Sunday's other game also had a 5-0 scoreline, with Costa
Rica thumping Cuba.
Mexico was already 2-0 up when Hernandez scored his first
goal in the 60th minute with a long-range bouncing header of an Efrain Juarez
corner.
He added his second seven minutes later, scoring from 10
yards, and completed his hat trick with a penalty in stoppage time.
“He was fortunate to score as a result of good team play,”
Mexico coach Jose Manuel De La Torre said. “He did what forward are supposed to
do.” Hernandez's final goal came after Marvin Gonzalez was red carded for a
reckless foul on 'Chicharito', drawing boos from the majority of the 80,000
fans who were supporting Mexico.
“It's unbelievable the support we have from the Mexicans we
have that live here. You can see it with your own eyes,” Hernandez said, “80,000
people and most of them in green shirts.” Juarez scored the game's first goal
after he rebounded his own missed shot, which was blocked by El Salvador
goalkeeper Miguel Montes. Aldo De Nigris made it 2-0 in the 57th minute just a
minute after coming on as a substitute.
“It was difficult to change in 5 minutes after a positive 55
minutes,” El Salvador coach Ruben Israel said. “If you look at the game, luck
was not on our side.” Meanwhile, Marco Urena scored twice in Costa Rica's big
win.
Christian Bolanos set up Urena's first goal, in the seventh
minute, with a cross from the left and also played a part in Alvaro Saborio's
41st-minute goal that earned Costa Rica a 2-0 half time lead.
Urena made it 3-0 in the first minute of the second half
when he beat Cuba goalkeeper Odelin Molina one-on-one before firing in from
close range.
Heiner Mora scored less than a minute later to put the
result beyond doubt.
Joe Campbell, who replaced Urena in the 56th minute,
volleyed home the fifth goal in the 71st minute.
“At the start of the game the passing was a bit imprecise,”
Costa Rica coach Ricardo La Volpe said. “I spoke to them about it at halftime
and I thought they came out better.
“We're starting a new tournament, getting to know each other
on the field.”
