With calmer nerves, Mexico hopes to top South

Goalkeeper Raúl Rangel was 18 years outdated and taking part in for Chivas de Guadalajara’s youth academy the last time Mexico confronted South Korea in a World Cup match in 2018.

Three years in the past, when requested who is likely to be the next great goalkeeper for the Mexican national workforce, Rangel named himself forward of veteran Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa. A daring assertion for a participant who was just making his skilled debut.

On Thursday, the 26-year-old goalkeeper will defend El Tri’s aim during his second World Cup match at Guadalajara Stadium — where he often performs home video games with Chivas — when Mexico takes on South Korea at 6 p.m. PDT on Fox/Telemundo in the second match of Group A.

“I told everyone, ‘I see myself at the World Cup.’ Some people laughed,” Rangel recalled. “I’d been picturing myself on the national team for three years.”

Mexico and South Korea received their opening matches — El Tri against South Africa and the South Koreans against the Czech Republic — so the winner of this match will take first place in the group and secure its spot in the next spherical. The incentive is clear for Mexico, as the group winner will play the next two knockout rounds at Azteca Stadium, where El Tri has never misplaced a World Cup match.

The second-place workforce, on the other hand, would have to journey to Los Angeles for its next match. While the opponent might be harder, Los Angeles can be a comfy vacation spot for South Korea — it has a strong fan base in L.A. and wouldn’t have to contend with Mexico City’s high altitude.

After an opening match in which Mexico coach Javier Aguirre acknowledged that the stress of the first day affected the workforce’s efficiency and that the emotional environment at Azteca Stadium had “weighed heavily” on a number of of his gamers, the coach and the gamers hope to ship a sharper efficiency against South Korea.

“Yes, there was a bit of nervousness, a bit of fear,” Mexico midfielder Erik Lira admitted after the opener.

“We need to be more decisive; the win has calmed the nerves we’ve had over the last few days,” Mexico defender Israel Reyes said.

But if Mexico desires to excel, it wants not only to put its nerves behind it but also to improve tactically. Mexico, a co-host of the event alongside the United States and Canada, is aiming to attain the knockout stage of the World Cup and advance past the spherical of 16. El Tri has received only one match in the knockout stage — in 1986, when it defeated Bulgaria 2-0 at Azteca Stadium.

“I think that mental aspect has been missing for us. We have to believe that we can achieve great things,” Rangel said. “I truly believe I’m going to be a champion with Mexico. We have a responsibility as hosts.”

The match can be performed at Guadalajara Stadium, 5,138 ft above sea degree, and will mark the first time Mexico has performed a World Cup match in town.

Chivas, Mexico’s most well-liked membership workforce, has the most gamers on the national workforce with 5 and all of them will get to play their second World Cup match on their membership’s home turf. Brian Gutiérrez, the Mexican American who performed a key function in the opener as South Africa was hit a with a purple card while making an attempt to stop him, and veteran Roberto Alvarado, who recorded an help against South Africa, joined Rangel as Chivas starters in the opener. Bench gamers Luis Romo and Armando González, who also noticed motion in the opener, also play for Chivas.

Mexico captain Edson Álvarez challenges South Africa’s Themba Zwane during a World Cup match at Azteca Stadium on June 11.

(Carl Recine / Getty Images)

Aguirre may have to make at least one lineup change against South Korea, with Edson Álvarez changing César Montes, who is serving a red-card suspension. Álvarez is coming off an injury and it’s unclear how he’ll navigate the stress. Aguirre is also anticipated to give taking part in time to 17-year-old prospect Gilberto Mora in midfield — presumably in place of Gutiérrez — and to deliver in Jorge Sánchez for Reyes at fullback.

South Korea arrives with a combine of European expertise and a starvation for glory. LAFC star Son Heung-min is taking part in in his fourth World Cup and scored against Mexico in 2018. Kim Min-jae of Bayern Munich has been a rock in defensive midfield, while Paris Saint-Germain’s Lee Kang-in — who, curiously, performed under Aguirre at Mallorca — is a fixed menace in creating performs. Joining them is Hwang In-beom of Feyenoord in the Netherlands.

The South Koreans have also been training for weeks at Verde Valle, Chivas’ training facility, which has allowed them to acclimate to the altitude. With the assist of the Mexican crowd, they received their World Cup opening match against the Czech Republic at Guadalajara Stadium.

“It was like playing a game in Seoul,” Hwang said after the match, thanking Guadalajara for its assist.

“[Mexico] is a good team, but, as you’ve just seen, we can take on anyone,” Hwang said after his workforce rallied from a 1-0 deficit to beat the Czech Republic.

The week, however, was not without controversy for the South Korean workforce, as the squad barred press from their home nation after audio of media criticizing the obligatory army service exemption granted to Son was leaked. The audio also included criticism of coach Hong Myung-bo.

South Korea and Mexico confronted off in September forward of the World Cup, tying 2-2 in Nashville.

The World Cup stage, however, can be different and brings immense stress.