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Mexico will look to reclaim the title of best team in North America when they play the 2023 Gold Cup final on Sunday at SoFi Stadium against a Panama side looking to win their first title.

Mexico are seeking their 12th continental title and the first since winning the Gold Cup in 2019. A victory would help interim head coach Jaime Lozano’s bid to remain as the permanent hire after he orchestrated a remarkable turnaround in the tournament following an embarrassing third-place finish in the Nations League under former coach Diego Cocca.

It’s the third final appearance for Panama who lost in 2005 and 2013 to the USA. The Central American side shocked the USA in the 2023 semifinals, advancing on penalty kicks to reach the final. Los Canaleros have grown stronger as the tournament has progressed, finishing top of their group and proceeding to dismantle Qatar 4-0 in the quarterfinals.

Mexico have won 24 of the 41 all-time meetings between the two nations, and the last time that Mexico lost to Panama came 14 games ago in the 2013 Gold Cup, where they lost twice by a 2-1 score in the group stage and semifinal. Their last Gold Cup meeting came back in 2015 when two controversial penalty decisions boosted Mexico to a 2-1 semifinal triumph.

Their most recent head-to-head came on June 18 in the CONCACAF Nations League third-place consolation match, with Mexico eking out a 1-0 win on an early goal by Jesus Gallardo.

The Sporting News will be following Mexico vs. Panama live, providing score updates, commentary and highlights as they happen.

Mexico vs Panama live score

  2nd half Goal scorers
Mexico 0  
Panama 0  

Lineups:

Mexico (4-3-3): 13-Ochoa (GK) — 19-J. Sanchez, 3-Montes, 5-J. Vasquez, 23-Gallardo — 7-Romo, 4-E. Alvarez, 18-L. Chavez — 15-Antuna, 20-Martin, 17-Pineda.

Panama (3-4-1-2): 22-Mosquera (GK) — 3-Cummings, 4-Escobar, 16-Andrade — 10-Barcenas, 20-Godoy, 8-Carrasquilla, 15-Davis — 19-Quintero — 17-Fajardo, 11-I. Diaz.

MORE: Updated Gold Cup bracket and schedule

Mexico vs Panama live updates, highlights and commentary from Gold Cup

57th min.: Chance Mexico! But what a play by Anibal Godoy coming back into Panama’s box and takes the ball off the feet of Edson Alvarez, who was set to hit it first time on goal.

53rd min.: Chance Panama! Alberto Quintero can’t get his header on goal and it just misses the target.

48th min.: This is going to be a heated second half. Here’s Henry Martin and Adalberto ‘Coco’ Carrasquilla going at it.

46th min.: Second half is underway. Just 45 minutes left to determine a champion.

Halftime: Mexico 0-0 Panama

Halftime: That was an excellent half of soccer for this being a final. Intense, fast, physical, and fairly open. Panama are going for it, and each team is getting its best chances in transition.

Ismael Diaz is on fire for Panama, while Orbelin Pineda has been bright for Mexico. The players who have disappointed so far for El Tri are Jorge Sanchez and Edson Alvarez, who has not left a mark on this game. Cesar Montes has been immense for Mexico, but he got a yellow card for protests toward the end and will now have to play under caution for the rest of the second half, as does his partner Johan Vasquez.

Two massive defensive plays by Montes and an incredible double save by Panama goalkeeper ‘Kuty’ Mosquera are the main reasons this game is still 0-0.

48th min.: Chance Panama! One last thrust forward for Panama, and the ball pops back out to Anibal Godoy at the top of the box. And his volley just misses the left post.

47th min.: Penalty Mexico? Eric Davis and Uriel Antuna collide in the box, but the referee is not pointing to the spot.

45th min.: Three minutes of stoppage time.

43rd min.: Chance Mexico! Double save by ‘Kuty’ Mosquera! First he stops an Orbelin Pineda shot, and then he saves the follow-up poke shot by a lunging Henry Martin.

41st min.: Chance Mexico! A deflected Luis Romo shot nearly falls perfectly for a teammate, but an acrobatic clearance by Panama’s Edgar Barcenas avoids the danger.

40th min.: Mexico chance! It’s a great set piece play by Mexico, but the header by Johan Vasquez finishes high of the bar.

35th min.: VAR disallows the goal for offside! Apparently Henry Martin was offside on the long ball from Memo Ochoa!

33rd min.: Goal Mexico! What a team move! Long ball by Memo Ochoa which Henry Martin wins in the air. Then Orbelin Pineda fed Luis Romo down the right. Romo crosses and Martin does the rest in the penalty area.

29th min.: Panama chance. Again, it’s Ismael Diaz proving a terror on the left wing. and causing issues for Jorge Sanchez. But he shoots wildly and the danger disappears.

24th min.: Dive in the box! Mexico right-back Jorge Sanchez takes a terrible dive in the Panama box, but doesn’t get a yellow card for it. Instead, Panama coach Thomas Christiansen gets a yellow for protesting!

19th min.: Chance Mexico! Luis Chavez feeds Uriel Antuna on the right side of the Panama box, but his shot is low, weak and doesn’t bother Panama ‘keeper ‘Kuty’ Mosquera. But it’s Mexico’s first shot on goal.

14th min.: Chance Panama! Ismael Diaz just blows by Mexico fullback Jorge Sanchez down the left side of the box and he blasts a shot that center-back Cesar Montes blocks for a corner. Nothing comes of it. Ismael Diaz looks up for it.

11th min.: YELLOW card to Johan Vasquez for bringing down Anibal Godoy 25 yards out. And it’s a dangerous free kick for Panama. After the wall batted back the first shot, Edgar Barcenas fires on goal but Memo Ochoa stops it.

4th min.: Panama have had the stronger start, opting for the direct long balls bypassing midfield. The Panamanians have threatened on three different occasions, with the Diaz chance being the most serious chance.

And the wave has started at SoFi and we’re only five minutes in! The Mexican Mandalorian is one of those fans.

2nd min.: Chance Panama! Mexico’s Luis Chavez loses the ball, and Coco Carraquilla feeds Ismael Diaz in behind, but Diaz can’t get his feet right and Cesar Montes clears. That was a close one for Mexico.

1st min.: Mexico kick off. El Tri are in all-green kits while Panama are all white.

Kickoff:

2 mins. from kickoff: Former Mexican ‘keeper Oswaldo Sanchez and Panamanian great Blas Perez bring the trophy out to a podium on the field. The teams follow and the anthems are next.

5 mins. from kickoff: To rev up the crowd, the performers of the official Gold Cup song “No es solo un Juego” are performing at midfield.

30 mins. from kickoff: Teams are warming up and it’s almost time. The setting at SoFi Stadium will be spectacular.

35 mins. from kickoff: Lineups are out and both are as projected. For Mexico, Edson Alvarez is back into the starting lineup after coming off the bench in the semis due to the knee injury he picked up earlier in the tournament.

45 mins. from kickoff: We’ll see how the new grass surface they laid down plays tonight. There are reports (and photos) of visible seams.

1 hour from kickoff: It’s a sea of green inside and outside SoFi Stadium. What a scene it will be if El Tri can hoist the trophy.

1 hours, 5 mins. from kickoff: The referee for the match is Said Martinez of Honduras. The rest of the crew are his compatriots.

1 hours, 10 mins. from kickoff: It’s the match before the match. It’s a dance-off between Mexico and Panama outside the stadium. Spoiler alert: no one wins.

1 hours, 20 mins. from kickoff: OptaJorge makes an interesting statistical observation that a 9th Mexico Gold Cup title would be more than any of the other winners combined (USA’s seven + Canada’s one).

1 hours, 30 mins. from kickoff: The Panamanian tailgate is the place to be if you show up to the game with an appetite.

1 hours, 30 mins. from kickoff: Hype video time ahead of Gold Cup final.

2 hours from kickoff: The 2023 final may not feature the USA vs. Mexico rivalry matchup this time, but Mexico vs. Panama is still sold out with a crowd that is expected to be heavily in favor of El Tri.

Mexico vs Panama lineups

There is only one change to El Tri’s lineup as Edson Alvarez re-enter the starting XI with Erick ‘El Chiquito’ Sanchez dropping to the bench despite his strong performances during this tournament. In the case the team is struggling to break through Panama, Sanchez would prove a useful sub off the bench.

Mexico starting lineup (4-3-3): 13-Guillermo Ochoa (GK) — 19-Jorge Sanchez, 3-Cesar ‘Cachorro’ Montes, 5-Johan Vasquez, 23-Jesus Gallardo — 7-Luis Romo, 4-Edson Alvarez, 18-Luis Chavez — 15-Uriel Antuna, 20-Henry Martin, 17-Orbelin Pineda

Mexico subs (12): 1-Jose Antonio Rodriguez (GK), 12-Luis Angel Malagon (GK), 2-Julian Araujo, 21-Israel Reyes, 22-Victor Guzman, 6-Gerardo Arteaga, 8-Carlos ‘Charly’ Rodriguez, 14-Erick ‘Chiquito’ Sanchez, 10-Roberto Alvarado, 16-Diego Lainez,  9-Ozziel Herrera, 11-Santiago Gimenez.

Panama manager Thomas Christiansen rolls out his regular lineup with three center-backs, Edgar Barcenas and Eric Davis at wingback, and the elusive Alberto Quintero behind the two forwards. The performance in the heart of midfield by captain Anibal Godoy and Gold Cup standout Adalberto ‘Coco’ Carrasquilla could tip the match.

Panama lineup (3-4-1-2, right to left): 22-Orlando ‘Kuty’ Mosquera (GK) — 3-Harold Cummings, 4-Fidel Escobar, 16-Andres Andrade — 10-Edgar Barcenas, 20-Anibal Godoy, 8-Adalberto Carrasquilla, 15-Eric Davis — 19-Alberto Quintero — 17-Jose Fajardo, 11-Ismael Diaz.

Panama subs (12): 1-Luis Mejia (GK), 12-Cesar Samudio (GK), 14-Eduardo Anderson, 5-Roderick Miller, 25-Ivan Anderson, 13-Freddy Gondola, 6-Cristian Martinez, 24-Omar Valencia, 7-Jovani Welch, 9-Azarias Londono, 21-Cesar Yanis, 18-Cecilio Waterman

MORE: Every Gold Cup champion in the history of the tournament

Mexico vs Panama live stream, TV channel

Here are the details for the live stream and TV channel to watch the Mexico vs. Panama Gold Cup final for fans based in the USA and Canada: 

USA

  • Date: Sunday, July 16
  • Time: 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT)
  • TV channel: FS1, Univision, TUDN
  • Streaming: Fubo, Fox Sports site/app, TUDN site/app

The final will be televised in the USA on the Fox network (English) and Univision and TUDN (Spanish) with all three channels streaming on Fubo, which is available to new users on a free trial.

Subscribers to cable, satellite, or telco packages can use those authenticated credentials to access a live stream on the Fox Sports or TUDN site and app.

Canada

  • Date: Sunday, July 16
  • Time: 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT)
  • TV channel: Telus Optik TV (Channel 980)
  • Streaming: Fubo Canada, OneSoccer site/app

The match will be televised in Canada on Telus Optik TV (Channel 980), where viewers can watch the OneSoccer broadcast.

It will also be streamed on Fubo Canada, as well as on the OneSoccer site and app for subscribers.

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