2026 FIFA World Cup — Group A, Matchday 2 | June 19 | Los Angeles Stadium
LOS ANGELES — In the 63rd minute, Hirving Lozano received the ball on the left flank. He looked up. He started to run.
Kim Moon-hwan stood in front of him. Lozano cut inside, shifted to his right foot, and curled a shot towards the far corner. The ball arced over Kim Seung-gyu’s outstretched fingers and nestled into the net.
1-0.
Lozano sprinted to the corner flag. The sea of green in Los Angeles Stadium erupted. It was the only goal of the match. It was all Mexico needed.
South Korea: So Close, Yet So Far
South Korea had their chances.
In the 18th minute, Son Heung-min unleashed a fierce shot from outside the box. Guillermo Ochoa flew to his left and tipped it away. In the 34th minute, Lee Kang-in swung in a corner, and Kim Min-jae’s header drifted just wide. In the 52nd minute, Hwang Hee-chan found space in the box, but his shot was blocked by Ochoa’s leg.
Three chances. Three Ochoa saves. The 39-year-old Mexican goalkeeper, appearing in his fifth World Cup, remains an immovable object.
South Korea had 47% possession, 11 shots, 4 on target. The numbers were respectable. But Mexico’s defence operated like a precision machine — every Korean attack found a body in the way, every cross found a Mexican head clearing the danger.
Son stood at the centre circle after the final whistle, hands on his hips. He had run 11.2 kilometres, the most of any player on the pitch. He had created three chances, the most of any player on the pitch. But he had not scored. South Korea had not scored.
Mexico: Efficiency Personified
Mexico’s football philosophy is simple: you don’t need possession. You don’t need dominance. You need one goal, and you need to defend it.
Against South Korea, they executed that philosophy to perfection. Fifty-three percent possession. Nine shots. Three on target. But Lozano’s strike was of such quality that they did not need a second chance.
This was Mexico’s second consecutive 1-0 victory. Against South Africa in the opener, they used the same formula — minimum goals, maximum points. Two matches, two 1-0 wins, six points, top of Group A, qualified for the round of 32. It is not beautiful football. But it is winning football.
Group A Standings
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mexico | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 6 |
| 2 | South Korea | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 3 | Czechia | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 1 |
| 4 | South Africa | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 1 |
Match Details:
- Mexico 1-0 South Korea
- Venue: Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, USA
- Goal: Lozano 63′
- Man of the Match: Guillermo Ochoa (Mexico)