CONCACAF Gold Cup: Dominican Republic First for Holders Mexico

Mexico vs Dominican Republic

The CONCACAF Gold Cup gets up and running this weekend when 2023 champions Mexico take on newcomers Dominican Republic at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

The 2025 edition is the 18^th of the biannual competition which takes in North America, Central America and the Caribbean and, with the games all being played in the USA and Canada it is a good dress rehearsal for next year’s World Cup. It kicks off on Saturday and concludes in Texas on Sunday 6^th July, and Mexico will fully expect to be there, while the boys form Dominican Republic aim to leave the tournament with their heads held high.      

There’s plenty of action for soccer fans in the USA to enjoy this summer, with the World Club Championship, running alongside the CONCACAF Gold Cup, and fans of international football have plenty to get their teeth into. Mexico head up Group A, with Costa Rica and Suriname making up the foursome and, managed by Javier Aguirre, the Mexicans will surely boss this group. Marcelo Neveleff’s Dominican Republic are the lowest CONCACAF nation in the World FIFA Rankings, in 139^th place with Mexico in 17^th, a place behind the USA; but the underdogs will not roll over for their illustrious opponents on Saturday.    

 

Talking Points

Mexico have one eye on the World Cup

The CONCACAF Gold Cup 2025 betting odds rate Mexico and the USA as joint favourites to win the tournament and there’s nothing Aguirre would love more than to take the initiative away from the Stars and Stripes before the World Cup kicks off in North America in 12 months time. Mexico have warmed up for this tournament with two stiff friendlies, a 4-2 loss to Switzerland followed by a 1-0 victory over Turkey; and the manager will use the group stage of this competition to use some squad players while he continues to mould his team ready for 2026.  

 

Player to watch: Raul Jimenez

Fulham striker Raul Jimenez has been a mainstay of the Mexico side over the past decade and, at 34 years of age he has proved once again that he is a top striker in arguably the best league in the world. With 39 goals in 111 internationals Jimenez is Mexico’s biggest goal threat and he will lead the line with authority. He is that old fashioned combination of a strong target man and a lethal finisher which is why he has excelled at the very top of the game for so long.

Jimenez is one of three Premier League players in Mexico’s squad, with skipper and midfield general Edson Alvarez plying his trade at West Ham United while 23 year old right back Julian Araujo has caught the eye at Bournemouth this season.  

 

Los Quisqueyanos are already history makers

Interest in cricket, baseball and basketball has long taken the attention away from football in the Caribbean islands and that has certainly been the case in the Dominican Republic. And that means this current crop of players is the first group to qualify for a major tournament in the island’s history. In 2024 they won all of their 2024/25 CONCACAF Nations League B matches, against Bermuda, Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda which saw them promoted to League A and qualify for the Gold Cup for the very first time. 

They are not a standout minnow in this competition as the Dominican Republic is one of eight teams outside the world’s top 80 football nations; and they come into the game on the back of a 5-0 thumping of Dominica in World Cup qualifying…this is a team with confidence.  

 

Player to watch: Junior Firpo

Fans in Spain and England will certainly recognise left wingback Firpo, who has graced La Liga and the Premier League with Real Betis, Barcelona and Leeds United, commanding fees of 18m Euros when he moved to Barca and 15m Euros when Leeds took him to Elland Road. This season he made a career high ten assists as the Yorkshire side were promoted back to the Premier League for the first time since 2023, when Firpo was a bright light in a struggling team. 

 

History

Mexico are the defending champions of the Gold Cup, beating Panama in 2023 to record a record ninth triumph and they will back themselves to make it ten over the next three weeks.  

The Dominican Republic are new to this game, playing their first ever competitive match in 1967, and they will make the most of their time in the sun; and, with four wins each from their last six games, both teams come into the game in decent form.

 

Betting Tip

Mexico are at a very low SBOTOP price of 1.10 to win this clash and it would be a major shock if they didn’t see off the Dominican Republic, who can be backed at 12.04 to win or 6.84 to grab a draw. 

For an alternative bet Mexico with a -2.25 handicap are at 1.94 and a 4-0 win is priced at 7.72, but I’m going for the percentage bet of three goals and preferably more.

   

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