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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?

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