César Montes brace lifts Mexico past Suriname, puts him atop Gold Cup Golden Boot race - but questions linger for El Tri

Mexico defeated Suriname 2-0 on Thursday to remain perfect in the Gold Cup group stage and set up a decisive showdown against Costa Rica for first place in Group A. Both teams sit on six points, but El Tri holds the edge on goal difference, meaning a draw Sunday at Allegiant Stadium would be enough to secure top spot.

Despite the victory, Mexico once again struggled to find their rhythm in open play, relying on set pieces to provide the breakthrough. It’s a familiar formula for Javier Aguirre’s side, which has yet to hit its best form but continues to grind out results.

After a forgettable first half, César Montes broke the deadlock in the 56th minute, heading in a goal after being left completely unmarked in the box. Against a Suriname side that offered little at AT&T Stadium, it was Montes again who struck in the 62nd minute - once more from a set piece - to seal the 2-0 victory for Aguirre’s team.

Despite the result, Mexico’s performances remain below expectations, and that’s why the head coach won’t leave entirely satisfied. Sunday's match against Miguel Herrera’s Costa Rica will only add more pressure to a team still searching for rhythm and identity.

Mexico have advanced past the group stage in all 18 editions of the Gold Cup and maintained their perfect record against Suriname, winning all four of their meetings. With Thursday’s results, both Suriname and the Dominican Republic have been eliminated from the tournament. On an individual level, Montes’ two goals put him ahead of U.S. rival Malik Tillman in the race for the Golden Boot.

César Montes emerged as Mexico’s best player on the pitch at AT&T Stadium in a match where Aguirre’s offense once again failed to show up. The two goals scored by "Cachorro" came from corner kicks, where he took full advantage of his height to become Mexico’s top scorer in the tournament.

Aguirre continued to rotate his attacking players, still searching for a solution to the lack of chemistry up front. So far, of the five goals Mexico has scored in the tournament, only one has come from a forward - Raúl Jiménez against the Dominican Republic.

Julián Quiñones once again drew heavy criticism on social media, where fans called for the Al Qadsiah player to be subbed off early.

Aguirre made a tactical shift from the two-striker formation he had used since the Nations League and in the match against the Dominican Republic. Against Suriname, he returned to a single-striker setup with Raúl Jiménez leading the line, sending Santiago Giménez to the bench and starting Quiñones in a deeper, supporting role behind Raúl.

Quiñones is a player who constantly demands the ball and roams across the pitch, but he continues to struggle with decision-making in the final third.

Mexico’s next match will be against Costa Rica, with the top spot in Group A on the line. And once again, Aguirre will be left wondering what to do with that attacking role - one neither Giménez nor Quiñones has managed to fully make their own.

We’ll see if, by next Sunday, the coach decides to bring back the Milan forward to partner with Jiménez, or if the Colombian-born Quiñones gets another chance alongside the Fulham striker. Either way, the decision is far from clear-cut.

Aguirre’s Mexico will face Costa Rica next Sunday at Allegiant Stadium, while Suriname will take on the Dominican Republic at AT&T Stadium to close out Group A action in the Gold Cup.