MEXICO CITY — Mexico ended a 40-year wait for a FIFA World Cup knockout-stage victory by defeating Ecuador 2-0 on Tuesday, booking a place in the Round of 16 with first-half goals from Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez before a jubilant home crowd at the Estadio Azteca.
The co-hosts took control early after a weather delay pushed back kickoff by about an hour. Quiñones broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute, driving into the penalty area before firing an unstoppable shot beyond Ecuador goalkeeper Hernán Galíndez. Nine minutes later, the forward turned provider, setting up Jiménez, who finished emphatically to double Mexico's advantage.
Mexico maintained its defensive discipline after halftime, limiting Ecuador's opportunities despite the visitors seeing more of the ball. Ecuador's best first-half chance came when John Yeboah struck the outside of the post, but the South Americans struggled to generate sustained pressure against a Mexican side that has yet to concede a goal in the tournament.
The result ended a sequence of World Cup knockout disappointments for Mexico, whose previous victory in the elimination rounds came against Bulgaria during the 1986 tournament, also hosted on home soil. From 1994 through 2018, Mexico exited in the first knockout round at every World Cup appearance before failing to advance from the group stage in Qatar in 2022.
The match also featured a milestone for 17-year-old Gilberto Mora, who became the second-youngest player to start a World Cup knockout match, behind only Brazil great Pelé in 1958. Mora was included in Javier Aguirre's starting lineup as Mexico continued its impressive run through the tournament.
Ecuador's hopes faded further in stoppage time when defender Piero Hincapié was shown a red card following a VAR review, capping a frustrating evening for the South American side, whose World Cup campaign ended in the Round of 32.
Mexico advanced with four consecutive victories and four clean sheets, joining the Round of 16 after one of its strongest starts to a World Cup in recent decades. The co-hosts are scheduled to face England in the next round, with the match set to be played at the Estadio Azteca.
