Extra-time goal gives Mexico tie with Portugal
Title contenders Portugal and Mexico fought out an entertaining 2-2 draw in the Confederations Cup on Sunday in Kazan, Russia, with each team scoring in the last five minutes.
Portugal looked set for a late win when Cedric Soares scored with a deflected shot in the 86th minute, but Hector Moreno equalized for Mexico with a header in stoppage time.
Cristiano Ronaldo, coming off a tumultuous week off the field, had set up Ricardo Quaresma’s opening goal for Portugal, and Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez hit Mexico’s equalizer just before halftime.
The result left European champion Portugal and CONCACAF Gold Cup winner Mexico trailing host Russia in Group A. Russia opened the tournament with a 2-0 win over New Zealand on Saturday.
“In the end, it was a well-deserved result after how we played today,” Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio said. “We faced the European champions, a team that plays at a very high level, and we played equal to them. It was a great result for Mexican football.”
Soares’ goal had to be confirmed by video review but it eventually stood. Portugal had a first-half goal by Nani disallowed after a video review, when the game was still scoreless.
Mexico controlled possession and spent more time in Portugal’s area, but the Euro 2016 champions were a constant threat on the counterattack in front of 34,372 fans at the Kazan Arena. Chile 2, Cameroon 0: Arturo Vidal brushed off a hotly disputed video review to give Chile a win over Cameroon in the Confederations Cup in Moscow. Vidal’s 81stminute header after a pass from substitute Alexis Sanchez gave the South American champion a Group B win which was anything but routine, before another goal was decided by video review.
The Chileans had thought they’d taken the lead in first-half stoppage time when Eduardo Vargas slotted the ball past Fabrice Ondoa after a pass from Vidal. Referee Damir Skomina awarded the goal and Chile’s players started an elaborate goal celebration, but the decision was then sent for video review — the key piece of new technology being debuted by FIFA at the Confederations Cup.
The review found Vargas offside by a matter of inches, enraging him and Vidal. After Vidal put Chile ahead in the 80th, Vargas scored Chile’s second — but only after another review. MLS: Bradley WrightPhillips scored two late goals and the New York Red Bulls beat the host Philadelphia Union 2-0. His first, in the 87th minute, was New York’s first road goal since April 1, snapping a drought of more than 520 minutes.