Mexico forward Santiago Gimenez piled praise on team-mate Raul Jimenez after his brace helped them qualify for the Concacaf Nations League final on Thursday. (More Football News)
Jimenez scored in the first and 75th minutes as Mexico beat Canada 2-0 at SoFi Stadium to set up a final against Panama, who had earlier beaten the USA 1-0.
Jimenez was, understandably, the toast of his team-mates after the performance.
바카라We were a team today,바카라 said GimĂ©nez. 바카라We were a family, and we바카라re very happy to be in the final. I think this cup, we바카라re coming to win it.바카라
바카라For me, it바카라s an honour to play with RaĂșl. I think he바카라s a great striker. I need to learn a lot [from]Â him. We have a special connection because we바카라re strikers that are doing well in the club. Of course, we haven바카라t played in the club with two strikers, but it was nice. I바카라m really happy.바카라
Having conceded from a set piece almost immediately, Canada were further incensed after being denied a penalty following what looked like a foul from Edson Alvarez on Derek Cornelius in the penalty area on nine minutes.
Screens in SoFi Stadium had signalled that VAR was looking at the decision at the same time the referee signalled for the game to restart.
바카라What I think is inexcusable...is that it바카라s not at least looked at by the head referee, right?바카라 said Canada head coach Jesse Marsch. 바카라First it바카라s called a foul in the other direction which is strange, because we clearly get contact first. For me, this is the definition of a penalty.바카라
But despite defeat, Marsch was pleased with how well his team acquitted themselves against talented opposition.
바카라They really wanted to lift the trophy for the country. It was a knife in the heart to play well but then just short fall short. That disappointment is hard to shake.
바카라I thought that our guys really pushed the game. I thought we were organised. We were the aggressor. We were on top of many moments. I thought every guy gave a good performance, and it바카라s just one of those games where the bounces just don바카라t really go your way.바카라
Jimenez made the result comfortable for Mexico with 15 minutes to go, bending in a wonderful free kick from more than 30 yards out.
While Marsch was clearly disappointed to be on the losing side, he was able to see the bigger picture and seemed optimistic for the future.
"In so many ways it바카라s just another step where we바카라re continuing to show our quality, our organisation, our intelligence, and now it바카라s just a little bit of savvy, a little bit of intelligence that the best international teams have," he said.
