Gold CUpdates, Quarterfinals, Day 2: Mexico vs. Haiti, Costa Rica vs. Guadeloupe. Not Even Close

Two blowouts today. Anybody else as surprised as I am? I think I expected the end results, but NOT the scorelines in either case.

Costa Rica 5-1 Guadeloupe

Guadeloupe were the little engine that could in 2007. The tiny French island with a population of around 400,000 people made it all the way to the semis two years ago before finally being taken down by Mexico.

They were hoping for a similar miracle this year, but the storyline didn’t quite work out as hoped. Guadeloupe’s coach, Roger Salnot, was quoted going into the tournament as saying that they’d be disappointed with anything less than a return to the semis. Right about now, they’ve got to be pretty disappointed.

Costa had goals from Celso Borges (great bicycle goal!), Andy Herron, Pablo Herrera Barrantes, and two by Alvaro Saborio. Haiti’s Guadeloupe’s lone goal came from Alexandre Alphonse.

Mexico 4-0 Haiti

Mexico has to be one of the most maddeningly inconsistent teams in the world right now. They go through stretches of medicre-to-suck play, then they come through in a hugeway. This game was one of those “come through huge” games.

Must say, I expected a bit more fight out of Haiti, who looked strong in the group stages even while losing to Honduras, then gave the US a scare. But today, Mexico was definitely the better team, with two goals by Miguel Sabah and one each from Giovani Dos Santos and Pablo Barrera.

I’m thinking Haiti may want to use the next couple of years to work on set pieces.

First goal, a penalty rebound by Miguel Sabah

Second goal, Giovani Dos Santos

Third goal, Pablo Herrera

Fourth goal, Sabah

Semifinal matchups:

Thursday, July 23, Chicago

(Times revised. Pretty sure these are the right ones now!)

6:00 p.m. Central time, USA vs. Honduras

9:00 p.m. Central, Costa Rica vs. Mexico

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