Mexico 2-0 Ecuador: El Tri win first World Cup knockout game in four decades | OneFootball

Mexico’s first win in the knockout stages of the World Cup in 40 years ensured passage through to the last 16 and eliminate Ecuador at the Estadio Azteca following an hour delay due to an electrical storm.

Julián Quiñones kept up his fine scoring form rifling in the opener from close range for his third goal of the tournament, shortly before he set up Raul Jiménez to double the advantage as Ecuador sloppily surrendered possession.

Arsenal defender Piero Hincapié became the second player to be sent off for covering his mouth in a confrontation with an opponent, handing El Tri a first victory at this stage since 1986 to set up a clash with England or DR Congo.

Mexico saw a handful of early chances go amiss when Jiménez headed wide from six yards meeting a brilliant cross from midfielder Luis Romo, and 17-year-old Gilberto Mora went within inches of history with his curling effort.

Ecuador’s best chance of the night fell to Venezia’s John Yeboah after 18 minutes, battling his way into the box and struck the post with a powerful effort that had Raúl Rangel beaten at full stretch.

The overall pressure would eventually tell, however, as Quiñones latched onto a ball over the top and travelled 20 yards up the pitch before cutting in and firing past the goalkeeper at his near post to give Mexico a deserved lead.

Ecuador then hit the self-destruct button with half an hour gone as Pacho’s poor clearance fell straight to Jiménez, inviting the Wolves striker to execute a neat one-two with Quiñones and pick out the top right corner.

The man who had waited until having turned 36 for his first goal at the World Cup now had two to his name and it would prove to be the strike that sent Mexico through to the last 16 – a stage they failed to reach in Qatar four years ago.

Yeboah wasn’t far away from finding the net once more but Rangel was able to parry away his effort from the right of goal, and Plata poked wide his chance to pull one back on the end of Moises Caicedo’s hoisted pass over the defence.

Mexican captain César Montes missed a brace of headers from back-to-back corners that would’ve put the game to bed not long past the hour mark, but Hincapié would take care of that himself in additional time.

Seen covering his mouth in a verbal altercation with Santiago Giménez by a VAR check, referee Slavko Vinčić then dismissed the full-back under the ‘Prestianni Rule’ that also saw Paraguayan Miguel Almirón sent off during the group stage.

The Azteca erupted at full-time knowing that Mexico had won a knockout game for the first time since beating Bulgaria 2-0 in 1986, and that they would progress to face the winner of England vs DR Congo on the 6th of July.

Mexico – Ecuador Live Score