The United States have won their seventh Gold Cup title after Miles Robinson's 118th-minute goal clinched a 1-0 extra-time victory over Mexico in Sunday's final in Paradise, Nevada.
Atlanta United defender Robinson came up with the decisive goal with a header from Kellyn Acosta's left-flank free-kick, denying Mexico their 12th continental crown.
The Gold Cup triumph backs up US's CONCACAF Nations League success in June, also beating El Tri in extra-time in that final 3-2.
Mexico had beaten USA in the 2019 Gold Cup final 1-0 in Chicago, with the two nations sharing the past 10 titles.
The victory is a major triumph for Gregg Berhalter's side as the US move on from missing out on qualification for the 2018 World Cup.
It was also US's fifth 1-0 victory throughout the Gold Cup, having beaten Qatar and Jamaica in the knockouts by the same scoreline.
Robinson was the hero with the winner but goalkeeper Matt Turner was exceptional, as both sides blew chances throughout.
Eryk Williamson had the first chance of the game, with a bouncing volley easily collected by Mexico goalkeeper Alfredo Talavera, while down the other end Hector Herrera had a header saved by Turner.
US should have taken the lead in the 26th minute when Sebastian Lletget stole the ball on the edge of the box and set up Paul Arriola but his low effort hit the post.
Turner was crucial in keeping it 0-0 with two key saves to deny Mexican forward Rogelio Funes Mori before Edson Alvarez shot marginally wide.
Orbelin Pineda snatched at a golden chance in the 50th minute, pushing his shot wide when unmarked inside the box, while Alvarez desperately blocked Matthew Hoppe's 71st-minute chance.
Arriola spurned another chance from a free-kick which fell kindly to him as Talavera smothered his effort on goal.
In extra-time, Talavera made a good low save to deny Gyasi Zardes in the 106th minute, before Robinson's header which settled the contest.
Philadelphia Union's winless run continued after stumbling to a 1-1 home draw with 10-man Chicago Fire in the MLS on Sunday.
Union, who are fifth in the Eastern Conference, went behind in the 10th minute when Przemyslaw Frankowski headed in Boris Sekulic's cross.
Chicago were reduced to 10 men when Wyatt Osmberg received a straight red card in the 34th minute, after VAR review, and Philadelphia capitalised from the ensuing free-kick.
German defender Kai Wagner scored the equalizer with a shot which went under the jumping Chicago wall.
Daniel Gazdag spurned a chance for Philadelphia with a header which went wide in the 52nd minute, while Union substitute Ilsinho fluffed a late volley.
Philadelphia have now won only one of their past seven games.
Nashville edged their way up to third in the Eastern Conference with a 1-1 draw at lowly Toronto.
Omar Gonzalez had headed Toronto ahead from a 19th-minute quick free-kick, but Robert Castellanos levelled before half-time from a long throw-in.
West Indies vice-captain Nicholas Pooran played a sizzling career-best knock while fast bowler Jason Holder took career-best bowling figures, but Pakistan's bowling attack did just enough to take them to victory in the second match on Saturday.
Pooran's explosive unbeaten 62 off 33 balls with six 6s and four 4s kept the West Indies in with a chance of overcoming the target, even to the final over when 20 runs were required to overhaul Pakistan's total of 157-8.
However, Shaheen Shah Afridi claimed the wicket of captain Kieron Pollard (13) and then denied the rampant Pooran the opportunity to swing freely and lustily at the next three deliveries to ensure the visitors came away with the win, with the hosts kept to 150-4 off 20 overs.
West Indies suffered a setback when opening batsman Evin Lewis retired hurt on 35 off 33 balls with two fours and two sixes mid-way through the innings.
Earlier in the match, it was Holder and Dwayne Bravo who combined to put the brakes on the Pakistan scoring rate. Holder returned the excellent figures of 4-26 while Bravo, the leading wicket-taker in all T20 cricket, claimed 2-24 as the tourists squandered a solid platform provided by Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.
Babar’s polished 51 off 58 balls with two sixes and four 4s was the top score of the innings. He put on 67 runs for the third wicket with Rizwan (46) after Sharjeel Khan and Rizwan had set the stage for a challenging target in putting on 56.
Pollard, who played the supporting role in a 70-run fourth-wicket partnership with Pooran to revive the West Indies chances, gave credit to the West Indies bowlers for limiting the visitors after he chose to put them in to bat.
“We were staring down the barrel of a 170-plus total and I was really happy with the way the bowlers battled back in the latter half of their innings,” Pollard said.
“We had to try and explode towards the end, but it just didn't work out.”
San Jose Earthquakes snapped a pair of skids in stunning fashion on Saturday with a 1-0 road defeat of Seattle Sounders.
The victory was San Jose's first since May 7, ending an 11-match winless streak, and their first win over Seattle since September 2015, halting a 14-game drought.
Cristian Espinoza's goal in first-half stoppage time, a left-footed strike from just outside the 18-yard box, made the difference for San Jose.
San Jose thought they had another in the 89th minute but Chris Wondolowski's goal was disallowed after a video review.
New England Revolution extended their lead atop the Eastern Conference with some late magic in a 3-2 win away to New York Red Bulls.
Brandon Bye netted in the 84th minute to equalise for New England and Adam Buksa's goal in stoppage time gave the Revs their fourth straight win, leaving them eight points clear of second-placed Orlando City.
Sporting Kansas City lost a chance to move past Seattle for the top spot in the Western Conference, suffering a 2-1 defeat to Dallas as Paxton Pomykal and Jesus Ferreira netted for the visitors.
Gonzalo Higuain's second-half brace sent Inter Miami past Montreal 2-1 to end a seven-game winless streak for head coach Phil Neville's side.
DC United held on to earn a point in a 0-0 draw with Cincinnati despite having Moses Nyeman sent off in the 52nd minute and Joseph Mora in the 90th to finish with nine men.
Real Salt Lake also managed a 0-0 draw with Houston even after Justen Glad's 87th-minute red card.
Andre Shinyashiki's 29th-minute goal gave Colorado a 1-0 road win over Austin.
Cristian Dajome drew and converted a penalty four minutes into second-half stoppage time to give Vancouver a 2-2 draw with Minnesota United. Dajome had opened the scoring in the 36th minute before Ethan Finlay equalised in the 45th and Robin Lod gave Minnesota the lead after 75 minutes.
Former Manchester United winger Nani scored a last-gasp winner to lift Orlando City past Atlanta United 3-2 in the MLS on Friday.
The Portuguese got on the end of Dutchman Silvester van der Water's 87th-minute cross for the winner which keeps Orlando in touch with Eastern Conference leaders New England.
Atlanta had taken a first-minute lead from Josef Martinez's perfectly placed long-range effort, but Kyle Smith equalised on the stroke of half-time from Nani's corner.
Marcelino Moreno restored United's lead in the 66th minute with a stunning curling strike from outside of the box.
Orlando put together a fine team goal to square the game up in the 79th minute as van der Water headed in Benji Michel's pass.
The Dutch substitute would then provide the pass for Nani's decisive goal, which was his seventh strike of the season.
New York City stayed close behind Orlando in the Eastern Conference with their third consecutive win, a 4-1 victory over Columbus Crew.
City piled on the style, racing to a 2-0 half-time lead after strikes from Valentin Castellanos's early header and Thiago's chip.
Keaton Parks added a third with a deft 51st-minute touch, meaning it was the first time all season Columbus had conceded three goals in a game.
Santiago Rodriguez bundled in from close-range albeit requiring a VAR review, before Pedro Santos' consolation penalty.
LA Galaxy, without Javier Hernandez, cruised past Portland Timbers 4-1 to solidify their grip on third in the west.
Malagasy midfielder Rayan Raveloson pulled off a spectacular overheard volley to open the scoring.
Hector Herrera scored a dramatic winner in the ninth minute of stoppage time to send Mexico into the Gold Cup decider against the United States after a tense 2-1 semi-final victory over Canada in Houston.
The Atletico Madrid midfielder fired in a low strike from the edge of the box after substitute Rodolfo Pizarro's cutback, clinching the win on Thursday.
Mexico defender Carlos Salcedo had seen his second-half penalty saved as Canada goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau came up with some big stops.
The reigning champions had taken the lead with an Orbelin Pineda penalty on the stroke of half-time, but Canada levelled from Tajon Buchanan with a low 57th-minute finish.
Mexico will now have a shot to claim a 12th Gold Cup title when they tackle six-time champions the United States in Sunday's decider. El Tri have won four of the past six Gold Cup titles and qualify for the final for the 14th time.
Two-time winners Canada were chasing their first appearance in a Gold Cup final since 2000 but miss out.
Canada forward Stephen Eustaquio fired over the bar early before Alistair Johnston desperately blocked off a Jesus Gallardo chance in the 27th minute.
Mexico won a penalty in first-half stoppage time following a VAR review on Doneil Henry's foul, with Pineda coolly sending Crepeau the wrong way.
New England Revolution forward Buchanan equalised 12 minutes into the second half, ghosting into the box and sliding a low shot past Mexico goalkeeper Alfredo Talavera.
Mexico then had a chance to reclaim the lead from the penalty spot after another VAR review, but Crepeau dived to his right to block Salcedo's effort.
Theo Corbeanu tested Talavera with a curling effort, before Crepeau made a point-blank save from a Mexico corner.
Mexico would find a way, with vice-captain Herrera's late winner.
Gyasi Zardes netted an 86th-minute winner to send the United States into their 13th Gold Cup final after a 1-0 semi-final triumph over Qatar in Austin on Thursday.
It could have been an entirely different story but Hassan Al Heidos missed a 61st-minute penalty for the Asian champions.
US head coach Gregg Berhalter brought on Zardes along with Nicolas Gioacchini in the second half to devastating effect, with the pair combining for the winner.
Gioacchini burst into the box and beat a man, before a side-foot pass which found Zardes to hammer home from close range.
US will play either Mexico or Canada in Sunday's final, as they chase their seventh Gold Cup title.
Qatar's Hashim Ali lashed a seventh-minute chance wide, before the US were denied by goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham's double save from Schalke talent Matthew Hoppe's effort and Paul Arriola's rebound.
US keeper Matt Turner produced a stunning finger-tip save to thwart Abdulaziz Hatem's 21st-minute volley.
Barsham was alert again in the 52nd minute, getting out quickly to deny Daryl Dike's low shot.
Qatar won a penalty on the hour mark after a VAR review on James Sands' tackle but Al Heidos skied his effort over the bar.
Berhalter brought on Zardes for Dike in the 63rd minute, along with Gioacchini for Hoppe in the 81st minute, reinvigorating the US attack and the pair made the decisive contribution late.
Rain forced an early end to West Indies’ first Twenty20 against Pakistan with no result on Wednesday despite the game being reduced to nine overs per side.
West Indies had reached 85-5 off their nine overs before umpires abandoned the game with rain persistently falling at the Kensington Oval.
West Indies, loaded with power-hitters, couldn’t get the tempo after the game was shortened as Pakistan won the toss and elected to field first.
Lendl Simmons (9) had to retire hurt in only the second over of the innings after being hit on the left side of the neck by debutant fast bowler Mohammad Wasim’s short-pitched delivery.
Fast bowler Hasan Ali (2-11) had Evin Lewis caught at mid-on off his first delivery and Nicholas Pooran (13) smashed Mohammad Hafeez for two sixes before ballooning an easy catch to point off the off-spinner.
The two experienced power-hitters -- Andre Russell and Chris Gayle -- also couldn’t make an impact against the variations of Pakistan spin and pace.
Russell smashed leg-spinner, Usman Qadir, for a six over extra cover in the sixth over before getting a thick edge to wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan in the same over.
Wasim had a memorable debut to his T20 international when Gayle holed out in the deep for a run-a-ball seven before captain Kieron Pollard lifted the total in the last over.
Top scorer Pollard (22 not out) hit Shaheen Afridi for a boundary and then ended the innings with a six over mid-wicket before rain ruined the series opener.
The remaining three matches will be played at Providence before a two-test series at Kingston beginning from Aug. 12.
A stoppage-time goal from Hassani Dotson gave Minnesota United a 2-2 draw at Los Angeles FC in MLS action Wednesday.
Dotson's right-footed strike from the top of the 18 in the fifth minute of added time stunned LAFC and drew Minnesota within a point of Bob Bradley's side in the Western Conference table.
After losing their first four games of the season, Minnesota are unbeaten in 10 of their last 11.
Carlos Vela opened the scoring for LAFC in the 40th minute with his team-high fifth goal of the season, but Emanuel Reynoso equalised for Minnesota four minutes into the second half.
It appeared Tristan Blackmon's 77th-minute header would be enough to take the three points for the home side, but Dotson had other ideas.
His drive past goalkeeper Tomas Romero left LAFC disappointed after they had dominated possession and controlled the flow of play throughout.
Waterhouse and Tivoli Gardens played to a draw in the final fixture of matchday 5 of the Jamaica Premier League (JPL).
Playing at the Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence in St. Andrew, both teams could only manage one goal each to split the points.
Both goals came in the second half. Waterhouse struck first with a strike from Andre Fletcher in the 63rd minute. Fletcher received the ball at the top of the 18 yard box and turned past the defender to go on and finish off the move in comfortable fashion after tucking the ball into the bottom left-hand corner.
However, it took just only a minute for Tivoli to find the equaliser. Devroy Grey scored a header after a cross from substitute Anthony Nelson in the 64th minute.
Waterhouse dominated the majority of the possession during the game and finished with 15 shots, 4 of which were on target, while Tivoli attempted 7 shots, with only 2 being on target.
Tivoli defender Odeon Pennycooke was named man of the match.
Even so, he believes he could have done more to prevent the goal.
“He caught me flat-footed. I believe if I was on my toes I would have been able to stop the goal,” Pennycooke said when asked about Grey getting by him so easy to score.
The draw means that Waterhouse remains in 6th place with 7 points, while Tivoli are 8th with 6. Round 6 starts on Saturday with Waterhouse taking the field again to face Humble Lion F.C. and leaders Portmore United battling Harbour View.
Australia's bowlers starred as the tourists cruised to a six-wicket victory to seal a 2-1 ODI series win over the West Indies in Barbados on Monday.
The West Indies, who were looking for their first bilateral men’s ODI series win against Australia since 1995, were skittled for 152 with pace pair Mitchell Starc (43-3) and Josh Hazlewood (18-2) dominating again.
Opening batsman Evin Lewis offered the only resistance with 55* from 66 balls, having recovered from an early edge to the helmet, with no other West Indian scoring higher than 18.
Starc claimed the key wicket of West Indies skipper Kieron Pollard for 11 caught by Ashton Turner, as the hosts slumped to 75-6 when Adam Zampa bowled Jason Holder for 5.
Player of the Match Ashton Agar (31-2) was crucial with the early wickets of Shai Hope and Darren Bravo, before playing a steadying role with the bat.
Agar (19*) combined with Matthew Wade (51* from 52 balls), after Australia had been mildly concerned at 99-4 following Alex Carey's dismissal for 35, to finish the job with 117 balls to spare.
Wade delivered some lusty blows including a six which landed on top of the Greenridge-Haynes Stand, finishing with five fours and two sixes.
POLLARD RUES "ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS" CONDITIONS
Pollard lamented the West Indies' batting performance again, having scored only 123 in the first ODI of the series at the same venue, but slammed the "absolutely ridiculous" pitch in Bridgetown.
The West Indies struggled throughout with the bat, with a run rate of 3.36, managing only nine fours and six sixes, compared to Australia's run rate of 5.01 in pursuit.
Runs were in no short supply for Pollard's side in the 4-1 T20I series win in Saint Lucia which preceded the ODIs.
"Coming from the T20 series, the difference in the strokeplay was evident," Pollard said. "Coming here to Barbados, I think both teams struggled on the pitch and I think that's unacceptable for international cricket.
"We're not going to make excuses. We accept that we batted badly but I don't think the scores that we have gotten in this three-match series, with two top international teams, I think that's very embarrassing. Coming from St Lucia to this, I think it's absolutely ridiculous."
"GROUP EFFORT" FROM AUSSIES
Starc finished the three-game ODI series with the most wickets, claiming 11 dismissals, including a five-wicket haul in the opener and was rewarded with the Player of the Series award.
Stand-in skipper Carey finished with the most runs in the series with 112, while Agar's Player of the Match gong was the first of his ODI career.
Carey said: "Fantastic group effort. I thought the bowlers did a great job, I thought there were some good innings throughout the series.
"It was a little bit ugly tonight but you've got to get a total like that a bit ugly when the wicket is doing a fair bit."
Australia had lost seven of their last 10 men’s ODIs played away from home, but showed their quality in 50-over cricket with the series victory.
A Kesslon Hall header gave Mount Pleasant FA a hard-fought 1-0 win over Arnett Gardens in the second game of the Jamaica Premier League doubleheader at the UWI-JFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence on Sunday.
Multiple Jamaican and Caribbean squash champion Chris Binnie has extended his sponsorship agreement with JN Fund Managers. The agreement was officially signed recently at JN Fund Managers, on Belmont Road in Kingston.
Sporting KC handed Seattle Sounders their first home defeat in nine matches this season, scoring twice in the first half and holding on for a 3-1 victory Sunday at Lumen Field.
The victory brought the visitors within two points of the first-placed Sounders in the MLS Western Conference table, with one fewer match played.
KC captain Johnny Russell set the tone in the 31st minute with a beautiful free kick from just outside the area to give the visitors the lead, and Daniel Salloi doubled the advantage before half-time.
After Fredy Montero answered for Sounders in the 51st minute, Cameron Duke sneaked behind the defence in the 72nd minute to seal the win.
KC are unbeaten in their last five matches and have only one loss in their last 10.
A brace from Gustavo Bou helped New England Revolution expand their lead atop the Eastern Conference with a 2-1 win over Montreal.
Kacper Przybylko found the net for the third straight game, putting home a rebound in the 85th minute to salvage a 1-1 draw for Philadelphia against Inter Miami as Phil Neville's side remain bottom of the table.
New York City FC matched their season-high in goals, scoring four times after the break in a 5-0 demolition of Orlando City.
Ola Kamara's 27th-minute goal gave DC United a 1-0 victory over New York Red Bulls.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
