Team Mexico’s winning streak in its capital city continues by breaking a 40-year drought of World Cup knockout victories.
El Tricolor hosted and defeated Ecuador 2–0 at the legendary Azteca stadium on June 30, earning its spot in the round of 16 with not just a fourth consecutive victory, but a first-ever fourth consecutive World Cup clean sheet. Mexico emerged from the group stage beating South Africa 2–0, South Korea 1–0, and Czechia 3–0. It was one of three teams to win all three group stage games.
This fourth victory came an hour late because of a pre-match weather delay, and then featured two goals secured in the first half.
The first one came 22 minutes into the game. A long, soaring pass over midfield from Roberto Alvarado found the boot of Julián Quiñones, who pushed past challenging defenders to send the ball into the top left corner of the net from a perch high in the penalty box.
Mexico fans only had to wait nine minutes to see their team double their advantage.
Ecuador’s botched attempt to clear the ball from their end was intercepted by Raúl Jiménez, who passed the ball off to Quiñones before charging toward the net. Quiñones gave the ball back to his teammate to finish the play with a launching kick to the top right corner just 10 yards out.
Mexico would continue to get chances through the rest of the game, but Ecuador’s defense kept shots wide or blocked, and goalkeeper Hernán Galíndez came up with one save.
Ecuador was able to get seven shots on goal, with only one landing on target, but all attempts were saved by the goalkeeper Raúl Rangel.
The South American visitors opened the second half with two significant defender changes. Alan Franco, who ended the first half with a yellow card, was replaced by Yaimar Medina, and Ángelo Preciado replaced Joel Ordóñez.
Ecuador prevented Mexico from getting any more goals in the second half. However, Ecuador would also be unable to get any points on the board, and its final minutes in this World Cup would end a man down.
Piero Hincapié earned a red card five minutes into stoppage time after covering his mouth in the middle of a heated exchange with Santiago Giménez. Giménez alerted the referee immediately after the incident because World Cup regulations mark the obstructing of one’s mouth during an exchange with an opposing player as a dismissible offense.
This red card incident follows Uruguay’s final minutes of World Cup play, during which a red card left it playing down one man in the final minutes of its ultimate loss to Spain.
Meanwhile, Kendry Páez also earned Ecuador’s second yellow card of the night three minutes into stoppage time for a late kick on Orbelín Pineda, and then Moisés Caicedo would get a yellow card nine minutes into stoppage time for his own late hit on Pineda.
