Mexico stumbles against Switzerland: El Tri falls 4-2 in a rehearsal before the 2025 Gold Cup

In a warm-up match leading up to the 2025 Gold Cup , the Mexican national soccer team faced its Swiss counterpart at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Utah , where it was defeated by a score of 4-2. The result, regardless of the score, highlighted areas the coaching staff will need to address before the start of the regional tournament.

The match, which attracted thousands of El Tri fans in the United States, got off to an uphill climb for Javier Aguirre's team. In the 20th minute, Breel Embolo opened the scoring for the European side after taking advantage of a defensive error from Mexico. The goal set the tone for the first half, where Switzerland maintained control and pressure, while Mexico failed to generate clear opportunities at the opponent's goal, despite dominating possession for several periods.

The second half offered a different look at times. Just six minutes after the break, Santiago Giménez headed in a cross from the left flank to tie the match at 1-1. The Milan striker's goal fired up the crowd and seemed to propel the Mexican team forward.

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However, the Swiss response was not long in coming. In a flurry of well-coordinated plays and defensive errors by El Tri , Zeki Amdouni put the Europeans back in front in the 64th minute.

Shortly after, Dan Ndoye extended the lead with a third goal in the 71st minute, taking advantage of a midfield recovery that caught the Mexican defense off guard. The score was sealed in the 90th minute when Fabian Rieder made it 4-1 after a collective play that highlighted the physical strain of the Mexican team.

Ángel Sepúlveda , who came on as a substitute, pulled one back in the 75th minute with a shot from inside the box. Despite the final effort, the score was already firmly in the balance. Mexico closed the match with greater drive, but lacked enough clarity to turn things around.

In a post-match press conference, coach Javier Aguirre calmly accepted the result: "We gave away the first half, because you can lose, but I say that the four goals, if you analyze them one by one, are truly avoidable. The team showed little personality in the first half; I dare say this because I told them in the locker room. With the goal against them, it seemed like the world was coming to an end. That's not the case. A Mexican team can't be like that, not under my command." Without justifying the scoreline, he acknowledged that facing a European opponent provides important reference points for an official competition.

Mexico 's schedule for the 2025 Gold Cup begins on June 14. It will share Group A with Costa Rica, Suriname, and the Dominican Republic . While these teams represent a different level than Switzerland, the coaching staff knows there's no room for error in official tournaments.

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