Mexico Edges⁣ Dominican Republic in Gold Cup Opener

Updated June 15, 2025

Defending champion Mexico started⁢ its Concacaf Gold Cup campaign with a narrow 3-2 victory over the Dominican Republic on Saturday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. The match, attended⁢ by 54,309 fans, saw Mexico take an ⁣early lead but face a determined challenge from the Dominicans.

Edson Álvarez, a midfielder for West ham, opened the scoring for Mexico in the 44th minute. Shortly ⁤after halftime, Fulham striker Raúl Jiménez extended ‍the lead in the 47th minute, followed by a goal from defender César Montes in ⁤the 53rd. Peter González⁤ (51st minute) and Edison ‍Ascona (67th minute) responded for the Dominican ⁤Republic, who⁤ were making their Gold Cup debut after qualifying through the Concacaf Nations League.

Raúl Jiménez’s goal marked his 40th for the Mexican national team. He now trails Jared borgetti by six goals for second place on Mexico’s all-time scoring list. Javier Hernández leads with 52 goals. The team’s performance highlights the⁢ crucial role⁤ each⁤ player has in securing victories.

Mexico coach Javier Aguirre acknowledged the competitive nature of the match. “It was a good win to start with. I congratulate my team, who maintained their emotional balance.It was a hard-fought, but fair victory,” Aguirre said. “Our⁢ rival did a lot of merit,they demanded us,they did a good job.”

Aguirre added, “We were patient, we scored three goals and it was an⁢ attractive match for the fans, although there are things that need to be corrected.”

What’s next

Mexico, currently leading Group A, will face Suriname next Wednesday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, ⁤Texas. The Dominican Republic ⁣will play Costa Rica at the same venue. Prior to the game, there were concerns about potential immigration enforcement actions targeting Mexican fans, following recent detentions in Los Angeles.