Key events
South Korea were disappointing. The effervescence and one-touch ball movement that drove Czechia ragged a few days ago was nullified by Mexico’s defensive solidity and innumerable poorly timed runs.
Son was substituted after an hour, and it was the replacement target man that had his team’s only decent opportunity of the night but Cho was denied by Rangel from point blank range.
the Taeguk Warriors must now avoid a calamitous result against South Africa to confirm participation in the round of 32.
Javier Aguirre’s side didn’t offer much going forward tonight, profiting from a howler by South Korea’s goalkeeper, but they defended stoutly, managed the game superbly, and turned in the kind of performance that is required in tournament football.
The crowd’s boos at half-time following a turgid 45 minutes tells you El Tri are far from the finished article, but with the comfort of knowing they have topped Group A they can experiment and expand against Czechia in their final match in a bid to find some attacking rhythm.
Two wins from two matches and a pair of clean sheets, Mexico have started their home World Cup just as they would have hoped.
Full-time: Mexico 1-0 South Korea
Delight for the hosts in Guadalajara.
90+5 mins: Mexico are heading to the top of Group A and an armchair ride into the round of 16.
90+4 mins: It’s another decent delivery but Mexico compete in the air then hack clear.
90+3 mins: Cho again! Another brilliant ball from the left gives Cho a heading opportunity but Vasquez is across to defend bravely and deflect the ball behind for another corner.
90+2 mins: Lee Kang-in curls over an outswinger that is inch perfect for Lee Han-beom at the far post, but his header is off balance and off target.
90+2 mins: Kim belts the ball long, Korea pick up the scraps and work the ball left for Eom who tries to go on the outside. His cross is deflected behind FOR THE FIRST CORNER OF THE GAME!
90+1 mins: Alvarez wins a free-kick and Mexico waste some time in the left corner.
90 mins: There will be the now customary six minutes of stoppage time.
88 mins: In a game of very few highlights that was a huge moment and Cho did not seize his opportunity.
87 mins: HOW DID KOREA NOT EQUALISE!? The ball is swung over from the left, and looks destined to be nodded in by Cho. He heads too close to Rangel, who does magnificently to stand his ground and repel the ball with his boot. Then, with bodies tumbling to the turf, Cho flicks out a boot to deflect the ball back on target only for Rangel to be alert to it in a prone position.
86 mins: Korea have not looked like disrupting Mexico’s zen since they went behind. They persist at looking for the vertical pass but execution and timing has been poor all night. Credit to Mexico’s back four.
Credit also to Vargas, who thumps a rasping drive from range that Kim is forced to parry, diving away to his left, then regather at the second attempt. That was a clean hit.
85 mins: The crowd is delight to see Guadalajara native Cesar Huerta come on for the impressive and hard working Quinones.
84 mins: Mexico drop deeper but that simply means Korea’s central defenders play their short passes to one another on the halfway line instead of near their penalty area.
83 mins: Better teams than South Korea will struggle to break down this Mexican side at this World Cup.
82 mins: Mexico go long for Gimenez to chase but Kim Min-jae reads it well. He then has to accept possession with El Tri pressing and Korea looking out of ideas at how to get the ball through the lines.
81 mins: Jimenez gets a spell to allow Santiago Gimenez a taste of the action. Alvarado also makes way for Israel Reyes.
80 mins: Korea have still not had a shot on target.
78 mins: Brilliant from Hwang Hee-chan in midfield, collecting the clearance on the volley on the turn, twisting out of the Mexican press, driving forward, and swapping passes with Oh. With Mexico retreating Lee shoots from range but it is miles off target.
77 mins: Hong throws on Cho Gue-sung up front and brings off the industrious Paik Seung-ho.
76 mins: Yang thinks he’s created a goalscoring cross on the right flank but he is flagged offside, as many Koreans have before him tonight.
75 mins: Save! Quinones does well on the left again and curls over a cross that finds Jimenez at the far post. His first touch brings the ball down nicely and allows him to shoot on the stretching half-volley from a tight angle but Kim is out quickly to save. That was almost game set and match Mexico.
74 mins: That stoppage facilitates a decent couple of minutes for Mexico to attack down the left with Gaalrado and Quinones to the fore.
72 mins: South Korea attempt a long throw but Mexico deal with it comfortably in the air. Javier Aguirre then gestures theatrically at Yang who went down during a collision for which he was penalised.
70 mins: Two subs at the final drinks break for both teams. Mexico freshen up their midfield with Orbelin Pineda and Obed Vargas replacing Gutierrez and Romo. For Korea it’s the two wingbacks who are swapped out for Eom Ji-sung and Yang Hyun-jun.
Mexico might be leading but Space Purple is definitely going to be the winner on the day.
Here is that final hydration break. What has Hong got up his sleeve?
“This might be the worst game of football I’ve ever seen… and I’ve spent forty years supporting Derby County,” bemoans Ben Goodge. Before adding: “Your correspondents are quite right that only the combination of red/green kits could make it worse for me. But! Is a life of mockery and confusion for being colour blind worth it for the joy of discovering Space Purple? Absolutely.”
67 mins: Both teams have some possession in the final third. Mexico’s is sporadic, Korea’s is more controlled, but it stalls on the edge of the penalty area with the combinations that worked so well against Czechia failing to click.
66 mins: Mexico are doing just as the need, remaining calm, taking no risks. Gutierrez does well to spin on the half-turn in midfield and advance his team downfield, but there is little support with El Tri happy to slow everything down and defend their lead.
64 mins: The final hydration break is going to be crucial for Korea. Hong needs to shake things up. His trio of central defenders are being allowed all the time in the world on the ball, they need the more creative midfielders to come deep and accept that responsibility.
62 mins: An offside and some physical contact slow the play down, give Mexico chance to reset. They now look to be defending in more of a 5-4-1 out of possession, denying Korea any room in behind.
60 mins: South Korea have done well to settle things down following the goal, making their changes, circulating possession. Now they need to find some penetration from somewhere against an already well organised Mexican side now happy to sit back and protect a lead.
59 mins: It may be fitness-related but that is a clear indication of Son’s diminishing impact on the Taeguk Warriors.
57 mins: Here come the subs for Korea, and they are interesting ones. Hwang Hee-chan and Oh Hyeon-gyu come on… Son Heung-min and Lee Jae-sung make way.
And there’s a deserved yellow card for Paik for a late tackle.
55 mins: South Korea have some rare touches in the penalty area with Son benefiting from a high turnover. The skipper tries to fashion room but he’s too tightly marked and Lee does not attempt to shoot first time from the offload and Mexico clear.
54 mins: The match should open up now as Korea will be forced to chase the game. Surely it won’t be long before Hong utilises his bench.
52 mins: Romo plays his club football in this stadium and the fans that idolise him domestically go wild in celebration. It really was an awful moment for the Korean goalkeeper.
Quinones does well to curl over a cross from the left that Jimenez heads up into the air. Kim Seung-gyu comes out to claim in – and looks to have done a good job – but lands on top of Lee Gi-hyuk and in so doing spills the ball to the feet of Romo who stabs home into the empty net.
GOAL! Mexico 1-0 South Korea (Romo, 50)
Calamity for Kim and Korea!
48 mins: Adding to the sense of deja vu, Korea try the lofted throughball over the Mexican defence for a runner, but it’s attempted from too deep and poses no threat. And Mexico return to their hits, releasing Gallardo overlapping on the left but the fullback is forced wide and ends up shooting harmlessly wide.
47 mins: Korea dominated possession in the latter stages of the first half and they are back on the ball after the interval. Again the conservative stuff is not a problem but heading forward is problematic. Also continuing the theme of the first half both teams are willing in midfield with Romo robbed in possession then quick to win it back.
46 mins: No changes at the break.
The teams are back out for the second half as drone shots highlight how stunning this venue is, floating like a glowing UFO at the foothills of the Jalisco mountains.
Half-time stats:
End of stats.
“Interesting to see West Ham‘s forgotten man Edson Alvarez captaining Mexico again and clearing off his line, still on loan at Fenerbache,” emails Neill McGowan. “Strange that the Hammers never thought he could help with their defensive problems, insisting on playing him in midfield. No mention of him either in the list of players they might unload to avoid a points deduction due to consecutive years in the red.”
