Mexico suffered more than expected to make it to the semi-finals of the Gold Cup as they beat Costa Rica 1-0 with a penalty kick in the final minute of extra time. While Walter Lopez signaled that play should be resumed from a goal kick, his assistant raised his flag and made Lopez change his mind to make it a penalty kick.
Costa Rica had mostly played to keep Mexico away from scoring and they were successful for 122 minutes. It was in the last minute of the game, in the last play, where things would change and give El Tri a very clear chance to win the game before it went to penalty kicks.
While Oribe Peralta should have been awarded a red card moments earlier, he was the one that fooled the assistant to make him think that the defender had touched him inside the box. Subsequently the penalty was called, Andres Guardado took the ball and shot it to the right side of the goalkeeper for the ball to go in.
WATCH: You be the judge, was it a penalty or not?
Esta fue la polémica jugada donde Oribe Peralta es derribado en el área para que se marcará el penal. https://t.co/EQ7YTXhNw5
— Copa Oro 2015 (@copaoro2015) July 20, 2015
Still after the game, the striker of Club America told Miguel Herrera that he felt some contact from the defender. The Mexican manager doesn't believe that Oribe intentionally tried to fool the referee as it is not something that characterizes the veteran player.
"In the locker
Herrera had been complaining all tournament long about a poor job by the
Social Media quickly reacted to the incident most deem as unfair
Robbed. Referee had a great 110 minutes, but he blew the Oribe tackle, missed the deflection on Esquivel's shot & invented a penalty. Awful.
— Zack Goldman (@ThatDamnYank) July 20, 2015
Been watching the replay and in the lowest of keys it was a penalty. Oribe did a great job at selling it though.
— eric (@FlaquitoSport) July 20, 2015
@mexicoworldcup maybe it wasn't a penalty but Mexico definitely played better and deserve the win
— chivo franco (@chivo_7torres) July 20, 2015
Mexico definitely deserved to win that game so no one really cares if it was a penalty or not.
— Hilda Rdz (@PaolaRdz21) July 20, 2015
The ref saw El Chapo in the stands so he had to give Mexico the penalty.
— Josh (@Joshx13_) July 20, 2015
It is important to mention that Paolo Wanchope, Costa Rica's manager, even shook Miguel Herrera's hand at the end of the game. Mexico will play Panama once again in the semi-final just like in 2013. Two years ago, Los
Wanchope is a class-act despite the circumstances
Costa Rica manager Paulo Wanchope on the referees' questionable last-minute penalty call, via a translator: "They're human."
— Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper) July 20, 2015