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| Mexico Starts Strong in Gold Cup 2025 But Defensive Woes Raise Concerns. |
Mexico kicked off their 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup campaign with a nail-biting 3-2 victory over the Dominican Republic on Saturday night at SoFi Stadium, just outside Los Angeles. While El Tri walked away with all three points, the match left fans with more questions than answers—especially about their shaky defense.
How the Goals Came: A Game Full of Twists
The first half was mostly controlled by Mexico, and they finally broke through just before halftime, thanks to a well-taken strike from Edson Álvarez in the 44th minute. The momentum carried into the second half, as Raúl Jiménez doubled the lead just two minutes in, making it 2-0 in the 47th.
But the Dominican Republic wasn’t going down without a fight.
Peter González made history by scoring the country's first-ever goal in a Gold Cup, cutting the deficit to 2-1 in the 51st minute. Just two minutes later, though, César Montes restored Mexico’s two-goal cushion with a powerful header.
Then came another scare.
Substitute Edison Azcona, who plays for Las Vegas Lights, pulled one back in the 65th minute to make it 3-2. From there, it was a tense final stretch as Mexico managed to hang on for the win.
Player Ratings Breakdown: Who Impressed, Who Struggled?
Here’s a look at how each player performed, according to ratings from FotMob:
🇲🇽 Mexico (4-4-2 Formation)
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GK: Luis Ángel Malagon – 6.0
A bit shaky when called upon. Needs to improve his positioning. -
LB: Jesús Gallardo – 7.3
Reliable going forward and solid defensively. -
CB: César Montes – 8.5
Scored a goal and defended well. One of the night’s top performers. -
CB: Israel Reyes – 7.3
Decent first half but replaced at halftime. -
RB: Jorge Sánchez – 6.6
Struggled to deal with pacey wingers. -
LM: Orbelín Pineda – 7.1
Provided width and created a few chances before being subbed. -
CM: Edson Álvarez – 9.1 ⭐ Man of the Match
Controlled the midfield and scored the opener. A true leader on the pitch. -
CM: Érik Lira – 6.8
Quiet game. Needs to step up in future matches. -
RM: Roberto Alvarado – 7.4
Active on the right flank and linked up well with teammates. -
ST: Raúl Jiménez – 8.2
Scored and played the target man role to perfection. -
ST: Santiago Giménez – 7.5
Made intelligent runs but didn’t find the net.
Key Subs:
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Alexis Vega (46') – 7.6
Brought energy and flair. A real impact sub.
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic (5-4-1 Formation)
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GK: Xavier Valdez – 4.9
Nervy performance. Could’ve done better on a few goals. -
Defense:
Dollenmayer (5.6), Pujol (5.8), Rosario (5.9), Kaparos (6.3), Urbáez (7.1)
Joao Urbáez stood out with both defensive and attacking contributions. -
Midfield:
Reyes (6.7), Lopez (7.3), Mörschel (7.5), Peter González (8.2)
González stole the spotlight with his historic goal and tireless work rate. -
ST: Dorny Romero – 5.6
Struggled to make an impact up front.
Notable Sub:
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Edison Azcona (62') – 7.3
Scored shortly after coming on. Definitely one to watch.
What This Means for Mexico
Mexico may have taken the win, but the cracks in defense are hard to ignore. If El Tri truly wants to chase their record-extending 10th Gold Cup title, they’ll need to tighten things up—fast.
On the bright side, Edson Álvarez continues to show why he’s one of the most important players in this squad, while Jiménez and Montes added crucial contributions. But the team can’t afford to be complacent heading into group matches against Suriname and Costa Rica.
Dominican Republic: A New Era Begins
Despite the loss, the Dominican Republic made history and gained respect. Peter González and Edison Azcona proved the future of Dominican soccer is bright. They may be underdogs, but they’re no pushovers.
Mexico faces Suriname next, followed by a potentially decisive match against Costa Rica. It’s early, but with the group wide open, every point—and every defensive stop—will count.
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