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.Custom Packers T-shirts .ca! Hi Kerry, Its another day and here we are looking at another dubious hit to the head. In this case Blue Jackets forward Brandon Dubinsky elbowed Saku Koivu in the head about a second after he dished off the puck to a teammate, knocking him unconscious. Wholesale Custom Packers Shirts .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. http://www.custompackersjersey.com/ . -- Nathan Pancel scored twice as the Sudbury Wolves defeated the North Bay Battalion 4-2 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. Authentic Custom Packers Jersey . White came in fourth place in the event. He was the two-time defending gold medallist. The gold medal went to Swiss snowboarder Iouri Podladtchikov. Custom Packers Jersey China . The FA rejected Wilsheres appeal that the length of his punishment was "clearly excessive" and said Thursday his suspension begins with immediate effect. He will miss league matches against Chelsea on Monday and West Ham on Dec.The Los Angeles Rams selected Jared Goff with the first pick of the NFL Draft as the franchise prepares for a new era.The Rams are relocating from St Louis ahead of the 2016 season and they made a big splash earlier this month when trading multiple picks to the Tennessee Titans for the first selection in the rookie draft. Goff v Wentz Profiling the first and second picks of the NFL Draft Most assumed the trade was made to add a quarterback - either Goff or Carson Wentz - and confirmation came on Thursday when commissioner Roger Goodell announced California product Goff as the opening pick of the first round in Chicago. Just truly a dream come true, Goff said. Im taking it as an honour and Im going to have to prove them right, that they made the right decision.If youre a first-round quarterback, theres going to be pressure regardless. Im very excited, very ready to go, ready for the challenge. Carson Wentz will kick off his professional career with the Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles also traded up to get hold of the second pick, knowing they would get whichever quarterback the Rams passed on - North Dakota States Wentz as it predictably turned out. Carson Wentz talks to Richard Graves about his selection by the Philadelphia Eagles Im happy to be an Eagle, said Wentz. Im bringing it. Theyre getting a passionate player. Im pumped to be an Eagle and ready to go to work.The rest of the draft was less predictable, starting with the San Diego Chargers passing on Laremy Tunsil and instead selecting defensive lineman Joey Bosa. Laremy Tunsil was finally able to celebrate being selected when Miami picked him 13th Tunsils drop would continue all the way to the 13th pick, where the Miami Dolphins selected him to bring an end to a night that had seen his stock affected by a social media post. Sky Sports presenter and Miami Dolphins fan Neil Reynolds reacts to the controversial pick of Laremy Tunsil The offensive tackle was shown in a video with a gas mask on, smoking throughh what appeared to be a bong, and it led to a number of teams removing him from their draft board completely.dddddddddddd Laremy Tunsil drops to number 13 pick after a video is posted on twitter of him apparently smoking something through a gas mask After being picked by the Dolphins, he said: It was a mistake. It happened years ago, like I said before. Somebody hacked my Twitter account and thats how it got on there.Its a crazy world. Things happen for a reason. Im glad to be in Miami. Im going to work my butt off and give it all I got. Ezekiel Elliott was picked fourth by the Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys selected running back Ezekiel Elliott with the fourth pick of the draft, with the top five being rounded out by cornerback Jalen Ramsey, selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars.There were also four trades completed during the evening, with possibly the most interesting seeing the Denver Broncos move up five slots to pick Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch. Cornerback Eli Apple tells Richard Graves why he almost didnt pick up the phone call from the New York Giants The draft continues on Friday night with rounds two and three, with the remaining selections to be made on Saturday.First round selections:1.01 Los Angeles Rams: QB Jared Goff1.02 Philadelphia Eagles: QB Carson Wentz1.03 San Diego: DL Joey Bosa1.04 Dallas: RB Ezekiel Elliott1.05 Jacksonville: DB Jalen Ramsey1.06 Baltimore: OT Ronnie Stanley1.07 San Francisco: DE DeForest Buckner1.08 Tennessee (via trade): OT Jack Conklin1.09: Chicago (via trade): OLB Leonard Floyd1.10 New York Giants: DB Eli Apple1.11 Tampa Bay: DB Vernon Hargreaves1.12 New Orleans: DT Sheldon Rankins1.13 Miami: OT Laremy Tunsil1.14 Oakland: DB Karl Joseph1.15 Cleveland (via trade): WR Corey Coleman1.16 Detroit: OT Taylor Decker1.17 Atlanta: DB Keanu Neal1.18 Indianapolis: C Ryan Kelly1.19 Buffalo: DE Shaq Lawson1.20 New York Jets: LB Darron Lee1.21 Houston (via trade): WR Will Fuller1.22 Washington: WR Josh Doctson1.23 Minnesota: WR Laquon Treadwell1.24 Cincinnati: DB William Jackson III1.25 Pittsburgh: DB Artie Burns1.26 Denver (via trade): QB Paxton Lynch;1.27 Green Bay: DT Kenny Clark1.28 San Francisco (via trade): OG Joshua Garnett1.29 Arizona; DT Robert Nkemdiche1.30 Carolina: DE Vernon Butler1.31 Seattle (via trade): OT Germain IfediAlso See:First round recapNFL Draft could be on move ' ' '