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« on: April 07, 2011, 05:32:23 AM »
Upsets upsets, USA and Honduras OUT!
Panama stuns Honduras to reach U-20 World Cup
Cecilio Waterman scored his fourth goal of the tournament and Panama beat Honduras 2-0 on Wednesday, earning a berth in Under-20 World Cup for the fourth time in five tries and a place in the semifinals of the CONCACAF championship.
Jose Alvarez scored on a deflected shot for "Los Canaleros" in the 51st minute and Waterman added his clincher in the 85th. It was the first time in five matches, including qualifying, that Honduras - which had to play without regulars Alexander Lopez and Danilo Tobias due to disciplinary suspensions -- was held without a goal.
Panama next will face Mexico, which beat Canada 3-0 in its semifinal on Tuesday and has outscored its opponents 11-0 in three games.
Alvarez ran on to a high ball looped down the left side. He was able to dribble into the penalty area, turned inside around Honduran defender Byran Castro and managed a right-footed shot that deflected off the lunging leg of Johny Rivera.
The ball arced over the head of goalkeeper Marlon Licona and bounced once in the behind him before settling in the net.
Waterman added the insurance with five minutes remaining, countering after Honduras was frustrated on several chances. Waterman settled a cross-field ball from Aglish Dixon with his chest at the 18, and finished with a finish into the side netting.
Panama had the better of play and chances throughout the first half, starting with Jairo Jimenez's corner kick in the fourth minute that Lincona attempted to punch away, but instead knocked it back over his own net.
Lincona was forced to repeat the act several times, punching away two chances from distance by Eric Davis in the 19th, 20th and 65th minutes and another by Jimenez in the 31st.
After Alvarez's goal, Panama appeared content to defend, allowing Honduras to repeatedly test keeper Kevin Melgar.
"Los Catrachos" had three chances seconds apart in the 74th, with Antony Lozano and Gustavo Carias both having shots blocked before Eddie Hernandez sent a final one high from close range.
Honduras had its best chance to equalize in the 78th when Castro was able to get a foot to a corner by Nestor Martinez, but Ever Alvarado cleared it off the line standing at the left post.
Guatemala shocks U.S. 2-1 in U-20 quarterfinals
Guatemala qualified for the Under-20 World Cup for the first time in its history, getting goals by Gerson Lima and Henry Lopez to upset the United States 2-1 Wednesday in the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF championship.
Lopez scored against the run of play to break a 1-1 tie in the 69th minute and send the crowd at Estadio Mateo Flores into delirium.
The result ended the Americans' quest for an eighth straight trip to the World Cup and sent "Los Chapines" to Friday's semifinals against Costa Rica, which beat Cuba 6-1 on Tuesday.
The United States had the better of play early, and had several chances, but Guatemala started to generate opportunities of its own midway through first half and went ahead in the 33rd minute.
Lima was left unmarked at the near post and headed in Kendel Herrate's corner kick from a step inside the six-yard box.
Guatemala was virtually defensive for the entire second half, and the Americans equalized in the 66th. Amobi Okugo threaded a pass behind a static Guatemala back line, Conor Doyle took a touch with the outside of his right foot and lofted the ball from a step inside the 18 past onrushing keeper Jose Carlos Garcia.
The hosts were still on the defensive when it retook the lead. A goal kick into the U.S. half was headed back toward the Guatemalan goal by Perry Kitchen only to drop at the feet of Jose Castillo, who launched a ball from midfield for teammate Marvin Ceballos sprinting toward the American net.
He and U.S. defender Gale Abgossoumonde collided shoulder-to-shoulder and fell at the edge of the area, allowing the ball to fall to a trailing Lopez, who struck it first time to send a rolling shot past American keeper Zac MacMath.
The Americans swarmed the net in the final minutes, with Guatemala making a desperate clearance from its own penalty area with the last touch to secure the victory.
The victory came 47 years to the day since the last Guatemalan victory over the United States in the CONCACAF U-20 Championship. The Americans had won seven and drew the other meeting since 1964.
SOURCE: CONCACAF.COM