Defending champion Mexico began its 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup campaign with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over the Dominican Republic at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. While "El Tri" ultimately secured the win, their slow start and the Dominican Republic's spirited performance made for a more challenging match than many anticipated.

Mexico, heavily favored entering the tournament and seeking a record-extending tenth Gold Cup title, appeared sluggish in the opening minutes. The Dominican Republic, making their Gold Cup debut, showed no signs of intimidation, pressing forward and creating some early chances. Goalkeeper Xavier Valdez proved to be a formidable presence for the Dominicans, making several crucial saves, including one remarkable stop with his face, to keep the game scoreless.

Despite the Dominican Republic's early momentum, Mexico gradually asserted control. As the first half drew to a close, Edson Álvarez broke the deadlock in the 44th minute with a powerful header from an Orbelín Pineda corner kick, giving Mexico a 1-0 lead heading into halftime.

The second half began with renewed energy from the Mexicans. Just two minutes after the restart, Raúl Jiménez doubled the lead, capitalizing on a well-executed play initiated by Santiago Giménez. Jiménez, continuing his climb on Mexico's all-time scoring list, now has 40 goals for the national team, closing in on Jared Borgetti's second-place mark.

However, the Dominican Republic refused to back down. In the 51st minute, Peter González etched his name in Dominican soccer history, becoming the first player from his country to score a Gold Cup goal, reducing Mexico's lead to 2-1. His left-footed shot from the right side of the box found the bottom left corner of the net, injecting new life into his team's efforts.

Mexico responded swiftly, restoring their two-goal advantage in the 53rd minute. César Montes headed home from close range off another assist from Edson Álvarez following a corner, making it 3-1. But the Dominicans continued to battle. Edison Azcona scored in the 67th minute, his shot deflecting off a pair of Mexican defenders and over the goalkeeper, pulling the score back to 3-2 and setting up a tense final stretch.

Despite several nervy moments in the closing stages, Mexico managed to hold on for the victory. While the win was crucial, the performance left much to be desired, and coach Javier Aguirre will likely be looking for improvements as the tournament progresses.

Mexico will face Suriname in their next Group A match on Wednesday in Arlington, Texas, while the Dominican Republic will seek their first Gold Cup victory against Costa Rica at the same venue. This Gold Cup is co-hosted by Canada and the United States, with the final scheduled for July 6th at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.