Mexico Advances to Gold Cup Semifinals with 2-0 Win Over Saudi Arabia

GLENDALE, Arizona (AP) — Alexis Vega scored the decisive goal in the 49th minute to lead defending champion Mexico to a 2-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in the CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinals on Saturday night.

With the win, Mexico advanced to the semifinals scheduled for Wednesday in Santa Clara, California, where they will face Honduras. Honduras earned their spot by defeating Panama after a 1-1 draw in regulation.

Prior to the match, Mexico faced challenges as midfielder Luis Chávez missed the game due to a torn ACL, and Jesús Gallardo was suspended after accumulating yellow cards. Coach Javier Aguirre gave a debut to Gilberto Mora, who at 16 years old, became the youngest player to ever represent Mexico.

The first half was tightly contested, with Mexico struggling to find the net. A couple of heated exchanges resulted in yellow cards for both Saudi Arabia’s Ali Majrashi and Mexico’s Gallardo before halftime, increasing the game’s tension.

After a slow first half, Mexico emerged revitalized in the second half. Shortly after Vega’s attempt clipped the crossbar, he found the breakthrough in the 49th minute. After receiving a pass from Raúl Jimenez, Vega’s initial shot was saved by Saudi Arabia’s goalkeeper, Nawaf Alaqidi, but he quickly capitalized on the rebound, slipping it between Alaqidi’s legs. The goal was initially ruled offside but was awarded after a VAR review.

Vega’s goal marked his first since 2022, breaking a 19-match scoreless streak. He celebrated by proudly holding up a jersey for injured teammate Chávez.

With Saudi Arabia unable to mount an offensive comeback, Mexico sealed their victory with an own goal from defender Abdullah Madu in the 81st minute. Madu inadvertently redirected a cross from Mateo Chávez past his own goalkeeper.

Saudi Arabia’s first Gold Cup appearance ended in disappointment, as they concluded the tournament with one win and two losses in the group stage. They had advanced to the quarterfinals thanks to a solid performance in earlier matches but struggled against Mexico’s defense.

Mexico now looks to claim a record 10th Gold Cup title, having previously finished with the championship on nine occasions, while competing with strong teams like the United States and Canada. The team has reached the knockout stage of the Gold Cup for the 18th straight time.