Mexico continued their flawless World Cup campaign with a confident 2 to 0 victory over Ecuador at the Azteca Stadium, booking their place in the last 16 and ending a long wait for a knockout stage win.
After a thunderstorm delayed kick off by an hour in Mexico City, the hosts wasted no time in taking control once play began. Backed by more than 80,000 passionate supporters, Javier Aguirre’s side came out with huge energy and immediately put Ecuador under pressure.
Mexico created several early openings inside the first 10 minutes, setting the tone for a first half in which Ecuador struggled to cope with the pace, movement and intensity of the home team. John Yeboah struck the woodwork for Ecuador, but that was one of the few moments of danger from Sebastian Beccacece’s side.
The breakthrough came through Julian Quinones, who continued his impressive tournament form. The Colombia born winger drove in from the left before firing a powerful finish past Hernan Galindez and into the top of the net. It was his third goal of the World Cup and another major contribution in Mexico’s perfect run.
Quinones was involved again soon after, this time helping create Mexico’s second. Ecuador defender Joel Ordonez lost possession near his own box, and Raul Jimenez punished the mistake clinically, bending a fine strike into the top corner to give the hosts full control before half time.
Ecuador showed more composure after the interval and enjoyed longer spells on the ball, but they rarely looked capable of changing the result. Gonzalo Plata’s clever flick wide was their best chance, while Mexico managed the game maturely and protected their clean sheet.
The match ended badly for Ecuador when Piero Hincapie was sent off in stoppage time. He became the second player at the tournament, after Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron, to receive a red card for covering his mouth while speaking to an opponent.
Mexico now have four wins from four games, with eight goals scored and none conceded. Their next match will also be in Mexico City, where they face either England or DR Congo on Sunday evening, with kick off at 01:00 BST on Monday.
The Azteca remains a major weapon for Mexico. In 89 competitive matches there, they have won 70 and lost only twice. They are also unbeaten in 10 World Cup finals matches at the famous stadium, where the altitude of more than 2,000 metres adds another challenge for visiting teams.
