Mexico defeated Ecuador 2-0 at the Mexico City Stadium on Wednesday, July 1, to advance to the 2026 World Cup Round of 16. Goals from Julian Quinones in the 22nd minute and Raul Jimenez in the 31st minute secured the victory for El Tri, setting up a future matchup against the winner of the England vs. DR Congo fixture.
How did Mexico secure their place in the Round of 16?
Mexico utilized a strong first-half offensive to overcome Ecuador. The match, originally scheduled for an 8:00 WIB kick-off, faced a one-hour delay due to a thunderstorm hitting the Mexico City area, according to match reports.
The scoring opened in the 22nd minute when Roberto Alvarado delivered a chipped pass to Julian Quinones. Quinones drove into the Ecuadorian defense and fired the ball into the net to make it 1-0. Mexico doubled their lead in the 31st minute through Raul Jimenez. Jimenez finished an on-target shot following a sequence of short passes, assisted by Quinones.
Ecuador attempted to respond before the halftime whistle, but goalkeeper Raul Rangel prevented a goal by saving a hard strike from John Yeboah.
Why did Ecuador struggle to break through the Mexican defense?
Following the two early goals, Ecuador found it difficult to penetrate the Mexican backline during the second half. While Mexico continued to press, the Ecuadorian defense remained compact, preventing further scoring opportunities for El Tri.

Ecuador’s closest chances came from Yeboah and Rodriguez, but the Mexican defense and goalkeeper Rangel maintained control. In the 67th minute, Cesar Montes nearly scored a third goal for Mexico via a header from a corner kick, but the shot was saved by Hernan Galindez.
The match concluded with a moment of tension in injury time. Ecuadorian defender Piero Hincapie received a red card after a confrontation with Raul Jimenez. The decision followed a VAR review after Hincapie was seen arguing with the player.
What is the next step for Mexico in the 2026 World Cup?
By winning this Round of 32 match, Mexico moves into the Round of 16. Their next opponent will be determined by the outcome of the match between England and DR Congo.
Official Team Lineups
Mexico: Raul Rangel; Jorge Sanchez, Cesar Montes, Johan Vazquez, Jesus Gallardo; Erik Lira, Gilberto Mora (Gutierrez 58′), Luis Romo (Vargas 74′); Roberto Alvarado (Reyes 80′), Raul Jimenez (Gimenez 73′), Julian Quinones (Pineda 80′).
Ecuador: Hernan Galindez; Alan Franco (Medina 46′), Joel Ordonez (Preciado 46′), Willian Pacho, Piero Hincapie; Pedro Vite, Moises Caicedo, Nilson Angulo (Paez 80′), Gonzalo Plata; John Yeboah (Jordy Caicedo 79′), Enner Valencia (Rodriguez 59′).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who scored the goals for Mexico?
Julian Quinones scored in the 22nd minute, and Raul Jimenez scored in the 31st minute.

Was there a red card in the match?
Yes, Ecuador’s Piero Hincapie was sent off with a red card during injury time following a VAR review.
What caused the match delay?
A thunderstorm in Mexico City forced officials to delay the start of the match by one hour.
What do you think of Mexico’s performance? Will they make it past the Round of 16? Let us know your predictions in the comments below or subscribe to our newsletter for more tournament updates!













