Mexico won the Concacaf Nations League for the first time on Sunday, defeating Panama 2-1 in a thrilling match thanks to two goals from Raul Jimenez.
Jimenez, a striker for Fulham who had also scored twice in a semifinal victory over Canada, ended a thrilling final battle at SoFi Stadium with a penalty kick in stoppage time.
However, there was some controversy surrounding Mexico’s victory. Mexican fans’ homophobic chanting forced match officials to stop the final in the final minutes.
The derogatory chants, which have continued among Mexico’s supporters for years despite numerous Concacaf attempts to suppress them, caused the third consecutive Concacaf Nations League final to be halted.
In the second minute of stoppage time, Jimenez, 33, scored the game-winning penalty kick after Panamanian defender Jose Cordoba gave up a handball by needlessly throwing an arm out at a cross.
After the win, Jimenez praised the influence of Mexico coach Javier Aguirre. Aguirre, 66, took over as Mexico’s coach for the third time in 2024 after serving as head coach in 2001–2002 and 2009–2010.
“This is what we wanted from day one, since ‘Vasco’ (Aguirre) arrived,” Jimenez stated, using his well-known nickname to make reference to the Mexico coach.
“These games are tough, but we played the way we should have when they tied us, and there we have it.”
PANAMA HEARTBREAK
Panama, who were hoping to win their first international tournament since 1951 after shocking the United States 1-0 in the semifinals, was devastated by the loss.
After six minutes of a thrilling first half, Panama nearly took the lead when striker Cecilio Waterman blasted a low shot straight at Mexico goalie Luis Malagon.
However, Mexico scored the first goal two minutes later after Jimenez, an England-based striker, scored another goal.
Jimenez stooped to nod home a fantastic cross that Roberto Alvarado curled in behind the Panama defense after finding space down the right flank.
Four minutes before halftime, Jose Luis Rodriguez nearly put Panama back on equal terms, but Malagon stopped his shot as it was headed for the top corner.
Soon after, Mexico’s Johan Vasquez caught Waterman with a poorly timed challenge in the area, giving Panama the equalizer they had been waiting for.
Referee Mario Escobar indicated the spot after a protracted VAR review, and Adalberto Carrasquilla duly hammered home the spot-kick to make it 1-1. The foul was not immediately spotted.
Both teams struggled to create clear goalscoring opportunities in a scrappy second half, and tension increased as extra time drew closer.
Escobar halted the game in the 83rd minute using Concacaf procedures intended to address the problem after Mexico’s supporters disregarded the public address system’s warnings to stop their homophobic chanting.
The pause in action gave Panama a chance to regroup.
However, Mexico exploited the situation, and they were rewarded for their late pressure when Cordoba conceded the game-winning penalty.
