Mexico Opens Gold Cup 2025 with Win Over Dominican Republic

INGLEWOOD, California — Mexico kicked off the 2025 Gold Cup with a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Dominican Republic on June 14, marking the first meeting between the two nations in this tournament.

The match, held at the SoFi Stadium, started at 8:15 p.m. CDT. With both teams displaying strong lineups, Mexico emerged as the favorite after defeating Turkey in a warm-up match and the Dominican Republic winning 5-0 against Dominica in their recent friendly.

Edson Álvarez opened the scoring for Mexico in the first half, heading the ball into the net after a corner kick. Raúl Jiménez and César Montes contributed goals, ensuring Mexico maintained their lead throughout the match.

Despite the dominant performance, the Dominican Republic managed to score twice, with Edison Azcona netting their first-ever goal in a Gold Cup match. These late goals created a tense atmosphere, but Mexico held on to secure the three points.

Coach Javier Aguirre expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance but acknowledged areas for improvement as the tournament progresses. “We have a lot of work ahead of us, but this win gives us momentum,” he said in the post-match conference.

The players are now focused on their next group match, preparing to face Suriname as they aim to defend their Gold Cup title.