Mexico Fends Off Fiery Dominican Republic in Gold Cup Opener at SoFi

A sharp first half and fast-paced second were just enough, as Mexico opened their 2025 Gold Cup campaign with a narrow 3–2 win over a fearless Dominican Republic side on Saturday night at SoFi Stadium.

Goals from Edson Álvarez, Raúl Jiménez, and César Montes lifted El Tri to an early cushion, but the Dominican Republic answered twice and pushed the match to the wire in a back-and-forth thriller.

The match opened with both teams trading early spells of possession, with Mexico gradually asserting control in midfield. El Tri dictated tempo for much of the half, but the Dominican Republic held their defensive shape and remained compact.

Just before halftime, Mexico broke through. In the 44th minute, Edson Álvarez rose above his marker and headed in a corner to give Mexico a deserved 1–0 lead heading into the break.

The second half opened with a bang.

Raúl Jiménez doubled Mexico’s lead in the 47th minute, pouncing on a rebound inside the six-yard box to make it 2–0. But the Dominican Republic responded instantly.

Just four minutes later, Peter González pulled one back with a low finish through traffic, cutting the deficit to 2–1 and injecting life into the underdogs.

Mexico answered quickly.

In the 53rd minute, César Montes restored the two-goal lead with a clinical header off a recycled set piece, putting Mexico up 3–1. Still, the Dominican Republic refused to fade.

Their persistence paid off again in the 67th minute when Edison Azcona struck from distance with a curling rocket that beat the keeper, making it 3–2 and setting up a dramatic final stretch.

The closing stages saw Mexico manage the tempo and lean on experience to see the result through, despite one last surge from the Dominican attack.

The night marked a milestone for the Dominican Republic, who not only scored their first-ever Gold Cup goals but stood toe-to-toe with one of the region’s giants in their tournament debut.

Safe to say it was a narrow escape for Mexico, and a fearless statement from a debutant side already rewriting expectations.