Everyone was waiting for the 2025 Gold Cup Final between the USA and Mexico at NRG Stadium in Houston. A great game ended 2-1 in favor of Mexico. Chris Richards scored for the US but Mexico responded with goals from Raúl Jiménez and Edson Álvarez. According to CNN Español, the intensity of the rivalry between these two teams was on full display.
The US scored in the 4th minute and the game was off and running. From a free kick by Sebastian Berhalter, Chris Richards headed the ball which hit the crossbar and went over the line. After a review the ref decided it was a goal. Even though the US fans were celebrating, Mexico didn’t give up. They kept pushing for chances and had more of the ball.
Raúl Jiménez scored the equalizer for Mexico in the 27th minute with a beauty from the left side of the box. Jiménez celebrated the goal by honoring his former teammate from Wolverhampton Wanderers, Diogo Jota. Both teams played cautious for the rest of the half and this goal brought the game back to 1-1.
The second half the US tried to defend and counter attack while Mexico kept the pressure but their chances of getting a shot were limited. Malik Tillman and Diego Luna, two of the US best players in the tournament, were under pressure and couldn’t play. Johan Vázquez and Edson Álvarez were dominating the middle of the field for Mexico.
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In the 67th minute a dramatic incident happened when Jorge Sánchez of Mexico tripped in the box and the ball hit his hand. The ref didn’t give a penalty despite the US appeal. After that Mexico kept pushing and in the 77th minute Edson Álvarez scored the winner with a header. Initially it was called offside but VAR reversed the call and gave Mexico a 2-1 lead.
Edson Álvarez was the man of the match. He gave it his all for Mexico, played well in both boxes and helped create Mexico’s chances which made them the first team to win the Gold Cup 10 times and his passing accuracy was 91%.
Under Pochettino the US fought hard to get back into the game in the last minutes but struggled to get into the attacking third. Without Christian Pulisic, a key player for the team, the offense was toothless. According to Landon Donovan, former US player, Mexico deserved to win because they had more experience.
Mexico celebrated big time. After the Nations League win in March, this is their second title of 2025. César Montes scored 3 goals in the group stage and Raúl Jiménez 2 in this tournament. Mexico showed up strong in both attack and defense.
This loss teaches the US a lesson. Young players on this team are Malik Tillman and Diego Luna who both scored 3 goals and made big contributions offensively in the tournament. According to Pochettino they will keep improving and getting ready for 2026 World Cup.
The game was electric with over 70,925 fans in NRG Stadium. Mexico had a lot of fans, they were chanting green. In the Gold Cup final this was the 8th time these two teams met and Mexico won 6 of them.
The US has to go back and make more progress with the team. Pochettino said the players showed dedication and teamwork. They kept their composure even without the key players. This team can improve in the future.
The US vs Mexico rivalry is on full display in this Gold Cup Final. This game was special because of the skills, drama and intensity of the players on both sides. Mexico may have won but the US showed they will be back stronger next time.
Mark Phury is a dynamic sports enthusiast with a knack for capturing the thrill of the game. With 3 years at Hindustan Times, he delivers sharp, engaging stories that resonate with fans. Reach him at markphury@gmail.com for insights that score every time.