Mexico’s Dominance and Historic Milestone
Mexico secured a 3-0 victory over Czechia in a match held in Mexico City, maintaining its undefeated record in the World Cup. This win marked another clean sheet for “El Tri” and continued the team’s impressive history at Estadio Azteca, where Mexico has never lost a World Cup match. The stadium has witnessed six wins and two draws for Mexico across the 1970, 1986, and 2026 tournaments.
The scoring for Mexico began in the 55th minute with a goal from Mateo Chávez, who made an uninhibited run from the left-back position. This was followed by a second goal in the 61st minute from Julián Quiñones, assisted by Jorge Sánchez. The final goal came in the third minute of stoppage time from substitute Álvaro Fidalgo, who delivered a right-footed kick into the upper left of the net.
A notable moment in the match was the substitution of 17-year-old Gilberto Mora, the youngest player in this tournament, who received applause for his performance. Mexican goalkeeping legend Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa also made his first appearance in this World Cup, his sixth career appearance in the tournament, a feat shared with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Despite Ochoa’s presence, Raúl Rangel, who started the first two games, remained the starting goalkeeper for Mexico, even though the team had already secured first place in Group A.
South Africa’s Historic Advancement
In a significant upset, South Africa defeated South Korea 1-0, securing its first-ever advancement to the World Cup knockout stage. The decisive goal was scored by Thapelo Maseko in the 63rd minute. Maseko received a low pass from the left, controlled the ball, and then struck a left-footed shot into the near post. This victory came after South Africa had previously lost to Mexico in the tournament’s opening game and drawn with Czechia, placing them at the bottom of the table before this match.
South Korea, led by captain Son Heung-min, was unable to find an equalizer despite six minutes of added-on time. Son Heung-min, an LAFC player, started the match on the bench and was introduced as a second-half substitute, making his 13th World Cup appearance. South Korea had controlled possession for 61% of the first half but managed only one shot on goal. Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu made three saves to keep the score level at halftime.
The match, played in Monterrey, Mexico, saw South Africa create more chances in the first half, with three shots on target compared to South Korea’s none. Maseko had several opportunities earlier in the game, including a header in the 14th minute that went wide and a shot in the 39th minute that sailed over the net. A double save by Kim Seung-gyu in the 30th minute denied South Africa’s Thalente Mbatha and Oswin Appollis.
Other Group Stage Results
Elsewhere in the group stage, Switzerland defeated Canada 2-1 to win Group B, while Bosnia-Herzegovina secured a 3-1 victory over Qatar. Bosnia’s win boosted its chances of advancing as one of the third-place teams. Canada, despite a goal from substitute Promise David, will now play its knockout round game at SoFi Stadium, likely against South Korea.
Brazil also had a successful day, defeating Scotland 3-0 to clinch a Group C win. Vinícius Júnior scored Brazil’s second goal, and Matheus Cunha added another. Morocco emerged victorious against Haiti with a 4-2 scoreline, with goals from Soufiane Rahimi and Ismael Sibari. Haiti’s Lenny Joseph scored the team’s first goal of the 2026 World Cup.
South Africa’s historic win means they will now play Canada at SoFi Stadium.
Source: nbcnews.com
