Auvray, Gotin score goals to lead Guadeloupe to 2-0 win over Nicaragua

Guadeloupe clinches berth in Gold Cup quarters

HOUSTON — Stephane Auvray and Ludovic Gotin scored one minute apart in the second half and Guadeloupe clinched a berth in the Gold Cup quarterfinals with a 2-0 win over Nicaragua on Thursday night.

Aurelien Capoue assisted on both goals for Guadeloupe, which advanced to the quarterfinals for the second time in as many appearances. The Caribbean nation reached the semifinals of the regional, 12-team tournament in 2007.

Guadeloupe scored both goals after forward Loic Loval left in the 49th minute with a right leg injury he suffered in the first half.

In the 58th minute, Capoue sent a left-footed cross toward the Nicaragua goal and Auvray drove it home with his right foot for a 1-0 lead.

A minute later, Capoue fired a low pass from almost the same spot to Gotin, who beat goalkeeper Denis Espinosa and celebrated the goal with a cartwheel.

Mexico faced Panama later Thursday night.

Nicaragua dropped to 0-2 in its first Gold Cup appearance and needed Panama to upset Mexico to stave off elimination. The Nicaraguan team, comprised mostly of players from the country’s top two club teams, qualified by beating Guatemala for fifth place in the Central American Nations Cup.

Nicaragua outshot Guadeloupe 11-9, but most of them came from long range and were well off-target. Guadeloupe goalkeeper Yohan Bus made three saves.

Guadeloupe generated the game’s first scoring chance in the 10th minute. Capoue sent a left-footed pass into the goal box and Loval deflected a header just wide of the net. Loval had a goal and an assist in Guadeloupe’s 2-1 win over Panama on Sunday.

Loval went down with his injury near midfield in the 25th minute. He was hurried off the field on a stretcher and Guadeloupe played short-handed for about a minute before Loval limped back onto the field and continued.

Loval fell again less than five minutes after halftime and hobbled to the locker room. Guadeloupe played one man down for about three minutes until Thomas Gamiette replaced Loval. Gamiette fired a shot from the top of the penalty area that sailed over the crossbar.

The game drew a sparse crowd, but thousands of Mexican fans had filled the bottom sections of Reliant Stadium by the end, eager for the nightcap to start.