Mexico secured its inaugural CONCACAF Nations League title with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Panama, thanks to Raul Jimenez’s clutch stoppage-time penalty in Inglewood, California. This triumph marked Mexico as the first team, apart from the United States, to win the tournament, which the US had previously claimed in 2021, 2023, and 2024.

Jimenez, who plays forward for Fulham in the English Premier League, showcased his prowess by scoring both goals for Mexico. He opened the scoring in the eighth minute with a header from the left side, following a well-executed pass by Roberto Alvarado. The match was later levelled by Panama in stoppage time of the first half when Adalberto Carrasquilla scored a penalty after a foul on Cecilio Waterman.

The second half saw Mexico dominating, with Jimenez sealing the victory shortly after a brief pause in play. This stoppage was due to a homophobic chant from Mexico supporters, which persisted despite an earlier warning.

Elsewhere, in the third-place match, Canada defeated the US 2-1. Jonathan David scored the winning goal for Canada early in the second half, sending a shot from the center of the box to the bottom left corner. The match had started with Canada taking the lead through Tani Oluwaseyi, but the US quickly responded with a goal from Patrick Agyemang.

Raul Jimenez’s performance, particularly his decisive penalty, not only secured a significant win for Mexico but also highlighted his importance to the team. The victory was a historical moment for Mexican football, cementing their status in the CONCACAF Nations League.

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2025/3/24/mexico-beat-panama-on-jimenez-penalty-win-concacaf-nations-league?traffic_source=rss