Mexico’s co-hosts finally ended four decades of: FIFA World Cup knockout heartbreak with a clinical 2-0 victory over Ecuador in their Round of 32 match on Tuesday, securing their first win in the knockout stage of the tournament since 1986.Goals from Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez in the first half proved enough for Javier Aguirre’s team to book a place in the Round of 16, where they will face the winners of the England-DR Congo clash. The win also snapped Mexico’s unwanted knockout-stage streak of eight, the longest streak in World Cup history.The match, which was delayed by an hour due to heavy rain and lightning, was the second match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 to be interrupted by severe weather.
The first-half blitz ended decades of frustration
Mexico wasted little time in asserting themselves after the kickoff and were rewarded in the 22nd minute when Quiñones capitalized on a defensive error to give the hosts the lead.The momentum remained strong with El Tri, and just nine minutes later veteran striker Raúl Jiménez doubled the advantage with a composed finish, putting Mexico in full control before the interval.The result marked Mexico’s first knockout-stage victory since beating Bulgaria in the Round of 16 during the 1986 World Cup on home soil. Since then, El Tri suffered seven consecutive Round of 16 exits between 1994 and 2018 before surviving an elimination in the group stage of Qatar 2022.
Records fell as Mexico continued
Ecuador enjoyed more possession after the restart and looked for a route back into the contest, but Mexico’s disciplined defense stood firm to preserve another clean sheet. Ecuador’s frustrations increased until stoppage time when defender Piero Hincapié was sent off.The win was Mexico’s fourth in a row at the tournament and extended their impressive run without conceding a goal, underlining their credentials as one of the strongest sides left in the competition.Teenage midfielder Gilberto Mora also made history. At the age of 17 and 259 days, he became the second youngest player to start a knockout match at the FIFA World Cup, behind only Brazilian legend Pelé, who achieved the feat at 17 years and 239 days during the 1958 World Cup.Jiménez, on the other hand, added another milestone to his remarkable career. At the age of 35 years and 56 days, he became the oldest Mexican player to score in a World Cup knockout match and the first Mexican over the age of 30 to find the net in the knockout rounds of the tournament.With history in the final on their side, Mexico will now look to make the most of home advantage as they chase a deeper run at the FIFA World Cup 2026.