Mexico edge out South Korea 1-0 to secure place in next round

Mexico edged out South Korea 1-0 on Thursday to secure their place in the next round in their Group A match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the Estadio Guadalajara in Mexico.

The first half saw little action between the two favorites of the group as neither side had convincing chances and many offsides in the instances where momentum was building up.

Starting off the second half with a more convincing attitude, Mexico seized the moment with Luis Romo capitalizing on an error from goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu, volleying into an empty net from inside the box in the 50th minute. Mexican fans erupted in Guadalajara.

South Korea mobilized all its offense in an attempt to level the game, buffing their offensive line with multiple bench players, but the equalizer never came. Mexican goalie Raul Rangel stepped up to deny South Korea's efforts, blocking at least two clear goal attempts.

Finishing the game without conceding, Mexico became the first host nation since France in 1998 to win both their first two matches with a clean scoresheet.

As a result of the game, Mexico maintained its lead of Group A, guaranteeing a spot in the next round, while South Korea trail them in second place.