Mexico secured their first knockout victory in 40 years, knocking out Ecuador to reach the last 16
Azteca found her voice long before kickoff and never stopped singing. Not even an hour-long delay caused by bad weather could calm the famous stadium as Mexico produced the night fans had waited four decades to witness as they beat Ecuador 2-0 to secure their first knockout win at the FIFA World Cup since 1986 and book their place in the last 16.
With Javier Aguirre roaring through a sea of green, there was a tumultuous first-half display that proved too much for Ecuador. Julian Quinones opened the scoring before Raul Jimenez doubled the lead, leaving the co-hosts in complete control before the break.
Mexico 2-0 Ecuador, FIFA World Cup 2026: The best
Mexico will now return to the Azteca on Sunday to face either England or DR Congo in the round of 16 with growing belief that the team can finally end the country’s long quarter-final drought.
The match finally got underway after an hour’s delay due to lightning around the stadium, but Mexico wasted little time in stamping their authority on the competition. They pushed high, moved the ball with confidence and pinned Ecuador deep in their own half from the opening whistle.
Their pressure paid off in the 22nd minute when Quinones collected the ball on the left, drove into the penalty area and sent the home crowd into celebration with a low shot at the near post.
Less than 10 minutes later, Mexico struck again. Jimenez played a neat one-on-one with Quinones before driving a superb finish into the top corner to give Ecuador a mountain to climb heading into half-time.
Ecuador enjoyed more of the ball after the restart but were unable to create meaningful chances against a disciplined Mexican defence. Aguirre’s backline remained organized throughout, thwarting any attempt to find a way back into the contest and extending Mexico’s remarkable run without conceding a goal at the 2026 World Cup to four matches.
A challenging night for the South Americans ended on a sour note in stoppage time when defender Piero Hincapie was shown a red card after covering his mouth during a confrontation with an opponent under FIFA’s latest regulations.
For Mexico, it was a victory that meant much more than just reaching the next round. Their last World Cup knockout victory came at the same stadium in 1986 when they beat Bulgaria 2-0 in the last tournament they hosted. Since then, El Tri have suffered seven straight exits at the first elimination hurdle.
Tuesday’s win finally ended a painful run.
The result also highlighted Mexico’s impressive record at the Azteca. They haven’t lost a competitive match at the famous venue since 2013 and remain unbeaten in World Cup matches played in Mexico City. They also became the first host nation since Italy in 1990 to win their opening four matches at the World Cup, and only the fourth side in tournament history to do so without conceding a goal.
The celebrations inside the Azteca continued long after the final whistle. Mexico’s journey is far from over, but after ending a 40-year wait, the hosts gave their supporters another night of dreaming.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
01 Jul 2026 09:48 IST