Victory over Korea grants Mexico a ticket to the second round of the World Cup.

Mexico secured its spot as the first team to qualify for the Round of 32 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which it is co-hosting with the United States and Canada, after defeating South Korea 1-0 this morning, Friday, Coordinated Universal Time, in the second round of Group A matches.

Luis Romo's goal, scored in the 50th minute at the Akron Stadium in Guadalajara, was enough for Mexico to guarantee qualification and top the group, raising its points total to six, three points ahead of South Korea, and five points ahead of the Czech Republic and South Africa, who drew 1-1.

Coach Javier Aguirre's team reached the knockout stage after failing to do so in the last edition, and it aims to go far in the tournament as it did in 1970 and 1986 when it reached the quarter-finals.

South Korea entered the match seeking to avenge its previous defeats to Mexico in the World Cup (3-1 in 1998 and 2-1 in 2018), noting that the Mexican team had won all five of its previous matches against Asian teams in the World Cup.

During the first half hour, both teams exchanged some attacking attempts without effectiveness, with only one shot on target coming from the home side.

The dynamics of the match changed in the second half, as the Mexican team intensified its attacking pressure until it managed to open the scoring, benefiting from a shared mistake between goalkeeper Kim Seung-kyu and defender Kim Min-jae, after the ball slipped from the goalkeeper's hands to Romo, who put it in the net in the 50th minute.

Seven minutes later, coach Hong Myung-bo made a surprising substitution, taking out South Korean captain Son Heung-min, after he had also substituted him in the 69th minute of the previous match against the Czech Republic.

Kim Seung-kyu denied striker Raul Jimenez from adding a second goal with a save from a dangerous attempt from a tight angle in the 75th minute.