Luis Romo’s second-half strike and Raul Rangel’s late heroics secured a 1-0 victory over South Korea, making Mexico the first nation to qualify for the World Cup knockout stage.
GUADALAJARA: Co-hosts Mexico became the first team to secure a place in the World Cup knockout rounds after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over South Korea in front of an electric crowd in Guadalajara on Thursday.
The breakthrough came shortly after halftime when Luis Romo capitalized on a costly mistake by South Korean goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu. The keeper collided with a teammate while attempting to claim a high ball, allowing Romo to calmly finish into an empty net and spark wild celebrations among home supporters.
Mexico’s qualification was far from straightforward. South Korea controlled large portions of the first half and nearly opened the scoring when captain Son Heung-min lifted the ball over goalkeeper Raul Rangel. However, Edson Alvarez produced a remarkable bicycle-kick clearance off the goal line to keep the match level.
The hosts improved significantly after the break and created more attacking pressure. While South Korea searched for an equalizer, they struggled to create clear opportunities despite introducing fresh attacking options.
In the closing stages, Rangel emerged as Mexico’s hero with a crucial double save that preserved the narrow lead and guaranteed all three points.
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