México 3-2 República Dominicana | Copa Oro 2025 | Fase de Grupos

16 nations make up the field for CONCACAF's headline international tournament. They blitzed through League B in the Nations League last fall with six consecutive victories to qualify for this tournament for the first time. Familiar feeling, lining up with high hopes, their first time on a stage like this. And the 2025 Gold Cup is underway as we are rolling in Inglewood, California. Mexico begin their title defense. The Dominican Republic still won two games in those qualifiers. This is over the top for Santi Jimenez who takes it down brilliantly. Goalkeeper out. It rolls back and it's an open goal and it's cleared off the line. Comes back to Jimenez who then volleys it over the bar. They come again and here's Gallardo. Infield for Raul Jimenez. What a save. Second ball for Santi. Clips it back in for Raul Jimenez. Wants to get turned. Back heel for Gallardo. Gallardo whistles it across the face and out. Reyes has Gonzalez streaking down the middle. Reyes to the near post and missed wide. Mexico giving themselves the option to swing it in with either foot. It's going to be the right foot. And toward the near post and they score. Edson Alvarez, the captain, does it for Mexico. Took a while but the men in black are back and the champions charge ahead in the gold cup opener. Dominican Republic trying to create something before then. Rebaez lifts it back into the box and straight at the goalkeeper, Dorney Romero appear to be offside. There is the halftime whistle from O'Shane Nation. Now the Dominican Republic in their first ever appearance under these bright lights. Low cup qualifier in Guatemala City. Here go Mexico now. Raul Jimenez is in. Raul scores. He's hungry like the wolf. Feasting already at the gold cup. It's two for Eltree. Three points likely. And Raul Jimenez once again shows the way. It's been working brilliantly. Two balls on the pitch and this is sent toward goal and in the back of the net. O'Shane Nation didn't stop playing. Peter Gonzalez kept on going and he scored. At the Dominican Republic, punch back. First ever goal in a major tournament. Massive moment for them and they're right back in this. 2-1. Well a crazy sequence. A second ball clearly came on the pitch. O'Shane Nation started to put his whistle to his. They still could of course with the quality they have. Vegas corner. Free header and it's 3-1. They do strike right back and it's a second for Edson Alvarez. He rarely scores but he has two tonight. And now Mexico have three. Set pieces, set pieces, set pieces. Then Alexis Vega and then Santi Jimenez and Santi Jimenez just wide. Right back up the field, Marcial and Marcial slides in a man. It's Dorney Romero and it's cut back on the right and it's deflected in and it's a second goal for the Dominican Republic and it's Edson Escona off the bench and they're back in it again and they will not go away. And Mexico caught on the break inexcusably, inexplicably with a two goal lead and that lead is back down to one. Jimenez who still wins the header. It's back for Alvarado and Alvarado saved by Valdez. Pulls it back instead for Vega. Alexis Vega saved by Valdez again. DeLucas lines it up. DeLucas saved by Malagon. It sums up the effort from the Dominican Republic tonight but there's the full-time whistle. It is over and the champions do enough as El Tri tamed the newcomers.