US and Honduras top groups
2005-07-13 08:30
New York - Honduras beat Panama 1-0 on Tuesday to claim the top spot from Group A at the Concacaf Gold Cup, while the United States drew 0-0 with Costa Rica to win its group, the first time the Americans failed to win a first-round game.
Colombia defeated Trinidad and Tobago 2-0, and then advanced to the quarter-finals when Canada beat Cuba 2-1 in Foxboro, Massachusetts.
In Miami, Honduras beat Panama on a 80th-minute header by Samuel Baballeros to earn a meeting against Costa Rica in the first quarter-final on Saturday in Foxboro, just outside of Boston.
The United States then would play its quarter-final - against possibly Mexico - in the second game.
Panama finished second in Group A and advanced to a Sunday quarter-final in Houston against the runner-up from Group C, which includes Mexico, Jamaica and South Africa.
In Foxboro, the Americans were held to a draw for the first time in 19 first-round games at the Gold Cup dating back to 1991.
But its superior goal difference edged it ahead of Costa Rica for the Group B title.
In Miami, Colombia got late goals from Abel Aguilar and Hector Hurtado within three minutes of each other.
Repeated attempts
After repeated attempts went wide or high, Aguilar gave Colombia the lead in the 75th minute, scoring on a 10-yard shot from the right wing on Jaime Castrillon's header.
Hurtado secured the victory with a goal in the 78th minute. Martin Arzuaga crossed to an open Hurtado, who raced into the left of the penalty area and beat Trinidad keeper Kelvin Jack just inside the far post.
Atiba Hutchinson and Ali Gerba scored second-half goals to lead the Canadians, but they were all but eliminated in the first round of the tournament for the second straight time.
Needing to beat Cuba by three goals for a realistic chance to reach the quarter-finals, Hutchinson put Canada up 2-0 in the 87th minute with an unassisted goal.
But Cuba's Alain Cervantes dashed the Canadians' hopes with a goal in stoppage time.
Canada still has the slimmest of hopes to advance to the quarter-finals, needing Jamaica to beat Mexico by six goals on Wednesday.
- AP