High Stakes, Little Room to Breathe in Gold Cup Finale
You could feel the pressure inside Allegiant Stadium as Mexico and Costa Rica squared off for the top spot in Group A of the CONCACAF Gold Cup on June 23, 2025. Both sides entered the match locked at seven points, so every touch felt like it could decide who avoids the tougher knockout route. And right until the final whistle, things stayed razor-tight.
If you thought group finales couldn’t be tense, Santiago Giménez nearly proved otherwise. Stoppage time was ticking away when he pulled off an acrobatic bicycle kick, sending Mexican fans into a frenzy—only for jaws to drop moments later. The goal was ruled out after a VAR review, catching Giménez just barely offside after a tricky exchange between Carlos Rodríguez and a desperate clearance from Orlando Galo. Talk about a buzzkill. That slice of heartbreak summed up the entire night: plenty of grit, no real glory, and both teams splitting points.
But for Mexico, it didn’t really hurt their ambitions. Thanks to a better goal difference from earlier wins against the Dominican Republic and Suriname, they finished on top of the group. That’s ten straight Gold Cup games unbeaten for Mexico against Costa Rica—if history’s a sign, they seem to have the Ticos’ number when it matters.
Quarterfinals Set—But Costa Rica Limps Forward
No rest for the weary. Mexico now switches focus to a quarterfinal showdown with Saudi Arabia. They’ll head into the match with a clean record and a shot of momentum, even if their finishing looked off. For Costa Rica, things get bumpy. The U.S. awaits, but several key names are missing from the lineup. Forward Manfred Ugalde, Costa Rica’s top scorer with three tournament goals, is sidelined through suspension, as is midfielder Carlos Mora, who picked up one yellow card too many. The injury list is no kinder—defender Ariel Lassiter sustained a fractured hand, while Warren Madrigal suffered a broken leg earlier in the tournament. That’s a big part of Costa Rica’s attacking and defensive machinery out of commission when they need it most.
Looking at their path so far, Mexico cruised past both the Dominican Republic and Suriname in group play, while Costa Rica scraped a win over Suriname and took a point against the Dominicans. That left qualification on a knife edge heading into the Vegas showdown, making the draw feel like an exhausted exhale for both teams.
The knockout stages always bring surprises, especially when squads are stretched thin or riding high on confidence. Mexico will look to keep the momentum, and the Ticos are banking on whatever resilience they can muster with a patchwork lineup. Every Gold Cup, there’s a turning point—this year’s could be unfolding right before our eyes.
