Mexico get Gold Cup campaign off to a flying start

Mexico punched its ticket to the semifinals of the 2025 Gold Cup with a solid 2–0 victory over Saudi Arabia in in Phoenix, putting in a performance that showcased both discipline and flair.

The opening 45 minutes were largely uneventful. Despite El Tri tallying eight shot attempts, only one truly tested the keeper—a header from Edson Álvarez. As for Saudi Arabia, their attack was even less threatening, managing just one modest foray into Mexico’s box without any real danger.

Mexico lacking bite in attack

Mexico clearly held the reins in terms of possession and tempo. However, their offensive execution left something to be desired. Most of their advances came through the flanks or via long passes that tried to bypass the midfield entirely—yet there was little in the way of fluid combination play or cohesive buildup.

And so the first-half minutes ticked away with little actionat either end — but not without drama. The referee added nine minutes of stoppage time, largely due to two near scuffles and a nasty head-to-head collision between Johan Vázquez and Erik Lira. With neither team creating serious chances, those heated moments were what briefly stirred the crowd of nearly 45,000 at State Farm Stadium.

Alexis Vega opens the scoring

Mexico came out of the locker room with the same intensity—and this time, it paid off almost immediately. Just three minutes into the second half, Marcel Ruíz let loose a powerful shot that rattled off the crossbar, offering a warning shot of what was to come.

Alexis Vega broke the deadlock. Latching onto a perfectly timed through ball from Raúl Jiménez, he charged into the box and—after two determined attempts—buried the ball in the back of the net. Initially flagged offside, the goal was waved off by the referee, sparking tension in the stands. But VAR review reversed the decision, confirming the goal would stand and sending a massive wave of celebration through the predominantly pro-Mexico crowd.

Facing a one-goal deficit, Saudi Arabia pushed forward with more urgency—but their lack of creativity in the final third kept them from finding an equalizer, echoing their struggles against Mexico in the 2022 World Cup. Just like in that matchup, El Tri held firm and came away victorious. In fact, Saudi Arabia failed to register a single shot on target against Luis Malagón in Phoenix.

On 81 minutes, Mateo Chávez whipped in a low cross from the left flank targeting AC Milan’s Santiago Giménez. But before Giménez could get a boot on it, Saudi defender Abdullah Madu accidentally redirected the ball into his own net, sealing the win for Mexico.

With the result, Mexico notched its third straight clean sheet—a promising sign as the team fine-tunes its defensive setup. Notably, they achieved the shutout without César Montes, who missed the game through suspension. Yet even in his absence, the back line held firm, suggesting that head coach Javier Aguirre may be finding a clearer formula for organizing his defense.

Up next for El Tri: a high-stakes showdown in Santa Clara

Mexico advance to to the semifinals where they will face a tough Honduras side, who booked their place in dramatic style, beating Panama in a penalty shootout.

The game will be played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California on Wednesday July 2, kicking off at 10 p.m. EDT / 7 p.m. PDT.

It will be the 28th meeting between the two nations. Mexico have the edge in the head-to-head stats with 14 wins, Honduras and won eight and the remaining six ended in a draw.

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