Mexico beat Dominican Republic 3-2 in Gold Cup opener

Inglewood

Mexico began their 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup campaign with a hard-fought 3-2 win over debutants Dominican Republic at SoFi Stadium on Sunday.

The game started evenly with no clear chances until Edson Alvarez scored with a header in the 44th minute from Orbelin Pineda’s corner, giving Mexico a 1-0 lead.

Just after halftime, Raul Jimenez made it 2-0 with a smooth finish after receiving a smart assist from Santiago Gimenez in the 47th minute.

Dominican Republic made history when Peter Gonzalez netted their first-ever Gold Cup goal in the 51st minute. But Mexico responded quickly—Cesar Montes restored their two-goal cushion in the 53rd minute with a close-range finish after a scramble in the box.

In the 67th minute, Edison Azcona narrowed the gap again for the Dominican Republic with a fine solo goal. The underdogs continued to push and forced two late saves from Mexican keeper Luis Angel Malagon during stoppage time.

“We played with full energy. The Dominican Republic gave us a real challenge,” said Mexico’s coach Javier Aguirre after the match. “I’m proud we didn’t underestimate them.”

Both teams now head to Texas for their next Group A matches on Thursday at AT&T Stadium. The Dominican Republic will face Costa Rica, while Mexico takes on Suriname.