GUADALAJARA, Jalisco — Before the World Cup, critics and fans of the Mexican national team debated whether Javier Aguirre’s third stint as head coach was the right decision. Two games later, the coach has led Mexico to the tournament’s knockout round.
Thursday’s 1-0 victory over South Korea at Guadalajara Stadium made the World Cup co-host the first in the tournament to advance while also clinching the top spot in Group A with one group play game remaining. After South Korea’s goalkeeper fumbled a ball, Luis Romo scored the goal that gave the Mexicans six points and pushed them to the top of the standings.
El Tri will close out the first round against Czechia (6 p.m.) at Azteca Stadium on Wednesday.
During his post-match news conference, Aguirre spoke less about the result and more about the journey that led him to this moment. At 67 and having coached Mexico in three World Cups, he explained that his experience allowed him to approach a match he described as eminently tactical.
Mexico goalkeeper Raul Rangel reaches back to stop the ball from entering his goal during his team’s 1-0 World Cup win over South Korea Thursday.
(Silvia Izquierdo / Associated Press)
“I’ve always tried to get my team to play well and to help the players and the national team develop,” Aguirre said.
For the coach, advancing to the knockout round represents the culmination of more than three decades of work on the sidelines and the support of a group of players who rose to the occasion under the most demanding circumstances.
The coach also acknowledged that advancing to the next round has eased the tension surrounding the team after the doubts that existed before the World Cup. Without mentioning personal vindication, he noted that soccer tends to judge solely based on the most recent result.
“If you win, you’re the best; if you lose, you’re the worst,” Aguirre said.
Aguirre said he remains calm because he believes his approach to coaching hasn’t changed and that the team was rewarded Thursday night against South Korea in a match marked by limited space and a high degree of tactical discipline.
With qualification secured, Aguirre said he will not alter his soccer philosophy during Mexico’s final group stage match even though it no longer faces the pressure of securing a spot in the next round.
He said Czechia will enter the game with a different competitive need and a drive to advance, while Mexico will work to maintain a high level of performance that allowed it to record two consecutive wins and keep two clean sheets at the start of the tournament.
On the South Korean side, coach Hong Myung-bo avoided making excuses and focused his analysis on the play that decided the match. Although he explained that he had not yet reviewed the goal sequence in detail, he knew the team made a series of small errors in an area of the field where he had previously warned that losing possession could prove decisive.
Mexico goalkeeper Raul Rangel blocks a shot by South Korea’s Son Heung-min during the World Cup match on Thursday.
(Natacha Pisarenko / Associated Press)
The coach said that one of the central focuses of their preparation had been avoiding turnovers near South Korea’s box in the face of Mexico’s high press.
Myung-bo said that during the pre-match talk, he emphasized that the first 20 minutes would be crucial and believed his players had executed that part of the plan. He said that as the minutes passed, South Korea managed to create chances and was gaining strength until its critical turnover.
“After the momentum of the match shifted in our favor … both in terms of overall pressure and the play itself, we were able to create many opportunities,” Myung-bo said. “Although it ended up being a very frustrating match and we’re left with a bitter taste in our mouths over the lost possession, there’s no time to dwell on it. We have one last match ahead of us, so we’ll prepare well.”
