Mexico Vs. Honduras, 2011 Gold Cup (Copa Oro) Semifinals: El Tri Win 2-0, Advance To Final

Video: Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez Cheats! Or Does He?

Mexico Vs. Honduras, 2011 Gold Cup (Copa Oro) Semifinals: Final Score, El Tri Advance To Final

Mexico made things hard on themselves, but the team that is widely believed to be the most talented in the tournament finally found their goals in their 2011 Gold Cup (Copa Oro) semifinal matchup against Honduras, winning by a final score of 2-0. Los Catrachos implemented an extremely physical gameplan and ended up picking some yellow cards along the way, but Mexico were able to find goals in extra time after a tough opening 90 minutes ended 0-0. Aldo de Nigris and 'Chicharito' Javier Hernandez were the goal scorers.

Someone finally got so physical that they were shown red, as Roger Espinoza was sent packing in the second period of stoppage time, but he was one of the lightest offenders of physical play and rule bending in this encounter. Mexican players Carlos Salcido and Andres Guardado were forced out of the match, looking a bit hobbled, as they were absolutely beaten up by Honduras. There's no word on whether or not they're actually injured, but Honduras did enough to hurt them.

Mexico won't be terribly pleased by their performance tonight, but a win is a win and they've done enough to earn a trip to California and the right to face the United States in the Gold Cup final, thanks to Aldo de Nigris's header off of a corner kick in the third minute of extra time. In a match between two slow starters who gut out wins, something will have to give in the final between El Tri in the United States.

For more on Mexican football and the Mexico vs. Honduras match, check out SB Nation's Mexican football blog FMF State Of Mind.

Mexico Vs. Honduras, 2011 Gold Cup (Copa Oro) Semifinals: 'Chicharito' Javier Hernandez Goal Puts Game To Rest

Well, that'll do it. So much for the drama. Mexico have come out guns blazing in extra time and put Honduras to the sword, and there appears to be no way back for Los Catrachos. This time, the goal scorer was none other than 'Chicharito' Javier Hernandez, this competition's leading scorer. He now has 21 goals in a Mexico shirt, which is absolutely incredible considering the fact that he just became a regular member of the team in the warm-up friendlies prior to the 2010 World Cup.

Aldo de Nigris, the man who scored the first goal of extra time, set him up with a great flicked header to the back post, where Chicharito was standing. He scored his goal in classic Chicharito fashion, somehow nudging the ball into the back of the net with a part of the human body not normally used to score goals, and Mexico are now very much in control in Houston.

For more on Mexican football and the Mexico vs. Honduras match, check out SB Nation's Mexican football blog FMF State Of Mind.

Mexico Vs. Honduras, 2011 Gold Cup (Copa Oro) Semifinals: Aldo De Nigris Goal Gives El Tri Extra Time Lead

It took him a good 45 minutes longer than his other goals have taken him, but super sub Aldo de Nigris has finally bagged a goal off the bench for Mexico, giving them a 1-0 lead over Honduras in extra time of their Gold Cup semifinal. De Nigris has scored important goals in this tournament, but this one - his fourth - is the most important of all. The Monterrey center forward has been in great form for the Rayados and El Tri over the last year, and he might have to wait a while to score a bigger goal than that.

Though, despite the magnitude of the goal, it wasn't a pretty one. De Nigris was relatively unmarked on the corner kick that lead to the goal, while Noal Valladares' effort to stop the shot was...minimal. His cement shoes thwarted him this time, and now Honduras have a serious uphill climb to get back into this game.

For more on Mexican football and the Mexico vs. Honduras match, check out SB Nation's Mexican football blog FMF State Of Mind.

Mexico Vs. Honduras, 2011 Gold Cup (Copa Oro) Semifinals: Teams Headed To Extra Time

Despite some fantastic scoring opportunities at the end of the game, Mexico and Honduras are still scoreless after 90 minutes of their 2011 Gold Cup (Copa Oro) semifinal,  and as a result they are headed to extra time. Honduras have been extremely physical and have contained Mexico as a result, while 'Chepo' Jose Manuel de la Torre's substitutions have proven largely ineffective.

Aldo de Nigris has been an instant goal machine for Mexico off the bench in this tournament, but after coming into the game in the second half, he has failed to produce. Andres Guardado and Carlos Salcido appear to have fallen victim to the physical play of Honduras, and since they have been removed from the game Mexico have had little attack down their left flank.

Both teams had big opportunities to win the game in the final minutes, but both failed. In the 88th minute, 'Chicharito' Javier Hernandez played Giovani dos Santos one on one with Noel Valladares, but Gio missed his shot, hitting it just wide of the far post. A minute later, Roger Espinoza, who has been surprisingly fantastic for Honduras tonight, hit a powerful shot that was just barely saved by Alfredo Talavera.

With nothing settled after 90 minutes, the teams will have to play another 30. If the game is still tied after two 15 minute extra time periods, the game will go to penalty kicks.

For more on Mexican football and the Mexico vs. Honduras match, check out SB Nation's Mexican football blog FMF State Of Mind.

Mexico Vs. Honduras, 2011 Gold Cup (Copa Oro) Semifinals: Halftime, El Tri Struggling To Overcome Physical Catrachos

The first half of the Gold Cup (Copa Oro) semifinal matchup between Mexico and Honduras has been a nasty, physical encounter. If you're a follower of these two teams, you should probably have an idea of exactly who's imposing their will on this match just based on this sentence. Los Catrachos came into this match with the intention of beating up and frustrating El Tri, and to this point, they're succeeding. At the end of the first half, the score is knotted up at 0-0.

Honduras have picked up a some yellow cards as a result of their physical play, with Javier Portillo and Victor Bernardez the worst offenders. Both were carded in the quarterfinals, and as a result, will miss the final if Honduras advances. Andres Guardado is getting absolutely beat up by Honduras, but he still looks like the most effective attacking player on the pitch. Giovani dos Santos, who has had a great tournament, is struggling to find the ball.

Aldo de Nigris has been Mexico's super sub in this tournament, and this game should be no different. Expect de Nigris to enter the game in the second half, and expect him to be involved in a goal.

For more on Mexican football and the Mexico vs. Honduras match, check out SB Nation's Mexican football blog FMF State Of Mind.

Mexico Vs. Honduras, 2011 Gold Cup (Copa Oro) Semifinals: Lineups

Mexico have made no changes going into their 2011 Gold Cup semifinal match against Honduras, sticking with the same starting XI that has gotten them to this point. 'Chicharito' Javier Hernandez starts up top with Giovani dos Santos behind him, while Andres Guardado and Pablo Barrera fill out the front four in a 4-2-3-1. Honduras still have some doubts over the fitness of their star players, and as a result both Carlo Costly and Wilson Palacios start this match on the bench when many thought they would return to the starting lineup.

Mexico lineup: Talavera; Salcido, Moreno, Marquez, Juarez; Castro, Torrado; Guardado, dos Santos, Barrera; Hernandez

Honduras lineup: Valladares; O. Garcia, Chavez, Bernardez, Sabillon, J. Garcia, Espinoza, Portillo, Thomas, Mejia, Bengston

Expect to see both Palacios and Costly make appearances off the bench for Honduras. If you live in the United States, you can see this game on Univision starting at 10 pm ET.

For more on Mexican football and the Mexico vs. Honduras match, check out SB Nation's Mexican football blog FMF State Of Mind.

Mexico Vs. Honduras, 2011 Gold Cup (Copa Oro) Semifinals: El Tri Need To Be Wary Of Counter-Attack

This Gold Cup has made a couple things about Mexico very clear. The first is that they are the best team in CONCACAF. Win the title or not, Mexico are the region's top team and anyone who objectively watches all of the teams in CONCACAF play from match to match with agree. The other is that El Tri are hardly infallible. In fact, they have one big weakness and that is how susceptible they are to the counter-attack at times.

Mexico were so dominant in the group stage that it is tough to imagine the words Mexico and weakness in the same sentence together, but as good as El Tri may be right now, they are not perfect. This is not Spain we are talking about here. This is Mexico and their success with an incredible array of great young talent means that they aren't always the most disciplined at times and can lose shape.

When Mexico does look shape, it usually is evident when teams try to counter-attack against them. Seeing Andres Guardad fly down the left is an amazing site. He's fit and in form, making him incredibly dangerous, but it also requires that someone stay home behind to to cover defensively. Carlos Salcido, for as dazzling as he can be, is in no way a "stay at home" left back. He likes to get forward as well so there is often open space behind them when Mexico attack down the left.

The same is true on the right, although not quite to the same degree. Some teams can get away with such reckless abandon in the attack because they have a central midfielder with incredible range. The United States has this, as do other teams, but Mexico doesn't. Gerardo Torrado is the engine for the Mexico team, but he's not that type of player. Israel Castro is more of that type of player, but he can't cover everywhere.

As a result, Mexico are susceptible to the counter-attack. Get out on the counter against Mexico and you have a chance to do damage. Besides their fullback's tendency to bomb forward and the lack of a defensive midfielder with incredible range, El Tri also don't have the greatest of centerbacks that can snuff out the danger on the counter without a problem.

Once upon a time, Rafa Marquez could do it, but he's aging and he hasn't been healthy all tournament. Hector Moreno was having himself a sensational tournament until his mishap against Guatemala that let Carlos Ruiz score, but he's not an all-world defender.

Point is, get out on the counter and you have your chance against Mexico. They'll give you the opportunities and opponents need to take advantage. Tonight, it is Honduras that will need to take advantage, although getting out on the counter and playing in space isn't their strong suit, they'll have to do it.

Susceptible to the counter-attack or not, Mexico remains the tournament favorites. They still have all the tools to win the tournament and should win the tournament, but there is a chink that could do them in if someone exploits it. Let them fly forward, then hit back quickly. Of course, that's much easier said than done.

For more on Mexican football and the Mexico vs. Honduras match, check out SB Nation's Mexican football blog FMF State Of Mind.

Mexico Vs. Honduras, 2011 Gold Cup (Copa Oro) Semifinals: El Tri Should Take Honduras Seriously - FMF State Of Mind

Sometimes it seems as though the Gold Cup is just a prelude to the inevitable Mexico vs. United States final, but there's some interesting football to be had outside of the big two names in CONCACAF. There's also some drama as well, and the semifinal between Honduras and Mexico is a match which could well see one of the traditional powers upset.

Honduras, despite their slog through the group stages, are a pretty good team, and what's more, they've shown the ability to beat El Tri on a fairly regular basis, something that will worry Mexico. Eben Lehman, writing for SB Nation's Mexican futbol blog FMF State of Mind, has pointed out that this really isn't a team that the favourites should take lightly.

Honduras may not be El Tri's top rival, but the two teams have developed an increasingly intense relationship over the years. Much of this is due to the recent success of Honduras on the field. In the third round of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, Honduras defeated Mexico 1-0. That result was later followed up with another win over Mexico in the final round hexagonal -- a decisive 3-1 victory in April of 2009. While Mexico would get a bit of revenge in the return match at Estadio Azteca six months later, the point had already been made -- Honduras were no longer a team to be taken lightly.

With Mexico starting slowly in virtually every game they've played so far in this tournament, there's a real chance that Honduras could mimic Guatemala, grab the first goal, and put significant pressure on El Tri. Of course, we know what happened to Guatemala, but that game ended up being much closer than it had any right to be. For the sake of spectacle, it would be interesting of Mexico continued to scuffle in the first half of this match.

Mexico Vs. Honduras, 2011 Gold Cup (Copa Oro) Semifinals: El Tri Look To Avoid Slow Start

Up until the quarterfinals, Mexico had gone about their business in this Gold Cup without too much incident. Sure, they started a bit slowly against El Salvador and Cuba, but there didn't appear to be anything to worry about. After El Tri beat the living snot out of Costa Rica to the tune of four goals in the first half, everyone thought Mexico's slow starts were a thing of the past. Then the Guatemala game happened.

In the opening minutes of the match, Hector Moreno completely whiffed on a long ball sent up towards Carlos Ruiz, leaving the striker wide open in the box. He chipped the ball over Alfredo Talavera, who came at him too aggressively, and Guatemala took a 1-0 lead.

Eventually Mexico stormed back in the second half as supersub Aldo de Nigris scored an equalizer, then 'Chicharito' Javier Hernandez netted the winner with a cheeky flick, but the emotion that most Mexican fans felt after the game was relief, not elation. Their tendency to get off to slow starts came back, and this time they escaped by the narrowest of margins.

If they play poorly in the first half against Honduras, Los Catrachos are likely to be less forgiving. Yes, Mexico is much more talented than Honduras, especially this current Honduras A-/B+ team, but Honduras are also much more talented than Guatemala, who are heavily reliant on a couple of players. They are deeper and more tactically astute, and if Mexico doesn't take them seriously or commits egregious errors, they will probably be made to pay.

Honduras will be missing a number of key players for this game, but they will get a couple of big boosts. First, the bad news. They are obviously without Maynor Figueroa and David Suazo, who were never named to the final squad in the first place, but they will also be without Emilio Izaguirre and Edder Delgado. The good news is that Carlo Costly and Wilson Palacios both played against Costa Rica and both will likely make appearances against Mexico.

For El Tri, nothing will change except for the presence of some new backup players. After five players were sent home for doping, Mexico has been able to call in five replacements. Hector Reynoso, Hiram Mier, and Paul Aguilar have all joined up with the team in Houston, while both Luis Michel and Marco Fabian are on call in case anyone sustains an injury in the semifinal.

Mexico are favorites and against a weakened Honduras squad, they shouldn't be too bothered. Their match against Costa Rica shows that they have the ability to tear apart any team in CONCACAF, but their match against Guatemala also shows that they can be challenged when they aren't focused. So, the outcome of this game likely depends on which Mexico team shows up to start the game. If it's the unfocused Mexico, this came could get very interesting. If it's the Mexico that showed up against Costa Rica, goodnight Catrachos.

For more on Mexican football and the Mexico vs. Honduras match, check out SB Nation's Mexican football blog FMF State Of Mind.