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Mexico advance, Honduras fall in close Olympic quarterfinals

Mexico Olympics (Getty Images)

One CONCACAF nation is through to the Olympic semifinals and one is out after a pair of close and entertaining quarterfinal matches on Saturday.

Mexico booked their ticket to the next round and gave themselves a chance of claiming a medal in this summer's tournament with a 4-2 extra-time win over Senegal at Wembley Stadium. The match was an entertaining one that saw Senegal claw back from a two-goal deficit before El Tri reclaimed the lead for good when Giovani Dos Santos found the back of the net midway through the first half of overtime.

Honduras was not so fortunate in their quarterfinal game against Brazil, but they put forth a valiant effort that had the South Americans on their heels. New Seattle Sounders midfielder Mario Martinez put Los Catrachos ahead at St. James' Park with a splendid early goal before Brazil tied things up. Honduras again went ahead three minutes after halftime through Roger Espinoza, only to concede a penalty kick in the 50th minute. Brazil then went up for good courtesy of Damiao's second goal at the hour-mark.

In the other quarterfinals match, Japan grabbed a 3-0 victory over Egypt at Old Trafford. The Blue Samurai took a lead 14 minutes and never let go, scoring twice more in the final 12 minutes of a match that Egypt full national team head coach Bob Bradley was surely keeping tabs on.

South Korea and hosts Great Britain play in the final quarterfinals game at Millenium Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

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What do you think of Mexico's victory over Senegal? Impressed by Honduras' showing in the competition? Who do you see winning the whole tournament?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. the player was behind the ball, when it was deflected. The better question is why was the Senegal keeper not booked, when he clearly blocked the shot with his hands, while outside of the box.

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  2. Mexico’s best player yesterday was not Fabian or Gio. It was Corona. Senegal had at least 5 shots that would have been incredible goals. Senegal had 2 horrible back passes turned into goals by Mexico which says a lot about how bad their attack was yesterday. Senegal tired themselves out while Mexico spent the whole match playing bunker football. Mexico could have just spent the whole day playing possession football but I guess it doesn’t work as well when you have faster players that get to 50/50 balls with much ease.

    Honduras got jobbed by the ref. Espinoza’s ejection decision got the biggest boos I have ever heard on TV. It was nice to see the crowd recognize a players talent even when the ref horribly officiated and ruined the match. A bogus first and second yellow to Crisanto due to a flopping Neymar. Neymar left no doubt that he would be a perfect player for Barca’s diving team. A bogus penalty kick. Brazil showed a lack of skill yesterday. Really the worst game ever officiated.

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  3. Spain and Brazil were loaded with talented players , but that does not mean they were good “teams” and they are certainly not at the level of their senior team brothers. And both were certainly way overconfident. This Honduras team was a lot closer to their first string senior team than Spain and Brazil were to theirs. It’s called depth.

    Honduras’ best player was Espinoza, a Honduran who moved to Denver (that is in the US) when he was 12 and played high school soccer there and then college ball in Arizona and Ohio State. The Honduran version of Rossi. He and Andy Najar are Honduran but got all their serious development right here in the US.

    Before he and his team did so well against Spain and Brazil, bandwagon jumpers like you were blasting JK for capping , and giving a lot of time to MLS guys like Shea, Beckerman, Wondo and Zusi. MLS was crap then but now after Honduras’ success MLS players are somehow “legitimate”?

    “euro-geek”?

    What a crock. You need to learn reading comprehension skills before you take your SATs.

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  4. Oh yes it does, euro-geek. It is called competition. It benefits the MLS, USA, and Concacaf.

    The Brazilian U-23 team has some of the best players in the world at any level.

    Suddenly, it’s OK? You are a crock.

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  5. This is the Under-23 team. There is a big difference between them and the seniors.

    The good play of the Honduran MLS players does not have a direct relationship to the level of the US MLS players.

    As for Juergen not paying attention to MLS, that is BS. When he capped Beckerman and Wondo you hypocrites were blasting him for picking players who were only proven at a “lower level”. And he picked Shea for a very long run of games

    Now that Honduras has a good tournament run suddenly it’s okay to look at MLS players?

    What a crock.

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  6. I’m sure he will give due respect to MLS players in January and keep the ones who impress. We won’t see anyone new before then, though.

    I’d say Pontius, Beitashour, Morrow, Bruin, and Sean Johnson are locks for January camp.

    Other Possibilities include Kitchen, Nguyen, Cooper, Zusi, McInerney, Sheanon Williams, Loyd…

    Also, depending on how Shea finishes the season, he could be in there, too.

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  7. The fix was in. I have never seen such a one sided reffing. Congrats to Honduras for a great Olympics. Thumbs down to Brazil and the flopping.

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  8. At least he capitalizes and uses periods.

    I mean, really…you’re going to call out someone for bad English on a post about Mexico? Expect people with varying levels of English skills and don’t be a jerk about it.

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  9. Great Britain out, thank good their team suck and lack connection. No wonder Mexico beat them in preseason. Now i want Brazil vs Mexico or Korea vs Japan. But please teach neymar a lesson because his a Barbie. Reminds me of lebron james when he was a barbie

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  10. Senegal had Mexico and they let go off the gas, Mexico has not played 100 percent and they lack their Mexican pride in the olympics. Brazil is halfass, neymar is a 20 year old Barbie and needs to mature now before they break him in a game. Honduras is like Usa team, because of all the Mls connections. I want a Mexico Brazil final so Mexico can shut them off. Great Britain sucks because of leaving beckham behind and their playing is boring. Japan vs korea would be sweet

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  11. The best players From this Hondurus team will be in MLS in 2012. Crazy how MLS is spending their money correctly, getting talent. Look at Boniek Garcia from Houston, I’m a NYRB fan, but he is great. Next step MLS needs to dev. more HG players.However Jurgen, I say it again, I wan’t to see some more MLS players on this team.

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  12. Honduras actually deserved to win that. How are such clowns allowed to ref major tournaments like the Olympics and the World Cup? Incredible.

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  13. Go MLS!!! This is more proof that concacaf players are under-rated and brazilians over-rated. instead of paying 30+ mil for an unproven brazilian, these euro teams should try out a concacaf player.

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  14. This is for Jurgen, get some MLS players on this USMNT roster. Hondurus MLS players step up this tournament. Espinoza was great, Martinez will do great in seattle. I wan’t to see some more MLS players.

    Reply

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