Mexico 1
South Korea 0
CO-HOSTS MEXICO BOOKED their place in the knockout rounds of the World Cup with a 1-0 win over South Korea at Guadalajara Stadium on Thursday.
Luis Romo scored the only goal of tense encounter to ensure the co-hosts reached the last 32.
Neither side generated many chances in a quiet opening 45 minutes, with Mexico registering only three shots as the teams went in goalless.
Romo bagged the game’s only goal in the 50th minute after capitalising on a loose ball spilled by South Korean goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu after a collision with defender Lee Gi-hyuk in the penalty area.
Romo made the most of the error, slotting the ball into the unguarded net.
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 19, 2026🇲🇽 1-0 🇰🇷
Luis Romo will want to do the lottery in the morning. Kim comes to claim a cross but drops the ball, and Romo is on hand to prod home.
Watch all 104 games from the #FIFAWorldCup on RTÉ pic.twitter.com/PVNve1fou5
A brilliant double save from Mexico keeper Raul Rangel with just minutes left on the clock maintained his side’s lead after he stopped a close-range header from Cho Gue-sung and then denied Yang Hyun-jun on the rebound.
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 19, 2026
Mexico will finish top of Group A meaning they will play on home soil in the last 32 and last 16 should they progress that far.
Mexico boss Javier Aguirre told fifa.com in a post-match press conference: “It was difficult. We know them very well. They put us under a lot of pressure.
“They didn’t give us any space, and neither did we. In the end, it felt like one mistake was always going to make the difference one way or the other. It wasn’t a great match, and the opposition didn’t allow us to do much.”
Written by Press Association and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.