The Mexican national soccer team took a firm step forward on Wednesday, June 18, with a 2-0 victory over Suriname in the second day of Group A of the 2025 Gold Cup, a result that allows them to advance to the quarterfinals along with Costa Rica, their next opponent.
In a match played at the Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, the team coached by Javier Aguirre had to overcome a difficult first half and the speed of the Surinamese attackers, who put the Mexican defense in trouble for several stretches of the match.
A weak first half for the defending champions
With the pressure of defending the title won in 2023, Mexico started the match with difficulties to control the pace of the game.
As in their long-suffering win against the Dominican Republic just four days ago, the Aztecs showed little dynamism and little offensive generation during the first 45 minutes.
For their part, Suriname, well organized at the back, took advantage of the speed of players such as Denzel Jubitana and Gyrano Kerk (of Belgium’s Royal Antwerp) to mount dangerous counterattacks.
It was precisely Jubitana who came close to opening the scoring in the 12th minute, with a powerful left-footed shot that Mexican goalkeeper Luis Ángel Malagón managed to keep out with a great save.
Mexico reacts with set piece strategy
The tone of the match continued at the start of the second half, with the Surinamese winning duels in the midfield and generating chances that put the Tricolor backline under pressure.
However, Mexico’s response came from set pieces.
In the 57th minute, from a corner kick taken by Alexis Vega, defender César Montes broke free and headed the ball past goalkeeper Etienne Vaessen, breaking the Caribbean team’s resistance.
Just six minutes later, in the 63rd minute, again from a corner kick, Montes again took advantage of a weak opponent’s marking.
This time, he struck a right-footed shot to make it 2-0 and secure the victory, which gave the Aztecs their second win of the tournament and put them at the top of the group for the moment.
What’s next: clash with Costa Rica
Buzzy
With this result, both Mexico and Costa Rica have secured their place in the quarterfinals.
Next Sunday, June 22, both teams will face each other in a direct duel for first place in group A, in a match that promises to be exciting and will be key to defining the teams that will advance to the next stage of the championship.
The match will be especially important for El Tri, who will be looking to dispel doubts after their first two inconsistent games and consolidate their bid to retain the continental title in a tournament that mobilizes the passion of millions of Hispanic fans across the United States.
Just like in their hard-fought victory against the Dominican Republic, the Aztec team showed little dynamism and little offensive generation during the first 45 minutes
