Mexico made history by defeating Czechia with a 3-0 score and qualifying with 9 points out of 9. For the first time ever in a FIFA competition, Mexico won all their group stage matches. Mexico also finished the group stage without a single goal allowed. After a slow first half, Mexico completely dominated in the 2nd half over a Czech team that couldn’t handle the altitude of Mexico City. A cross into the area would fall to Denis Visinsky, who got off a right footed shot that went just wide in the most
dangerous chance of the match so far. Mexico, who had won the group when they defeated South Korea, now moves on to the Round of 32, where they will be hosting a third place team.
Mexico started the match with a number of changes, including giving the start to Guillermo Martinez and Mateo Chavez, who had yet to play in the tournament. Gilberto Mora also made his first start in the World Cup. Czechia, who needed the result to go thru, surprised with Patrick Schick on the bench. A good counter was wasted when Luis Romo failed to get off a shot and instead passed the ball where the Czechs would eventually clear it. Visinsky got off a right footed shot from outside the area that went well wide. A cross into the area was failed to be cleared and Israel Reyes got off a bicycle kick that went wide. A thru pass found a wide open Jorge Sanchez but his right footed shot was blocked by Czechia’s goalkeeper Matej Kovar. A great give and go had Mora finding a wide open Roberto Alvarado, who sent his left footed shot well wide in a bad miss. A couple of controversial calls from referee Yael Falcon got the criticism of the whole stadium as well as coach Javier Aguirre. From outside the area, Julian Quiñones got off a right footed shot that went wide. With Mexico having a chance, the ref blew the whistle which caused the crowd to boo. The half ended and after a weak start, Mexico had controlled the game but it wasn’t enough to get a good performance.
The 2nd half had no substitution from either side. Off a corner kick, the ball would fall to Lukas Cerv, whose left footed shot went straight to Mexico’s goalkeeper, Raul Rangel. A fantastic pass from Mora would find Romo in th area but he incredibly didn’t get off a shot and instead crossed the ball but it was cleared by Czechia’s defense. Of a counter attack, Romo would get off a great pass to Mateo Chavez, who got past a defender, got into the area and got off a left footed shot past Kovar to score and give Mexico the 1-0 lead. The stadium exploded in cheers as Chavez made a fantastic goal to give Mexico the deserved lead. Czechia subbed out Denis Visinsky for Lukas Provod. Off another counter, Mora got off a great pass into the area where Sanchez would get to it and Kovar would crash into him and the ball would go past him. Tomas Holes would try to clear the ball and it would bounce off Sanchez and be left into the path of Julian Quiñones, who then got off a right footed shot into the net to score and give Mexico the 2-0 lead. It was another great play and Quiñones would become the first Mexican to score two goals in a World Cup since 2010, when Javier Hernandez did the same. Mexico subbed out Luis Romo and Guillermo Martinez for Obed Vargas and Santiago Gimenez. Czechia subbed out Tomas Holes and Adam Hlozek for Tomas Soucek and Patrick Schick. A dangerous cross into the area was cleared by Edson Alvarez before a Czech attacker could get a close range chance. The whole stadium erupted in cheer as Guillermo Ochoa stood up to warm up. Mexico subbed out Gilberto Mora, to a standing ovation, and subbed in Alvaro Fidalgo. A great cross into the area was headed wide by Quiñones. The whole stadium would erupt in cheers as Raul Rangel was subbed in for Guillermo Ochoa. Mateo Chavez was also subbed out for Jesus Gallardo. From outside the area, David Doudera got off a right footed shot that went wide. As Ochoa cleared the ball, Soucek tried to block it and seriously hurt himself. Replays showed it was a bad injury (in the stadium, it was less apparent what happened) and he would need to be carted out. Soucek and Lukas Cerv would be subbed out for Alexandr Sojka and Tomas Chory. A cross into the area was volleyed well wide by Doudera. A counter that started from a Ochoa longball ended with Gimenez getting into the area but his shot was blocked by Kovar but into the path of Alvarado. He would make a pass into the path of Alvaro Fidalgo, who got off a shot into the net to score and give Mexico the 3-0 lead. The goal not only sealed the win but it had Mexico minutes away from getting their first 3-0 victory in a World Cup.
The match would end as Mexico got their victory and “El Rey” sounded thru the speakers. After celebrating the Mexican National team went over to Ochoa and helped him celebrate what was a great career for the best Mexican goalkeeper in history.
After a great 2nd half, Mexico got the 3-0 victory that for the first time in history, had them winning all their 3 matches in the group stage. Mexico was the better side but had trouble in the first half with an alternate squad, as Aguirre had rested key players for the game. For the first time in their history, Mexico came in having won their group in the third match and in their return to Estadio Azteca, they had the best win of all three. In front of a full squad, Mexico roared as they had one of the better performances in their World Cup history. The great fanfare that has given rise in Mexico with the National team continued as the Paseo de la Reforma was full of people celebrating the win in scenes that hadn’t been seen since 2018, when Mexico defeated Germany. Mexico will remain in Estadio Ciudad de Mexico (AKa Azteca) where they will face the Round of 32 opponent, which could be Ecuador. Still for now, Mexico is celebrating a great group stage performance that is now part of Mexican football history.
