ely for further assessment and rehabilitation," a statement on the Manchester United website said. "It is anticipated h

BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil -- Javier Hernandez cemented his status as Mexicos leading striker Saturday, sending his team home from the Confederations Cup on a high by scoring twice to clinch a 2-1 victory over Japan in their final Group A match. With seven goals in his last eight games for Mexico, the 25-year-old Manchester United striker has now climbed up his countrys all-time scoring leaderboard to third spot, which he shares with retired forward Luis Hernandez. "Hes always been a very insistent, determined player," said Mexico coach Jose Manuel De la Torre, who also managed Hernandez at Guadalajara. "Hes highly competitive, and has a huge dynamic and sense of timing in order to score ... and that is what has taken him to be at these very high levels with Manchester United. Now hes simply responding with these goals for the national team." After struggling to threaten in the first half at the Mineirao Stadium, Hernandez met Andres Guardados cross in the 54th minute and headed in again in the 66th from Giovani Dos Santos corner. Shinji Okazaki pulled one back for Japan in the 86th and Hernandez won a penalty in stoppage time, but his weak effort was saved and he then sent the follow-up against the crossbar. Both Mexico and Japan were playing only for pride, having been eliminated from the Confederations Cup by losing their first two matches at the 2014 World Cup test event. "We have an unpleasant taste in our mouths -- we dont like seeing our team being eliminated early from a tournament," Hernandez said through a translator. "But Mexico at least made it to the (Confederation Cup) finals ... and this victory helps us in building the confidence back." Although Japan leaves Brazil having finished bottom of its group without a point, the teams return trip to Brazil is already guaranteed. The Asian champions were the first World Cup qualifiers while Mexico is still slugging it out for a spot from the CONCACAF confederation. Japan was the speedier and hungrier initially, picking up where it left off in Wednesdays slender 4-3 loss to Italy. Using their pace down the flanks, the Japanese were displaying the dynamism the Mexicans were lacking at first. Japan striker Shinji Okazaki found the net after 10 minutes from the edge of the area, but it was ruled out for a border-line offside decision. An early effort from Shinji Kagawa was blocked by the boot of goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who also easily collected a low strike from Keisuke Honda. For all the creativity and slick passing, the Japanese had nothing to show for its domination. Mexico eventually got a foothold in the game, with Jesus Zavala heading over from a free kick and testing goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima with a long-range effort that was turned wide. Only the post prevented Mexico going in at half time in front, with Andres Guardado given the space to meet Jorge Torres cross with a free header that crashed against the woodwork. The Mexican momentum carried over into the second half, with the team looking sharper as Japan faded. "You could say there was little petrol in our tank," Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni said through a translator. Hernandez soon began to find himself in goal-scoring positions, with defender Hiroki Sakai throwing himself at the ball to deny the strikers first effort of the half. The Japanese defence was finally breached as it failed to track Hernandez in the penalty area and headed in twice, from a cross and a corner. "He was very good at headers even though hes not that tall," Zaccheroni said. "If you look how we conceded goals, our defence line was all there and we conceded goals because of high play ... it wasnt the case of the opposing players outnumbering ours," Zaccheroni added. Dos Santos has been one of Mexicos most dangerous players in Brazil and, on the turn, twice unleashed powerful shots that Kawashima did well to keep out. As Mexico pressed with confidence, Japan struggled to gain control of the ball, and the finishing was deficient when it did, with Ryoichi Maeda and Yasuyuki Konno striking wide. The consolation came when Okazaki was left in space in front of goal to meet a cross from captain Yauhito Endo. And Hernandezs penalty miss -- after being fouled by Maya Yoshida -- ensured the result was the same as when the sides met at the 2005 Confederations Cup.Abdullah Anderson Jersey . The Browns coaching search remains incomplete. Maury Buford Jersey . The nimble-footed quarterback got his wish, dashing through the snow and a weary defence all the way into the NCAA record book. http://www.custombearsjersey.com/custom-charles-tillman-jersey-large-456t.html . -- About a third of the way through the regular season, the Washington Wizards are at . Bulldog Turner Jersey . It just didnt show when he hit the ice. Berra made 42 saves and Kris Russell scored at 1:32 of overtime, lifting the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday night. George Gulyanics Jersey . The head of USA Boxing came out swinging Tuesday with an open letter to Tyson -- a former Olympic hopeful himself -- that accuses the former heavyweight champion of trying to poach fighters who might be candidates for the U.BANGKOK, Thailand -- Manchester United expects striker Wayne Rooney to be sidelined for a month after injuring his hamstring in training for a friendly against a Thailand All Stars team in Bangkok. Rooney flew back to England in the early hours of Friday morning, having been in Thailand less than 24 hours. "Following a scan ... on a hamstring injury sustained in training, it has been decided that Wayne Rooney should return home immediately for further assessment and rehabilitation," a statement on the Manchester United website said. "It is anticipated he will be unavailable for selection for a month." The injury was not only a major setback for Rooneys preparation for the coming Premier League season but also a prooblem for new manager David Moyes as he will be prevented from experimenting with different forward combinations in framing a gameplan for the post-Alex Ferguson era.dddddddddddd United was already short of options up front for the Thailand game, with Rooneys fellow striker Robin van Persie on an extended break. Van Persie is due to join the team in Australia for the next leg of their preseason tour. The absence of Rooney and van Persie means Danny Wellbeck is likely to be the front man for the game against Thailand All Stars on Saturday evening at the Rajamangala National Stadium. Chris Smalling, Ashley Young and Shinji Kagawa -- who will only appear in the last Asian stop in Japan -- are also out of the Bangkok game. ' ' '