Mexico cruise past Ecuador to book World Cup Round of 16 spot

Mexico secured their place in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a convincing 2-0 victory over Ecuador in a weather-delayed clash at the Azteca Stadium.

The match, delayed by an hour due to a thunderstorm in Mexico City, saw the co-hosts dominate from the outset before a lively home crowd.

Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez scored first-half goals to give Javier Aguirre’s side a comfortable lead, before Mexico produced a disciplined defensive display after the break to see out the victory.

The win keeps Mexico in Mexico City for the knockout stage, where they will face either England or DR Congo.

Mexico made an electric start, creating several early chances and putting Ecuador under sustained pressure. Although John Yeboah came close for the visitors after striking the woodwork, the South Americans struggled to cope with Mexico’s high pressing and attacking intensity.

The breakthrough came when Quiñones surged in from the left before unleashing a powerful strike into the roof of the net, leaving goalkeeper Hernán Galíndez with no chance.

The winger then turned provider after capitalising on a defensive error by Joel Ordóñez. His pass found Raúl Jiménez, who calmly curled his effort into the top corner to double Mexico’s advantage before halftime.

Ecuador improved after the restart and enjoyed more possession, but they failed to create clear-cut opportunities against Mexico’s well-organised defence. Gonzalo Plata came closest to reducing the deficit, narrowly missing the target with a flicked effort.

The visitors’ frustrations were compounded in stoppage time when defender Piero Hincapié was shown a red card, ending Ecuador’s night on a disappointing note.

Mexico comfortably held on for the win to advance to the last 16, where they will look to continue their impressive World Cup campaign.