Andres Guardado believed the referee made an incorrect decision to award Mexico a penalty kick in the 88th minute after Panama's Roman Torres was judged to have handballed in the area.

Guardado briefly considered missing the penalty on purpose, but instead converted the equalizer.

"It was painful. Yes, for a minute, yes [I considered kicking it wide] but in the end, we are professionals and you think about the times you have been on the other side and the hearts of the other team's players aren't moved," Guardado told TV Azteca. "I repeat, this is football, sometimes you are given and sometimes it is taken away. Whether it should have been a penalty or not, that is not our fault."

Guardado scored a second penalty in the 113th minute for Mexico to advance to the Gold Cup final.

Miguel Herrera said he would never have asked Guardado to deliberately kick it wide. 

"No one ever does that," Herrera said. "I have never seen that happen. Sure, it passed through my mind that it wasn't a penalty, but I would have had to see the replay.

"This ref officiated an excellent game in his previous match for Trinidad & Tobago. Today he made mistakes, as all humans do on occasion."