How Mexico won maiden FIFA WC knockout in 40 years
What's the story
In a historic turn of events, Mexico won their first knockout match at the FIFA World Cup in 40 years. The team achieved this feat by beating Ecuador 2-0 at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on Tuesday. The victory came after a one-hour delay due to lightning around the stadium but did not dampen the spirits of the home crowd.
Match highlights
How the match panned out
Mexico dominated the match from the start, with Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez scoring within nine minutes of each other in the first half. Quinones drew first blood in the 22nd minute, with Jimenez finding the net after the half-hour mark. The win was especially sweet for coach Javier Aguirre, who had previously failed to take his team past this stage of the tournament as a player.
Information
A look at match stats
Despite winning, Mexico had 37% possession compared to Ecuador's 52% (11% in the contest). The former made 15 attempts on goal, with three on target. Meanwhile, Ecuador had just one target from seven goal attempts.
Landmarks
Mexico attain these feats
This was Mexico's first FIFA WC knockout win since they beat Bulgaria in 1986, the last time Mexico hosted the tournament. Mexico's journey to the knockout stage has been dominant. They are the fourth team in World Cup history to win their first four games without conceding a goal, according to ESPN. The victory over Ecuador also extended Mexico's unbeaten streak at the Estadio Azteca to 10 World Cup matches.
Tournament conclusion
Ecuador exit on disappointing note
Ecuador, who had promised much after a stunning win over Germany in their final group game, exited the tournament on a disappointing note. They finished third in their group with just two goals. Defender Piero Hincapie was sent off during stoppage time for covering his mouth while speaking to an opponent, marking a sad end to Ecuador's World Cup campaign.