Mexico win World Cup Group A to become first team to qualify for knockout stage
There were boos from their own fans at half-time, a remarkable late save from goalkeeper Raul Rangel and plenty of last-ditch defending, but Mexico got the job done.
The World Cup co-hosts sealed a 1-0 win and their place in the knockouts with a 50th-minute goal from Luis Romo, which also ensured they claim top spot in Group A.
Romo’s effort came after a goalkeeping howler from Kim Seung-gyu, who fumbled a catch before the midfielder poked home.
Aside from a Raul Jimenez shot that Kim then saved smartly in the 75th minute and an Obed Vargas stinger repelled by the South Korea ‘keeper, this looked to be an uninspiring affair — until that late save from Rangel, denying Cho Gue-sung on the line, above.
Mexico became the first team to qualify from the group stage and now have a round-of-32 game in Mexico City on the horizon.
Here, Jacob Whitehead and Matt Slater analyse the key talking points.
Did the save of the tournament rescue Mexico?
Not one, not two, but three. South Korea were in the last chance saloon of Mexico’s Ranch Country, firing a last-gasp cross towards goal in their attempts to equalise.
Rushing in on goal, Cho directed his header well, low and powerfully onto the goalline of the near post. Chivas goalkeeper Rangel, playing in front of his home fans at the Estadio Akron, somehow threw himself down to save it — only for the ball to rebound, looping, back towards the net.
Sat on his backside, players sprinting in, Rangel was the calmest man in the stadium; the one still point amid the madness. His right arm prevented a certain goal — before somehow catching the ball while riding a thump from the onrushing Oh Hyeon-gyu.
A HEROIC SAVE FROM RANGEL TO KEEP MEXICO IN THE LEAD! 🤯
South Korea was so close to the late equalizer! pic.twitter.com/LN4bRk6ep6
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 19, 2026
It was the night’s one moment of real quality — and possibly the save of the tournament so far.
Jacob Whitehead
Romo gets his revenge
Romo was perhaps slightly unfortunate that his words were taken the way they were, but in the pre-match build-up, his perceived lack of fire struck a chord across Mexico.
“No, it’s not like we don’t care, but we’re not 100 per cent like ‘Ay, we have to win, we have to win!’” he told TV Azteca. “We have to live the game, we have to prepare ourselves well, we need to improve our performance. Of course we want victory but we can’t oblige ourselves or put pressure on ourselves.”
Accurate, maybe. But compared to the fire of midfield partner Erik Lira — top quote: “I raised my hand so (the coach) knows I’m another soldier ready for war” — it was taken as a lack of commitment.
Luis Romo celebrates his goal (David Ramos/Getty Images)
But Romo is a player who knows what that word means more than most — a player who worked full-time as an oyster fisherman after being released from the Cruz Azul academy. Elevated to the starting XI against South Korea, he was the quickest to react to Kim’s blunder right at the start of the second half — tapping the loose ball home to send the Estadio Akron into raptures.
Without labouring the point, that goal had something of his past written all over it. Ugly at face value, a pearl within.
Jacob Whitehead
Why were Mexico booed off at half-time?
Stilted and awkward. Mexico’s relationship with the ball in the first half was like a nervous teen trying to ask a partner to prom — all errs, umms, and no real plan of how to proceed. But at least those conversations do not typically play out in front of 50,000 booing spectators.
Head coach Javier Aguirre had picked a team of fighters, leaving attacking talent such as 17-year-old Gilberto Mora and Real Betis’ Alvaro Fidalgo on the bench. Perhaps the plan was to disrupt South Korea’s midfield playmakers, Lee Kang-in and Hwang In-beom, but for the first 30 minutes of the match, their opposition were simply happy for them to have the ball.
It left Mexico impotent — sometimes aimlessly punting long, sometimes aimlessly passing from side to side, and sometimes aimlessly dribbling in circles. They had just one shot which wasn’t a hopeless effort from range, Romo flicking his header straight at Kim.
The crowd at Estadio Akron quickly grew frustrated — remember, Mexico were booed off when they were winning the opening game against South Africa this time last week — with the demand not just for a win, but for a performance. They did not get it.
South Korea took advantage of the restless crowd to take control of possession themselves, with Mexico cautiously sitting off them — the passivity enraging supporters further. They nearly paid with a goal after both centre-backs switched off with ten minutes remaining. The boos might have passed 150 decibels, and they seemed to get a reaction in the second half.
Jacob Whitehead
Why did South Korea fail to impress?
For whatever reason, I had so far managed to avoid this tournament’s duds. I think I was in bed for the Ghana-Panama snooze-fest and I was chasing the Ivory Coast team up and down I-95 when Portugal and DR Congo were stinking the joint out.
But I was wide awake and locked in for this one… and I guess I had one coming.
Let’s do the positives first. Mexico’s away strip is magnificent. I might actually buy one. Guadalajara’s stadium looked nice. Owen Hargreaves is a good co-commentator on the United States commentary. Erm… that’s it.
OK, Mexico won, so they won’t care. But South Korea… what was that?
(Luke Hales/Getty Images)
This is their 11th consecutive World Cup appearance, they were unbeaten in qualifying and they have lots of decent players. Lee Kang-in has played more than 120 games for Paris Saint-Germain over the past three seasons. I realise he is not a starter in Paris, but they are the best team on the planet.
South Korea’s first shot on goal did not come until the 88th minute. Their second came a second later. But that was pretty much that. Loads of possession, lots of neat passing but no crosses, no dribbles and no corners until the 92nd minute.
For most of the game, it looked like they were playing a possession drill. It was like they were hoping for a point for every fifth pass completed.
Son Heung-min got hooked after 56 minutes, which suggests he played badly. He did not play well, but I am not sure why he was singled out.
This was a poor game but South Korea were particularly disappointing, even if they had that late, late chance to draw. They made the semi-finals on home soil in 2002 but have not been beyond the round of 16 since then. They will do very well to get that far on tonight’s evidence.
Matt Slater
How important is finishing first?
Entering Thursday evening’s game, both South Korea and Mexico knew a win would secure them first place in Group A. The other teams in the group, South Africa and Czech Republic, have just a single point after two games and head-to-head is the first decider between teams level on points.
Having guaranteed first place with one game to go, Mexico now ensure their first knockout game will take at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, against the third-place finisher of Group C, E, F, H or I.
Win that, and they would also have home advantage in the round of 16 game — traditionally their nemesis, having exited at that stage at seven of the past eight tournaments — highly likely to be against England at the Azteca.
South Korea, meanwhile, are still in good shape to progress in second after winning their opening game. They can guarantee that spot by beating or drawing with South Africa next Wednesday, regardless of what happens between Czech Republic and Mexico on the same day.
Jacob Whitehead