Mexico 1-0 Panama: summary, score, goals, highlights 2023 Gold Cup final

So Mexico secure a ninth Gold Cup win and break the hearts of Panama fans who felt they had done enough to take the game to extra time.

Introduced as a late substitution, Feyenoord strike Santi Gimenez was on hand to deliver a fine solo effort and secure the title for Mexico.

FT: MEX 1-0 PAN

Mexico are the 2023 Gold Cup champions

Mosquera is carded as he clips a Mexico player and that's the end.

Panama win a dangerous free and this is last chance saloon for Los Canaleros.

Panama desperate to get the ball forward but now playing with more heart than head.

Sanchez shoots and Mosquera has to correct his footing and saves well.

We'll have five minutes of added time.

The Feyenoord striker does so well to break free of Cummings and dinks a left footed shot past Mosquera.

Has the sub secured the 2023 Gold Cuo for Mexico?

Barcenas goes close as he strikes inches wide.

Martin off for Santi Gimenez

72,963 attendance confirmed for Mexico vs Panama Gold Cup final

Into the final ten we go.

Still no breakthrough for either side.

Diaz has a go with a spectacular overhead effort as Mexico have a penalty appeal with referee Martinez waving play on.

Antuna off with Alvarado on

Sanchez replaces Chavez.

Ochoa forced to save well from two Panama efforts as the side in white now enjoy a spell of dominance.

Possession after 70 minutes...

Mexico 53-47 Panama (%)

20 minutes of the contest left.

As things stand, we'd be facing a period of extra time.

Mexico bossing things now as they have the edge over Panama.

Thomas Christiansen boss may look to remove the veteran defender from the contest.

Hang on... someone has informed the ref that he got the call wrong.

Cummings is still on the pitch and the game goes on.

That yellow was harsh as Pineda dives.

Cruel on Panama.

Panama down to ten men

Cummings is carded again and with his second yellow...he's off

Anderson and Waterman

Quintero and Davis are off

Alvarez carded for a dangerous intervention.

Relentless pressure from Mexico as Godoy intervenes to save well just as Alvarez was about to shoot.

Cards for Adalberto Carrasquilla (Panama) and Mexico's Gallardo.

A wonderful chance for Panama as Quintero heads inches wide with the goal at his mercy.

Barcenas with the cross.

Should things remain level at the end of the 90 minutes, then we'd have a further 30 minutes of extra time with a penalty shoot out then used should the sides be level after 120 minutes of action.

Panama get the second half underway.

The teams are back on the SoFi Stadium pitch.

Mex 0-0 Pan

A fine 45' of football with both teams generating decent chances.

Mexico finished the game the stronger side with Panama force to sit deep.

The whistle sounds and it remains 0-0 at the break of what's been a massively entertaining half time. 

Cesar Montes carded for arguing with the ref.

Tonight's ref, Said Martinez has been impressive tonight with the match official well in control and getting the big calls right. 

Three it is.

Final minutes of the half.

I'd anticipate 3/4 minutes of added time.

Mexico denied twice as Mosquera saves well, the second effort with his legs.

El Tri turning the screw as Los Canaleros are on the ropes now.

Mexico well on top now as Panama are forced to sit deeper and absorb pressure.

Mexico win a dangerous free as Pineda is clipped.

Chavez dinks the ball in and Vasquez heads over.

and indeed.... the striker was offside at the start of the move.

A blow for Mexico and let off for Panama.

Hold that ...VAR is looking at something ... a potential offside for Martin?

Mexico take the lead just after the half hour as Romo delivers a fine ball and the Club America man pounces to put Mexico ahead.

Good work from Mexico as they work the ball to Antuna but his shot ricochets off a player in a white shirt.

Still plenty of intensity as we approach the half hour mark in the game.

Panama possibly the better team but there really is very little to chose in a very even contest.

Thomas Christiansen is carded as he complains for a lack of a yellow for the Mexico striker.

Mexico ahead in terms of possession as El Tri look for a penalty but Sanchez dives in the box and is lucky to escape with no card for simulation.

Second card of the night goes to Cummings as he fouls Pineda.

Antuna finds space but hits his effort straight at Mosquera.

Best opening of the night for Mexico.

Still a fantastic energy level to the game and Panama are far from intimidated by the occasion as they look solid in defence and dangerous on the counter attack.

Diaz does well as Panama press and win a corner.

Adalberto Carrasquilla has caught the eye already tonight with the Houston Dynamo player also excellent in the semi-final game vs USA, 

Davis shoots and the wall stands firm ...the ball falls to Pineda but his effort is easy for Ochoa to gather.

Vasquez cadred for the foul.

Panama win a really dangerous free as Godoy is clipped just outside the box.

The tempo to the start of the game has been fast and furious.

Neither keeper has really been forced into action as Mexico start to exert themselves on the game.

Free for El Tri ..Chavez takes and Pineda flicks... the ball falls to Pineda who fires well wide.

Big, big noise levels being generated at SoFi Stadium as Mexico fans believe a record 9th Gold Cup title is on the cards. 

Bright start form Los Canaleros on what looks like a very dry pitch at the SoFi Stadium.

Diaz almost sneaks in but just as he is about to strike, the 26-year-old loses his footing and fails to get a strike on target.

Off we go, Mexico in green...Panama in white

90% of the crowd a the SoFi Stadium supporting El Tri it would seem with a few small pockets of red clad Panama fans.

The teams are in the tunnel and slowly advance to the pitch at a sold out stadium.

First up will be the national anthems of the participating sides.

Mexico-Panama: referee

Honduran match official Said Martinez is tonight's man in the middle with the 31-year-old official also on duty for the 2021 final when the US overcame Mexico.

A reminder of the teams as kick-off (finally) looms.

Concacaf and ko times... discuss

Sometimes it just 6 minutes, sometimes 28 and tonight 36.... 

Why oh why can't Concacaf stick with the pre-scheduled kick-off times... one of the 2023 Gold Cup mysteries. 

Ochoa on cusp of Gold Cup record

Guillermo Ochoa is one step away from making history with the Mexican National Team in the Gold Cup, as he is just a single game away from breaking the tournament appearance record with his team in the tournament. Mexico advanced to the final of the Gold Cup with an easy 3-0 win over Jamaica in the semi-final stage.

Tonight's appearance will see 25 games with El Tr at the tournament, beating the record of 24 Gold Cup games held by Andrés Guardado.

Will Lozano be named permanent Mexico head coach if they win the Gold Cup?

Jaime Lozano could be set to continue as the head coach of the Mexican national team, although his future will not depend on the outcome of Sunday’s Gold Cup final against Panama. Ivar Sisniega, president of the Mexican Soccer Federation (FMF), has confirmed that the restructuring of the organisation will not only affect the national team manager’s role, but will instead see a host of other changes in other areas.

Panama XI announced

Panama manager Thomas Christiansen names his side to face Mexico in the 2023 Gold Cup final with Fajardo and Diaz set to offer support for Quintero in attack as pat of a 3-4-3 line up.

Team news: Mexico

Lozano has confirmed his starting XI ahead of the 2023 Gold Cup final with Sanchez and Martin selected to lead the line as part of a 4-4-2 formation for El Tri.

Mexico’s possible XI vs Panama:

Mexico have sent out very similar line-ups in both their knockout-stage clashes so far at this summer’s tournament in the US and Canada. This suggests that head coach Lozano is unlikely to make significant changes to his side for the final.

Possible El Tri XI - Ochoa; Sánchez, Montes, Vásquez, Gallardo; Álvarez, Romo, Chávez; Pineda, Antuna, Martín.

Mexico boss Lozano pre-game

Lozano is in the position on an interim basis after Diego Cocca was sacked after a poor showing at the 2023 Concacaf Nations League.

One has to think that a Gold Cup win would be enough for Lozano to secure the position on a full time basis?

Mexico's Gold Cup finals record

1993: Mexico 4-0 USMNT

1996: Mexico 2-0 Brazil

1998: Mexico 1-0 USMNT

2003: Mexico 1-0 Brazil (after extra time)

2007: USMNT 2-1 Mexico

2009: Mexico 5-0 USMNT

2011: Mexico 4-2 USMNT

2015: Mexico 3-1 Jamaica

2019: Mexico 1-0 USMNT

2021: USMNT 1-0 Mexico (after extra time)

The trophy is in place ahead of the 2023 final with El Tri set to sport their classic green shirts tonight with Panama set to play in all white as they did in their semi-final win over the USMNT

Third time lucky for Panama?

Tonight's game will mark the Los Canaleros third appearance in a Gold Cup final, with their two previous efforts ending in narrow defeats to the USMNT (in 2005 and 2013).

Mexico’s run to the 2023 Gold Cup final

A 1-0 group-stage defeat to Qatar, when qualification for the knockout stage had already been secured, has been the only blemish on El Tri’s record at the tournament so far, with comfortable victories to nil against Honduras in the opening round and then Costa Rica and Jamaica in the quarter and semi-finals respectively.

The result of the other last-four clash would also appear to have gone in their favour, with an admittedly understrength United States beaten by Panama in a penalty shootout. This will be Los Canaleros third appearance in a Gold Cup final, with their two previous efforts ending in narrow defeats to the USMNT (in 2005 and 2013).

Mexico gunning for 9th Gold Cup

Mexico will be seeking a record ninth Gold Cup crown tonight (1993, 1996, 1998, 2003, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2019), while Panama will attempt to become the first Central American nation to lift the Gold Cup trophy.

México vs Panamá sold out !

Over 70,000 fans are expected to attend the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood tonight with Concacaf confirming that the match is a sellout.

Recent results: Panama

July, 2023: United States 0-0 Panama

July, 2023: Panama 4-0 Qatar

June, 2023: Martinique 1-2 Panama

June, 2023: Costa Ruca 1-2 Panama

June, 2023: Mexico 1-0 Panama

Recent results: Mexico

July, 2023: Jamaica 0-3 Mexico

July, 2023: Mexico 2-0 Costa Rica

July, 2023: Mexico 0-1 Qatar

June, 2023: Haiti 1-3 Mexico

June, 2023: Mexico 4-0 Honduras

Kick-off times around the world

It looks like the game will actually kick-off some 36 minutes later than the previously advertised time of 4.30 pm PT.

The action at a sold-out SoFi Stadium in Inglewood (California) gets underway at 4:30 (PT) or 7:30 (PT).

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the 2023 Gold Cup as Mexico face Panama.