Gerardo Torrado and Miguel Sabah scored either side of half-time to give Mexico a 2-0 win over Guadeloupe on Sunday to win Group C in the CONCACAF Gold Cup without suspended coach Javier Aguirre.

"We qualified and we feel good," Aguirre said through an interpreter. "We seemed lighter on our feet and more confident. I hope that we stay that way."

Mexico will face Haiti in the quarter-finals on July 19 in Arlington, Texas. Guadeloupe, the second-place Group C finishers, will take on Costa Rica on July 19, also in Arlington.

In the 41st minute, Torrado gathered a feed from Efrain Juarez near the top of the penalty area, then drilled a right-footed shot past diving goalkeeper Yohan Bus inside the left post. It was Torrado's second goal of the tournament.

Guadeloupe chances all but died when two players were sent off late. Alain Vertot earned his second yellow card for pulling down a Mexican attacker and Ludovic Gotin was shown a red for a dangerous tackle.

With Guadeloupe down to nine men, Sabah scored the winner with a header in the 85th minute.

"We keep working hard and now we are more confident, more relaxed and that helps us a lot," Torrado said.

Guadeloupe also played without four injured players and another who was suspended.

"We found ourselves chasing the game in the first half," Guadeloupe coach Roger Salnot said through an interpreter. "In the second half, we started to play a little more but we couldn't turn the game around. Mexico was a superior team."

With green-clad El Tri fans dominating the crowd of 23,876 in air-conditioned University of Phoenix Stadium, Mexico didn't skip a beat without Aguirre.

Aguirre began a three-match suspension for starting a melee during a match against Panama on Thursday night in Houston, putting him in danger of missing a World Cup qualifier against the United States. The Mexican Football Federation was also fined $25,000 for what the CONCACAF disciplinary committee considered "serious irresponsible behaviour" by the national coaching staff.

He is eligible to return for the final on July 26 if Mexico qualifies.

Aguirre watched from a suite high above the field while Mario Carrillo directed Mexico from the bench.