Mexico beats Panama in dramatic Nations League final, returns to top of CONCACAF
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Raúl Jiménez scored twice, including once from the penalty spot in the 92nd minute, to send the Mexico men's national team back to the top of North and Central American soccer here at SoFi Stadium in Sunday's CONCACAF Nations League final.
Mexico beat Panama, 2-1, to win the four-year-old competition for the first time.
In stoppage time of a physical, fractured game, Jiménez stepped up and put his stamp on a tournament that he owned. He converted the penalty, and simply stood still as bedlam exploded all around him. Teammates mobbed him. Some 60,000 fans erupted. Hundreds of beer cups rained down toward the field in celebration. And Mexico reclaimed the CONCACAF throne that it once owned.
Raúl Jiménez comes up clutch from the PK spot 🇲🇽Mexico are crowned Concacaf Nations League champions for the first time in their history 🏆 pic.twitter.com/JeyzxZ9c4g
— Golazo America (@GolazoAmerica) March 24, 2025
WE ARE CHAMPIONS OF THE CONCACAF NATIONS LEAGUE! 🏆💥VAMOS MÉXICO!!! 🇲🇽❤️🔥#PorMexicoTodo pic.twitter.com/DRoGUC1tst
— Mexican National Team (@miseleccionmxEN) March 24, 2025
95' | Double mexican subs➡️ S. Gimenez & J. Gallardo➡️ J. Angulo & O. Pineda
— Mexican National Team (@miseleccionmxEN) March 24, 2025
¡PENAL PERFECTO DE RAÚL PARA MÉXICO! ⚽🇲🇽 pic.twitter.com/tFIiAeQv69
— Concacaf Nations League (@CNationsLeague) March 24, 2025
⌚️Minuto 93'Cambio en #PanamáMayor🇵🇦Sale: Edgardo FariñaIngresa: Ismael Díaz🇵🇦 1-2 🇲🇽⚽️ Carrasquilla🏟️ @SoFiStadium 📺 @deportes_rpc y @tvmaxdeportes #MásPanameñosQueNunca🇵🇦
— FEPAFUT (@fepafut) March 24, 2025
Jimenez drills the likely game-winner in the 92nd minute! He's been the best player on the field all night.
Raul Jimenez lines up to take the shot after a handball inside the box.
It marred the 2023 semifinal between the U.S. and Mexico.
It marred the 2024 final.
As I wrote two years ago, soccer has failed the LGBTQ community. No, there is no easy solution; but also, CONCACAF, Mexican soccer authorities and many others have dragged their feet for years trying to find a solution.
Suspended due to the "p***" chant.
It will likely resume in a minute or two, but who knows what will happen if fans keep doing the chant.
... and organizers aren't doing anything about it.
Mexico fans have screamed "p***" en masse at least five times tonight. The first one is supposed to trigger an in-stadium warning, and the start of the three-step protocol.
We just got our first warning after the fifth (and loudest) one, in the 82nd minute.
Both teams still going for it, with 14 minutes of the 90 to go.
Both look capable of finding a second goal.
Announced attendance, by the way, is 68,212. Not a sellout, but it very much filled in for the final.
Mexico's best qualities and its clearest flaws have been on display here.
They play with plenty of passion. They've clearly bought in to what Aguirre is preaching. They have two superb strikers, and Edson has been close to his combative best.
But, they lack attacking structure and creativity. Roberto Alvarado just epitomized that when he let an attack fizzle with a sloppy touch on the right wing. So they haven't been able to overwhelm Panama.
Still 1-1, 74th minute.
58' | Double mexican sub 🇲🇽⬅️ L. Romo & R. Alvarado➡️L. Chávez & A. Vega
— Mexican National Team (@miseleccionmxEN) March 24, 2025
⌚️Minuto 60'Cambio en #PanamáMayor🇵🇦Sale: Cecilio WatermanIngresa: José Fajardo🇵🇦 1-1 🇲🇽⚽️ Carrasquilla🏟️ @SoFiStadium 📺 @deportes_rpc y @tvmaxdeportes #MásPanameñosQueNunca🇵🇦
— FEPAFUT (@fepafut) March 24, 2025
¡CARRASQUILLA IGUALA LA FINAL! ⚽🇵🇦 pic.twitter.com/XjYHEzmuOQ
— Concacaf Nations League (@CNationsLeague) March 24, 2025
Panama came to play. Took an early punch and never even wobbled. (Also got essentially the exact same penalty that Canada didn't get three days earlier.)
Almost no matter how this final ends, Los Canaleros have been the most impressive team this week.
Should be an excellent second half.
Panama's Adalberto Carrasquilla gets the penalty past Luis Malagon to even things up just before halftime.
Raúl Jiménez comes up clutch from the PK spot 🇲🇽Mexico are crowned Concacaf Nations League champions for the first time in their history 🏆 pic.twitter.com/JeyzxZ9c4g
— Golazo America (@GolazoAmerica) March 24, 2025
WE ARE CHAMPIONS OF THE CONCACAF NATIONS LEAGUE! 🏆💥VAMOS MÉXICO!!! 🇲🇽❤️🔥#PorMexicoTodo pic.twitter.com/DRoGUC1tst
— Mexican National Team (@miseleccionmxEN) March 24, 2025
95' | Double mexican subs➡️ S. Gimenez & J. Gallardo➡️ J. Angulo & O. Pineda
— Mexican National Team (@miseleccionmxEN) March 24, 2025
¡PENAL PERFECTO DE RAÚL PARA MÉXICO! ⚽🇲🇽 pic.twitter.com/tFIiAeQv69
— Concacaf Nations League (@CNationsLeague) March 24, 2025
⌚️Minuto 93'Cambio en #PanamáMayor🇵🇦Sale: Edgardo FariñaIngresa: Ismael Díaz🇵🇦 1-2 🇲🇽⚽️ Carrasquilla🏟️ @SoFiStadium 📺 @deportes_rpc y @tvmaxdeportes #MásPanameñosQueNunca🇵🇦
— FEPAFUT (@fepafut) March 24, 2025
Jimenez drills the likely game-winner in the 92nd minute! He's been the best player on the field all night.
Raul Jimenez lines up to take the shot after a handball inside the box.
It marred the 2023 semifinal between the U.S. and Mexico.
It marred the 2024 final.
As I wrote two years ago, soccer has failed the LGBTQ community. No, there is no easy solution; but also, CONCACAF, Mexican soccer authorities and many others have dragged their feet for years trying to find a solution.
Suspended due to the "p***" chant.
It will likely resume in a minute or two, but who knows what will happen if fans keep doing the chant.
... and organizers aren't doing anything about it.
Mexico fans have screamed "p***" en masse at least five times tonight. The first one is supposed to trigger an in-stadium warning, and the start of the three-step protocol.
We just got our first warning after the fifth (and loudest) one, in the 82nd minute.
Both teams still going for it, with 14 minutes of the 90 to go.
Both look capable of finding a second goal.
Announced attendance, by the way, is 68,212. Not a sellout, but it very much filled in for the final.
Mexico's best qualities and its clearest flaws have been on display here.
They play with plenty of passion. They've clearly bought in to what Aguirre is preaching. They have two superb strikers, and Edson has been close to his combative best.
But, they lack attacking structure and creativity. Roberto Alvarado just epitomized that when he let an attack fizzle with a sloppy touch on the right wing. So they haven't been able to overwhelm Panama.
Still 1-1, 74th minute.
58' | Double mexican sub 🇲🇽⬅️ L. Romo & R. Alvarado➡️L. Chávez & A. Vega
— Mexican National Team (@miseleccionmxEN) March 24, 2025
⌚️Minuto 60'Cambio en #PanamáMayor🇵🇦Sale: Cecilio WatermanIngresa: José Fajardo🇵🇦 1-1 🇲🇽⚽️ Carrasquilla🏟️ @SoFiStadium 📺 @deportes_rpc y @tvmaxdeportes #MásPanameñosQueNunca🇵🇦
— FEPAFUT (@fepafut) March 24, 2025
¡CARRASQUILLA IGUALA LA FINAL! ⚽🇵🇦 pic.twitter.com/XjYHEzmuOQ
— Concacaf Nations League (@CNationsLeague) March 24, 2025
Panama came to play. Took an early punch and never even wobbled. (Also got essentially the exact same penalty that Canada didn't get three days earlier.)
Almost no matter how this final ends, Los Canaleros have been the most impressive team this week.
Should be an excellent second half.
Panama's Adalberto Carrasquilla gets the penalty past Luis Malagon to even things up just before halftime.
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