Mexico remains undefeated to top Group A, South Africa advances to knockout stage

By Arjun Nair / 25.06.2026

By Arjun Nair — 25 June 2026 — 3 min read

Mexico’s Dominance and Historic Milestone

Mexico secured a 3-0 victory against Czechia in a match played in Mexico City, maintaining an undefeated record in Group A. This win ensures Mexico finishes at the top of its group. The final goal for Mexico came in stoppage time, with Álvaro Fidalgo, a substitute, scoring from the center of the box into the upper left of the net. This goal extended Mexico‘s lead to 3-0.

The match also saw a significant moment for Mexican football legend Guillermo Ochoa, who was substituted into the game for his first minutes in this World Cup. This marks his sixth World Cup appearance, a feat shared with other prominent players. The crowd at Estadio Azteca, where Mexico has never lost a World Cup match, celebrated his entry. Mexico has now won six games and drawn two at this stadium across the 1970, 1986, and 2026 tournaments.

Earlier in the game, Mateo Chávez scored Mexico‘s first goal in the 55th minute with a left-footed shot. This was followed by a second goal in the 61st minute from Julián Quiñones, assisted by Jorge Sánchez. The team’s offensive efforts were notable, with Gilberto Mora, the youngest player in the tournament at 17 years old, contributing significantly before being replaced by Álvaro Fidalgo.

South Africa’s Breakthrough to Knockout Stage

In a surprising turn of events, South Africa achieved a historic 1-0 victory over South Korea, securing their first-ever advancement to the World Cup knockout stage. The decisive goal came from Thapelo Maseko in the 63rd minute. Maseko, after receiving a low pass from the left, controlled the ball and fired a left-footed shot into the near post, giving Bafana Bafana the lead.

This win is particularly significant for South Africa, as they entered the match at the bottom of Group A, having previously lost to Mexico and drawn with Czechia. The team’s ability to hold onto their lead against a persistent South Korea side, which included the introduction of Son Heung-min in the second half, proved crucial. South Africa will now proceed to play Canada at SoFi Stadium.

During the first half, South Africa created more scoring opportunities despite South Korea having more possession. Thapelo Maseko had several attempts, including a header in the 14th minute and a shot in the 39th minute, but was denied by South Korea‘s defense and goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu. Kim Seung-gyu made a double save in the 30th minute, first from Thalente Mbatha and then from Oswin Appollis, keeping the score level at halftime.

Other Group Stage Results

Wednesday’s matches also saw other teams secure victories. Switzerland defeated Canada 2-1 to win Group B, while Bosnia-Herzegovina beat Qatar 3-1. Brazil secured a 3-0 win against Scotland, and Morocco overcame Haiti with a 4-2 scoreline. These results helped shape the standings as the group stage concluded.

Brazil‘s victory over Scotland ensured they clinched Group C. Goals from Vinícius Júnior and Matheus Cunha contributed to their win. Morocco‘s win against Haiti saw goals from Achraf Hakimi, Ismael Sibari, and Soufiane Rahimi, who scored the winning goal in the 78th minute. Haiti‘s Lenny Joseph scored their first goal of the tournament in the 10th minute.

Canada, despite a late goal from Promise David, could not equalize against Switzerland and will now play their knockout round game at SoFi Stadium. Bosnia-Herzegovina‘s win over Qatar boosts their chances of advancing as one of the third-place teams. Qatar has been eliminated from the tournament.

The day’s events set the stage for the upcoming knockout rounds, with teams like Mexico and South Africa advancing from Group A.

Source: nbcnews.com