Mexico completed a flawless group stage on Thursday with a 3-0 win over Czechia, finishing first in Group A with three wins from three matches. The hosts, who had already secured a place in the knockout stage before the final round, ended the first phase in front of their home crowd at Estadio Azteca. Czechia finished last in the group and were eliminated. Mexico will next meet one of the third-place teams from groups C, E, F, H or I on June 30 in Mexico City.
Mexico made several changes after guaranteeing qualification. Raul Jimenez started on the bench, while 17-year-old Gilberto Mora was handed a rare starting role and drew loud backing from the crowd. Czechia began better and Denis Visinski had an early chance, but missed the target. Mexico did not manage a shot on goal until the 35th minute, when defender Israel Reyes tried an overhead kick that went just wide.
The match remained scoreless until the second half. In the 55th minute, Luis Romo won the ball in midfield and released Mateo Chavez, who beat a defender and calmly finished past Matej Kovar for 1-0. Six minutes later, Mora drove forward and set up Jorge Sanchez, whose shot led to a scramble in the box before Julian Quinones scored from close range for his second goal of the tournament.
The emotional highlight came in the 78th minute, when 40-year-old goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa came on as a substitute for his 154th appearance for Mexico and his sixth World Cup. He was making his fourth appearance in the tournament itself, and the Azteca crowd gave him a warm send-off. In stoppage time, Alvaro Fidalgo sealed the victory with a powerful 18-meter strike into the top corner, after Ochoa had helped start the move with a long pass. Alexis Vega said before the game that giving Ochoa minutes would be special, calling him a Mexico legend.
