Mexico defender Corona out of Gold Cup with knee injury

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico defender Yasser Corona has pulled out of the CONCACAF Gold Cup with knee cartilage damage, the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) said on Monday.

Corona was injured during Mexico’s quarter-final win over Costa Rica in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sunday. The Mexicans won 1-0 after extra time.

“Yasser Corona has withdrawn from the national team having suffered a (left knee) cartilage lesion and will return to Mexico for treatment with the doctors at (his club) Queretaro,” the FMF said in a statement.

Corona was the third player to pull out of Mexico’s squad after striker Javier Hernandez and defender Hector Moreno, who both withdrew before the tournament in the United States.

Mexico face Panama in the semi-finals on Wednesday at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

(Reporting by Carlos Calvo; Writing by Rex Gowar, editing by Ed Osmond)