Sports

Portugal beats Mexico to finish 3rd at Confed Cup

July 03, 2017
Portugal's players pose with their bronze medals after the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup third place football match against Mexico at the Spartak Stadium in Moscow Sunday. — AFP
Portugal's players pose with their bronze medals after the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup third place football match against Mexico at the Spartak Stadium in Moscow Sunday. — AFP



MOSCOW — Adrien Silva scored an extra-time penalty as Portugal recovered from a goal down to beat Mexico 2-1 in Sunday's third-place play-off at the Confederations Cup Moscow. Luis Neto bundled into his own net to hand Mexico a 54th-minute lead, but Pepe stabbed home a stoppage-time equalizer to force an extra 30 minutes at Spartak Stadium. Silva then struck his first international goal after a handball inside the box on 104 minutes, while both sides finished with 10 men as Nelson Semedo was dismissed for Portugal before Raul Jimenez saw red for Mexico. World champion Germany face Copa America holder Chile later in the final in Saint Petersburg. "It was a really tough battle but we played very good in attack, we managed to create plenty of chances and I think it's a deserved win for us," said center-back Pepe. "Of course we wanted to play in the final, to clash for the Confederations Cup. But after we failed to get that result, we needed to show our best in the third-place game. Luckily we did everything right." European champion Portugal was without captain Cristiano Ronaldo after the Real Madrid star was released from the squad to return home to meet his newborn twins. Portugal and Mexico drew 2-2 in the opening game of the group stage, when Hector Moreno salvaged a last-gasp point for the Gold Cup winner, but was left fighting for a consolation prize in the Russian capital. Portugal should have gone in front in the drizzling rain on 17 minutes when Andre Silva was upended by 38-year-old Rafael Marquez, with the video assistant referee stepping in to award the spotkick. But Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa flung himself superbly to his right to tip Andre Silva's low spot-kick round the post. Rui Patricio produced a sharp stop to deny Javier Hernandez, Mexico's all-time leading scorer, from close range on the half hour, but the Portugal keeper was beaten shortly after the break. Hernandez's cross from the byline floated beyond Carlos Vela and Patricio, with Zenit St Petersburg center-back Neto unwittingly turning the ball home. Portugal went in pursuit of an equalizer and Gelson Martins — replacing Ronaldo in attack — was denied by an excellent save from Ochoa with just over an hour played. But Ochoa was beaten in the first minute of injury time as Pepe lunged to get on the end of Ricardo Quaresma's curling right-wing cross to force extra time. Silva, on as a substitute, then grabbed the winner just before the end of the first period of extra time, burying a penalty after Miguel Layun handled in the box. Semedo was then sent off on 106 minutes after picking up a second yellow card, but Mexico's numerical advantage was swiftly wiped out when Jimenez received his marching orders. "Both teams played some intelligent football today but Portugal were just slightly better," Ochoa admitted. "We put them under pressure late in extra time but failed to level again, like we did in our first meeting here." — AFP


July 03, 2017
6 views
HIGHLIGHTS
Sports
day ago

Jorge Jesus returns to Saudi Arabia as Al Nassr head coach on one-year deal

Sports
2 days ago

Jannik Sinner beats Carlos Alcaraz to win his maiden Wimbledon title

Sports
2 days ago

Chelsea defeat PSG 3-0 to win first expanded Club World Cup