The Gold Cup final is set, and it’s a familiar matchup. The United States and Mexico will play for the championship once again. This rivalry has a long history in the tournament. They have faced each other seven times before in the final. Recent clashes include 2021, 2019, 2011, 2009, and 2007. They also met in 1998 and 1993.
The path to the final saw no big shocks in the semifinals. The United States secured their spot by beating Guatemala 2-1. Young forward Diego Luna was the hero for the Americans. He scored very early in the game, finding the net just four minutes in. Luna then added a second goal right before the 15-minute mark, set up by Tillman. Guatemala did get a goal back through Escobar in the 80th minute, but it wasn’t enough to force a tie.
Mexico also won their semifinal match, defeating Honduras by a narrow 1-0 score. The lone goal came from Raúl Jiménez, a former Benfica player. He got an assist from 16-year-old Gilberto Mora, a rising talent. Edson Álvarez thought he had added a second goal for Mexico shortly after, but it was called back for offside.
The highly anticipated final is scheduled for midnight, going from Sunday into Monday, July 6 to July 7. Mexico holds the title as current champions of this tournament, having beaten Panama 1-0 in 2023. The United States will have home-field advantage for the big game. The match will be played in Houston.