# 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup Group A

Group A of the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup was one of three groups competing at the tournament. The group's first round of matches were played on June 5, with the final round played on June 12. All six group matches were played at venues in the United States, in Arlington, Charlotte and Chicago. The group consisted of five-time Gold Cup champions, Mexico, as well as Costa Rica, El Salvador and Cuba.

## Mexico vs El Salvador: failed drug testers versus match fixers

On June 5, 2011, Mexico defeated El Salvador, 5–0, in the first fixture for both teams.
Three days later, on the eve of Mexico's second fixture against Cuba, the Mexican Football Federation removed five players from their squad due to substance abuse. These players included starting goalkeeper, Guillermo Ochoa, starting center back Francisco Rodríguez and the following reserves: Sinha, Christian Bermúdez and Édgar Dueñas. The drug they tested positive for was clenbuterol, which is used in animals to produce lean meat. The supposition for the players being injected with this substance was from eating chicken that had traceable amounts of clenbuterol in it. Reports begin breaking on June 6 and were official on June 9. The "B" samples of those five involving players have been negative.
Two years later, on September 20, 2013, the Salvadoran Football Federation banned 14 Salvadoran players for life due to their involvement with match fixing while playing with the El Salvador national team over the previous two years, including 8 players (Dennis Alas, Luis Anaya, captain Marvin González, Reynaldo Hernández, Miguel Montes, Dagoberto Portillo, Osael Romero, Ramón Sánchez and Miguel Montes), from El Salvador's 5–0 loss to Mexico on June 5 at the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

## Standings

Key to colors in group tables :
* Teams that advanced to the quarterfinals
* Group winners
* Group runners-up
* Best two third-placed teams among all groups
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Mexico | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | +13 | 9 | Advance to Knockout stage |
| 2 | Costa Rica | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 5 | +2 | 4 | Advance to Knockout stage |
| 3 | El Salvador | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 4 | Advance to Knockout stage |
| 4 | Cuba | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 16 | −15 | 0 | |
All Times are U.S. Eastern Daylight Time (UTC−4) (Local Times in parentheses)

## Costa Rica vs Cuba

| Costa Rica | Cuba |
COSTA RICA: :
| GK | 1 | Keylor Navas |
| RB | 4 | José Salvatierra |
| CB | 3 | Jhonny Acosta |
| CB | 15 | Júnior Díaz |
| LB | 20 | Dennis Marshall |
| CM | 6 | Heiner Mora |
| CM | 5 | Celso Borges (c) |
| CM | 14 | Bryan Oviedo |
| AM | 7 | Christian Bolaños | | 68' |
| CF | 9 | Álvaro Saborío | | 68' |
| CF | 16 | Marco Ureña | 32' | 56' |
| Substitutions: |||
| FW | 12 | Joel Campbell | | 56' |
| FW | 17 | Josué Martínez | | 68' |
| FW | 21 | Randall Brenes | | 68' |
| Manager: |||
| Ricardo La Volpe |||
CUBA: :
| GK | 1 | Odelín Molina |
| RB | 16 | Reysander Fernández |
| CB | 14 | Aliannis Urgellés |
| CB | 3 | Yénier Márquez |
| LB | 6 | Yoel Colomé |
| RM | 7 | Marcel Hernández | 79' |
| CM | 8 | Jaime Colomé (c) |
| CM | 2 | Carlos Francisco |
| LM | 20 | Alberto Gómez | 74' |
| SS | 9 | Alain Cervantes | |
| CF | 15 | Yaudel Lahera | 60' |
| Substitutions: |||
| MF | 10 | Roberto Linares | 60' |
| FW | 18 | Dagoberto Quesada | 74' |
| FW | 17 | Yosniel Mesa | 79' |
| Manager: |||
| Raúl González |||
* Assistant referees:
* Daniel Williamson (Panama)
* Oscar Velasquez (Honduras)
* Fourth official:
* José Molina (Honduras)

## Mexico vs El Salvador

| Mexico | El Salvador |
MEXICO: :
| GK | 1 | Guillermo Ochoa |
| RB | 16 | Efraín Juárez |
| CB | 2 | Francisco Rodríguez | 26' |
| CB | 15 | Héctor Moreno |
| LB | 3 | Carlos Salcido |
| CM | 6 | Gerardo Torrado (c) |
| CM | 8 | Israel Castro | | 57' |
| RW | 7 | Pablo Barrera |
| LW | 18 | Andrés Guardado | | 74' |
| SS | 10 | Giovani dos Santos | | 69' |
| CF | 14 | Javier Hernández | 28' |
| Substitutions: |||
| FW | 9 | Aldo de Nigris | | 57' |
| DF | 4 | Rafael Márquez | | 69' |
| FW | 11 | Ángel Reyna | | 74' |
| Manager: |||
| José Manuel de la Torre |||
EL SALVADOR: :
| GK | 1 | Miguel Montes |
| RB | 3 | Marvin González (c) | 90+3' |
| CB | 2 | Xavier García |
| CB | 23 | Luis Anaya | | |
| LB | 19 | Reynaldo Hernández |
| CM | 5 | Víctor Turcios | | 62' |
| CM | 14 | Dennis Alas | 62' |
| RW | 16 | Jaime Alas |
| LW | 10 | Eliseo Quintanilla |
| SS | 20 | Andrés Flores | | 68' |
| CF | 11 | Rodolfo Zelaya | | 79' |
| Substitutions: |||
| MF | 21 | Gilberto Baires | | 62' |
| MF | 6 | Shawn Martin | | 68' |
| FW | 9 | Rudis Corrales | | 79' |
| Manager: |||
| Rubén Israel |||
* Assistant referees:
* Ricardo Morgan (Jamaica)
* Charles Morgante (United States)
* Fourth official:
* Courtney Campbell (Jamaica)

## Costa Rica vs El Salvador

| Costa Rica | El Salvador |
COSTA RICA: :
| GK | 1 | Keylor Navas |
| RB | 4 | José Salvatierra | 37' |
| CB | 3 | Jhonny Acosta | 63' |
| CB | 15 | Júnior Díaz |
| LB | 20 | Dennis Marshall |
| CM | 6 | Heiner Mora | | 80' |
| CM | 5 | Celso Borges (c) | 56' |
| CM | 24 | Allen Guevara |
| AM | 7 | Christian Bolaños | | 62' |
| CF | 9 | Álvaro Saborío |
| CF | 16 | Marco Ureña | | 46' |
| Substitutions: |||
| MF | 10 | Bryan Ruiz | | 46' |
| FW | 12 | Joel Campbell | | 62' |
| FW | 21 | Randall Brenes | | 80' |
| Manager: |||
| Ricardo La Volpe |||
EL SALVADOR: :
| GK | 1 | Miguel Montes | 53' |
| RB | 23 | Luis Anaya (c) |
| CB | 5 | Victor Turcios | 78' |
| CB | 2 | Xavier García |
| LB | 19 | Reynaldo Hernández |
| CM | 14 | Dennis Alas |
| CM | 21 | Gilberto Baires | 10' | 46' |
| RW | 20 | Andrés Flores | | 72' |
| LW | 16 | Jaime Alas |
| SS | 11 | Rodolfo Zelaya | 75' |
| CF | 9 | Rudis Corrales | | 62' |
| Substitutions: |||
| MF | 7 | Ramón Sánchez | | 46' |
| FW | 10 | Eliseo Quintanilla | | 62' |
| MF | 6 | Shawn Martin | | 72' |
| Manager: |||
| Rubén Israel |||
* Assistant referees:
* Charles Morgante (United States)
* Ramon Louisville (Suriname)
* Fourth official:
* José Molina (Honduras)

## Cuba vs Mexico

| Cuba | Mexico |
CUBA: :
| GK | 1 | Odelín Molina |
| RB | 16 | Reysander Fernández |
| CB | 4 | Hánier Dranguet |
| CB | 3 | Yénier Márquez |
| LB | 6 | Yoel Colomé | 73' |
| CM | 8 | Jaime Colomé (c) |
| CM | 2 | Carlos Francisco |
| RW | 7 | Marcel Hernández |
| LW | 20 | Alberto Gómez |
| SS | 9 | Alain Cervantes | 11' |
| CF | 10 | Roberto Linares | 70' |
| Substitutions: |||
| DF | 14 | Aliannis Urgellés | 11' |
| FW | 15 | Yaudel Lahera | 70' |
| MF | 18 | Dagoberto Quesada | 73' |
| Manager: |||
| Raúl González |||
MEXICO: :
| GK | 12 | Alfredo Talavera |
| RB | 16 | Efraín Juárez |
| CB | 4 | Rafael Márquez (c) | 72' |
| CB | 15 | Héctor Moreno |
| LB | 3 | Carlos Salcido |
| DM | 6 | Gerardo Torrado |
| CM | 18 | Andrés Guardado | 66' |
| RW | 7 | Pablo Barrera | 64' |
| LW | 11 | Ángel Reyna |
| SS | 10 | Giovani dos Santos |
| CF | 14 | Javier Hernández |
| Substitutions: |||
| FW | 9 | Aldo de Nigris | 64' |
| FW | 22 | Elías Hernández | 66' |
| DF | 20 | Jorge Torres Nilo | 72' |
| Manager: |||
| José Manuel de la Torre |||
* Assistant referees:
* Ricardo Morgan (Jamaica)
* Daniel Williamson (Panama)
* Fourth official:
* Raúl Castro (Honduras)

## El Salvador vs Cuba

| El Salvador | Cuba |
EL SALVADOR: :
| GK | 1 | Miguel Montes |
| RB | 23 | Luis Anaya |
| CB | 5 | Víctor Turcios |
| CB | 2 | Xavier García | 82' |
| LB | 19 | Reynaldo Hernández | | 72' |
| CM | 14 | Dennis Alas |
| CM | 8 | Osael Romero |
| RW | 20 | Andrés Flores | | 63' |
| LW | 16 | Jaime Alas |
| SS | 11 | Rodolfo Zelaya |
| CF | 9 | Rudis Corrales | | 68' |
| Substitutions: |||
| MF | 12 | Arturo Alvarez | | 63' |
| FW | 17 | Léster Blanco | | 68' |
| MF | 10 | Eliseo Quintanilla | | 72' |
| Manager: |||
| Rubén Israel |||
CUBA: :
| GK | 12 | Julio Pichardo |
| RB | 16 | Reysander Fernández | 32' |
| CB | 14 | Aliannis Urgellés | 45' |
| CB | 3 | Yénier Márquez |
| LB | 4 | Hánier Dranguet |
| DM | 6 | Yoel Colomé | | 75' |
| CM | 8 | Jaime Colomé (c) | | 52' |
| CM | 2 | Carlos Francisco |
| RW | 7 | Marcel Hernández |
| LW | 20 | Alberto Gómez |
| CF | 10 | Roberto Linares | | 62' |
| Substitutions: |||
| MF | 19 | Francisco Carrazana | | 52' |
| FW | 15 | Yaudel Lahera | | 62' |
| MF | 18 | Dagoberto Quesada | | 75' |
| Manager: |||
| Raúl González Triana |||
* Assistant referees:
* Oscar Velasquez (Honduras)
* Ramon Ricardo Louisville (Suriname)
* Fourth official:
* Enrico Wijngaarde (Suriname)

## Mexico vs Costa Rica

| Mexico | Costa Rica |
MEXICO: :
| GK | 12 | Alfredo Talavera |
| RB | 16 | Efraín Juárez | 53' |
| CB | 4 | Rafael Márquez (c) | | 70' |
| CB | 15 | Héctor Moreno |
| LB | 3 | Carlos Salcido |
| CM | 6 | Gerardo Torrado |
| CM | 8 | Israel Castro |
| RW | 7 | Pablo Barrera | | 61' |
| LW | 18 | Andrés Guardado | 59' |
| SS | 10 | Giovani dos Santos |
| CF | 14 | Javier Hernández | | 83' |
| Substitutions: |||
| FW | 11 | Ángel Reyna | | 61' |
| DF | 20 | Jorge Torres Nilo | | 70' |
| FW | 9 | Aldo de Nigris | | 83' |
| Manager: |||
| José Manuel de la Torre |||
COSTA RICA: :
| GK | 1 | Keylor Navas |
| RB | 4 | José Salvatierra |
| CB | 3 | Jhonny Acosta |
| CB | 15 | Júnior Díaz | | 85' |
| LB | 20 | Dennis Marshall |
| CM | 6 | Heiner Mora | | 46' |
| CM | 5 | Celso Borges (c) |
| CM | 24 | Allen Guevara | | 46' |
| AM | 10 | Bryan Ruiz |
| SS | 7 | Christian Bolaños | 29' |
| CF | 9 | Álvaro Saborío |
| Substitutions: |||
| FW | 16 | Marco Ureña | | 46' |
| DF | 19 | Óscar Duarte | | 46' |
| MF | 11 | Diego Madrigal | | 85' |
| Manager: |||
| Ricardo La Volpe |||
* Assistant referees:
* Daniel Williamson (Panama)
* Ricardo Morgan (Jamaica)
* Fourth official:
* Raúl Castro (Honduras)