Mexico edge South Korea to become first team to reach FIFA WC 2026 knockouts

Mexico players celebrate after securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory over South Korea at Guadalajara Stadium, becoming the first team to book a place in the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup (Source: Photo by AP)

It marks a major triumph for a team that failed to get out of the group stage in 2022 and now has won twice on home soil in front of jubilant crowds (Source: Photo by AP)

Mexico took advantage of a defensive blunder by South Korea to win 1-0 (Source: Photo by AP)

Luis Romo scored in the 50th minute after South Korea goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu collided with defender Lee Gi-hyuk and dropped the ball inside the area (Source: Photo by AP)

The South Koreans nearly equalized in the 87th minute when Mexico goalkeeper Raúl Rangel stopped a header from close range by Cho Gue-sung (Source: Photo by AP)

Rangel then preserved Mexico's lead with a spectacular reflex stop on the rebound, stretching out his right arm to keep the ball from crossing the line and secure a 1-0 victory (Source: Photo by AP)

Mexico opened with a 2-0 win over South Africa, while South Korea rallied for a 2-1 victory over the Czechs (Source: Photo by AP)

Mexico has six points from two Group A matches, three more than South Korea and five more than the Czech Republic and South Africa, who drew 1-1 earlier Thursday in Atlanta (Source: Photo by AP)

The top two teams from each group move on to the knockout stage, along with the best eight third-place teams (Source: Photo by AP)

A round of 32 is being played for the first time at the World Cup after the tournament was expanded to 48 teams (Source: Photo by AP)