Mexico secured their spot in the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup final after a hard-fought 1-0 win over Honduras at Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, on Wednesday night. The narrow victory came courtesy of a 50th-minute goal by Raúl Jiménez, who latched onto a clever assist from 16-year-old Gilberto Mora and slotted the ball past Honduran goalkeeper Edrick Menjívar.

While Mexico dominated possession throughout the game, their final-third efficiency was lacking in the first half. That changed after the break when Mora’s inch-perfect pass split the defense and set Jiménez up for the decisive goal. The strike was Jiménez’s second of the tournament and a reminder of his value to Mexico in big moments.

Mora continued to impress with his confidence on the ball, nearly assisting a second goal minutes later for Roberto Alvarado, who unfortunately couldn’t convert. Honduras, meanwhile, struggled to respond and created little in the way of real chances in the second half.

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Mexico believed they had doubled their lead in the 53rd minute when Edson Álvarez tapped in a loose ball from a set piece. But the celebration was short-lived. After a lengthy VAR review, the goal was ruled offside, keeping the score at 1-0.

Despite the setback, Mexico remained composed and retained control of the game. Their midfield, led by Álvarez and Luis Romo, ensured Honduras couldn’t mount any serious threat in the final third. The Hondurans, who had reached their first Gold Cup semifinal since 2013, looked exhausted and were unable to match Mexico’s tempo after conceding.

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Honduras coach Reinaldo Rueda acknowledged the better side won. “We came here with ambition, but Mexico’s organization and control in midfield was the difference,” he said in the post-match conference.

A Classic Final Awaits in Houston

With this win, Mexico set up a mouthwatering final against the United States, who beat Guatemala 2-1 earlier in the day. The clash between Mexico and the U.S. is widely considered the “Clasico” of CONCACAF, and tensions are expected to be high when the two regional giants meet again on Sunday, July 6, at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.

Mexico will be aiming to win a record-extending 10th Gold Cup title, while the U.S. are chasing their eighth. The last time the two teams met in a Gold Cup final was in 2021, when the U.S. claimed a dramatic 1-0 win in extra time.

Mexican goalkeeper Luis Malagón summed up the anticipation: “It’s a Clasico. A war. We have to win it, no excuses.”

Fans can catch the final live on FS1 at 8 p.m. ET.

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