The 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup is underway, and Group A action saw Mexico face Suriname at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Wednesday, June 18th. This was the first-ever Gold Cup encounter between these two nations, although they share a history in other official competitions.
Mexico entered the match as the favorite, aiming for their second victory in the group stage. El Tri secured a 3-2 win against the Dominican Republic in their opening match, with goals from Edson Álvarez, Raúl Jiménez, and César Montes. Goalkeeper Luis Ángel Malagón also played a key role in preserving the win with three saves. With three points already in hand, the reigning champions sought to solidify their chances of advancing to the Knockout Round.
Suriname, on the other hand, was looking to bounce back from a 4-3 defeat against Costa Rica. Despite the loss, Suriname showed resilience in their opening match, with Gyrano Kerk, Richonell Margaret, and Shaquielle Pinas finding the net. The team was eager to secure their first victory of the campaign and only their second overall in Gold Cup history.
Historically, Mexico and Suriname have met three times in official competitions. Their first encounter was during the qualifiers for the 1978 FIFA World Cup, where Mexico dominated with an 8-1 victory. More recently, the two sides clashed in the 2022/23 Concacaf Nations League, with Mexico winning both matches. In the first match, Mexico triumphed 3-0, with goals from Israel Reyes, Henry Martín, and Érick Sánchez. The second match saw Mexico secure a 2-0 victory, with Johan Vásquez scoring and a Damil Dankerlui own goal sealing the result.
Heading into the match, predictions favored Mexico. Footballwhispers.com predicted a 3-1 victory for Mexico, while CBS and SportsMole foresaw 2-1 and 1-0 wins for El Tri, respectively. However, Javier Aguirre, Mexico's coach, emphasized the importance of not underestimating any opponent in the Gold Cup, acknowledging the increasing competitiveness of teams in the region.
The match kicked off at 8 p.m. Mountain / 9 p.m. Central Time on Wednesday, June 18th, and was broadcast on FS1 in English, as well as TUDN and Univision in Spanish. Streaming options were available on FoxSports.com, the Fox Sports mobile app, and the Spanish-language platforms of TUDN and Univision.
As of the first half, the score remained 0-0. Suriname had a few clear-cut chances that frustrated Mexico, including a long-range shot from Denzel Jubitana that forced a save from Mexico's goalkeeper, Luis Malagón.
