Romo scores twice, Mexico crushes Honduras in Gold Cup opener

HOUSTON (AP) — Mexico won its first game under interim coach Jaime Lozano, opening the CONCACAF Gold Cup with a 4-0 victory over Honduras on Sunday night.

Luis Romo beat goalkeeper Luis López with an 18-yard left foot shot about 50 seconds in, Mexico’s fastest Gold Cup goal. He doubled the lead in the 23rd minute with his third international goal, a close-range header after Jesús Gallardo nodded a corner kick in front of the net.

Orbelín Pineda scored in the 52nd minute, dribbling just into the penalty area before scoring his eighth international goal, and Luis Chávez added his second international in the 64th from near the penalty spot.

Diego Cocca was fired as Mexico coach after the CONCACAF Nations League, where Mexico lost to the U.S. 3-0 in a semifinal before beating Panama 1-0 for third place.

In the first game of the Group B doubleheader, Haiti beat invited guest Qatar 2-1 after Frantzdy Pierrot poked in a centering pass in the seventh minute of second-half stoppage time. Yusuf Abdurisag put Qatar ahead in the 20th minute and Duckens Nazon tied the score in the first minute of first-half stoppage time,

In Group A at Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Trinidad and Tobago defeated St. Kitts and Nevis 3-0 on goals by Alvin Jones in the 43rd and Ajani Fortune in the 65th plus an own goal by Jameel Ible in the 73rd.

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