ZAPOPAN, Mexico — Mexico officially clinched the top spot in Group A and became the first team in the World Cup to qualify for the knockout round thanks to a winning goal from Luis Romo in a 1-0 victory over South Korea on Thursday.
Played in front of a boisterous crowd of 45,522 at Guadalajara Stadium (Estadio Akron), the match began with both sides taking a cautious approach and seemingly content with a draw, knowing the result could still benefit them after they both won last week. Yet five minutes into the second half, Romo pounced on a mistake by South Korea goalkeeper Kim Seung-Gyu, who spilled a cross in his box, allowing the Mexico winger to calmly tap it into an open net.
Things opened up in the second half, but by the final whistle, the World Cup co-hosts had their second win of the tournament. From our writers in the stands, here are their talking points.
Aguirre’s pragmatism pays off … just about
There’s a real yin-and-yang of Mexican soccer when it comes to the national team and coach Javier Aguirre.
Traditionally speaking, fans and reporters always call for high-flying, entertaining, and attack-minded soccer at club level and for the national team. But Aguirre, an idol within Mexican soccer, is a coach who made a name for himself as a firefighter of sorts. In Europe, he gained acclaim for helping smaller clubs stay afloat with a no-nonsense defensive approach.
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Marrying those two ideas isn’t easy, and as seen Thursday, that can mean that Aguirre is more than happy to give up possession if it allows him to pack his defense. It’s not parking the bus, but it does revolve around organization and offside traps.
This practical approach led to some fairly dull moments. By halftime, the fans in the stadium finally showed they’d had enough, letting their boos fill the night sky after a scoreless first 45 minutes. Aguirre, though, is willing to be flexible when needed. After Romo scored, he let his team play more freely. Though this played into South Korea’s hands during a frantic final 15 minutes, the co-hosts held firm.
It’s a tough balance, but Aguirre has it figured out, for now. — Cesar Hernandez
Son’s new role for South Korea will take some getting used to … maybe even for him
For the past decade, almost everything good South Korea produced going forward usually went through the talismanic Son Heung-Min charging down the left. But coach Hong Myung-Bo’s decision to switch to a 5-2-3 formation just a few months before the World Cup — in a bid for more defensive stability — has meant a change of position for his captain.
With Lee Kang-In and Lee Jae-Sung also impossible to drop, Son is the one who has had to push up and play as the front-most forward. And though it’s not a role he is unfamiliar with at the club level, it might take some getting used when it comes to the national team.
Son’s 21 touches before he was substituted in the 57th minute — even earlier than he had been withdrawn in their opening win against Czechia — was the least of all South Korea’s starting outfielders. He still showed he could threaten even with a solitary chance — his lofted effort over the onrushing Raúl Rangel was only denied by a stunning goal-line clearance from Edson Álvarez — although the play ended up being ruled offside.
South Korea need Son to be firing, or at least far more involved. It is a conundrum Hong will have to solve by the time they are next in action against South Africa, a game in which they will still need a result to guarantee their progress.
Could Lee Jae-Sung be defense-minded enough to play in central midfield, which would then allow Son to play as one of the No. 10s while introducing Oh Hyeon-Gyu — who has thus far impressed as a substitute — to lead the line? This is something only Hong can decide. — Gabe Tan
Fans are venting their displeasure at hydration breaks
Both hydration breaks in Thursday’s late game were booed by the supporters in the stadium, and it continued a growing trend of fans making their feelings clear about the three-minute stoppages.
Each time the game paused for drinks, both sets of players were ready to restart after less than two minutes, but the referee was unable to continue the game because FIFA has insisted on three-minute breaks in each half. The fans don’t like it and the players clearly don’t need three minutes — nor do the coaches, who have taken little time to get their tactical tweaks across to their teams.
But with broadcasters in some countries using the stoppage as a commercial break midway through each half, the real beneficiaries appear to be those who are paying big bucks to broadcast the games.
Though there are valid reasons for hydration breaks when the heat is at its most punishing, it was just 71 degrees Fahrenheit when play was paused in the second half. The big question is whether FIFA will listen to the fans’ voice — just don’t bet on hydration breaks being removed during this World Cup. — Mark Ogden
Romo gets in the right place at the right time
Romo sat on the bench in Mexico’s World Cup opener last week, and heading into Thursday’s game, few thought that the midfielder would end up making the starting XI. If Aguirre wanted a more attack-minded option, why not bring on young phenom Gilberto Mora? A more well-rounded option? Álvaro Fidalgo perfectly fits that bill.
But Romo? Sure, he can get forward with the ball, but at his best, he’s a true defensive midfielder. Highlighting Aguirre’s own willingness to sit back a bit farther against South Korea, Romo was a passenger in a midfield that didn’t have much to do aside from his duels and safe passing.
Then came the goal in the 50th minute. Romo didn’t have to be in that advanced of a role after winger Julián Quiñones had decided to whip in a cross, but it also hasn’t been out of the ordinary for him to occasionally take his chances with a rare run forward — and it paid off with his goal.
Right place at the right time on this occasion, but from here, the big question is whether Romo will stay in the XI. His presence would provide some defensive stability, and as odd as this sounds for Thursday’s game-winner, it could also decrease Mexico’s attacking potential through the midfield. Maybe he’ll prove us wrong again. — Hernandez
South Korea keeper Kim Seung-Gyu already having a roller-coaster campaign
With a sample size of just 1½ games, South Korea goalkeeper Kim Seung-Gyu might have been an early contender for the Golden Glove. He started with two stunning saves that proved crucial in the win over Czechia. Then, against Mexico, he ensured his side went into halftime level with Mexico thanks to his fine stop to deny a Quiñones header in the 20th minute.
But calamity would strike in the 50th minute when he came way off his line to claim a high ball and then — under no pressure — spilled it as he hit the ground, allowing Romo an easy finish for what proved to be the winning goal.
Still, South Korea have Kim to thank for not losing by a wider margin. He made an outstanding point-blank range save to deny Raúl Jiménez at the back post in the 75th minute, and then followed up with an even more-incredible effort at full stretch to keep out a blistering snapshot from the edge of the box by Obed Vargas that was destined for the bottom corner.
Kim will know that there is a more-than-capable backup should he slip up, in the form of Jo Hyeon-Woo — who memorably made seven saves in a stunning 2-0 win over Germany back at the 2018 World Cup. Yet Kim wrested the No. 1 spot in 2022 and Hong prefers him even for his shot-stopping and ball-playing ability. Nonetheless, Jo is by far the more commanding presence in the box.
Kim has done enough to be assured that he will continue in the starting XI, but he can ill afford many more mistakes like the one against Mexico. — Tan
Mexico seal round of 32 place, but they won’t go far
Mexico is a regional powerhouse in Concacaf, but they are desperate to prove they can challenge on a global scale whenever they play at a World Cup. Yet they have only twice reached the quarterfinals, and both of these came in World Cups hosted on Mexican soil in 1970 and 1986.
Reaching the last eight — at the very least — has become a national obsession and this win against South Korea has given Mexico a clear path toward the quarterfinals because if they win Group A that means they will play their round-of-32 matchup in Mexico City’s iconic Estadio Azteca. If they win that, Mexico will also play at their spiritual home in the round of 16, most likely against the winners of Group L, which contains England.
But despite the win against South Korea, El Tri were largely unimpressive and they lack a real cutting edge. If they reach the round of 16 and face England or Croatia, it would be difficult to expect this Mexico side to win that game.
Home advantage and the effects of playing at altitude will be in Mexico’s favor, but ultimately, they lack the quality to go deep in this World Cup. So after hitting the wall at the round of 16 in 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018, it could be yet another failure to reach the last eight for Mexico. — Ogden
