Mexico ends 40-year World Cup knockout wait with victory over Ecuador

Mexico has finally broken its 40-year drought in the FIFA World Cup knockout stages, achieving a significant 2-0 victory over Ecuador. The win marks a historic moment for the team, as it is their first advancement past the round of 32 since their triumph against Bulgaria in 1986.

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We played very well in the first half and in the second half we managed to stay calm when defending.

The match, delayed by an hour due to a storm, saw the home team dominate the atmosphere in front of over 80,000 passionate fans at the Mexico City Stadium. Julian Quinones opened the scoring midway through the first half with a powerful shot and later provided the assist for Raul Jimenez's goal, sealing the win for Mexico.

With this crucial victory, Mexico secures a spot in the Round of 16. They are set to face the winner of the match between England and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo). This upcoming game will also be the final World Cup fixture to be held at the iconic Mexico City Stadium.

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Seeing the stadium atmosphere and the fans' joy, I am confident there is a very close relationship between the team and the fans.

Mexico's coach, Javier Aguirre, praised his team's performance, noting their strong first half and their ability to maintain composure defensively in the second. He highlighted the palpable connection between the team and their supporters, evident in the stadium's electric atmosphere and the fans' rendition of the mariachi song "El Rey" after the final whistle. Aguirre emphasized the immense significance of the upcoming match, calling it the most important in the national team's history and his own career.

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Sunday's match is the most important in the history of the Mexican national team and also throughout my career.