Mexico defeated Honduras 1–0 in a rocky Gold Cup semifinals match and will now face the USMNT as they look to secure back-to-back titles.
The first half can only be described as a dog fight, with Honduras looking to dominate the game through their physicality and strength. Los Catrachos played with a bit between their teeth, roughing up Mexico’s players who tried to control the game with the ball at their feet.
Mexico struggled to generate chances but did have their moments; however, Raúl Jiménez wasted a clear header and Edrick Menjívar denied Marcel Ruiz with a good save to send the game scoreless to halftime.
It took Mexico only five minutes to find a breakthrough in the second half, as 16-year-old Gilberto Mora made a brilliant play to set-up Jiménez, who fired in his 41st goal for El Tri. Javier Aguirre’s side continued to dominate and bagged another through Edson Álvarez in the 54th minute, but it was later disallowed for offside.
Aguirre was cautious with his substitutions and decided to protect the one goal advantage. Honduras tried to push forward with more strength and desire than quality, but were incapable of mustering more than a single shot on target all game.
The final whistle blew and Mexico’s job was done. Still without a signature performance, Mexico walked into another Gold Cup final, where the USMNT awaits in what will be the last official game for both nations until the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Player ratings from Mexico’s win below.
Mexico Player Ratings vs. Honduras (4-3-3)
Honduras Player Ratings vs. Mexico (4-4-2)
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Mexico 1–0 Honduras: Player Ratings As El Tri Close in on Successful Gold Cup Title Defense.
