- Raul Jimenez scored both goals, including a stoppage-time penalty, to hand Mexico the trophy
- Panama equalised through Adalberto Carrasquilla and dominated the first half
- Canada defeated the USA 2:1 in the third-place match as Alphonso Davies suffered an early injury
Key takeaways:
Raul Jimenez was once again the hero for Mexico, scoring a late penalty to secure a 2:1 win over Panama in the final of the CONCACAF Nations League, played at the stadium in Inglewood, California. Similar to the semi-final against Canada, where the Fulham striker found the net twice, Jimenez stepped up when it mattered most, leading his country to its first-ever title in the competition.
Jimenez opened the scoring in the 8th minute, but Panama responded at the end of the first half through Adalberto Carrasquilla, who converted a penalty to level at 1:1. The Panamanians were the better team before the break and looked confident going into the second period.
MEXICO WIN THE 2025 CONCACAF NATIONS LEAGUE 🇲🇽🏆 pic.twitter.com/YMWPz55W1C
— B/R Football (@brfootball) March 24, 2025
However, the second half belonged to Mexico. The team controlled the tempo and waited patiently for their moment, which came in the 90th minute. Jose Cordoba handled the ball in his own penalty area, and referee Mario Escobar did not hesitate to point to the spot. Jimenez stepped up and calmly converted the decisive goal to make it 2:1.
In the earlier third-place playoff, also held in Inglewood, Canada edged the USA 2:1. Tani Oluwaseyi opened the scoring in the 27th minute after being set up by Jonathan David. The USA responded ten minutes before half-time, when Patrick Agyemang equalised. But Lille’s forward David had the final word in the 59th minute, firing home from the middle of the penalty area after an assist by Ali Ahmed.
The game also saw a worrying moment for Canada, as their star player Alphonso Davies was forced off with an injury in the 11th minute. His condition remains unclear.
Mexico’s triumph marked the fourth edition of the CONCACAF Nations League. Until now, the USA had claimed the title in all previous editions (2021, 2023, 2024), but this time, El Tri broke the streak and lifted the trophy for the first time.