Trinidad tops group after thrilling draw with Mexico

(Reuters) - Trinidad and Tobago left it late to salvage a 4-4 draw against Mexico that secured top spot in Group C of the CONCACAF Gold Cup on Wednesday as both teams scored in stoppage time at the end of a thrilling encounter. The game was locked at 3-3 after 90 minutes before Mexico appeared to have snatched a victory that would see them top the group when Trinidadian striker Kenwyne Jones scored an own goal in the first minute of added time. However, Trinidad and Tobago responded well when Yohance Marshall rose to head home an equaliser from a corner kick seconds before the final whistle in the match played at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. The draw enabled Trinidad and Tobago to finish top of the group on seven points, setting up a quarter-final against Panama in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sunday. Mexico, Gold Cup champions in 2011 and 2009, finished on five points and advanced to take on Costa Rica in the second game at the same venue on Sunday. The Mexicans started well and led 2-0 after 51 minutes when Paul Aguilar and Carlos Vela scored either side of half time before Trinidad and Tobago rallied to take the lead with Keron Cummings netting twice and Jones once in a 12-minute spell. Cummings' second goal had put Trinidad and Tobago ahead in the 67th minute but Mexico drew level with an Andres Guardado blast with two minutes of normal time remaining. In the early kickoff, Maikel Reyes scored the only goal of the game in the 73rd minute to lead Cuba past Guatemala and into the quarter-finals as one of the two best third-placed finishers at the 12-team tournament. Reyes, who missed Cuba's first match due to visa issues, headed home his side's first goal of the tournament to set up a daunting last eight encounter against hosts and defending champions the United States in Baltimore, Maryland on Saturday. Haiti will then take on Jamaica at the same venue in the other quarter-final. (Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by John O'Brien)