The Mexico national football team have punched their tickets into the knockout stage, becoming the first nation of this FIFA World Cup to reach the Round of 32. They earned qualification after narrowly defeating South Korea in the second group-stage game on home soil on Thursday.
Mexico opened their campaign with a convincing 2-0 win over South Africa, and now, with six points in their pocket and one game remaining, the co-hosts have already sealed their berth in the last 32. It was a competitive affair in Zapopan, as after a goalless 45 minutes, Luis Romo's only strike early in the second half proved decisive in the end. Korea were unable to turn things around despite continuous efforts.
Who was the goal-scorer in Mexico vs South Korea Group A clash?
Romo broke the deadlock three minutes after the restart, capitalising on a costly mistake by goalkeeper Kim Seung-Gyu. The South Korea keeper spilled a cross after colliding with a teammate, allowing the Mexico midfielder a simple finish into an unguarded net from the centre of the box.
“It was a very close game; we didn’t give up a single centimetre and fought for every ball as if it were our last,” Aguirre told Mexican broadcaster TV Azteca.
“It was a game where whoever made a mistake would lose, and it was them… It was a game to forget, but the result is one to remember.”
The goal transformed the mood inside Guadalajara Stadium after an uninspiring first half that ended with sections of the home crowd booing the hosts off the pitch.
What happened in MEX vs KOR?
Mexico had started brightly but struggled to turn early possession into clear chances, with South Korea growing into the game.
Captain Edson Alvarez, deployed in central defence after Cesar Montes’ suspension, produced a spectacular overhead clearance off the goal line to deny Son Heung-min, although the South Korea captain was later flagged offside.
The Asian side finished the half stronger, controlling possession and unsettling a Mexico side that looked increasingly frustrated as the interval approached. Romo’s goal moments after the restart lifted both Mexico and the crowd, with supporters breaking into renditions of Mexican folk song “Cielito Lindo” (“Lovely Sweetheart”) as Aguirre’s side seized control of a match that had threatened to drift away from them. They will face a third-place team in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16.
(With inputs from Reuters)