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2018 World Cup qualifiers: Mexico break Columbus jinx with first-ever win

Defeat US 2-1 as captain Marquez nets 89th-minute winner

Afp November 13, 2016

Skipper Marquez’s goal came after the US had clawed their way back into the contest with a Bobby Wood equaliser. PHOTO: AFP

COLUMBUS: Mexico skipper Rafael Marquez scored an 89th-minute winner as the United States crashed to their first World Cup qualifying defeat on home soil in 15 years with a 2-1 loss on Friday.

Marquez, 37, headed home a Miguel Layun corner in the dying minutes of a pulsating battle to end the US’s long record of dominance at Columbus’s Mapfre Stadium, where they had beaten Mexico in the past four World Cup cycles.

Marquez’s goal came after the US had clawed their way back into the contest with a Bobby Wood equaliser on 49 minutes after Layun’s 20th-minute goal put Mexico 1-0 up.

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Jurgen Klinsmann’s side had looked the likeliest to take all three points but instead it was Marquez who struck to snatch Mexico’s first ever qualifying win over the US at their Columbus stronghold.

“There’s nothing I can complain about the team, they gave everything they had, they kept the tempo high, we had enough chances to put it away, but we didn’t,” said Klinsmann afterwards.

England boost Southgate with win over Scotland

Gareth Southgate enhanced his chances of keeping his job and shortened the odds on Gordon Strachan losing his as England sank Scotland 3-0 in World Cup qualifying.

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In the third game of Southgate’s four-match stint as interim England manager, headers by Daniel Sturridge, Adam Lallana and Gary Cahill secured a victory that may land him the role full-time.

“I will enjoy tonight. I was asked to take the job for four games and to keep the country top of the group,” Southgate told ITV when asked about his future.

Payet gets winner as France win 2-1

Paul Pogba and Dimitri Payet scored as France fought back to beat Sweden 2-1 in a World Cup qualifier that was marked by tributes to the victims of last year’s Paris terror attacks.

Emil Forsberg had put Sweden in front from a free-kick early in the second half but Pogba headed in the equaliser in the 58th minute and Payet profited from a goalkeeping error to score the winner and allow Les Bleus to move three points clear of Sweden at the top of the section.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 13^th, 2016.

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