Mexico made it back to in the Gold Cup final, outlasting Costa Rica 5-3 on penalties Thursday after playing to a 1-1 draw.
El Tri advances to its second consecutive final and sixth overall on Sunday, when it will face the United States at Giants Stadium. The United States beat Honduras 2-0 in the first of the semifinal doubleheader at Soldier Field.
Forward Carlos Vela converted the fifth and decisive penalty kick to send the crowd of 55,173 into a frenzy and Mexican players into celebration. Vela sent his shot low and to the right-lower corner, but it was Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa's save that made the difference.
Ochoa blocked Froylan Ledezma's attempt while diving to his right. Guillermo Franco, Giovani dos Santos, Gerardo Torrado and Efrain Juarez also converted for El Tri. Alvaro Sabario, Celso Borges and Christian Oviedo converted penanlty kicks for the Ticos.
Ledezma'S failure came after he sent the match into overtime. Mexico seemingly had won when Franco came off the bench to score in the 88th minute for Mexico. But Ledezma, who entered in the 68th minute, sent a blast past Ochoa to equalize three minutes into injury time, briefly silencing the near capacity crowd of 55,173.
Ledezma ran onto a long ball out of the back from Harold Wallace that headed forward by Saborio, who was between two Mexico defenders. He was able to get inside Mexico defender Juan Valenzuela and beat Ochoa to tie the game 1-1.
It appeared Mexico already was in the final when Franco sent in a left-footed shot, that Costa Rica keeper Keilor Navas was able to partially block. But the ball had enough momentum to bounce and cross the goal line as Navas tried to recover and swat it away.
Franco joined Mexico in Houston after El Tri's match against Nicaragua in Oakland, when Omar Arellano returned to his club with an ankle injury. Franco was not fit to play. He was made available Thursday. And he didn't disappoint.
That was not the case for forward Miguel Sabah. He missed what could have given El Tri a 56th-minute lead. Roberto Moreno whistled a penalty kick against Costa Rica for a handball by Freddy Fernandez. A Jose Castro cross from just outside the penalty box was blocked by Fernandez' raised right arm. But Sabah -- the tournament's leading scorer with four goals -- sent a weak effort to the right of Navas, who was able to get low and smother the ball. Franco replaced Sabah in the 71st minute.
Vela, who made his Gold Cup debut in the 81st minute as a substitute for Alberto Medina, had been hampered by an ankle injury. He had a clear shot at goal early in the first half of extra time but couldn't finish.
The Ticos threatened in the second overtime. Warrren Granados sent a blast from 35 meters with his right foot, but Ochoa was able to block it wide right. Mexico played without suspended coach Javier Aguirre for a third straight match, who watched from a stadium luxury box but will return for the final. Assistant Mario Carrillo sat on the bench as Mexico's coach for the match.
Costa Rica, who played evenly against Mexico for most of the game, attacked early, creating the first opportunity in the opening minute. Christian Oviedo broke free on the right, but a desperate slide by Mexico defender Efrain Juarez was able to clear the ball nearly off the line. Oviedo also sent a blast from 30 meters, but Ochoa was well positioned to make the save. Armando Alonso sent a right-footed shot off the upper-left corner of the post and crossbar.
Mexico's clearest chance in the first half came in the 29th minute when Medina cent a rolling cross from right to left into the penalty area looking for Sabah. Navas intercepted the ball with a dive ending the threat.
