Mexico Advances to Round of 16 as All Teams from Germany’s Group Are Eliminated
Mexico secured their spot in the Round of 16 with first-half goals from Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez, who had also scored in their opening victory over South Africa. This win came at the expense of Ecuador, sealing Mexico’s progression in the tournament.
Seventeen-year-old Mexican midfielder Gilberto Mora became the youngest player to start a knockout stage match since Pele did in 1958, marking a historic moment for Mexico in this World Cup.
This outcome means every team from Germany’s group has been eliminated after the first knockout round. Germany, four-time world champions, fell to Paraguay in a penalty shootout. Meanwhile, Côte d’Ivoire was defeated by Norway thanks to a late goal from Erling Haaland. Likewise, all teams from Group F were knocked out following losses to the Netherlands, Japan, and Sweden.
Ecuador finished their campaign without scoring in three of their four matches, with only their 2-1 victory over Germany as a bright spot. On the other hand, Mexico stands out as the sole team yet to concede a single goal in the tournament.
Piero Hincapié, former Bayer Leverkusen defender, was dismissed during injury time after being penalized for covering his mouth while speaking to an opponent. Mexico will keep enjoying strong home crowd support as they prepare to face the winner of the upcoming England versus DR Congo match in the Round of 16.
