Raúl Jiménez scored in the 50th minute off an assist from 16-year-old Gilberto Mora and Mexico advanced to its 12th CONCACAF Gold Cup final with a 1-0 victory over Honduras on Wednesday night.
El Tri advanced to play the United States in the final Sunday night in Houston for the eighth meeting in the title game between the two countries with Mexico owning a 5-2 edge. Mexico has won nine Gold Cups, the U.S. seven and Canada one.
Mexico broke through early in the second half on a play started by Alexis Vega with a pass to Mora near the top of the box. Mora slid a pass to Jiménez, who beat Edrick Menjívar with a right-footed shot for his 42nd career international goal.
No. 17 ranked Mexico appeared to add to that lead a few minutes later when Edson Álvarez tapped in a goal off a set piece but that was negated when video review ruled he was offside.
But El Tri managed to hold onto that lead as 75th ranked Honduras was unable to generate an equalizer.
Honduras reached this stage for the first time since 2013 despite losing the opener of the tournament 6-0 to Canada. The Hondurans haven’t made the final since the inaugural tournament in 1991 when they lost in penalty kicks to the U.S.
There were few good chances in the first half with Mexican goalie Luis Malagón making an easy save on Dixon Ramírez’s shot from outside the box after not facing any shots on goal the past two games.
El Tri’s had two good opportunities late in the half. Johan Vásquez’s shot in the box deflected off Honduran defender Denil Maldonado and right into the hands of goalie Menjívar.
Menjívar then made a sharp save against Marcel Ruíz in the 42nd minute and Julián Martínez cleared the rebound out of danger.
There was a chippy moment in the 11th minute when a ball was played into the Mexico bench area. Romell Quioto aggressively tried to get the ball for Honduras and Mexican reserve Guillermo Ochoa took exception, leading to players on both teams getting heated and a yellow card for Ochoa.
Luna scores twice to lead US over Guatemala 2-1 and into final
St Louis (USA), Jul 3 (AP): Diego Luna scored twice in the first 15 minutes, and the United States hung on to beat Guatemala 2-1 on Wednesday night to reach its first CONCACAF Gold Cup final since 2021.
Luna put the U.S. ahead with a left-footed shot in the fourth minute, then scored with his right in the 15th for his third goal in two games.
Olger Escobar, an 18-year who was born in Lynn, Massachusetts, cut inside and slid a shot from inside the area between Matt Freese and the far post in the 80th for his second goal of the tournament. Freese parried José Morales’ shot toward the far post in the second minute of stoppage time.
The U.S. plays defending champion Mexico or Honduras for the title Sunday at Houston, the Americans’ last competitive match before their World Cup opener next June. El Tri has won nine Gold Cups, the U.S. seven and Canada one.
The 16th-ranked Americans advanced to the Gold Cup final for the 13th time. All five losses in finals have been to Mexico.
The No. 106 Guatemala, which has never reached the final, outshot the U.S. 13-1 in the last 30 minutes of the first half.
Luna got his first goal after Alex Freeman crossed for Malik Tillman. He touched the ball to Luca de la Torre, whose shot was spilled by goalkeeper Kenderson Navarro. Luna reacted quickly and switched the ball from his right foot to his left, then shot over Navarro’s outstretched right hand.
Eleven minutes later, Luna received cross-field pass from Tillman about 40 yards out, dribbled in, got by defender José Carlos Pinto with a stepover and put the ball inside the near post from the edge of the penalty area.
Guatemala’s starters included a pair of former U.S. players: 29-year-old forward Rubio Rubin made seven appearances for the Americans from 2014-18 before switching in 2022 and 28-year-old defender Aaron Herrera made one in 2021 and then changed in 2023.
Rubin put the ball past Freese in the 29th minute but the goal was disallowed for offside. Freese made a kick save on Rubin in the 34th.