Gold Cup final [R]

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http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/story/2007/06/24/gold-cup-final.html

U.S. repeats as Gold Cup champions

Last Updated: Sunday, June 24, 2007 | 5:50 PM ET

CBC Sports

Landon Donovan scored his 34th career goal, tying Eric Wynalda atop his country's career list, and Benny Feilhaber connected on a gorgeous volley as the United States rallied for a 2-1 victory over Mexico in the final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup on Sunday at Chicago's Soldier Field.

The victory, which upped the Americans' record against Mexico to 9-2-1 since 2000, earned the U.S. a berth in the 2009 Confederations Cup in South America.

Mexico at least managed to snap a streak of eight straight shutouts when Jose Andres Guardado scored in the 44th minute for El Tri's first goal on U.S. soil in 797 minutes.

Mexico had a chance to tie it in the 89th minute when Adolfo Bautista came up with a loose ball in front of the goal. But goalkeeper Tim Howard reached up as he was falling, and punched the ball free to preserve the win.

It was the second consecutive Gold Cup title for the U.S., and fourth overall, tying it with Mexico for the most titles by any country since the championship of North and Central America and the Caribbean was established in 1991.

The Americans nearly failed to qualify for the final, picking up a controversial 2-1 win over Canada in Thursday's semifinals.

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The game ended in dispute after an offside call cost Canada an opportunity to send the match into overtime.

Trailing 2-1 in the dying seconds of the contest, forward Atiba Hutchinson broke in alone and slipped a shot behind American goalkeeper Kasey Keller in the fifth minute of extra time, only to be ruled offside by Mexican referee Benito Archundia.

However, replays showed the ball went off U.S. defender Oguchi Onyewu, and Hutchinson was even with the last American defender before he broke into the penalty area.

Several Canadian players approached officials at the conclusion of the match to complain about the call, but the decision was upheld.

Canada won the Gold Cup in 2000.