Hexagonal trio joins USA in semifinals

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Jul 20, 2009

[GOLD CUP] Mexico, Costa Rica and Honduras, the other three remaining Hexagonal teams in the Gold Cup, joined the USA in the final four. Honduras edged Canada, 1-0, Saturday in Philadelphia, while Mexico and Costa Rica won easily on Sunday before a crowd of 82,252 in the first sporting event at the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium.

Miguel Sabah scored two goals, while youngster Giovani Dos Santos scored on a blast from 22 yards and set up goals by Sabah and Pablo Barrera on corner kicks in Mexico's 4-0 win over Haiti.

Sabah gave the Tri the lead in the 23rd minute when he scored on a rebound after Haiti keeper Jean Dominique Zephirin blocked Israel Castro's penalty kick.

Guadeloupe's bid to return to the semifinals quickly evaporated as Costa Rica scored on goals from Celso Borges in the third minute and Alvaro Saborio in the 16th and cruised to a 5-1 win.

Former MLS striker Andy Herron scored in the 47th minute. Guadeloupe pulled one goal on Alexander Alphonse's header in the 64th but the Ticos pulled away on goals by Saborio in the 71st and Pablo Herrera's 89th-minute strike sealed the win for Costa Rica.

In the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, where the USA beat Panama, 2-1, in overtime, Honduras won on Walter Martinez's penalty kick in the 36th minute.