Czech Republic
MexicoGroup A
Quiñones J. 61'
Fidalgo 90'
Czech Republic: 1. Kovar M. - 3. Holeš (Soucek, 64; Sojka, 87), 4. Hranáč, 5. Coufal, 21. Douděra - 7. Krejčí L. II., 12. Červ L. (Chorý, 87), 15. Šulc P., 18. Sadilek M. - 26. Visinsky (Provod, 56) - 9. Hložek (Schick, 64)
Substitution: Provod (from 56); Soucek (from 64 till 87); Schick (from 64); Sojka (from 87); Chorý (from 87)
Bench: 16. Stanek, 23. Hornicek - 2. Zima D., 6. Chaloupek, 20. Zeleny - 8. Darida, 13. Chytil, 25. Sochůrek - 11. Kuchta J.
Mexico: 1. Rangel (Ochoa, 78) - 2. Sanchez J., 3. Montes, 4. Alvarez Ed., 15. Reyes, 20. Chavez M. (Gallardo, 78) - 7. Romo (Vargas Ob., 63), 19. Mora G. (Fidalgo, 72) - 25. Alvarado - 16. Quiñones J., 22. Martínez G. (Gimenez S., 63)
Substitution: Vargas Ob. (from 63); Gimenez S. (from 63); Fidalgo (from 72); Ochoa (from 78); Gallardo (from 78)
Bench: 12. Acevedo - 5. Vasquez J-n - 6. Lira, 24. Chávez L. - 17. Pineda O. - 10. Vega A., 26. Gutiérrez - 9. Raul Jimenez, 14. González Ar., 21. Huerta
Yellow Cards: Alvarez Ed. 64
The Czechs failed to record a single victory and exit the World Cup with a goal difference of 2-6
Mexico became the first nation to officially secure a place in the knockout rounds
The result means qualification will now be decided in the final round of group-stage fixtures
Mexico’s commanding 2-0 victory over South Africa at the Estadio Azteca was already a historic occasion, but Club Tijuana wonderkid Gilberto Mora provided another piece of history.
Despite writing his name into the headlines by scoring Czechia's first goal of the 2026 World Cup, captain Ladislav Krejčí cut a deeply frustrated figure following his side's 2-1 defeat to South Korea.
South Korea and Czechia played out a gripping encounter in the second fixture of Group A at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
South Africa captain and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams offered a pragmatic assessment of his side’s 2-0 defeat to Mexico in the World Cup opener
Mexico manager Javier Aguirre refused to let a victorious start to their home World Cup campaign mask his team's shortcomings, offering a critical assessment of El Tri despite their 2-0 win over South Africa in the tournament opener.
The opening match of the historic 2026 FIFA World Cup offered a striking sense of déjà vu for football fans, perfectly mirroring the curtain-raiser from 16 years ago
Thirteen nations—many of which had braved a perilous transatlantic voyage—became the pioneers of a tournament that would change sport forever.
Czech Republic are heading back to the FIFA World Cup
Roberto Martínez’s side controlled possession for large stretches of the match, yet their dominance failed to translate into meaningful chances
Czech Republic showcased remarkable character and composure to overturn a two-goal deficit
The decision reflects a desire for stability and experience at a critical moment for Czech football
Ivan Hašek has been dismissed as head coach of the Czech Republic national team following the team’s humiliating 2-1 loss to the Faroe Islands in World Cup qualifying
The move reflects the shared heritage of the team, which included players from both Czech and Slovak regions
Mora became the youngest player ever to start a senior international final in a major tournament
Javier Aguirre's Tactical Return Pays Off
The reigning champions are now just one match away from lifting their 13th Gold Cup
