CONCACAF Gold Cup wrap: USA to face Mexico in finale

The United States and Mexico will meet in a third-straight CONCACAF Gold Cup final after both won through their semi-finals on Wednesday.

Defending champions Mexico were forced into extra time before overcoming Honduras 2-0 at the Reliant Stadium in Houston.

Mexico missed several chances over the first 90 minutes, but two defensive errors saw them strike twice moments into extra time.

Striker Aldo de Nigris, a second-half substitute, rose unmarked to head in a corner from Celtic winger Efrain Juarez on 93 minutes.

Manchester United forward Javier Hernandez wrapped it up six minutes later as more poor defending allowed him in for his seventh goal of the tournament.

De Nigris was again the target from the corner, heading on before Hernandez, left unmarked at the back post, diverted in with his thigh from close range.

Any chance of a remarkable Honduras comeback was dashed in the second half of extra time when Roger Espinoza picked up his second booking five minutes from time for a crude challenge.

Earlier, the US struggled to a 1-0 win over Panama thanks to Clint Dempsey’s 76th-minute strike.

It was an uninspiring performance from the US but enough to beat a side that upset them 2-1 in the group stages.

Coach Bob Bradley’s two substitutes, Landon Donovan and Freddy Adu, featured heavily to set up Dempsey.

Adu, who came on after 66 minutes, played half-time substitute Donovan down the right and he squared for Dempsey to slide home his third goal of the tournament.

They will be out to avenge for a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Mexico in the final of the 2009 tournament when the two meet again in Pasadena on Saturday.