Edson Álvarez shines as Mexico beats Dominican Republic in 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup: Highlights and goals

Mexico beat Dominican Republic 3-2 for the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup and you lived every moment of this exciting game here, on Bolavip.

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Mexico holds on to a hard-fought 3–2 victory over the Dominican Republic in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup opener. A thrilling match filled with drama, skill, and momentum swings ends with El Tri claiming the important first three points of the tournament.

As the clock winds down, Mexico is shifting gears to protect their lead. The Dominicans push forward for one last chance, but El Tri is settling into a more defensive shape, focusing on maintaining control and managing the game. Fresh substitutions have injected energy into the backline and midfield, aiming to shut down any late threats and secure this crucial 3–2 victory in the Gold Cup opener.

Raúl Jiménez, who’s been crucial with his goals tonight, has to come off for a tactical decision. Alongside him, César Montes also exits the pitch with a knock. In their place, Jesús Orozco and César Huerta enter to help Mexico see out the final minutes of this tense Gold Cup opener.

Tension rises at SoFi Stadium as VAR steps in to review a reckless challenge by Dominican substitute Erick Japa on César Montes. The tackle looked high and late, prompting the referee to pause play and head to the monitor. The initial call was a yellow card—but the officials are now checking if it warrants a straight red. Decision pending…

The Dominican Republic continues to go all-in. Heinz Morschel—already on a yellow—and forward Dorny Romero make way for Ronaldo Vásquez and Erick Japa. The message is clear: they’re not settling for a narrow defeat. With fresh legs and attacking intent, the Dominicans are throwing everything forward in search of a dramatic equalizer against Mexico.

Mexico makes a key change up top: Santiago Giménez comes off after providing an assist, and Julián Quiñones enters to bring fresh energy to the attack.

Meanwhile, the Dominican Republic made their moves during that wild stretch of goals. Reyes and Dollenmayer came off, and it’s already paid off—Edison Azcona, who replaced Reyes, scored just minutes after coming on. De Lucas also enters, adding new legs as the Dominicans chase an equalizer in this thrilling Gold Cup opener.

The comeback effort is alive and well! Edison Azcona slices through the left wing with a dazzling solo run and fires a low, curling shot to the far post, beating Malagón with precision. It’s now 3–2, and the Dominican Republic refuses to go away. What a game we have at SoFi Stadium!

The referee reaches for the first card of the night as Dominican midfielder Heinz Morschel is shown yellow for a late challenge on Carlos Rodríguez in midfield. A tactical foul to stop Mexico’s transition, and tempers are starting to rise as we head into the final stretch.

Despite trailing 3–1, the Dominican Republic continues to fight with urgency and belief. The pace of the match hasn’t dropped, with both teams playing at full throttle. Mexico is holding their ground, but the Dominicans aren’t backing down—they’re pressing high and still looking to carve out another chance to get back in it. This one is far from over.

What a response from El Tri! Just moments after conceding, Mexico strikes again—this time Raúl Jiménez bags his second of the night with a clinical finish to restore the two-goal cushion. It's 3–1 now, and Mexico refuses to let the Dominican Republic build any momentum. A captain’s response when it mattered most.

Game on at SoFi! Peter González brings the Dominican Republic right back into it with a composed, clinical finish inside the box—showing real quality under pressure. The score is now 2–1, and the underdogs are very much alive in this Gold Cup opener!

What a finish from the veteran striker! After a slick team move, Santiago Giménez delivers a clever assist into the path of Raúl Jiménez, who keeps his composure and slots it low beneath the goalkeeper. Mexico now leads 2–0 and takes firm control of the match at SoFi Stadium!

Head coach Javier Aguirre makes two early changes: Israel Reyes and Orbelín Pineda make way for Carlos Rodríguez and Alexis Vega. A fresh injection of creativity and pace as Mexico looks to tighten control and find a second goal in this Gold Cup opener.

Mexico and the Dominican Republic are back on the pitch ready to battle for the opening win of the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup.

A last-minute goal just before halftime gives El Tri a crucial advantage as they head to the locker room. The timely strike injects confidence into Mexico, who now look to build on this momentum in the second half of the Gold Cup opener.

From a well-delivered corner kick, Edson Álvarez rises above the defense to unleash a powerful header that leaves the goalkeeper helpless. The crowd erupts as El Tri takes a 1–0 lead in this crucial Gold Cup opener!

This one’s heating up fast! Just before the break, Mexico and the Dominican Republic trade dangerous chances in quick succession. El Tri wastes a promising corner after a threatening build-up, while moments later, the Dominicans respond with a slick team move that earns them a corner of their own. It’s turning into a true back-and-forth battle at SoFi—plenty to talk about heading into the halftime break.

Out of nowhere, the Dominican Republic threatens down the left flank. A sharp build-up ends with Dorny Romero finding space just outside the box—but his shot sails well over the bar. A wasted chance, but a reminder to Mexico that this game is far from one-sided. We’re heading toward halftime with tension building on both sides.

Mexico has tightened its grip on the match, pinning the Dominican Republic deep in their own half. El Tri is circulating the ball with intent, searching for that one defensive lapse to break through. Despite the relentless pressure, the Dominican backline remains resolute. The opening goal feels close—but for now, the underdogs continue to hold the line.

Mexico continues to dominate possession and camp out in the attacking third, probing for a breakthrough. Despite the pressure, the Dominican Republic is staying compact and disciplined at the back, closing down lanes and making key clearances. El Tri is running the show, but so far, the Dominicans are standing tall.

A brilliant sequence from Mexico nearly breaks the deadlock. Edson Álvarez lofts a perfectly timed ball over the top to Santiago Giménez, but the striker can’t get a clean touch. The rebound falls dangerously with the Dominican keeper caught off position—only for a follow-up shot to be heroically deflected on the goal line by Rosario, the Dominican center back. Massive defensive stop to keep it 0–0!

The underdogs are holding their own. The Dominican Republic isn’t just sitting back—they’re starting to string passes together and push forward with purpose. While they haven’t tested Malagón yet, they’re inching closer to the Mexican box and showing they came here to compete. Mexico needs to stay alert.

El Tri is looking to dictate the tempo, holding more of the possession and trying to settle into their rhythm. However, credit to the Dominican Republic—organized, disciplined, and showing plenty of commitment defensively. So far, no real threats on goal from either side as both teams continue to feel each other out.

Santiago Giménez earned a dangerous free kick just outside the box after drawing a foul in a promising area. He stepped up to take it himself—but his shot slammed straight into the wall. A let-off for the Dominican Republic, and it remains scoreless early in this Gold Cup opener.

Mexico and the Dominican Republic are off and running in the tournament’s opening match at SoFi Stadium.

We're just minutes away from kickoff, and the atmosphere is electric as the national anthems of Mexico and the Dominican Republic ring out across SoFi Stadium. The stage is set for the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup opener.

Dominican Republic have been in a rich vein of form in recent times, losing just one of their last 11 matches across all competitions stretching back to June 2024, when they suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat at the hands of Heimir Hallgrimsson's Jamaica.

The Club América striker was included in the preliminary roster ahead of the Liga MX final, sparking optimism that he would feature in the national team again. However, an injury sustained during the second leg against Toluca ruled him out of contention. As a result, Ángel Sepúlveda, who had a standout season with better scoring numbers, earned the nod to replace him in the final squad.

Head coach Javier Aguirre has decided that the starting goalkeeper for tonight’s match will be Luis Malagon, from America. As a result, Ochoa will begin the match on the bench, despite being one of the team’s most experienced leaders.

Here's Dominican Republic's starting eleven for the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup first match against Mexico!

The confirmed lineups are in!

Here's Mexico's starting eleven for the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup first match against Dominican Republic!

Luis Ángel Malagón will start in goal, with a backline featuring Jorge Sánchez, Israel Reyes, César Montes, and Jesús Gallardo. In midfield, Edson Álvarez anchors alongside Erik Lira and Orbelín Pineda. Up front, the attack is led by Roberto Alvarado, Santiago Giménez, and Jaime Lozano’s pick at center forward, Guillermo “Memo” Jiménez.

SoFi Stadium, located in Inglewood, California—a suburb of Los Angeles—is a state-of-the-art, domed multi-purpose venue built on the former grounds of the Hollywood Park Racetrack. It sits alongside iconic venues like the Kia Forum and the newly constructed Intuit Dome.

With a seating capacity of 70,000—expandable to 100,240 for major events—SoFi is the first indoor-outdoor stadium ever built. It serves as the home of both the Los Angeles Chargers and the Los Angeles Rams, and has quickly become one of the premier destinations for high-profile sporting events in North America.

Here’s how it looks :

SoFi Stadium on June 24, 2024 in Inglewood, California.

It has been confirmed that Oshane Nation will officiate the opening match of the Concacaf Gold Cup. The Jamaican referee brings solid experience from both MLS and Concacaf competitions. At just 34 years old, Nation is one of the youngest referees on the circuit, yet already well-established within North American and Caribbean soccer.

Joining Nation on the officiating crew is assistant referee Ojay Duhaney. Daneon Parchment will take charge of VAR duties, while support referee Steffon Dewar—who has experience officiating World Cup qualifiers and Nations League matches—rounds out the all-Jamaican referee team.

Mexico vs Dominican Republic will get underway at 10:15 PM ET (PT: 7:15 PM.)

Watch this clash between Mexico and Dominican Republic live in the USA on Fubo, FS1, Univision, TUDN, DirecTV Stream, Sling Blue and ViX.

Welcome to our live blog of the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup!

Mexico and the Dominican Republic are set to clash in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup—a matchup that promises high drama, unforgettable moments, and above all, either a statement of dominance from the reigning champion or a historic upset by the Dominicans.

Stay with us to get the necessary information and fun facts in the preview before we bring you minute-by-minute updates throughout the game!