Qatar down Mexico to advance; USA thump Trinidad and Tobago | OneFootball

There were a handful of games to round out play in Groups A and B in the 2023 Gold Cup this evening. Here is what went down around the matches.

Mexico vs Qatar

Scorers: Shehata 28′

Mexico saw their unbeaten streak in the the Gold Cup come to an end, losing 1-0 to Qatar, seeing the Qataris scrape their way into the knockout rounds.

Having already booked their spot in the knockout rounds, Mexico played with nothing to lose.

While they dominated the ball and created a flurry of chances in the opening half-hour, it was Qatar who snatched the lead against the run of the play through Hazem Shehata sent a bullet header past Memo Ochoa.

Mexico continued to knock on the door after the break, with the best chance falling to Santi Giménez, but his point-blank effort at the back post was somehow kept out by Meshaal Barsham between the sticks for Qatar.

Qatar continued to stand up in the face of the waves of Mexican pressure, and Mexico continued to aid them by spurning high-quality chances.

USA vs Trinidad and Tobago

Scorers: Ferreira 15′, 39′, 45′, Cowell 66′, Busio 79′, Vasquez 95′

After a 6-0 thumping of St. Kitts and Nevis last time out, the United States looked to keep the momentum going and breeze past Trinidad and Tobago into the knockout rounds.

A questionable playing surface lead to a chaotic opening 15 minutes as the players grew accustomed to the bounce of the ball.

The Stars and Stripes capitalized on the scrappy nature of the game however, as Jesus Ferreira stabbed home his fourth goal in two games to put B.J. Callahan’s men into the lead.

The FC Dallas man continued his red-hot form in front of goal, pouncing on a scramble in the box to fire home the United States’ second on the night just before half-time.

History was made with the last kick of the half, as Ferreira secured his hat-trick from the penalty spot, becoming the first player in USMNT history to score three times in consecutive competitive matches.

It was much of the same after the restart, and the USA found their fourth past the hour mark through Cade Cowell, who broke in behind the Trinidad defence before rounding the keeper and slotting home.

Late goals from Gianluca Busio and Brandon Vazquez strike from the top of the box put the finishing touches on a second straight 6-0 victory for the United States, as they cruise into the quarter-finals.

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