Mexico secured a spot in the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals after defeating Saudi Arabia 2-0 in the quarterfinal match held Saturday night. Alexis Vega's second-half goal broke a long-standing drought, and an own goal late in the game sealed the victory for the defending champions. Mexico will now face Honduras in the semifinal round.

The first half of the match was a physical battle, with Saudi Arabia successfully stifling Mexico's offense. Both teams received yellow cards, and the game remained scoreless at halftime. Mexico struggled to find their rhythm and assert dominance, with their best chance coming from a late, long-range shot by Vega that narrowly missed the target.

However, the second half saw a revitalized Mexican side. In the 49th minute, a clever pass from Raúl Jiménez found Vega, who capitalized on the opportunity. Although his initial shot was saved by Saudi goalkeeper Nawaf Alaqidi, Vega quickly rebounded and slotted the ball through the keeper's legs. The goal was initially flagged offside but was allowed after a video review. This goal marked Vega's first international goal in 19 matches, ending a scoreless streak that dated back to 2022. It also ended a 166-minute scoring drought for Mexico.

Mexico continued to press, stretching the Saudi defense with their pace and creating more opportunities. In the 81st minute, their efforts paid off when a cross from Mateo Chavez was deflected into the net by Saudi defender Abdullah Madu for an own goal. The own goal cemented Mexico's lead and effectively ended Saudi Arabia's hopes of a comeback.

Mexico's coach, Javier Aguirre, expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance, particularly in the second half. He felt they were progressing in the right direction as they headed into the semifinals.

Saudi Arabia, making their Gold Cup debut as an invited team, put up a strong fight, especially in the first half. However, they were ultimately unable to break through Mexico's defense, failing to register a single shot on target throughout the match.

With the win, Mexico advanced to their 18th consecutive Gold Cup semifinal. They will now face Honduras in Santa Clara, California. Mexico is aiming for a record-extending 10th Gold Cup title.

The match also saw the debut of 16-year-old midfielder Gilberto Mora for Mexico.