Mexico City: Co-hosts Mexico have advanced to the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a commanding 2-0 victory over Ecuador at the Estadio Azteca. The win keeps Mexico’s perfect record in the tournament intact and sets up a high-stakes fixture in the next knockout stage.

The match, which faced a one-hour delay due to severe weather, saw the Mexican side assert dominance from the opening whistle. Julián Quiñones broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute with a powerful strike that beat the Ecuadorian goalkeeper, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. Just nine minutes later, veteran striker Raúl Jiménez capitalised on defensive hesitation near the penalty area to fire a 20-yard effort into the top corner, extending Mexico’s lead to 2-0.

The first-half display was emblematic of Mexico’s aggressive tactical approach under head coach Javier Aguirre. While Ecuador attempted to respond—notably through John Yeboah, whose efforts were thwarted by Mexican goalkeeper Raúl Rangel—the South American side struggled to overcome a resolute Mexican defence.

The match concluded on a contentious note for Ecuador, with Piero Hincapié receiving a red card in the fifth minute of stoppage time following a confrontation.

Mexico now awaits the winner of the upcoming clash between England and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Round of 16 fixture is scheduled for Monday IST, once again at the Estadio Azteca. Having successfully navigated the group stage without conceding a goal, Mexico appears to be a team in formidable form, aiming to improve upon their historic quarter-final appearances of 1970 and 1986.