ZAPOPAN, MEXICO– Mexico’s 2026 World Cup performance so far has been spectacular, including a 1-0 victory over South Korea on Thursday night and become the first team to advance to the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup.
A defensive struggle, it’s ironic how a game played with your feet and head was decided by each goaltenders hands. South Korea goalkeeper Kim Seung-Gyu collided with defender Lee Gi-Hyuk and dropped the ball inside the area.
Luis Romo easily found the open net after collecting the loose ball in the 50th minute for the lone goal of the match.
It marks a major triumph for Mexico, which failed to get out of the group stage in 2022 and now has won twice on home soil in front of jubilant crowds. Mexico will also now play at least its next two games, and possibly three, in its home country.
South Korea nearly equalized in the 87th minute when Mexico goalkeeper Raúl Rangel made the jaw-dropping saves, sealing the victory for team Mexico.
First, Rangel stopped a header from close range by Cho Gue-Sung, then made an even better save on the rebound, extending his right arm to keep the ball from crossing the line.
Mexico had never won a World Cup game on home soil outside Mexico City. Before 2026, all but one of its nine World Cup matches at home, spanning the 1970 and 1986 tournaments, had been played at Estadio Azteca, with five wins and three draws. When it played in Toluca in 1970, it lost 4-1 to Italy in the quarterfinals.
Mexico, ranked 13th, were eliminated in the group stage four years ago in Qatar. That followed seven straight eliminations in the round of 16.
Guadalajara Stadium was raucous and noisy, Thursday’s crowd was announced at 45,522 for the 45,664-capacity stadium, which was hosting the national team for the first time.
With watch parties scattered through the city, Mexico fans in Los Angeles took to the streets to celebrate the team’s success following the final whistle.
The celebrations remained mostly peaceful, though at times some people jumped on top of cars in Koreatown. Crowds also gathered in Boyle Heights after the win, with officers standing nearby to monitor the party in the streets.
