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Mexico defeated Ecuador 2-0 in the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup, held on Monday at the Banorte Stadium in Mexico City, and advanced to the Round of 16 of the tournament.
The match, which started late due to adverse weather conditions, was with two impeccably crafted goals.
Julián Quiñones opened the scoring in the 22nd minute after receiving a through pass from Roberto Alvarado, cutting past Willian Pacho and shooting into the corner to beat goalkeeper Hernán Galíndez.
It was Quiñones' third goal in the tournament, making him, along with Luis Hernández, the only Mexican to score in three different matches of the same World Cup.
Nine minutes later, in the 31st minute, Raúl Jiménez extended the lead with an unstoppable shot that hit the corner: his first goal with the Mexican national team in a World Cup and the 48th with the national jersey.
With a 2-0 lead at halftime, the match was virtually decided.
In the second half, Ecuador tried to respond with several changes, including the introductions of Kendry Páez and Ángelo Preciado, but they were unable to threaten the Mexican goal.
The statistics reflect Ecuador's dominance in possession —57% to 43%— and in corners —eight to three—, but Mexico was significantly more effective: 15 shots to seven from the opponent, with three on target compared to just one from Ecuador.
The match ended controversially during injury time: Piero Hincapié received a red card in the 90th minute, leaving Ecuador with ten men in the final moments, while Kendry Páez received a yellow card in that same minute.
Mexico arrived at this crossing as the undefeated leader of Group A with 9 points, six goals scored, and a clean sheet in the group stage, under the guidance of Javier Aguirre.
Ecuador, for its part, had reached the Round of 32 as one of the best third-placed teams from Group E, propelled by a memorable victory against Germany (2-1) in the group stage.
With this victory, the Tri breaks a 40-year streak without winning in the knockout stage of a World Cup and will face their next opponent in the round of 16, while Ecuador concludes its participation in the tournament.
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