Mexico edge South Korea 1-0 to become first team to qualify for FIFA WC 2026 Round of 32

Mexico secured a crucial 1-0 victory over South Korea in a tightly contested Group A encounter, becoming the first team to qualify for the Round of 32 at the FIFA World Cup 2026. With both sides aware of the importance of the fixture, the match was a battle of patience and discipline, as neither team was willing to take unnecessary risks.

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The opening half saw Mexico dominate possession in the early stages, while South Korea’s high pressing approach ensured that the hosts struggled to find clear openings. However, Korea’s defensive organisation remained firm, and Mexico were forced to wait for their chances. Towards the end of the first half, Mexico enjoyed a strong spell of possession but failed to break the deadlock, with both teams heading into the interval level at 0-0.

Mexico find the breakthrough

The second half continued with the same intensity, with both teams looking to capitalise on any mistake from their opponents. Mexico eventually found the breakthrough after a costly error from South Korea goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu. Attempting to collect a cross, Kim collided with his own teammate and lost possession, allowing Luis Romo to react quickly and fire into an empty net from inside the box.

South Korea showed determination after conceding and pushed forward in search of an equaliser but struggled to create clear-cut opportunities in the final third. Cho Gue-Sung came close in the closing stages, but Mexico goalkeeper Raúl Rangel and the defensive unit held firm to preserve their advantage.

The 1-0 victory means Mexico remain perfect in Group A, securing two victories from two matches while keeping two consecutive clean sheets. As co-hosts of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Mexico have also guaranteed that they will continue their historic campaign on home soil in the knockout stages, giving their passionate supporters more moments to celebrate.

David hat-trick leads Canada to historic maiden World Cup win

Canada created history at the FIFA World Cup 2026, securing their first-ever men’s World Cup victory with a commanding 6-0 win over Qatar at BC Place in Vancouver. Playing in front of a passionate home crowd, the co-hosts dominated from the opening whistle, while Qatar struggled to find any rhythm throughout the contest.

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Cyle Larin opened the scoring for Canada with a sharp poacher’s finish, rewarding manager Jesse Marsch’s faith after his impact off the bench in the previous game against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Jonathan David then took control of the contest, scoring twice before half-time, including a brilliant volley, as Canada registered their first-ever multi-goal performance in a World Cup match.

Jonathan David became the first Canadian player to score a FIFA World Cup hat-trick and the first player from a host nation to achieve the feat since West Germany’s Gerd Müller in 1974, ending a 52-year wait for a host nation hat-trick scorer. Pics: FIFA/X.com

Qatar’s challenge became even tougher after Homam Ahmed was shown a red card in the 33rd minute, leaving them with 10 men. Canada continued to dominate after the break, controlling possession and keeping Qatar pinned inside their own half.

The situation worsened for Qatar when Assim Madibo was sent off following a challenge on Ismaël Koné, reducing them to nine players. Nathan Saliba, who came on for the injured Koné, made an instant impact by scoring the first direct free-kick goal of the FIFA World Cup 2026, adding a fourth goal for Canada.

David completes his hat-trick

Things went from bad to worse for Qatar when Mohamed Manai turned the ball into his own net while attempting a goal-line clearance. Jonathan David then completed his hat-trick with a composed finish into the bottom corner, capping off a memorable night for Canada.

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With his three-goal haul, David became the first Canadian player to score a FIFA World Cup hat-trick and the first player from a host nation to achieve the feat since West Germany’s Gerd Müller in 1974, ending a 52-year wait for a host nation hat-trick scorer.

The emphatic victory moved Canada to the top of Group B, and the co-hosts will now look to finish the group stage strongly as they aim to continue their historic World Cup journey on home soil.

Switzerland 4-1 Bosnia & Herzegovina

All four Swiss goals came after the 74th minute, the first time in FIFA World Cup history that a team has scored four goals in a match without finding the net before the 74th minute. The goals were scored in the 74th, 84th, 90 and 90+3 minutes of the game.

Fixtures for June 20:
USA Vs Australia (12:30 am)
Scotland Vs Morocco (3:30 am)
Brazil Vs Haiti (6:00 am)
Turkiye Vs Paraguay (8:30 am)
Netherlands Vs Sweden (10:30 pm)

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