Mexico Beats Ecuador 2-0, Advances to Round of 16 at AztecaThe Result

Mexico defeated Ecuador 2-0 Tuesday night at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, punching their ticket to the Round of 16 and ending a 40-year wait for a World Cup knockout stage victory. The match was delayed about an hour due to severe weather before kickoff, but the conditions barely slowed El Tri down once the game got going.

The Goals

Julian Quinones opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, cutting inside the box and powering a shot into the top corner after a transition started by Roberto Alvarado. Nine minutes later, Raul Jimenez doubled the lead with a quick give-and-go with Quinones that left him with a clean look at goal. Ecuador never seriously threatened Goalkeeper Raul Rangel, finishing with just 0.73 expected goals compared to 1.02 for Mexico. The result keeps Mexico’s defensive record perfect through five matches in the tournament — they have yet to concede a single goal.
Ecuador finished the match with ten men after defender Piero Hincapie was sent off in injury time for covering his mouth while having words with a Mexico substitute, a rule FIFA introduced at this World Cup to prevent players from hiding confrontational comments from officials.

A Historic Night for Mexico City

The victory also cemented another record for Mexico City. Estadio Azteca became the first venue in World Cup history to host an opening match three times, having previously done so in 1970 and 1986.

What’s Next

Mexico will now wait to see who emerges from today’s match between England and DR Congo at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The winner faces El Tri on Sunday, July 5, at 8 p.m. ET back at Estadio Azteca. It will be Mexico’s last home match of the tournament; if they advance past the Round of 16, all remaining games shift to venues in the United States.

Analyst’s Take

Mexico has looked the part of a genuine contender through five matches. Head coach Javier Aguirre has built a side that is disciplined, hard to break down, and clinical in front of goal. The Round of 16 will be their toughest test yet, especially if England comes through. But with a packed Azteca behind them, Mexico will fancy their chances of making a quarterfinal. Beyond that, the path gets significantly harder — Brazil and Norway are waiting on that side of the bracket, and playing away from home removes the crowd advantage that has fueled this run.
Source: CBS Sports, ESPN, Yahoo Sports, Sky Sports