Mexico entered this tournament with little confidence surrounding its manager, the Colombian Juan Carlos Osorio. Despite his winning record, many fans and former players did not see him as the one who could finally lead the Mexicans past the round of 16, something the team hasn’t done since 1994.
But in the second half of Mexico’s 2-1 win over South Korea on Saturday, the sea of green-clad fans in Rostov-on-Don were chanting “Profe Osorio!” as his team continued to outplay its opponent for the second straight match. Mexico dominated the match from the start, holding the vast majority of possession as South Korea was forced to chase and hope for a counter.
A fortunate penalty call in the 25th minute led to Mexico’s first goal, as Carlos Vela buried the spot kick after Jang Hyun-Soo was called for a handball as he slid in to block a cross. But with their speedy wingers both opening up the attack and snuffing out South Korean counters, it seemed only a matter of time before Mexico got another.
A devastating counter attack led by Hirving Lozano gave them their second, and winning, goal in the 66th minute, as he carried the ball 50 yards before dishing off to Javier Hernandez, who finished for his 50th international goal.
The Tottenham star Son Heung-Min got a consolation goal in stoppage time, but when the final whistle blew, it gave Mexico six points after two games at this World Cup, a stunning and impressive statement in a stout Group F.
Mexico hasn’t technically qualified for the round of 16, but if Sweden can get a tie or win against Germany this afternoon, it’ll send Mexico through for sure. Either way, it would take a near-miracle for Mexico not to advance to the knockout stages for the seventh straight World Cup.
Here’s how Mexico defeated South Korea:
92’: GOAL!! South Korea
Well! South Korea gets one back, and Son Heung-Min gets his World Cup highlight. He curls an absolutely beautiful shot from the top of the penalty area on the right side past Ochoa, who didn’t have a chance to get a hand on it. Mexico has about 90 seconds of drama to make avoid what would be a disastrous draw.
91’: Five More Minutes
Five minutes of stoppage time for Mexico to close this out. Shouldn’t be too hard with the way they’ve been able to control this game.
89’: Time Running Out for South Korea
Son Heung-Min looks very much a defeated man after flubbing an open shot from 20 yards, sending it well high of the goal.
81’: Game Plan for Mexico in Final Minutes
Mexico’s biggest task for the last 10 minutes or so might be avoiding a silly injury or yellow card. The South Koreans are frustrated, and Jung Woo-Young gets a yellow card for catching Hernandez with an elbow.
79’: Mexico Substitutions
Mexico makes its last change of the night, bringing on Giovani Dos Santos for Vela. Jesus Corona came on for Lozano earlier, and Marquez replaced Guardado.
75’: South Korea Chance
Mexico may be up by 2, but they’re still defending like their life depends on it. A terrible pass back to Ochoa by Rafa Marquez leads to a golden opportunity for Son, but Marquez gets back to help break it up and preserve Ochoa’s shutout.
72’: Yellow Card
Lee Seung-Woo unleashes a little South Korean frustration on Layun, earning a yellow card after he clears out Layun’s legs on a counter attack down the right side. This could get a big chippy in the last 20 minutes.
66’: GOAL MEXICO!
Javier Hernandez buries one for Mexico, and they’re well on their way to booking a ticket to the knockout phase! Chucky Lozano is again the orchestrator. Hector Herrera dislodged the ball from South Korea in Mexico’s half, then Lozano collected it and carried it all the way to South Korea’s area. A simple dish-off to Hernandez on the right side, and Hernandez slid it in for his 50th international goal.
50th goal for @CH14_ . #Mexico leads #Korea 2-0. #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/B0D6K2G9gW
— Leon Rosa (@leonrosa79) June 23, 2018
64’: Substitution for South Korea
South Korea makes its first change: Ju Se-Jong is off for 20-year-old Lee Seung-Woo.
63’: Second Half Has Been Wide Open
The second half has been much more wide open. Ochoa makes a strong save for Mexico on a dangerous shot from inside the area, then an immediate Mexican counter finds Carlos Vela on the right side of the South Korea box, but it curls a bit high.
58’: Another Big Save on Other End!
Well, Jo Hyeon-Woo decides to thoroughly one-up Ochoa on the other end. Guardado turns and puts a shot toward the upper left corner, but Jo makes a flying save to push it wide.
56’: Big Save!
Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa comes up big, getting both hands in front of a lazer from Ki Sung-Yueng from the left side of the area.
53’: Hand Ball?
Mexico narrowly escapes returning the favor with a penalty kick. Moon Seon-Min got the ball near the six-yard box and got an off-balance shot off, but Carlos Salcedo was in the way. It first appeared that the ball might have caught Salcedo’s hand, but replays confirmed it was his chest.
52’: Mexico Comes Out Strong
A couple chances for Mexico, but both fly well over the goal. Lozano takes a hard shot from the left side off a feed from Vela, then a minute later Hernandez has a go from further out that also flies high.
46’: Second Half Kicks Off
The second half is underway. South Korea needs a goal to avoid a devastating second straight loss in the group stage.
Some Halftime Reading
Until May, Mexico didn’t have accent marks with players’ names on the back of its jerseys. Behind the successful #PonleAcento push was a New York Times editor.
Halftime
South Korea briefly put together a sustained attack for a few minutes at the end of the first half, but it was all Mexico otherwise. The Mexican squad’s speed and ball control kept South Korea pinned back for much of the first half, but it took a fortunate handball call for Mexico to find the net. If South Korea is to get back into this one, it’ll probably be through Son Heung-Min, who gave the Mexico defense fits the couple times he got the ball in their end.
#korea #mexico #goal
— ECHIIZA128☆ (@kobaip2) June 23, 2018
Mexico decided the penalty kick
you da man! pic.twitter.com/aQ7LpioxId
45’: South Korea Stopped Again
Another opportunity for Son, another block for Mexico. He has a go from the top of Mexico’s penalty area, but Salcedo gets in the way and deflects it over the bar.
43’: Stats Say Mexico is Dominating
The stats might not always tell the whole story, but they’re pretty instructive in this one: 72 percent of the possession has been Mexico’s, and South Korea has 11 fouls to Mexico’s four. South Korea appears to be hoping for stout defending and a fortunate counter.
39’: South Korea’s Counter Attacks
South Korea’s only threatening moments have come on counter attacks that find Son Heung-Min. He gets another opportunity on a long ball out of South Korea’s half, running onto it near the Mexico area, but his first touch his too strong and he can’t do anything with it.
31’: South Korea Seeking Equalizer
Son Heung-Min unleashes an impressive-looking free kick from about 30 yards out in the center of the field, but his well-struck shot flies just high.
27’: Another Chance for Mexico
Mexico looks ready to put in another one right away. Vela plays a perfect ball across the top of the area to Layun, but Layun’s wide-open shot goes just over the bar.
25’: Goal Mexico!
A handball in the area gives Mexico a penalty kick, and Carlos Vela buries it and gives Mexico the early lead! Jang Hyun-Soo was the culprit for South Korea — he slid in to try to stop Guardado near the end line, but Guardado’s cross caught him on the arm and the ref blew his whistle for a penalty.
Mexico unstoppable since this guy starting supporting them. Just saying pic.twitter.com/PNQLmuyhQn
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) June 23, 2018
21’: Another Chance for South Korea!
Song Heung-Min, South Korea’s most dangerous player, receives a long ball and has a break on goal, but Carlos Salcedo gets back to block the shot, crucially.
14’: South Korea Chance
South Korea gets its first opportunity, and it’s a frightening one for Mexico. Hwang Hee-Chan gets to the end line and floats a ball to the back post, but Chucky Lozano flies in to break it up and prevent Lee Yong from getting a foot on it. Lozano, the goal-scorer in Mexico’s win over Germany, has tracked back for a couple nice defensive plays already today.
Great speed and slide tackle from Hirving Lozano to snuff out that dangerous South Korean fast break. The man does it all.
— Andrew Keh (@andrewkeh) June 23, 2018
10’: Mexico Dominating Possession
Through the first 10 minutes: 72 percent, according to ESPN. They’ve earned a couple set pieces in South Korea’s half, including a corner kick just now, but none have been particularly threatening.
4’: Early Chance for Mexico
Mexico gets an early opportunity with a free kick from about 35 yards out on the left side, but Layun’s free kick is easily headed away.
2’: Lineup Changes
Mexico made one change to its starting lineup: Hugo Ayala, who started last game at centerback, is on the bench. Carlos Salcedo, a right back against Germany, slides into the middle to take his place, and Edson Alvarez gets into the lineup to play on the right.
1’: We’re Underway!
Mexico in white, and South Korea in red.
Weather Report: It’s Hot
Andrew Keh: It’s about 93 degrees right now in Rostov-on-Don, with a whole bunch of humidity, the type of weather that makes you sweat just by sitting in it. I’m in the outdoor press seating area right now, where my fellow journalists are all aggressively wiping the perspiration from their foreheads.
South Korea Coach Shin Tae-yong said before the game that the weather could be “a deciding factor,” one that he oddly seemed to concede to Mexico: “I think that the weather will work in favor of the Mexican team because they are used to the heat,” Shin said, before adding about his own squad: “I think the weather will impact us negatively.”
Lineups:
Mexico:
13 Guillermo Ochoa
15 Héctor Moreno
3 Carlos Salcedo
23 Jesús Gallardo
21 Edson Álvarez
11 Carlos Vela
18 Andrés Guardado
16 Héctor Herrera
14 Javier Hernández
22 Hirving Lozano
7 Miguel Layún
South Korea:
23 Jo Hyeon-Woo
19 Kim Young-Gwon
20 Jang Hyun-Soo
12 Kim Min-Woo
2 Lee Yong
16 Ki Sung-Yueng
8 Ju Se-Jong
17 Lee Jae-Sung
18 Moon Seon-Min
7 Son Heung-Min
11 Hwang Hee-Chan
Mexico vs. South Korea Top Story Lines
• Mexico’s lineup: Under Manager Juan Carlos Osorio, Mexico has used 49 different lineups in 49 different games. After such an impressive performance against Germany, how much will Osorio be willing to tinker with his starting XI?
• Coming off its thrilling opener (it caused an earthquake, after all), one of Mexico’s biggest threats may be complacency. Osorio addressed it in a pregame news conference on Friday: “We talked about how to not fall into the comfort zone and rest on our laurels,” he told reporters at a news conference. “This week we’ve talked about the topic, we’ve looked at two or three situations and emphasized what we did right against Germany.
• Did Mexico get enough sleep? It had to sent its captain, Rafa Marquez, out to address raucous fans in front of its hotel Friday night to thank them but also make a small request: Please, let the players rest.
• South Korea needs Son Heung-min to come up with a much better performance than he could muster against Sweden. In a side that appeared to lack ideas, he has the potential to be a difference-maker on offense.
Graphic
Video Review at the World Cup Is Resulting in More Goals From Penalty Kicks
The video-assistant-referee system has led to a higher percentage of penalty-kick goals than in each previous tournament.
Some Pregame Reading
• The Mexican federation and some of its players, including Chicharito, took to social media to ask fans to stop using a homophobic chant in the stadium. FIFA fined the federation for the fans’ chant in its opening game against Germany.
• Meet Iceland’s “Ruligans” — the polite-but-passionate fan group that has grown from a few outliers in plastic Viking helmets into a singing, thunder-clapping force.
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