The keys to Mexico’s victory over Costa Rica in the Gold Cup quarterfinals

In the quarterfinals of the Gold Cup 2023, the Mexican national team emerged victorious against Costa Rica with a 2-0 scoreline. This win has secured their place in the semifinals, where they eagerly await the outcome of the match between Guatemala and Jamaica to determine their next opponent.

Mexico were slow to adapt the game so that they could dominate, but thanks to a very lively Henry Martín inside the area who created the penalty in their favour, the key was turned for the team to progress.

Keys to victory over Costa Rica

Henry Martín’s Impact

The América striker intelligently controlled the ball inside the Costa Rican box, drawing a push from his opponent and ultimately earning the decisive penalty.

Bouncing Back

Mexico’s path to the semifinals came after a defeat against Qatar in the final group stage match. This loss created a sense of uncertainty, especially considering Mexico’s status as one of the tournament favorites alongside the United States. However, they overcame this setback and can now approach the next phase with greater confidence and peace of mind.

Orbelín Pineda’s Precision

Mexican midfielder Orbelín Pineda confidently stepped up to take the penalty and executed it flawlessly, deceiving Costa Rican goalkeeper Chamorro and giving Mexico the lead in the 52nd minute of the match.

Captain Ochoa’s Heroics

Despite facing few threats, Mexican goalkeeper Ochoa made a crucial intervention at a crucial moment, denying Costa Rica a potential goal and ultimately altering the course of the match.

Collective Effort

Mexico’s second goal demonstrated excellent teamwork. Santi Giménez initiated a superb collective play, assisting Roberto Alvarado, who then delivered a diagonal pass for Erick Sánchez to score and secure Mexico’s passage to the Gold Cup 2023 semifinals.