gold cup final

The game finished 1-1 after extra time after two goals in the closing minutes of regulation time, before Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa pulled off a vital save in the shootout and Carlos Vela converted the winning penalty.

It will be Mexico's sixth trip to the Gold Cup final, with its only loss coming two years ago at the hands of the Americans. The final is Sunday at the Meadowlands in New Jersey.

"We're very happy as a team. This was a struggle against a very good team, but now we are through to the final," Ochoa said.

Mexico blew several chances to put the game away in the second half and in the first period of extra time. But El Tri were faultless in the shootout, converting all their spotkicks while Ochoa pulled off his key block.

The decisive penalty came on Costa Rica's third shot. Froylan Ledezma, whose goal in the 93rd minute sent the game into extra time, put his shot on target but Ochoa dived to his left and knocked the ball away with his hands.

Sunday's final is sure to be highly charged, as all games between the United States and Mexico are. That the two have a World Cup qualifier Aug. 12 at Azteca -- where the Americans have never won -- only adds to the drama.

"We're not focusing on that right now, we're focusing on our next match," Ochoa said. "What's important is the match coming now, and we need to play well against them before we can start looking forward to (Aug. 12)."

At least Mexico will have its coach back. Javier Aguirre's three-game suspension for his altercation with Panama's Ricardo Phillips during group play ended with Thursday night's game.

Though Mexico had few of its regular starters -- like the United States in the first semifinal -- any victory these days is big. El Tri has had a succession of coaches, bad losses and a surprisingly slow start to World Cup qualifying. Mexico is fourth in the CONCACAF region right now, with only the top three teams getting automatic spots in South Africa next year.

"This win tonight in this tournament is going to energize us," Aguirre said through a translator.

Mexico had a chance to go ahead in the 56th minute when a penalty was awarded for handball against Costa Rica captain Freddy Fernandez. But Miguel Sabah's shot was low and easily stopped by Ticos goalkeeper Keilor Navas.

Mexico finally broke through in the 88th minute when Guillermo Franco scored from the edge of the 6-yard box. Navas swatted at the ball, but it bounced backward and over the goal line.

Mexico's celebrations were short-lived. Three minutes into stoppage time and seconds from the final whistle, Alvaro Saborio headed the ball forward and Ledezma beat Juan Carlos Valenzuela for it. Ochoa had no chance to stop the fierce shot from 10 yards, and the game went to extra time.