Mexico keeper Raúl Rangel helps El Tri beat South

GUADALAJARA, Mexico — Three and a half years after its greatest failure on the World Cup stage in half a century, the Mexican national staff needed only two video games to advance to the knockout spherical of this yr’s event as winner of Group A.

Mexico’s protection held off a spirited ultimate push by South Korea, incomes a 1-0 win on Thursday night time at Guadalajara Stadium in entrance of a fiery announced sellout crowd of 45,522.

“It was a very tough game,” Mexico coach Javier Aguirre said.

Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu made a mistake in the fiftieth minute, failing to stop what appeared to be a simple cross and bobbling the ball. That allowed Mexico’s Luis Romo to simply faucet the ball into the web and declare a 1-0 lead.

“In the end, a mistake was going to tip the scales,” Aguirre said.

“You always want to be there; I felt it, and I got the chance,” said Romo, who began the sport after beginning the opener on the bench — a strategic change by the Mexican coach that paid off.

South Korea put strain on the Mexican staff throughout the sport. Late in the scoreless first half, Jae-sung Lee got here close to giving South Korea the lead. Aguirre hoped his staff would shake off nerves following the emotional opener at Azteca Stadium and show more chew in its second sport against South Korea, but his staff didn’t have a lot energy behind its assault during the sport’s first 45 minutes.

The crowd in Guadalajara grew pissed off and started booing the Mexican national staff’s efficiency at the end of the first half.

Mexico, however, gained back their cheers when it capitalized on South Korea’s expensive mistake and transformed it into a purpose.

Obed Vargas changed Romo in the 71st minute and was close to scoring a spectacular purpose if not for Seung-gyu’s save.

El Tri earned a win without any other targets thanks, in half, to a great night time by goalkeeper Raúl Rangel, who stopped a header by Cho Gue-sung in the 87th minute. Captain Edson Álvarez helped flip away South Korea’s assault late, holding up comparatively nicely despite having left ankle surgical procedure during the past yr.

“It was just a reflex,” said Rangel, whose membership staff Chivas performs at at Guadalajara Stadium. “I was very focused and stepped up when the team needed me, and I’m happy about that.”

LAFC star and South Korea captain Son Heung-min fired one shot over Mexico’s goalkeeper in the first half, but Álvarez cleared it off the road before the referee ruled Son was offsides.

South Korea completed controlling possession 58% of the time, but it only earned two photographs on goal.

“It wasn’t a good game because they didn’t let us do much,” Aguirre said.

Mexico was coming off a comfy 2-0 victory over South Africa, while the South Koreans had defeated the Czech Republic 2-1, marking their first World Cup opening-match win since 2010.

During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Mexico was eradicated in the group stage for the first time since 1978, breaking a streak of seven consecutive appearances in the knockout rounds. However, enjoying on home soil, the staff’s purpose is to emulate El Tri’s achievements in 1970 and 1986, when they reached the quarterfinals — the nation’s best World Cup end.

Due to the new 48-team format, Mexico would need to win two knockout-round matches and attain a sixth sport to understand its targets.

“We’re taking it one step at a time; first, there’s the third game,” Romo said.

Mexico’s Luis Romo celebrates with his teammates after scoring during a match against South Korea at Guadalajara Stadium on Thursday.

(Natacha Pisarenko / Associated Press)

After the win over South Korea, Mexico will close out group play against Czechia at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on Wednesday. El Tri will get to play the first two video games of the knockout spherical — ought to it win the first one — at Azteca Stadium, a venue where it has never misplaced a World Cup sport.

South Korea has 4 factors and will probably be favored when it performs South Africa Wednesday in Monterrey. If South Korea wins the match, it will be the Group A runner-up and advance to play the Group B runner-up on June 28 at SoFi Stadium.

“We want all nine points,” Vargas said of Mexico’s purpose coming into its next sport against Czechia.