-footed shot past diving goalkeeper Yohan Bus and inside the left post.
It was Torrado’s second goal and Juarez’ second assist of the tournament.