World Cup Group A: Mexico through after beating South Korea, Czechia-South Africa stalemate
Mexico became the first team to book their place in the World Cup knockout rounds after a narrow win over Group A rivals South Korea.
A goalkeeping error gifted Mexico the win when Kim Seung-Gyu spilled a high ball and Luis Romo scored into the open goal.
In Group A’s other game, Czechia’s 1-1 draw with South Africa leaves both teams needing a win in their final game.
Michal Sadilek gave Czechia an early lead but Teboho Mokoena converted an 83rd-minute penalty to earn a point for South Africa.
The group will conclude when Czechia face Mexico and South Africa take on South Korea next Thursday.
Mexico win Group A after claiming Korean gift
Mexico’s win means that they will progress as group winners, with head-to-head records counting ahead of goal difference for the first time since 1970.
With South Korea proving a tougher test than their opening-day win over South Africa, there was very little to separate the sides in the first half.
El Tri had the best opportunity to open the scoring when Julian Quinones’s shot was saved by Kim in an uneventful opening 45 minutes.
The game shot into life though five minutes after the restart. A Mexico cross was deflected high into the area, and Kim came out to mop up a seemingly easy ball to deal with. The South Korea goalkeeper, though, got caught up with his own central defender and dropped the ball into the path of Romo who finished to nab his first World Cup goal in the easiest of fashions.
South Korea attempted to respond in the final stages but Gue-Sung Cho’s shot was blocked by Raul Rangel late on.
South Africa, Czechia draw leaves both teams facing elimination
Czechia and South Africa will go into the final game of the group both needing a win over higher-ranked opponents to have any chance of progressing to the knock-out rounds.
Having lost their opening games to South Korea and Mexico respectively, a draw in their final game would see either side eliminated as one of the worst third-placed finishers.
Czechia started the game the stronger and Patrik Schick should have done better with a header in the opening few minutes. It didn’t take long for them to take the lead though, when Alexandr Sojka set up Sadilek to open the scoring.
It could have been two after the break but Vladimir Darida’s shot was blocked by Ime Okon and Schick was denied by South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
South Africa equalised with 10 minutes to spare to keep their slim hopes of staying in the tournament alive. Pavel Sulc blocked a shot with his hand and Mokoena stepped up to finish from the spot.
Czechia could have won the game late on but Lukas Provod sent the ball narrowly wide of goal.
