Mexico grows in the Aztec

This Tuesday, the Mexican team entered the round of 16 of the World Cup between the United States, Mexico and Canada after winning their round of 32 duel against Ecuador (2-0), thanks to goals from Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez, both in the first half, which allowed them to overcome a qualifying round in a World Cup final phase for the second time in their history.

Forty years have had to pass for Mexico to once again overcome a qualifying round in the final phase of the World Cup. Once again as host, again at the Azteca stadium and again with a 2-0 scoreline, the ‘Tri’ has advanced to the round. If in 1986 Bulgaria was their victim, this time Ecuador was their prey, in a match in which Javier Aguirre’s pupils showed themselves far superior from start to finish.

Brilliant offensive football during the first 45 minutes allowed Mexico to lead 2-0 at half-time. The goals from Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez, both beautifully crafted, rewarded the good work of the Mexicans, who showed their rockiest side in the second half. In fact, Raúl Rangel once again kept a clean sheet, being the only goalkeeper in the competition, along with the Spanish Unai Simón, who has not yet conceded.

A duel that started an hour late compared to the initial time due to inclement weather. And the team that best burst onto the Azteca stadium grass would be Mexico, with a high circulation rate and depth on the right wing, with an inspired Gilberto Mora. This is how the first two attempts of the game would come, the first by the Tijuana midfielder himself, and later Romo and Raúl Jiménez would be the ones to try their luck.

Ecuador had begun the hesitant match and Mexico was determined to take advantage of it. And he would be close to doing so when the first quarter of an hour was up, with a shot from Mora that passed just past the right corner of the goal defended by Galíndez. An action that seemed to wake up Beccacece’s team, who responded with a shot against Yeboah’s post after a great individual action.

But football would end up being fair with the start of the Mexicans. Before reaching the midpoint of the first half, Quiñones received the space with meters to run and be able to carry out the individual action. Thus, the winger cut his pair at the top of the area and created the necessary gap to finish with his right foot, a shot that slipped into the left corner of the Ecuadorian goal, causing ecstasy in the Azteca.

And he would not settle for the Mexican team’s goal, which a few minutes later, and after continuing to improve the football, would double their advantage. A theft by Raúl Jiménez at the Ecuadorian ball’s exit allowed for a frank action that ended with the veteran forward’s own boots inside the area. There, he took a shot with his right hand that would break the cobwebs of the goal defended by Galíndez, who could only contemplate the Mexican work of art.

The gale of football by Basque Aguirre’s pupils was being memorable for the Mexican fans, and they were close to putting the cherry on top of a dream first half with a third goal. Raúl Jiménez would have up to two chances, but his attempts would not end up finding the three posts. For its part, Ecuador only put Rangel in trouble with a cross shot from Yeboah, to which the ‘Tri’ goalkeeper responded with a great stretch.

Ecuador had 45 minutes left to turn around a match that had been very difficult for them if they wanted to stay alive in the tournament, and Beccacece brought on Angelo Preciado and Yaimar Medina after the restart. However, again, the first approach would be Mexican, with a shot from the edge of Alvarado that went slightly off target.

And if the first half served Mexico to showcase its offensive potential, in the second it brought out its defensive strength, of course, without giving up a third goal that almost came with a header from César Montes, to which Galíndez responded with a great save. In the Mexican area, the tricolor defense and Raúl Rangel put an end to all Ecuadorian attempts.

The clearest one for Beccacece’s team would come with a quarter of an hour remaining, when a great pass from Caicedo found, behind the Mexican defense, Kevin Rodríguez who, after settling the ball with his chest, would fail in the one-on-one. The option of getting into the game eluded an Ecuadorian team that would see its last minutes in the 2026 World Cup pass without anything happening in an Azteca stadium that was celebrating Mexico’s second victory in the history of a World Cup qualifier.

TECHNICAL SHEET.

–RESULT: MEXICO, 2 – ECUADOR, 0 (2-0, at halftime).

–ALIGNMENTS:

MEXICO: Rangel; Sánchez, Montes, Vásquez, Gallardo; Romo (Vargas, min.74), Lira, Mora (Gutiérrez, min.58); Alvarado (Reyes, min.80), Raúl Jiménez (Santi Giménez, min.74) and Quiñones (Pineda, min.80).

Ecuador: Galíndez; Franco (Preciado, min.46), Ordóñez (Medina, min.46), Pacho, Hincapié; Yeboah (J. Caicedo, min.79), Vite, Caicedo, Angulo (Paez, min.79); Gonzalo Plata and Enner Valencia (Kevin Rodríguez, min.59).

–GOALS.

1-0, minute 22: Quiñones.

2-0, minute 31: Raúl Jiménez.

–REFEREE: Slavko Vincic (SLO). He cautioned Franco (min.45+1) and Paez (90+3) with a yellow card and sent off Hincapié (min.90+6) in Ecuador.

–STADIUM: Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.