Raúl Jiménez converts controversial VAR penalty to keep Mexico alive

Raúl Jiménez converted a controversial VAR penalty after the referee reviewed a foul on Brian Gutiérrez, giving Mexico a crucial second goal and keeping the match alive. The call turned on one of the tournament’s sharpest officiating moments: the referee went to the monitor, ruled that the contact on Gutiérrez warranted a penalty, and Jiménez finished with a clean strike that immediately changed Mexico’s mood.

The decision mattered because Mexico was still chasing the game when Jiménez stepped to the spot. The penalty did more than trim the deficit. It shifted the emotional balance, gave Javier Aguirre’s side a fresh surge of belief and put pressure back on the opposition after a review that drew heavy debate.

Jiménez entered the match with his reputation already rebuilt by a run of decisive performances for club and country. FIFA noted on November 14, 2024, that the Fulham striker had four goals and two assists in the Premier League, evidence that his form had returned at the right time for Mexico. More recently, FIFA said on June 11, 2026, that Jiménez had scored his first World Cup goal after years of waiting and a career marked by a serious injury that once threatened his future.

Aguirre has leaned on that experience. In June 2026, he called Jiménez’s performance a “perfect day,” a public endorsement that reflected the striker’s importance in a Mexico squad balancing veterans and newcomers. FIFA’s 26-man roster announcement the month before the World Cup highlighted Guillermo Ochoa heading toward a sixth tournament and 17-year-old Gilberto Mora as a debutant, a sign of the range of experience around Jiménez.

The penalty also fit a larger recent pattern for Mexico in decisive matches. On July 6, 2025, Mexico beat the United States 2-1 in the Concacaf Gold Cup final at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, to claim its 10th Gold Cup title and extend its record as the competition’s most successful team. That victory had already reinforced Mexico’s habit of finding answers in high-pressure moments, and Jiménez has been central to that image.

With the weight of hosting responsibilities across Mexico, the United States and Canada at the 2026 World Cup, Jiménez’s penalty was more than a routine finish. It was a flashpoint that drew VAR into the center of the story and gave Mexico the lifeline it needed to stay in contention.