Costa Rica and Mexico secured crucial victories in Group A action at the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup on Wednesday, with Mexico punching their ticket to the quarterfinals and Costa Rica edging closer after a dramatic comeback win over the Dominican Republic at AT&T Stadium.

The evening began with the Dominican Republic making history by taking their first-ever lead in a Gold Cup match. João Urbáez struck in the 16th minute, capitalizing on a rebound after a save from legendary Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas, who had parried an initial effort from Dorny Romero.

But Costa Rica slowly asserted control and found their equalizer just before halftime. In the 44th minute, striker Manfred Ugalde coolly converted from the penalty spot, bringing Los Ticos back on level terms.

The match hung in the balance until the 85th minute when Ugalde again made his presence felt, slipping a perfectly weighted pass through to Josimar Alcócer. The midfielder made no mistake, rifling home a right-footed shot from the centre of the box to seal a 2-1 comeback win for Costa Rica.

Both goalkeepers—Navas for Costa Rica and Xavier Valdez for the Dominican Republic—finished with four saves in an entertaining contest that keeps the group stage alive with tension heading into the final round of matches.

Later in the night, Mexico delivered a professional performance to dispatch Suriname 2-0 and book their spot in the quarterfinals.

César Montes was the difference-maker for El Tri, opening the scoring in the 57th minute with a well-timed header off a corner kick from Alexis Vega. Just six minutes later, Montes found the net again, this time with a right-footed strike after another corner sequence, giving Mexico a two-goal cushion.

Mexico nearly extended their lead in second-half stoppage time when Edson Álvarez’s header was denied by Suriname keeper Etienne Vaessen, who finished with four saves. Luis Ángel Malagón recorded two stops and earned his first clean sheet of the tournament for Mexico.

With the result, Mexico and Costa Rica have both secured their places in the quarterfinals as the top two teams in Group A. Their clash on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada, will determine who tops the group. Meanwhile, the Dominican Republic and Suriname will meet in Arlington, Texas, in their final group match.

Photo: Concacaf.com