Mexico vs Honduras

NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, forms the backdrop for a 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup Group B opener between Mexico and Honduras.

Although the USA, as co-hosts, may be considered the frontrunners before the tournament, no nation has achieved as much success in the CONCACAF Gold Cup over the years as Mexico, with their record eight titles. Despite narrowly missing out on a ninth crown in the 2021 final, courtesy of an extra-time loss to the USA, the Mexicans have consistently excelled in this competition. They have reached the showpiece event an impressive ten times out of 16 editions, and an astonishing 13 times they have advanced to the semi-finals. ‘El Tri’ come into Group B, featuring Haiti, Qatar, and Honduras, as the overwhelming favorites and are expected to advance to the knockout stages without breaking a sweat. But it’s not all rosy in the Mexican camp, as Jaime Lozano took over the reins on the eve of the tournament following Mexico’s thumping 3-0 defeat to the USA in the CONCACAF Nations League semi-finals.

In the meantime, with the potential unrest in the Mexican camp, Honduras will be eager to take advantage and gain an edge over their Group B rivals in the pursuit of a quarter-final spot. However, that ought to be easier said than done, with ‘Los Los Catrachos’ racking up a mere four wins in 27 internationals in the build-up to the tournament (D5, L18). This encounter marks the fifth head-to-head clash between Mexico and Honduras in just over two years. Unfortunately for Honduras, they have been unsuccessful in all four prior meetings, failing to score a goal during that period (D1, L3). By extension, they have only managed one win in their last 11 H2Hs against Mexico (D3, L7), a run that included a 3-0 quarter-final demolition at the 2021 Gold Cup.