Mexico beats South Korea 1-0, becomes first team to reach World Cup knockouts

The Match Turning Point

Mexico became the first team to reach the knockout rounds of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 1-0 win over South Korea at the Guadalajara Stadium on Thursday. The match saw Mexico's Luis Romo score the only goal just after half-time, following a goalkeeping error by South Korea's Kim Seunggyu.

The Goal That Made the Difference

The goal came when Kim Seunggyu came for a high ball and collided with his own player, spilling it straight to Romo. Romo then poked the ball into an unguarded net, triggering pandemonium among the Mexican fans.

The Impact of the Win

This victory means Mexico will finish top of Group A and play a third-placed team from another group in the round of 32. They will also stay in Mexico for the next match, playing in Mexico City. South Korea, on the other hand, are second in the group with three points.

The Reactions

Mexico's head coach, Javier Aguirre, expressed his satisfaction with the result, saying, 'It was a very close game; we didn’t give up a single centimetre and fought for every ball as if it were our last.' He added that the team will now wait to see who their opponent will be in the next round.

The Road Ahead

Mexico will face Czechia in their final group game, while South Korea will play South Africa. Earlier in the day, South Africa and Czechia drew 1-1.