The Sports Guru
Mexico were already through and playing for nothing but the party. They threw a good one. This covers a 3-0 win over the Czech Republic that completed a perfect group, the farewell cameo of 40-year-old Guillermo Ochoa at his sixth World Cup, and the night a 17-year-old named Gilberto Mora announced himself to the rest of the world.
There was nothing riding on this for Mexico, which is sometimes when the best nights happen. Already confirmed as Group A winners, the co-hosts beat the Czech Republic 3-0 at a celebrating Azteca to make it three wins from three, and turned a dead rubber into a showcase for the two ends of a footballing life. At one end, 40-year-old Guillermo Ochoa came off the bench at his sixth World Cup. At the other, a 17-year-old who had not been born when Ochoa made his debut ran the game. The Czech Republic, eliminated, were merely the backdrop.
A second-half party at the Azteca
The first half did not promise much. Mexico were lacklustre, the Czechs tidy without ever threatening, and the best chance of the opening 45 fell to Roberto Alvarado, who put it over. Denis Visinsky had earlier dragged a Czech effort just wide, but in front of 80,824 the game needed something to spark it. It got Mateo Chavez. On 55 minutes he broke the deadlock with a cool finish, and once the first goal came the floodgates followed in the relaxed manner of a side with nothing to fear.
Julian Quinones added the second on 61 minutes, and Alvaro Fidalgo applied the gloss deep in stoppage time to make it three. By then the Azteca was less interested in the scoreline than in the substitutions. The Czech Republic, who managed only one shot on target all night, slipped out of the tournament without a fuss, their evening made worse by a potentially serious knee injury to West Ham's Tomas Soucek, who had to be helped off after jarring the joint.
Mora announces himself
Javier Aguirre had rung the changes with top spot already secured, and the most eye-catching of them kept his place by force of argument. Mora, at 17 years and 253 days, became the youngest player to start a World Cup game since Nigeria's Femi Opabunmi faced England in 2002, and he did not look remotely out of place. Even in that flat first half he was demanding the ball, driving forward and shimmying past defenders, and he carved the opening that Alvarado wasted. The youngest player on the pitch was comfortably the best on it.
After the interval he was the engine of Mexico's improvement, the player who kept pushing the Czechs backwards and whose through-ball, releasing Jorge Sanchez, led to the second goal. Applauded off on 72 minutes by fans who already understood what they were watching, Mora left the field as a breakout star. He signed a new three-year deal with Tijuana before the tournament, but the reported interest from Real Madrid is unlikely to be the last of it. Players this good, this young, do not stay a secret for long.
Old guard, new dawn
Mora's emergence framed a gentler story at the other end of the team sheet. When Ochoa was sent on to a huge ovation on 78 minutes, it was to mark the closing of a remarkable book. The veteran goalkeeper became Mexico's oldest player to feature at a World Cup, and joined Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the small club of men to appear at six. He even left a fingerprint on the result, his long kick setting in motion the move for Fidalgo's late third. Few farewells are so neatly scripted.
Mexico march on as group winners with a perfect record, having already swept aside South Africa and South Korea, and a potential meeting with England looms beyond the round of 32 to sharpen English interest. The Czech Republic, beaten here after their earlier collapse against South Korea, go home with little to show for their campaign. For the co-hosts, this was the perfect send-off into the knockouts: a win, a party, a fond goodbye and a thrilling hello, all on the same warm Azteca night.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mexico beat the Czech Republic 3-0 in their Group A finale at the Azteca Stadium, watched by 80,824. All three goals came in the second half, through Mateo Chavez on 55 minutes, Julian Quinones on 61 and Alvaro Fidalgo deep in stoppage time. The win completed a perfect group campaign for the co-hosts, who had already beaten South Africa and South Korea, while the Czech Republic were eliminated.
Ochoa, aged 40, came off the bench to appear at his sixth World Cup, joining Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the few players to feature at six tournaments. In doing so he became Mexico's oldest player to appear at a World Cup. His substitute cameo, greeted by a huge ovation at the Azteca, even contributed to the result, as his long kick led to Alvaro Fidalgo's late third goal.
Gilberto Mora is a 17-year-old Mexican midfielder who starred against the Czech Republic. At 17 years and 253 days, he became the youngest player to start a World Cup game since Nigeria's Femi Opabunmi against England in 2002. He created chances, drove Mexico forward and set up the second goal. He signed a new three-year contract with Tijuana before the tournament, and has been linked with Real Madrid after emerging as a breakout star.
Mexico advance as Group A winners and into the round of 32, where they could potentially meet England later in the knockout bracket. South Africa qualified as Group A runners-up after beating South Korea, while South Korea must wait on other results to learn whether they progress as one of the best third-placed teams. The Czech Republic were the group's eliminated side.
The West Ham midfielder was forced off after jarring his knee in the defeat to Mexico, in what was described as a potentially serious injury. The Czech Republic had already been eliminated by the time it happened, but the sight of Soucek being helped off added to a deflating night. The full extent of the injury was not confirmed at the time, so its seriousness remains to be assessed.
Sources: Final score, goalscorers and minutes, the first-half chances, venue, attendance, the records for Guillermo Ochoa and Gilberto Mora including Mora's age and the Femi Opabunmi comparison, the Tomas Soucek injury, and the Group A and knockout picture including the potential England tie, as reported in Sky Sports' coverage of Czech Republic 0-3 Mexico at the World Cup.
