Co-host Mexico finally ends four decades of fifa world cup They secured their first win in the knockout stages since 1986 with a heartbreaking knockout victory over Ecuador in the last 32 on Tuesday.First-half goals from Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez were enough to earn Javier Aguirre’s side a spot in the last 16, where they will face the winner of England’s clash with DR Congo. The victory also ended Mexico’s streak of eight consecutive eliminations in the knockout stages, the longest in World Cup history.The match, delayed by an hour due to heavy rain and lightning, was only the second match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be disrupted by bad weather.
First half blitz ends decades of frustration
Mexico soon showed their quality after kick-off and were rewarded in the 22nd minute when Quiñones took advantage of a defensive error to give the hosts the lead.Mexico’s momentum remained strong and veteran striker Raul Jimenez doubled their advantage with a clinical finish just nine minutes later, putting Mexico in complete control of the game before the break.This is the first time Mexico has reached the knockout stage since defeating Bulgaria in the round of 16 of the 1986 World Cup. Since then, the Moroccan team has been eliminated in the top 16 in seven consecutive rounds from 1994 to 2018 until it was eliminated in the group stage of the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
Records continue to drop as Mexico advances
Ecuador gained more possession after the restart and looked for a way back into the game, but a disciplined Mexican defense held on to hold on to another clean sheet. Ecuador’s frustration intensified in stoppage time when defender Piero Hincapie was sent off.The victory was Mexico’s fourth consecutive victory at this World Cup and continued their impressive run of not conceding a goal, underscoring their credentials as one of the strongest teams in the tournament.Junior midfielder Gilberto Mora also made history. At the age of 17 years and 259 days, he became the second youngest starter in the history of FIFA World Cup knockout rounds, behind only Brazilian legend Pele, who achieved the feat at 17 years and 239 days during the 1958 World Cup.Jimenez, meanwhile, added another milestone to his remarkable career. At 35 years and 56 days old, he became the oldest Mexican player to score in a World Cup knockout round and the first Mexican player in his 30s to score in a World Cup knockout round.With history finally on Mexico’s side, Mexico will now look to make the most of home advantage as they look to advance further in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
