March 24 (UPI) — Raul Jimenez scored twice, together with on a stoppage-time penalty kick, to steer Mexico previous Panama for its first Concacaf Nations League title.
Jimenez, who first discovered the online within the eighth minute, buried the game-winner in the correct facet of the aim within the second minute of stoppage time of the 2-1 triumph Sunday in Inglewood, Calif.
“We knew these video games had been going to be tough, however we’ve got the standard,” Jimenez stated on the CBS broadcast. “We all know one another and understand how we are able to play higher in opposition to the opposite groups. That is the important thing.”
The Mexicans outshot the Panamanians 15-8, with 5 makes an attempt on track. Their foes held benefits of 53.1% to 46.9% in possession and 449 to 396 in passes.
Midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla scored Panama’s lone aim off a penalty kick in first-half stoppage time.
Jimenez beat goalie Orlando Mosquera for the primary aim of the evening off a cross from midfielder Roberto Alvarado. Middle midfielder Luis Romo first discovered Alvarado with a cross on the correct flank to begin that sequence. Alvarado obtained the ball, rolled it underneath his foot and lofted a cross towards the far put up.
Jimenez hovered within the field and tracked the feed earlier than ending the play with a header, which bounced by Mosquera for first blood.
The Mexicans held their slender lead till striker Cecilio Waterman drew a penalty within the field for Panama within the last minutes of the primary half. Carrasquilla proceeded to step as much as the spot and blast in a penalty kick previous Mexican keeper Luis Malagon for an equalizer in stoppage time.
Mexico and Panama continued to launch assaults on the nets within the second half, however could not convert till Jimenez’s penalty. The try was triggered by a handball within the field by Panamanian defender Jose Cordoba.
Jimenez then calmly smacked in his game-winner, securing the trophy for Mexico.
The USA Males’s Nationwide Workforce, which received the earlier three editions of the event, misplaced 2-1 to Canada within the third-place sport Sunday in Inglewood.