Scenes of unbridled joy swept Mexico on Tuesday night as El Tri reached the knockout stage for the first time in 40 years, breaking a drought that had haunted the nation since 1986. Reaching a “quinto partido” — a fifth game — had felt like an unreachable quest for a generation of fans; when it finally arrived, the relief was as palpable as the celebration.
Canada, meanwhile, is through to the round of 16 for the first time in its history, edging South Africa 1-0 on a Stephen Eustáquio strike deep into stoppage time — a nervy, backs-to-the-wall win in a drab game rather than an easy stroll. The result has commentators wondering whether soccer is about to have a real moment in a country still known foremost for hockey.
And to complete the jigsaw, the United States downed Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 on Wednesday evening in San Francisco, making it a clean sweep for all three co-hosts into the last 16.
Mexico City erupts & mourns
Mexico’s 2-0 victory over Ecuador at the Estadio Azteca on Tuesday — after the kickoff was delayed nearly an hour by a severe thunderstorm — unleashed a wave of jubilation across the country. Goals from Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez sent the party into the streets, with crowds packing the capital’s Paseo de la Reforma and Guadalajara’s Glorieta La Minerva deep into the early hours of Wednesday.
The night carried a somber note, too. Mexico City’s Health Ministry confirmed that three people — a 19-year-old woman, a 44-year-old man and a 48-year-old woman — died of asphyxiation after being caught in the crush of an estimated one million revelers near the Angel of Independence monument. City officials said emergency crews responded immediately but were unable to save them. Separately, authorities reported isolated disturbances and arrests amid the celebrations in Guadalajara.
It’s a scene that will almost certainly repeat itself, at even greater volume, should Mexico advance further.
What’s next for El Tri?
Mexico’s round of 16 opponent at the Azteca Stadium on Sunday, July 5, will be England, who survived a scare from underdogs DR Congo before pulling away for a 2-1 win. The African side, playing in their first-ever World Cup knockout match, took an early lead and pushed England harder than most expected — a reminder that this expanded, 48-team field has little patience for reputation.
The Azteca poses a fresh challenge altogether. Sitting more than 2,200 meters above sea level, the stadium’s thin air has historically worn down visiting teams unaccustomed to it, and England will have had only a few days to acclimatize between matches. Add to that a Mexico side unbeaten there across ten World Cup matches, and England players will be walking into as hostile a venue this tournament has to offer.
There’s history hanging over the occasion, too. It will be England’s first match at the Azteca since their 1986 World Cup quarter-final defeat to Argentina — the game remembered forever for Diego Maradona’s two goals just minutes apart: the controversial “Hand of God” strike, and the mazy solo run through half of England’s team that’s still widely considered the greatest goal in World Cup history.
A win would send Mexico into a likely quarterfinal meeting with Brazil in Miami, a considerably tougher proposition than anything they’ve faced so far.
US form continues
Meanwhile, the United States bandwagon marches on, galvanizing more and more Americans into believing something special could happen.
Wednesday’s victory against Bosnia came thanks to goals in each half by Folarin Balogun and Malik Tillman. Unfortunately, Balogun — the USMNT’s top scorer with three goals so far — was sent off in the second half on a contentious red card and will have to sit out Monday’s round-of-16 game with Belgium. He will be available should the US progress to the quarter-finals.
Once again, the stadium atmosphere was electric, with the classic “Take Me Home, Country Roads” sung by the ecstatic crowd at the game’s conclusion.
Canada’s moment
Canada’s run has caught soccer insiders off guard, but it’s also catching the attention of ordinary Canadians: Bell Media reported 11.8 million Canadian viewers tuned in for some part of the South Africa match, making it the most-watched non-final match in Canadian World Cup history.
And recent reporting has noted that youth soccer participation in Canada has already overtaken hockey nationally — a striking data point for a hockey-mad country, and a sign the World Cup bump may outlast the tournament itself.
Round of 16 lineup for host nations
Canada vs. Morocco — Saturday, July 4, 11 a.m.
Mexico vs. England — Sunday, July 5, 6 p.m.
United States vs. Belgium — Monday, July 6, 6 p.m.