September 11, 2012
MOVING ON
Mexico clinches hexagonal berth with 1-0 WCQ win over Costa Rica

MEXICO CITY—Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez scored in the 60th minute to give Mexico a 1-0 win over Costa Rica Tuesday at Estadio Azteca and a berth in the final round of CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying.

El Tri holds an unassailable lead in Group B with 12 points from four games (4-0-0). Second-place El Salvador has five points with two games remaining, Costa Rica four and Guyana – Mexico’s next opponent in the qualifying tournament -- one.

While restricting the Ticos primarily to set-piece chances, Mexico built up attacking momentum from the opening whistle. Hector Moreno hit the post with a 41st-minute header. Seconds before the intermission, Andres Guardado tried to catch netminder Keylor Navas off his line with a blast from midfield, but Navas leaped to make the save. Navas also came up big after the intermission, deflecting a shot by Andres Guardado, but his luck ran out at the hour mark, when Hernandez used his head to redirect Jorge Torres Nilo’s left side cross into the net.