Mexico kicked off their Gold Cup title defense with a hard-fought 3-2 victory against the Dominican Republic on Saturday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, as off-field tensions surrounding U.S. immigration policies cast a shadow over the match.
The game, attended by 54,309 fans—predominantly Mexican supporters—took place amid ongoing protests in Los Angeles and across the United States against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, which has included National Guard deployments and immigration raids.
The Mexican national team faced logistical challenges, switching hotels due to security concerns. On Friday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum publicly called on U.S. authorities to refrain from targeting fans with immigration enforcement during the match.
Despite the charged atmosphere, the game proceeded without reported incidents at the stadium, though protests continued elsewhere in Los Angeles and other U.S. cities.
On the field, Mexico asserted dominance early. West Ham’s Edson Alvarez opened the scoring with a header just before halftime. Fulham striker Raul Jimenez doubled the lead shortly after the break, netting his 40th international goal.
The Dominican Republic, making their Gold Cup debut, responded swiftly with a goal from Peter Gonzalez, cutting the deficit to 2-1. Defender Cesar Montes then redirected an Alvarez header past the Dominican goalkeeper to restore Mexico’s two-goal cushion. However, Edison Azcona’s deflected strike late in the game made it 3-2, forcing Mexico to endure a tense finish to secure the win.
The match drew a strong crowd, though it fell short of SoFi Stadium’s 70,000 soccer capacity and Mexico’s recent average attendance of 63,760 at the venue. Los Angeles remains a focal point for soccer, with the city set to host the first of six FIFA Club World Cup matches at Pasadena’s Rose Bowl, starting with Paris St-Germain versus Atletico Madrid.
Mexico now looks ahead to their next group stage matches in Arlington, Texas, and Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Gold Cup, the premier tournament for national teams in North and Central America and the Caribbean, continues to showcase intense regional rivalries.
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