Mexico beat Panama on Jimenez penalty, win CONCACAF Nations League

In the CONCACAF Nations League final in Inglewood, California, Raul Jimenez scored a brace, including a stoppage-time penalty, to give Mexico a 2-1 victory over Panama.

After a handball from Jose Cordoba, Jimenez stepped up to the penalty spot and fired his shot into the top right corner for his second goal of the game on Sunday. He also scored twice in Mexico’s semifinal victory over Canada.

Mexico are the first nations to win the nascent competition after the Americans, who lost to Panama in this year’s semifinal, won the first three editions in 2021, 2023, and 2024.

In the eighth minute, Jimenez, who plays forward for Fulham in the English Premier League, deflected a well-placed header into the net from the left.

After Cecilio Waterman was called for a foul, Adalberto Carrasquilla fired a shot down the middle to equalize with a penalty in stoppage time at the end of the first half.

After a homophobic chant from Mexico supporters continued even after an earlier in-stadium warning, Jimenez sealed the victory shortly after play briefly stopped and both teams’ players were brought to the side of the pitch.

Jonathan David scored the winner early in the second half with a shot from the center of the box to the bottom left corner, which Canada won 2-1 over the US earlier on Sunday.

Tani Oluwaseyi scored the first goal for Canada, but Patrick Agyemang scored the second goal to give the US a heads-up.