Mexico concluded their Gold Cup preparations with a narrow 1-0 victory over Turkey on Tuesday, a win that, despite the result, left lingering questions, particularly concerning their defensive solidity under coach Javier Aguirre.
Despite a largely lackluster first-half performance where Mexico was often outplayed, Orbelín Pineda provided the decisive moment just before halftime, netting in the 45th minute to secure a lead El Tri would ultimately maintain.
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In the second half, Turkey, spearheaded by Real Madrid star Arda Güler, pressed aggressively for an equalizer but struggled to create clear-cut chances that genuinely threatened Luis Ángel Malagón’s goal.
Aguirre deployed a lineup that closely mirrors the one expected to start their Gold Cup opener against the Dominican Republic on Saturday.
Malagón, who has firmly established himself as the starting goalkeeper, was shielded by the central defensive pairing of Israel Reyes and César Montes. Johan Vásquez’s continued absence due to injury raises uncertainty about his fitness to partner Montes in the upcoming tournament.
Jesús Gallardo featured at left-back and is anticipated to retain his spot, while Jorge Sánchez started on the right and remains a strong candidate for the opening XI.
In midfield, Pineda was joined by Edson Álvarez, Marcel Ruiz, and Alexis Vega. Upfront, Julián Quiñones and Ángel Sepúlveda led the line in the first half before being replaced by Raúl Jiménez and Santiago Giménez, both of whom are strong contenders to start the tournament opener.
Erik Lira and Luis Chávez are also vying for starting roles in midfield, with Aguirre set to finalize his lineup in the coming days.
Despite the loss, Turkey showcased moments of dominance, commanding 58.2% possession, earning 10 corners to Mexico’s zero, and significantly out-touching El Tri 17 to 6. However, Pineda’s solitary strike proved to be the difference.
Mexico Team Relocates Amidst Safety Concerns
In a significant development, the Mexican squad will change their hotel in Los Angeles ahead of their Gold Cup debut on Saturday. This decision comes due to safety concerns stemming from recent protests across the city sparked by immigration raids. Team spokesperson Fernando Schwartz confirmed the relocation, stating that CONCACAF approved the move from their initially planned downtown Los Angeles hotel to an undisclosed location for security reasons. Protests began on Friday, escalating over the weekend with freeway blockades and vehicle fires following federal immigration arrests.
Pineda’s Decisive Strike
Orbelín Pineda emerged as Mexico’s most influential attacker, with his efforts culminating in the 45th-minute goal against goalkeeper Berke Özer. The AEK Athens midfielder had previously sent a warning shot in the 24th minute, scoring from a rebound after Julián Quiñones hit the crossbar, though that play was ruled offside for an earlier infraction. Pineda’s solid 62-minute performance is likely to have left a strong impression on Aguirre, positioning him as a serious candidate for a starting spot or a key option off the bench in the Gold Cup opener.
While the match lacked abundant clear scoring chances, Turkey displayed flashes of technical quality but rarely posed a significant threat to Malagón’s goal. Julián Quiñones, despite hitting the crossbar and being involved in the goal, extended his goalless streak with El Tri to seven matches. Despite his strong club form with Al Qadsiah, the Colombian-born forward has yet to consistently meet expectations at the national team level, a performance that may see him start the tournament from the bench.
Despite lingering questions, Mexico will kick off their Gold Cup campaign this Saturday against the Dominican Republic at SoFi Stadium. This match will mark a historic occasion, as it is the first-ever official meeting between the two national teams.
