Co-hosts Mexico became the first nation to secure qualification for the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating South Korea 1-0 in their Group A encounter at Estadio Guadalajara on Friday.
A second-half strike from Luis Romo proved enough to seal victory for Javier Aguirre’s side, who maintained their perfect start to the tournament with six points from two matches, guaranteeing a place in the Round of 32 with one group game still to play.
After a tightly contested and goalless opening half, Mexico broke the deadlock five minutes into the second period. Romo capitalised on a costly goalkeeping error to slot home what eventually stood as the match-winning goal.
South Korea struggled to create meaningful chances for much of the contest but mounted sustained pressure in the closing stages as they searched for an equaliser.
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Mexico goalkeeper Raúl Rangel emerged as one of the game’s heroes, producing a superb double save in the 88th minute to deny Cho Gue-sung from close range and preserve his side’s slender advantage.
Mexico nearly doubled their lead later in the match when Raúl Jiménez connected with a well-worked attacking move, but South Korean goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu responded with an excellent save.
The Asian side continued to push deep into stoppage time and came closest through defender Han-Beom Lee, whose header from a corner drifted narrowly wide, summing up a frustrating evening for the Taegeuk Warriors.
The final whistle sparked celebrations among the home supporters as Mexico became the first country to officially book a place in the knockout rounds of the expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup.
Mexico now sit comfortably atop Group A and will aim to complete the group stage with a perfect record in their final fixture, while South Korea face a must-win encounter to keep their qualification hopes alive after suffering a second consecutive defeat.
