Defending champion Mexico found the scoring touch in the second half and advanced to the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals with a 2-0 victory over Saudi Arabia on Saturday night in Glendale, Arizona
Mexico will face Honduras in the semifinals Wednesday in Santa Clara, California Honduras ousted Panama after a 1-1 draw in regulation with a 5-4 edge in penalty kicks in a quarterfinal earlier Saturday in Glendale.
Alexis Vega got Mexico on the board in the 49th minute after his initial shot was stopped by Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi. Vega put in the rebound and the goal was confirmed following a VAR review that there was no offside violation.
Abdullah Madu of Saudi Arabia tried to reroute Mexico’s crossing pass in the 81st minute, but he instead put it past his goalie for an own goal and a 2-0 deficit.
Mexico controlled 60.3 percent of the possession time against Saudi Arabia and that was reflected in more shot attempts (18-1), shots on goal (5-0) and corner kicks (7-2).
Saudi Arabian goalkeeper Al-Aqidi made four saves, while Mexico’s Angel Malagon had none.
Mexico had advanced through the group stage with a 3-2 win over the Dominican Republic, a 2-0 shutout of Suriname and a scoreless draw with Costa Rica to win Group A with seven points.
Saudi Arabia defeated Haiti 1-0, lost to the United States 1-0 and tied Trinidad and Tobago 1-1 to finish second in Group D.
Gold Cup: Mexico into semifinals with shutout of Saudi Arabia
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Gold Cup: Mexico into semifinals with shutout of Saudi Arabia
Dubai Basketball edge Milan to secure EuroLeague victory
DUBAI: Dubai Basketball strengthened their home-court reputation with a 99-92 win over EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in Round 18 of the EuroLeague at Coca-Cola Arena on Tuesday, cheered on by more than 5,000 fans.
The hosts made a fast start and immediately imposed themselves at both ends of the floor. Canadian center Mfiondu Kabengele and Serbian big man Filip Petrusev controlled the paint early, creating close-range scoring opportunities and forcing Milan into defensive adjustments. With McKinley Wright IV and Dwayne Bacon adding pace and penetration, Dubai surged into a double-digit lead and dictated the tempo of the opening quarter.
Milan struggled to settle and spent much of the first period on the back foot, as Dubai’s advantage stretched to 15 points. Although the visitors steadied themselves as the quarter progressed, the early deficit proved costly.
Dubai head coach Jurica Golemac praised the impact of the home crowd after the game, saying: “Congratulations to the fans. We were missing them for sure in the last home game, and they helped us a lot. In the first quarter, we played one of our best quarters this season. The next game is at home in three days, so there is no time to rest too much. We need to prepare for that game first. We are not thinking three games ahead — we prepare for every game and try to win every game.”
Milan showed improved rhythm in the second quarter, but Dubai responded before the break. Bacon punished defensive lapses from beyond the arc, while Kabengele finished strongly inside to help the hosts take a seven-point lead into halftime.
The final period was defined by composure rather than flair. Milan threatened to draw level on several occasions, but missed free throws and execution errors halted their momentum. Bacon sealed the outcome from the free-throw line in the final two minutes, pushing Dubai back into a double-digit advantage and closing out the contest.
Bacon led all scorers with 25 points, while Wright recorded 19 points and nine assists. Kabengele added 17 points, and Petrusev contributed 13 points and seven rebounds. For Milan, Guduric topped the scoring with 11 points, alongside seven rebounds and seven assists.
Dubai Basketball now turn their attention to the ABA League, where they remain unbeaten. The team return to Coca-Cola Arena to face Slovenia’s KRKA in Round 12 of the competition.
