Perfect Mexico and historic South Africa advance to World Cup R32
Shafaq News- Mexico City/ Monterrey
Mexico completed a perfect Group A campaign with a 3-0 win over Czechia on Wednesday, while South Africa beat South Korea 1-0 to reach the World Cup knockout stage for the first time.
Czechia vs Mexico
Mexico defeated Czechia at Mexico City Stadium, finishing top of Group A with three wins from three and no goals conceded. After a quiet first half, Mateo Chavez broke the deadlock in the 54th minute, finishing a breakaway move that turned Mexico’s control into a lead.
Julian Quiñones doubled the advantage seven minutes later, ending Czechia’s realistic hopes of forcing their way back into the match. Substitute Alvaro Fidalgo added the third in stoppage time, scoring his first international goal after a move sparked by goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa’s long ball.
Ochoa had come on in the 77th minute to a loud reception from the Azteca crowd, making an emotional sixth World Cup appearance at age 40.
Mexico ended the group with nine points and a +6 goal difference, sending Javier Aguirre’s side into the Round of 32 with one of the strongest records of the tournament so far, while Czechia exited with one point after failing to build on their draw with South Africa, and their night worsened when captain Tomas Soucek went off late with an apparent non-contact injury.
South Africa vs South Korea
South Africa beat South Korea at Estadio Monterrey, with Thapelo Maseko scoring in the 63rd minute to send Bafana Bafana into the World Cup knockout stage for the first time. Maseko found space in South Korea’s defense and drove a low finish inside the near post, giving Hugo Broos’s side the lead after a disciplined first hour.
South Korea, who left Son Heung-min on the bench at kickoff, pushed late but could not break through a compact South African defense.
Ronwen Williams and the South African back line protected the lead through stoppage time, with South Korea’s final balls failing to trouble the defense consistently enough.
Broos had been forced to reshape his midfield because Teboho Mokoena and Themba Zwane were suspended, but South Africa still controlled enough central space to limit South Korea’s rhythm.
The result lifted South Africa to second place in Group A on four points, behind Mexico, securing automatic qualification for the Round of 32.
South Korea finished third with three points and a -1 goal difference, leaving them dependent on the ranking of the best third-placed teams.
