Mexico beats Costa Rica at Gold Cup, will face Panama in semifinals

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

Costa Rica’s Roy Miller, who plays for the New Jersey Red Bulls, was whistled for a questionable foul on Oribe Peralta with the game seconds from going to penalty kicks. Guardado converted to send six-time champion Mexico to the semifinals, where it will face Panama on Wednesday night in Atlanta.

Mexico had dominated play but was 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 matchup 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 quarterfinal meeting. So Mexico will face Panama on Wednesday in Atlanta.

All four of Panama’s Gold Cup matches have ended in 1-1 draws.

Panama is still going to the semifinals, though it took nine rounds of penalty kicks to get there. Jaime Penedo made the clinching save for the 6-5 victory over Trinidad and Tobago in the quarterfinals Sunday.

Galaxy goalkeeper Penedo saved Lester Peltier’s shot after Trinidad and Tobago had a chance to win it in the seventh round. But Daneil Cyrus’ try sailed over the crossbar, which kept Panama alive.

Luis Tejada scored in the 37th minute for Panama, and Kenwyne Jones tied it in the 54th for Trinidad and Tobago.

In each of its four Gold Cup games, Panama has gone up 1-0 only to allow the equalizer in the second half. But Panama, the runner-up in the 2013 Gold Cup, keeps advancing.

“Panama played one of its best matches and I want people in Panama to start thinking and analyzing matches not only for the result, but for the way it plays,” Coach Hernan Dario Gomez said.

Panama controlled possession on a steamy Sunday but couldn’t put away its opportunities. Panama had 13 corner kicks, while Trinidad and Tobago didn’t have one. But goalkeeper Marvin Phillip made five saves to keep Trinidad and Tobago in it.

Trinidad and Tobago was the surprise winner of Group C after scoring four minutes into second-half stoppage time to tie Mexico, 4-4, in its final group-stage match. It was seeking its second Gold Cup semifinal appearance and first since 2000.