CHICAGO, United States (AFP) - The United States scored two first-half goals here Thursday en route to a 2-1 victory over Canada and a berth in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final.

Frankie Hejduk in the 39th minute and Landon Donovan from the penalty spot in the 45th gave the defending champion United States a 2-0 halftime lead, and the US held on book their sixth appearance in the Gold Cup final in nine editions of the North and Central America and Caribbean regional tournament.

The United States have won the title in 1991 and 2002, and lost to Mexico in the final in 1993 and 1998.

Mexico were bidding to join the USA in the final, playing Guadeloupe later Thursday.

The title match is on Sunday at Chicago's Soldier Field.

The USA-Canada match ended amid controversy. Canada's Atiba Hutchinson appeared to knot the score in injury time, but officials ruled the play offside.

Canadian players argued the call vehemently and had to be restrained from going after the linesman as he left the field at the end of the match.

The US opened the scoring in the 39th minute when Hejduk capitalized on Donovan's center pass to the top of the penalty box. Hejduk's first goal of the tournament and sixth career international goal was blasted low off the inside of the left post and into the back of the net.

The Americans went on the attack again in the 45th, when DaMarcus Beasley broke free down the left side and was taken down by netminder Patrick Onstad, setting up a penalty kick.

Donovan took the penalty and drilled the ball to the center of the net as Onstad dived to his right. It was Donovan's third goal of this tournament and his 11th overall in Gold Cup competition.

The Gold Cup winners qualify for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa.