Mexico coach Osorio banned for insults
ZURICH — Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio has been effectively banned from the Gold Cup by FIFA for insulting match officials.
FIFA banned Osorio on Friday for six matches for his behavior during the Confederations Cup third-place game Sunday, when Mexico lost to Portugal 2-1.
Mexico will have to play up to six games to retain the Gold Cup in the U.S., starting Sunday against El Salvador in San Diego.
Osorio was incensed when his team was not awarded a penalty against Portugal.
He and his coaching staff confronted the referee and other officials to demand a video review of the incident, in which Portugal’s Pepe appeared to push Mexico’s Hector Moreno as the latter attempted a header at goal. Osorio was ordered to leave the touchline by the referee.
FIFA said Osorio “used insulting words towards the match officials while displaying an aggressive attitude towards them.”
Osorio previously attracted attention for shouting verbal obscenities at the New Zealand coaching staff during a Confederations Cup group stage game on June 21.
If Mexico plays fewer than six games at the Gold Cup, Osorio’s suspension will carry over to its next internationals.
Canada defeats French Guiana
Alphonso Davies scored twice in the second half, Scott Arfield and Dejan Jakovic added a goal each in the first half, and Canada defeated French Guiana 4-2 to open the Gold Cup at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.
Arfield and Jakovic gave Canada a 2-0 lead with their scores, and Davies found the net early in the second half to make it 3-0.
French Guiana, however, got goals from Roy Contout and Sloan Privat to pull within 3-2 and make things interesting before Davies sealed Canada’s victory with a goal in the 85th minute.
Urena, Costa Rica edge Honduras
Marco Urena scored in the 39th minute, and Costa Rica held on to shut out Honduras 1-0 in the teams’ Gold Cup opener at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.