06/18/26 10:20:00
Printable Page
06/18 22:18 CDT Mexico becomes first country to reach knockout stage of World
Cup, beating South Korea 1-0
Mexico becomes first country to reach knockout stage of World Cup, beating
South Korea 1-0
By TALES AZZONI
AP Sports Writer
GUADALAJARA, Mexico (AP) --- Mexico took advantage of a defensive blunder by
South Korea to win 1-0 and become the first team to advance to the knockout
stage of the World Cup on Thursday.
It marks a major triumph for a team that failed to get out of the group stage
in 2022 and now has won twice on home soil in front of jubilant crowds. Mexico
players celebrated at midfield and waved to the fans who cheered and sang from
the packed stands at Estadio Akron.
Luis Romo scored in the 50th minute after South Korea goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu
collided with defender Lee Gi-hyuk and dropped the ball inside the area. Romo
easily found the open net after picking up the loose ball.
The South Koreans nearly equalized in the 87th minute when Mexico goalkeeper
Ral Rangel stopped a header from close range by Cho Gue-sung, then made an
even better save of Yang Hyun-jun's attempt on the rebound, extending his right
arm to keep the ball from crossing the line.
Mexico won Group A with six points in two matches, three more than South Korea
and five more than the Czech Republic and South Africa, who drew 1-1 earlier
Thursday in Atlanta.
The top two teams from each group move on to the knockout stage, along with the
best eight third-place teams. A round of 32 is being played for the first time
at the World Cup after the tournament was expanded to 48 teams.
Mexico opened with a 2-0 win over South Africa, while South Korea rallied for a
2-1 victory over the Czechs.
Mexico closes group play on Wednesday against the Czech Republic in Mexico
City, while South Korea takes on South Africa in Monterrey.
Mexico had never won a World Cup game on home soil outside Mexico City. Before
2026, all but one of its nine World Cup matches at home, spanning the 1970 and
1986 tournaments, had been played at Estadio Azteca, with five wins and three
draws. When it played in Toluca in 1970, it lost 4-1 to Italy in the
quarterfinals.
Thursday's match got off to a lackluster start, with neither team creating
significant scoring opportunities and both squads getting loudly booed after
the halftime whistle.
Mexico, ranked 13th, was eliminated in the group stage four years ago in Qatar.
That followed seven straight eliminations in the round of the 16.
___
AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
|
