HOUSTON: Mexico got their CONCACAF Gold Cup campaign off to the perfect start on Sunday with a 4-0 win over Honduras as they look to move past a poor Nations League performance that saw coach Diego Cocca sacked after just four months in charge, while a stoppage time winner from Frantzdy Pierrot gave Haiti a 2-1 victory over Qatar.

A revamped Mexican team, led by interim coach Jaime Lozano, scored less than a minute into the game through midfielder Luis Romo, who then headed home from a corner in the 22nd minute to make it 2-0.

Orbelin Pineda scored six minutes after the break to put the game out of reach before midfielder Luis Chavez took the ball from defender Devron Garcia to score Mexico’s fourth goal in the 64th minute.

“We did a very good job, all the players are interested in what the coach [Lozano] proposes, we have to be confident, this is the first step of a long path,” Pineda said.

The change in the Mexican team’s mindset left both fans and players satisfied, with Lozano saying there is plenty of room for improvement. “I am very happy for the faith in me from the players, the people and the directors. This is a new beginning,” he added.

The win leaves Mexico top of Group ‘B’. They face second-placed Haiti on Thursday while Honduras take on Qatar.

Qatar, featuring as a guest team in the tournament for the second time, took the lead in the 20th minute through Yusuf Abdurisag.

Haiti keeper Alexandre Pierre dropped a high cross and in the resulting scramble Mostafa Meshaal slipped the ball back to Abdurisag who curled the ball into the far corner.

The Caribbean nation, whose team operate at just a fraction of the budget of the 2022 World Cup hosts, drew level on the stroke of half-time from the penalty spot. Pierrot’s shot hit the outstretched arm of defender Tarek Salman and Duckens Nazon made no mistake with the penalty kick.

Derrick Etienne hit the post for Haiti, who pushed forward in search of a late winner and they were rewarded late in stoppage time when Carnejy Antoine broke down the left and squared for Pierrot who slotted in the winner.

Jamaica held the United States to a 1-1 draw in the tournament opener on Saturday and then Trinidad and Tobago defeated St Kitts and Nevis 3-0 in the other Group ‘A’ game on Sunday in Fort Lauderdale.

Heavy rain in South Florida delayed the start of the all-Caribbean clash at Inter Miami’s DRV PNK stadium and when Trinidad and St Kitts took to the field, there were still heavy patches of water.

Alvin Jones opened the scoring two minutes before the break with a well-taken effort, chesting down a lofted ball from Neveal Hackshaw and firing home.

Ajani Fortune doubled the lead with a solo effort in the 65th minute, jinking past two defenders before firing into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

An own goal from Jameel Ible, who turned in a low Levi Garcia cross, completed a comfortable win for Trinidad.

Published in Dawn, June 27th, 2023