An 88th-minute goal by substitute Santi Gimenez helped Mexico defeat Panama and clinch the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup title. This is Mexico’s 12th continental title and thier first since 2019.
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Mexico defeat Panama to win the Gold Cup
The late Gimenez goal was a crushing blow to a Panama side that played Mexico toe-to-toe and arguably deserved more from the match. It was the third final that Panama lost after also bowing down to the USA in 2005 and 2013.
The 22-year-old Feyenoord forward dribbled past Harold Cummings and outraced Cummings and Fidel Escobar into the penalty area, where he scuffed a bouncing left-foot shot over goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera for his fourth international goal in 18 appearances for his country.
Redemption after a poor World Cup campaign
Several months after Mexico crashed out of the World Cup in group stages it was considered Mexico’s worst display in nearly half a century, El Tri rebounded with an excellent tournament under interim manager Jaime Lozano, who took over a broken team only a month ago. The trophy caps an incredible turnaround for an underperforming team in the CONCACAF Nations League and injecting them with belief and spirit as they won five of their six matches in the tournament.
Mexico, which allowed just two goals in its matches, has won this tournament for a record 9 times which is more than all other nations combined. The U.S. has seven Gold Cup titles and Canada has one.
Giménez’s late goal ended an unlikely Gold Cup run by Panama, who upset the U.S. in the semifinals by defeating then 5-4 on penalties to earn only their third appearance in the final of the tournament. ‘They took the tournament seriously- they brought the best possible team that they could bring to this tournament and they are getting their just reward,’ said former US defender Alexi Lalas postgame on Fox.
