TOLUCA, MEXICO.- A stoppage-time winner from Uriel Antuna lifted Mexico past a resilient Bermuda with a 2-1 victory at the Estadio Nemesio Diez in Toluca that locked up a perfect group phase for El Tri and relegated Bermuda to League B.
The visitors struck first, with Dante Leverock rising in the box to head home Osagi Bascome’s corner kick in the 10th minute.
The reigning Concacaf Gold Cup champion recovered well from the shock, however, with Sebastian Cordova cutting onto his left foot and blasting in a shot from outside the box in the 27th minute to draw things even.
The rest of the contest was hard-fought by both teams, with Mexico coach Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino turning to veterans Raul Jimenez and Rodolfo Pizarro off the bench as they searched for the winner.
Jimenez ended up assisting Antuna on the winner, using his first touch to scoop a ball for Antuna that the LA Galaxy winger chested down and put past GK Dale Eve with his next touch.
The victory secures Mexico’s No. 1 seed at the summer’s Concacaf Nations League Final Four and closes out a perfect group stage for Martino’s men, while Bermuda will need to go through the qualification process to return to the Gold Cup.
