Mexico has six points in the Gold Cup, and will next face Costa Rica with Group A leadership on the line
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César Montes scored a braceEl Tri now has six points in the tournamentFour of Mexico’s five goals from set piecesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?
With their 2-0 victory over Suriname, Mexico secured a place in the next round of the Gold Cup, reaching six points after two group-stage wins. El Tri currently lead Group A, tied on points with Costa Rica but ahead on goal difference.
The two sides will face off Sunday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas to determine the group winner – a draw would be enough for Mexico to top the group.
Despite the victories, Javier Aguirre’s squad continues to face criticism from Mexican media for underwhelming performances. Mexico’s goals came from set pieces, taking advantage of Suriname’s defensive weaknesses but still showing a lack of fluidity in open play.
César Montes opened the scoring in the 56th minute with a header after being left unmarked in the box. Just six minutes later, the center-back scored again from another set piece, sealing the win for Aguirre’s men.
Suriname offered little resistance at AT&T Stadium on Wednesday night, and both they and the Dominican Republic have now been eliminated from the tournament.
On ESPN’s , analyst and Mexican football legend Hugo Sánchez delivered a strong statement: “We’re not optimistic. We haven’t seen a convincing performance from this team.”
Álvaro Morales was critical of Aguirre’s decisions: “After 56 minutes at 0-0, we got inside Aguirre’s head and made the substitutions for him. We beat the 137th-ranked team in the world – barely. Did someone fall asleep in the first half?”
Former national team striker Jared Borgetti offered a more measured take: “They played a smart match. The result was never in danger. I saw a focused team, even though there’s still room for improvement. Some players need to show more, and I hope the coach takes that into account.”
Analyst and coach Ricardo Ferretti echoed the sentiment: “The goalkeeper, Edson [Álvarez], Raúl Jiménez and Santiago Giménez are locks for the World Cup. But others like Alexis Vega and Roberto Alvarado are wasting their chances. They’re not creating or supporting the forwards. Aguirre still has doubts.”
On TUDN David Faitelson didn’t mince words: “Mexico wins with two goals from a center-back… Aguirre’s team is still offering very little. And remember, this was Suriname – not Argentina, Spain, or Portugal. Mexico’s performance is unacceptable.”
On FOX Sports, Rubén Rodríguez said: “There’s no attacking volume. Four of Mexico’s five goals have come from set pieces.”
AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Mexico remains unconvincing after two group-stage games, echoing the doubts raised during recent friendlies against Switzerland and Turkey. Sunday’s clash with Costa Rica – coached by Miguel Herrera – will be the first real test of Mexico’s tournament credentials.
Getty Images SportWHAT JAVIER AGUIRRE AND MEXICO PLAYERS SAID
Defender César Montes, now Mexico’s top scorer in the tournament, said he was surprised at his chances.
“I didn’t imagine I’d be the one scoring goals – those are for the strikers," he said. "But if I can help the team that way, I’ll do it. These teams sit back and are hard to break down, so set pieces are key. Against Costa Rica it’ll be intense. We know how Miguel Herrera works, and he’ll want to beat us. But we’ll play our game.”
Alexis Vega said the team raised the level of their game in the second Gold Cup match.
“Our play was better than in the last match," he said. "We were left with a bad taste after the game against the Dominican Republic. This time we were more organized, we studied our opponent well. We had four chances that should’ve been goals, but that’s football. We’re happy with the result and looking to improve. Against Costa Rica it’ll be tough – we want to finish first in the group, and we’re ready to leave everything on the field.”
Aguirre said, despite their international rankings, both Gold Cup opponents have been strong.
"We knew this group would be difficult. These teams are better than people think," he said. "Suriname has 22 players in Europe, and their coach is experienced. The Dominican Republic gave us problems too. We’ve worked hard for these results. It hasn’t been easy – we’ve lacked clarity in attack – but fortunately, set pieces have helped us. We have good set-piece takers, and that’s part of the game.”
Getty Images SportDID YOU KNOW?
Mexico have advanced past the group stage in all 18 editions of the Gold Cup and maintained their perfect record against Suriname, winning all four of their meetings. Both Suriname and the Dominican Republic have been eliminated from the tournament.
On an individual level, Montes’ two goals put him ahead of U.S. rival Malik Tillman – who had a brace in the 5-0 opening win over Trinidad and Tobago – in the race for the Golden Boot.
