2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup Off With a Bang

The Opening games this weekend were fabulous to watch

The start of the CONCACAF Gold Cup is off to a fantastic start. We hope that this confederation will start to gain strength with the improvements that began with the Nations League, and we had some fantastic matches this past weekend.

MEXICO 3:2 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Orbelin Pineda was at the far corner, ready to deliver the ball for the set piece. Then Edson Alvarez was at the right place at the right time to head the ball in at the 44th minute before halftime came.

At the start of the second half, Mexico took advantage of a goal-scoring opportunity. Roberto Alvarado was on the near side and made the quick pass to Santiago Gimenez, who quickly found Raul Jimenez and buried his chance in the 47th minute.

Many thought that would end the Dominican Republic's night, but not so. They pulled one back in the 51st minute. Joao Urbaez was at the far side touchline to throw the ball in and gave it to Peter Gonzalez. Somehow, he found the back of the net by taking a few steps forward and bending it low past Angel Malagon.

Mexico would restore the two goal lead in the 53rd minute, as the corner was delivered from the near side. As Alvarez tried to head it into the net, he headed it off the back shoulders of his teammate Cesar Montes and in to make the score three goals to one.

But the Dominican Republic refused to quit and scored a second goal in the 67th minute. Heinz Morschel attacked with the ball and passed it to the near side at Edison Azcona. He made a turn toward the area, took a shot, and, with a slight deflection, beat Malagon to make the score three goals to two.

While Mexico did win the match, the Dominican Republic faced the bully and showed them why they were one of the new kids on the block. Under Head Coach Gabriel Neveleff, he has brought excitement and desire to help make this National Team a new power in the Caribbean Zone.

USA 5:0 TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

No Christian Pulisic, no Weston McKennie, no Tim Weah. These are the men who either couldn't make it due to Club World Cup commitments with Juventus, and the other, who is the face of US Soccer, felt he needed a vacation.

So, Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino decided to bring in some players from the senior side. In the January camps, they are doing great things for their clubs in MLS.

Malik Tillman got two goals when he received a fantastic cross from Jack McGlynn as he camped at the far post. He settled it and scored in the 16th minute, then got some help with his second goal.

Late in the second half, Diego Luna took advantage of stealing a backpass from the Trinidadian defender and stole the ball. Going down the far side, and when he went inside the area, crossed it to Tillman, and he scored his second in the 41st minute.

Luna would earn his second assist as he got a nice pass to make another attacking run. He cut inside, made a bit of a turn, and took a shot at the net. But he didn't see Patrick Agyemang in his line of sight as the ball deflected off Agyemang's leg, rolled under the defender, and in at the 44th minute.

They would score two late goals in the second half as Brendan Aaronson got the fourth in the 82nd minute, then Haji Wright scored his goal in the 84th minute as Max Arfsten assisted the two late goals. While it was a good performance, the collective still needs work to look like a dominant team.

HAITI 0:1 SAUDI ARABIA

The Guest team only needed one chance to win and did so on a penalty in the 21st minute as Saleh Al Shehri converted from the spot. While Haiti tried to get the equalizer, they failed in all their attempts to break through, as the Saudis got their first win as a guest team in the Gold Cup.

COSTA RICA 4:3 SURINAME

Action galore in the final match of the weekend, as the Central American Side battled against a member of the Caribbean Zone, as it went the distance.

The Ticos opened the scoring in the 14th minute when Brandon Aguilera was a the far side. He delivered a fantastic cross, but as it died in front of the keeper, Alonso Martinez came out of nowhere and just redirected it in.

Costa Rica made it two goals to nil as they got a penalty for a foul inside the area. Manfred Ugalde converted the spot kick in the 19th minute, as many thought this one was over and done early.

But not so as Suriname found a way to pull one back in the 34th minute. Richonell Margaret was at the near side touchline, delivered a fantastic cross toward the net, and as Gyrano Kerk ran into the space, he headed the ball over Keylor Navas's head and made the score two goals to one.

Then Suriname took over the match in the second half. In the 59th minute, the same two men who scored the first goal would score the equalizer. As Francisco Calvo fell, Kerk took advantage and went on a run. He crossed it to Margaret, and he scored into an open net. Leveled at two.

Then Suriname took the lead as there was a VAR check for a possible handball, referee Joe Dickerson was called to the monitor, and you saw the elbow of the defender stick out and hit it. Shaquille Pinas took the spot kick and converted in the 64th minute.

But Costa Rica wouldn't stop trying to find an equalizer as they kept hounding Suriname. They would convert in the 76th minute when Joseph Mora nailed a hard shot, but it hit his teammate Martinez in the chest, and the rebound went toward Josimar Alcocer, and we were leveled at three.

In second half stoppage time, Costa Rica took the lead for good and got the win as Manfred Ugalde took the second penalty of the match for Costa Rica, he got the keeper to go the wrong way and scored inside the far post. The final was four goals to three in favor of the Ticos.

We saw some fabulous action from these two match days, as we still have more to go. Let's enjoy what they could bring to all of us as the Confederation is getting bigger and better right in front of us.

MONDAY, JUNE 16TH

PANAMA Vs. GUADELOUPE 7:00 PM FS1

JAMAICA Vs. GUATEMALA 10:00 PM FS1