Thus adding its ninth Gold Cup since the format was changed
Panama already has three defeats in the finals of the tournament
The Mexico team conquered this Sunday the gold Cup in a close final played in the American city of Los Angeles with Panama, which in the blink of an eye from its defense fell 1-0 with a goal in the 88th minute by Santi Giménez.
The striker came on as a replacement and had only been there for three minutes. on the field when he became Mexico’s hero thanks to a great goal.
Giménez held the ball in the center of the field Under pressure from Harold Cummings, he cut him back with a skillful movement and headed straight for the Panamanian goal with a cross shot with his left foot.
Mexico, which lost the title match against the United States in 2021, regained the Concacaf throne today and added its ninth Gold Cup since the format was changed.
Instead, Panama, which had had a fantastic tournament, He was once again just one step away from glory as he has lost the three Gold Cup finals he has played in (2005, 2013 and 2023).
Congratulations to @Acarrasquilla18 for being named the Best Player of #CopaOro 2023! 🇵🇦🎩 pic.twitter.com/fEcUUufV8T
— Gold Cup (@GoldCup) July 17, 2023
At a SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles with an environment, full of green Mexican t-shirts and before a total of 72,963 spectators, El Tri completed its resurrection after the failure in June of the Nations League, which ended with the dismissal of Diego Cocca, and today lifted the Gold Cup with its interim coach Jaime Lozano.
Unsuccessful occasions
Thomas Christiansen opted for the same Panamanian eleven that eliminated the United States in the semifinals while Lozano only made one modification in Mexico with respect to his crossing with Jamaica and gave the axis of the midfield to Édson Álvarez instead of Erick Sánchez.
In a first part of alternate domain and alternatives, opportunities abounded for both teams, although without a reward in front of goal.
Mexico took the ball at the start but in the 2nd minute they got a huge scare when Adalberto Carrasquilla, with a three-finger pass, left Ismael Díaz alone against ‘Memo’ Ochoa but César Montes prevented the Panamanian goal.
The Canalero team seemed to have more spark in attack and The Mexican team did not have its first interest until the 19th.when Uriel Antuna wasted a good situation with a weak shot.
Henry Martín did manage to send the ball into the net after a wonderful triangulation by Mexico in the 33rd minute, but The referee annulled the goal for offside at the beginning of the play.
El Tri, despite that disappointment, continued to harass the rival area and would have gone to half-time with a goal in their locker if it had not been for a magnificent intervention by Orlando Mosquera, that frustrated two straight shots in a row by Orbelín Pineda and Martín in the clearest chance before the break.
Nevertheless, Panama also came close to scoring in stoppage time, since Aníbal Godoy caught a rebound on the front edge and his left-footed shot passed inches past Ochoa’s right post.
Heroic Gimenez
The exchange of fruitless chances in the resumption: Panama took the floor Alberto Quintero, with a cross header that went wide; and Álvarez raised his voice for Mexico, who was barely able to finish off a service from Martín.
Harold Cummings, with yellow from the first half, was about to leave Panama with ten after seeing the second card for a foul on Pineda but the VAR saved him from expulsion.
Minutes passed without the score moving and nerves grew before an extension that was already looming on the horizon.
Pineda for Mexico or Díaz for Panama stroked the winning goal for their teams, but finally It was Giménez, with a masterful action for El Tri, who ended up being the hero of the final.
– Datasheet:
1. Mexico: Ochoa; Jorge Sánchez, Montes, Vásquez, Gallardo; Romo, Álvarez, Chávez (Erick Sánchez, m.75); Antuna (Alvarado, m.75), Martín (Giménez, m.84) and Pineda (Reyes, m.92).
Coach: Jaime Lozano 0. Panama: Mosquera; Bárcenas, Cummings (Londoño, m.91), Escobar, Andrade, Davis (Anderson, m.61); Quintero (Waterman, m.61), Carrasquilla, Godoy, Díaz; Fajardo.
Coach: Thomas Christiansen.
Goal: 1-0, m.88: Santi Giménez.
Referee: Saíd Martínez (Honduras). He reprimanded Vásquez, Montes, Gallardo and Álvarez in Mexico and Cummings, Carrasquilla, Godoy and Mosquera in Panama.
Incidents: Gold Cup final played at the Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles before 72,963 spectators.