The 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup has lastly arrived as Mexico and the Dominican Republic ring within the group stage. The 2 nations will face off on Friday at SoFi Stadium in California. The build-up to the match has already supplied loads of pressure throughout taking part nationwide groups forward of play and heightened safety concerns.
For Mexico, they start the competitors as group favorites and reigning title holders. Their odds have now skyrocketed as match favorites after United States males’s nationwide group ahead Christian Pulisic removed himself from choice, citing rest and recovery. El Tri are not any strangers to Gold Cup glory usually, however could have an opportunity to make an announcement throughout their opening group match after three wins of their final 4 video games.
Dominican Republic is taken into account an underdog in group A, alongside Suriname, with Costa Rica as rivals for second place within the opening spherical. Los Quisqueyanos might be a sleeping large within the group as they step into the Gold Cup in sturdy type, with only one loss of their earlier 5 matches.
Listed here are storylines, how one can watch the match and extra:
The best way to watch and odds
- Date: Saturday, June 14 | Time: 10:15 p.m. ET
- Location: SoFi Stadium — Los Angeles, Calif.
- TV: FS1 | Dwell stream: Fubo
- Odds: Mexico – 900; Draw +700; Dominican Republic +2100
How they acquired right here
Mexico: El Tri have fun their 18th look within the Gold Cup and punched their ticket to the competitors as quarterfinal winners through the 2024-25 Concacaf Nations League. They met Honduras through the two-leg Nations League quarterfinal and superior 4-2 on combination. Henry Martín, Raúl Jiménez, and Jorge Sánchez scored all through the two-match set. Mexico went on to win the Nations League last, 2-1 in opposition to Panama.
Dominican Republic: That is their first-ever look within the Gold Cup. The squad had an extended street to the match by way of the Nations League qualifying course of. The Caribbean aspect dominated 2024-25 League B Nations League group play with six wins over Group D rivals Bermuda, Dominica, and Antigua and Barbuda. Because the first-place winners of Group D, they secured a spot in League A and direct qualification for the 2025 Gold Cup.
Predicted lineups
Mexico: Angel Malagon; Jorge Sanchez, Israel Reyes, Cesae Montes, Jesus Gallardo; Oberlin Pineda, Edson Alvarez, Marcel Ruiz, Alexis Vega; Raul Jimenez, Santiago Gimenez
Dominican Republic: Xavier Valdez; Joao Urbaez, Luiyi De Lucas, Edgar Pujol, Noah Dollenmayer, Junior Firpo; Peter Gonzalez, Jimmy Kaparos, Heinz Morschel, Edarlyn Reyes; Dorny Romero
Gamers to observe
Edson Alvarez, Mexico: A savvy veteran and two-time Gold Cup winner, Alvarez has been a staple for El Tri in excessive stakes tournaments for years. The West Ham midfielder can be accountable for shielding the protection and serving to in buildup play, and aiding Mexico in shutting down any fast transitions by the Dominican Republic.
Raul Jimenez, Mexico: One other skilled participant for Mexico and the 2024-25 Nations League Greatest Participant winner, Jimenez can be a key goal in El Tri’s offense. Jiménez has 40 worldwide objectives, six behind Jared Borgetti for the third-most in group historical past, and might stretch the assault if wanted together with his hold-up play and aerial capability.
Dorny Romero, Dominican Republic: With 14 objectives in his final 10 worldwide video games, Romero is the undisputed face of the rising Dominican Republic program. He has surpassed Jonathan Faña to turn into the Dominican nationwide group’s all-time main goalscorer with 25 objectives in simply 36 appearances. He scored in all six Nations League group video games and was the match Golden Boot winner with 10 objectives.
Junior Firpo, Dominican Republic: The defender performed a key function increased up the pitch throughout Nations League matches. He delivered three assists and earned high assists honors for the match. The Leeds United participant can cowl loads of floor marking opposition, or fly up the flank to help counterattacks.
Storylines to observe
Mexico: El Tri head coach Javier Aguirre is again on the sidelines for a 3rd time with the squad. His time within the Gold Cup has been a bag of blended outcomes. He had a dominant 5-0 win in opposition to USMNT in 2009, and a quarterfinals exit in opposition to South Korea in 2002. He and the squad are thought of favorites to win the 2025 Gold Cup, as reigning title holders from the 2023 version and up to date Nations League champions.
Dominican Republic: Argentinian supervisor Marcelo Neveleff named a 26-player roster to compete within the nation’s first Gold Cup look. They’re the one Concacaf debutant at this Gold Cup, with match visitors Saudi Arabia additionally making their debut. The respect for Los Quisqueyanos comes after 14 unsuccessful Gold Cup qualifying makes an attempt, however the particular group claimed their spot with authority, outscoring Nations League opponents 27-4 and successful all six of their matches.
Prediction
First video games of tournaments are all the time probably the most troublesome, and whereas that might be a silver lining alternative for the Dominican Republic, it is their first sport of their Gold Cup debut. Mexico’s Gold Cup tune-ups in opposition to Switzerland and Turkiye can be useful kickstarters, however maybe a foreshadowing that the opening group sport will not be fairly a blowout as some might assume. Decide: Mexico 2, Dominican Republic 0
Academic field information
– LA protests lead Mexico national team to switch hotels ahead of Gold Cup
– What Donald Trump’s travel ban means for FIFA World Cup, Club World Cup, and Gold Cup
– Catch up: USMNT loses against Switzerland, the third straight concession in Gold Cup tune-up
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