Tournament co-hosts Mexico booked their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Ecuador, putting an end to a decades-long drought in the knock-out rounds.
The win represents Mexico’s first World Cup knockout victory since 1986. Also, the result successfully ends an eight-match losing streak in World Cup knockout fixtures, the longest such drought in the history of the tournament.
The kickoff was pushed back by an hour due to severe rain and lightning, but the weather did little to disrupt Mexico’s rhythm as they extended their unbeaten streak at the World Cup.
In-form Mexico took charge early on and found the breakthrough before the interval when Julian Quinones took full advantage of a defensive blunder from the visitors. Raul Jimenez then doubled the lead before the end of the first half, providing the home side with a cushion before heading into the half-time break.
Ecuador dominated possession in the second half as they chased a way back into the game, but Mexico’s backline refused to break, logging yet another clean sheet. Ecuador’s frustrations boiled over in stoppage time when defender Piero Hincapie was shown a straight red card.
Mexico are unbeaten at the FIFA World Cup 2026
The win marks Mexico’s fourth consecutive victory of the tournament. Javier Aguirre’s men are yet to concede a single goal, showing their form as one of the best squads in the competition. Up next, the co-hosts will face either former winners England or DR Congo on home soil for a spot in the quarter-finals.
The historic evening also belonged to teenage midfield sensation Gilberto Mora. At just 17 years and 259 days old, he became the second-youngest player ever to start a World Cup knockout game, trailing only the legendary Pelé, who set the record at 17 years and 239 days during the 1958 tournament.
Jimenez also rewrote the history books with his first-half strike. At 35 years and 56 days old, he is now the oldest Mexican footballer to score in a World Cup knockout match, and the first Mexican player in his 30s to find the back of the net in the knockout stage.
(With ANI inputs)
