After a breath-taking set of CONCACAF Gold Cup quarter finals we see the USA through to the semi-finals, by a whisker, after they survived the ordeal of penalties against Costa Rica.
But neighbours Canada were no so lucky, and the Maples Leafs have packed their bags after they were out-gunned by outsiders Guatemala when they settled their game with a shootout. The pre-tournament CONCACAF Gold Cup 2025 betting odds pitched USA and Mexico as the joint favourites and, on Saturday, El Tri saw of Saudi Arabia and they will meet another shootout winner, Honduras in their semi-final.
With the Stars and Stripes facing Guatemala, the 106th placed team in the FIFA World Rankings, we could well be in line for a USA and Mexico final, but as Canada found out to their cost, nothing is ever certain.
In our SBOTOP preview of the quarter finals we said Costa Rica can be a dangerous opponent, and so it turned out as Los Ticos came within a whisker of dumping Mauricio Pochettino’s USA out of the tournament. USA eventually edged the shootout 4-3 after a breathtaking 2-2 draw in 90 minutes (there is no extra time at the CONCACAF Gold Cup). Costa Rica went ahead on just 12 minutes when Francisco Calvo scored a penalty and Diego Luna equalised with his first goal for USA to level before the half time break. Another first time USA scorer, Max Arfsten, gave the Stars and Stripes a lead early in the second half but Alonso Martinez took the game into penalties with a 71st minute leveller. In the shootout, USA keeper Matt Freese was the hero to allow Damian Downs to score the winning spot-kick.
Three hours earlier, as midnight on Sunday approached, a decisive penalty from Jose Morales sent minnows Guatemala through the semi-finals after they and Canada played out a 1-1 draw and a 6-5 shootout. Fans of the underdogs had flocked into the Minnesota stadium and, after Jonathan David had given Canada a half time lead, from the penalty spot (where else), the crowd erupted when Rubio Rubin equalised on 69 minutes and the game headed towards a thrilling sudden death climax.
Guatemala stopper Kenderson Navarro saved Cyle Larin’s penalty but then Jose Pinto failed to take advantage as he skied his penalty into Row Z; but after Canada’s Luc Rollet’s effort bounced off the crossbar Morales stepped up to smash the winner home. This was one of the biggest CONCACAF Gold Cup 2025 results of the tournament so far and Guatemala are in their first Gold Cup semi-final for 29 years. Next up…The USA. Meanwhile, Canada have been dumped out at the quarter final stage for the fourth time in five competitions.
Mexico still looks like the nation to beat
As the only team to make it through to the semi-final without the need for a penalty shootout, 2023 champions Mexico continue to look to be the most likely winners; they sailed through the group stage and made light work of a potentially dangerous Saudi Arabia team in their quarter final on Sunday. They are well on track to make it back-to-back championships and rack up a record ten titles, and I would back them to beat an inexperienced USA side in the final…if it comes to that.
Alexis Vega ended a personal 19 game goal drought with his 7th strike in 42 internationals when he put El Tri on target for a win over the Saudis, early in the second half, and the added Mexico pressure eventually told when Abdullah Madu put through his own goal late in the game. Fulham striker Raul Jimenez made the assist for Vega’s goal and he’ll be a key player when his team face a tricky test against Honduras, who were the third team to make their way through to the semi-final by the penalty shootout route.
Honduras went through to the semi-finals despite struggling to get going in a first half against Panama, who went ahead, from the penalty spot of course, when Ismail Diaz converted from 12 yards after Cristian Martinez was felled in the box. But La Bicolor pressed for an equaliser, and it came with just eight minutes left on the clock as Carlos Pineda saw his deflected effort sail into the net.
Honduras keeper Orlando Mosquera made the crucial save to win the shootout and send his nation through to the semi-finals for the first time since 2013, where they will try to beat the favourites Mexico.
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