Mexico secured a spot in the semifinals of the Concacaf Nations League with a stunning 4-0 victory over Honduras on Tuesday, overturning a 2-0 deficit from the first leg.
The triumph sets up a semifinal clash against Canada, who advanced after defeating Suriname 3-0, bringing their aggregate score to 4-0. The match will take place in March at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles.
In the other semifinal, the United States, fresh off eliminating Jamaica, will face Panama, which knocked out Costa Rica.
Mexico faced a challenging first half against a resolute Honduras side, with Edson Alvarez missing a clear chance by shooting wide from a central position in the box. However, just before halftime, Raul Jimenez broke the deadlock, converting a low cross from Jesus Orozco to give Mexico hope.
The second half saw Mexico dominate, and they equalized on aggregate when Jimenez flicked on a corner, allowing Henry Martin to score. Jorge Sanchez initially missed a simple tap-in but quickly redeemed himself, chesting down a lofted pass from Alexis Vargas and firing it past goalkeeper Edrick Menjivar for the crucial third goal.
In stoppage time, Mexico sealed their victory when Kervin Arriaga fouled Martin, who converted the resulting penalty.
In Toronto, Canada also showcased their strength, with Jacob Shaffelburg netting twice in a commanding 3-0 win over Suriname. Leading 1-0 from the first leg, Canada took control early as Jonathan David scored in the 23rd minute following a scramble from a corner.
Shaffelburg then doubled the lead after capitalizing on a mistake from Suriname goalkeeper Etienne Vaessen, who charged out of his area but missed the ball, leaving Shaffelburg to slot it into an empty net. He capped off the win by scoring at the back post from a low cross by Cyle Larin.
With both Mexico and Canada advancing, the stage is set for an exciting semifinal showdown in March.
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