Mexico completed a perfect group-stage campaign for the first time in their World Cup history, defeating the Czech Republic 3-0 at the Estadio Azteca to finish Group A with nine points and no goals conceded. Second-half goals from Mateo Chávez, Julián Quiñones and Álvaro Fidalgo broke open a contest that had been goalless at the interval, sending the Czechs home bottom of the group with a single point.

The first half saw the visitors create the clearer openings, with Denis Višinský dragging an early effort wide, while Mexico struggled to connect midfield and attack. The home side’s first shot arrived only in the 35th minute, an overhead kick from Israel Reyes that drifted off target. The breakthrough came ten minutes after the restart, when Luis Romo held off three challenges in midfield and slipped a pass to Chávez, who cut inside and finished calmly with his left foot. Six minutes later, Quiñones pounced on a loose ball after Jorge Sánchez’s attempt had been blocked, doubling the lead. Fidalgo then drove a cross into the top corner deep in stoppage time to seal the scoreline.

Mexican media noted that the victory delivered the nine-point group stage that had eluded the side in 2002 and 2018, and made them the first team since Uruguay in 2018 to keep three clean sheets in the group phase. The evening also carried a personal milestone: 40-year-old goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa entered as a second-half substitute to appear at his sixth World Cup finals, drawing a thunderous ovation from the 80,824 crowd. European observers pointed to the Czechs’ early pressure but a lack of cutting edge, while South African outlets highlighted how the concurrent 2-0 win over South Korea lifted Bafana Bafana into second place on four points, leaving the Koreans on three and awaiting other results.

Mexico will return to the Azteca on 30 June for a round-of-32 match against a third-placed finisher from Group C, E, F, H or I. The Czech Republic exit the tournament, their campaign ending without a victory. The co-hosts, unbeaten in 11 matches, now carry the momentum of a flawless group stage into the knockout rounds.