United States Falls To Rival Mexico 2–1 in Hard-Fought Concacaf Gold Cup Final

HOUSTON (July 6, 2025) – The journey for the United States Men’s National Team in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup ended Sunday night with a 2-1 loss to defending champion and rival Mexico in an intense, World Cup-level tournament final in front of a sold-out crowd of 70,925 at NRG Stadium.

The result concludes a gritty, determined run for a young and relatively inexperienced USMNT roster led by first-year head coach Mauricio Pochettino.

Mexico entered Sunday's match favored as the reigning champions, though both teams reached the final after wins by one goal in the mid-week semifinals. On Wednesday, the U.S. met their toughest challenge to date and quelled a loud, pro-Guatemala crowd at Energizer Park in St. Louis with a 2-1 win. Later that night, Mexico edged out Honduras 1-0 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

The two Concacaf forces collided in this year’s final for the eighth time in Gold Cup history. Overall, the United States and Mexico have dominated the tournament, combining now to win the tournament 17 out of 18 times.

Pochettino opted for continuity with his lineup and ran out the same starting XI for the third-straight match. It was the first time the USMNT has started the same lineup in three consecutive Gold Cup knockout matches.

The USA’s starting XI for the Gold Cup final was emblematic of the camp roster – profuse with rising talent and a few veterans mixed in. Tonight, five starters brought experience playing against Mexico, including midfielder Tyler Adams and captain Tim Ream, while for several players it was the first time in their international careers they faced the regional rival.

Eight of the previous 10 finals between the USMNT and Mexico across all competitions have been won by the team that scored first, so both sides started Sunday's match looking to establish themselves from the opening kick. The initial moments were nervy, given the stakes and booming noise of 70,925 in attendance.

Less than four minutes into the match, the United States opened the scoring with a combination that has been successful this tournament. Forward Patrick Agyemang drew a foul that set up a direct free kick from about 40 yards out for the United States.Midfielder Sebastian Berhalter took the kick, driving a terrific ball into the box. Center back Chris Richards judged the kick beautifully and beat his defender to direct a header on goal. The header bounced down off the underside of the crossbar and over the goal line to put the U.S. ahead 1-0 early.

It was the second time this tournament that Berhalter assisted a Richards’ goal. The two previously linked up on a set piece for the lone goal against Saudi Arabia in the group stage.

Mexico slowly began to control possession as the first half progressed. In the 13th minute, goalkeeper Matt Freese, in his seventh cap and sixth straight start for the U.S., was called into action. Sixteen-year-old Gilberto Mora for Mexico fed the ball to Roberto Alvarado. The center forward's left-footed strike from the right side of the box put the first shot on target on the night for Mexico, but Freese collected for the easy save. Later in the 24th minute, Freese made his second save on a long-range, sinking shot from Mora.

Soon, the advantage in possession paid off and Mexico leveled the match in the 27th minute. After some patient buildup, midfielder Marcel Ruíz slipped a through ball inside the box to Raúl Jiménez. The striker slammed a quick-fire shot off his left foot for his second goal in as many matches. 

Mexico’s possession kept the United States off the ball and without a shot since the opening goal. In the 37th minute, midfielder Malik Tillman tipped the scales of possession in favor of the U.S., breaking through Mexico's defense. The U.S. was not able to create a chance out of the stretch of possession, and minutes later the ball ended up in Mexico’s half. Mora fired another long-range shot that got scarily close to slipping in below the crossbar, but Freese’s long reach resulted in his fourth save of the night.

In first-half stoppage time, the U.S. nearly scored the go-ahead goal. Out of Mexico’s half, Berhalter served a long ball over the top. Defender Alex Freeman, stretching the U.S. attack, ran it down on a dead sprint and headed the ball over Ángel Malagón. The Mexico goalkeeper blocked the attempt off his head, but the ball stayed in bounds. After a wild flurry, the ball ended up on the right foot of Diego Luna inside the box. Though Luna eventually skied the shot, the chance gave the U.S. a jolt of momentum heading into the halftime break.

Both sides approached the second 45 on the front foot, battling hard for loose balls and trading looks for the go-ahead goal. For Mexico, Alvarado hit a left-footed shot from outside the box that got very close to tucking into the far side netting. For the U.S., a skillful stepover move from fullback Max Arfsten set up a curling strike that sailed wide of frame.

The tension built as the two teams remained even until Mexico broke the 50-minute deadlock. Off a direct free kick from wide on the left flank, Edson Álvarez stayed onside and dove to redirect a flick from Johan Vásquez with a header of his own to give Mexico the 2-1 lead.

The U.S. pushed to find the equalizer in the dying moments of full time. The United States got close several times – including off a free kick in the 87th minute and when Agyemang broke free to receive a long ball from Ream in second-half stoppage time. Even with a sense of urgency, the U.S. couldn’t find the equalizer to hold off Mexico from winning back-to-back titles.

The match, played 340 days away from the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, gave the world a glimpse of the kind of competition to expect next summer. This year’s Gold Cup was the last major competitive tournament for the U.S. until the World Cup comes to the U.S., Mexico and Canada, and the USMNT now heads into one of the most important moments in U.S. Soccer history battle tested.

Goal Scoring Rundown:

USA – CHRIS RICHARDS (SEBASTIAN BERHALTER), 4th minute: TheUnited States opened the scoring on a set piece. Berhalter’s right-footed service on a direct free kick from the right flank was slightly behind Richards, but the center back positioned himself for a header on frame 12 yards out from goal. The driven header hit the underside of the middle of the crossbar and fell downward over the goal line. USA 1, MEX 0

MEX – RAÚL JIMÉNEZ (MARCEL RUÍZ), 27th minute: Ruíz sent a through ball to Jiménez making a run inside the box. Jiménez’s hit the ball hard off his left foot from about 10 yards out and stuck it into the upper back of the net to even the score. USA 1, MEX 1

MEX – EDSON ÁLVAREZ (JOHAN VÁSQUEZ), 77th minute: Mexico drew a foul on the left flank and earned a free kick from 20 yards out. Vásquez flicked the initial service toward goal, before Álvarez drove his header into the back of the net from six yards out. USA 1, MEX 2 FINAL.

Additional Notes:

• Chris Richards scored the third goal of his international career and second in a final. He becomes the third player to score multiple final goals for the USMNT, joining Landon Donovan and Gio Reyna.
• Sebastian Berhalter recorded his second career assist on the opening goal in the fourth minute, both assisted goals scored by Richards.
• Center back Tim Ream became the 34th player to reach 75 caps for the USMNT. He captained the USA for the 21st time tonight.
• Tyler Adams earned his 50th cap, becoming the 65th player to reach the half century mark for the USMNT.
• The U.S. moves to 24W-38L-17D against Mexico all-time.

U.S. MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT -

Match: United States Men’s National Team vs. Mexico
Date: July 6, 2025
Competition: 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup; Final
Venue: NRG Stadium; Houston, Texas
Attendance: 70,925 (sellout)
Kickoff: 6 p.m. CT (7 p.m. ET)
Weather: Indoors