Czech Republic 0 - 3 Mexico

There’s been a strange feeling around the Czech Republic’s footballing raison d’etre for a while. Since the likes of Nedved bossed the midfield, Czechia have rebuilt themselves as something of a pragmatic side, as we mentioned in our pre-tournament preview. 

But is pragmatism an identity? Or is it a lack thereof? 

Watching this side take on Mexico this evening, you’d be forgiven for thinking the latter. The hosts largely controlled the game from start to finish, and aside from some off-target shots, they rarely looked threatened by Czechia. 

Down the other end, Mexico were clinical, with 5 shots on target leading to 3 goals, perhaps demonstrating their own identity more clearly in front of a partisan crowd. 

Mexico took the lead after a devastating counter attack from a Czech set piece left the Europeans scrambling. Luis Romo played in Chavez, who duly sidefooted the ball into the net. 

Czechia’s slightly dodgy defending was exposed again soon after, after Quinones poked home following a spot of pinball in the box.

Legendary tournament keeper Guillermo Ochoa was brought on to the delight of the crowd, and he set a goal in motion too. After a long punt down field, Alvarado collected, delivered a through ball to Gimenez, whose shot was blocked. In possession of the loose ball, Fidalgo found Alvarado and blam, into the top corner. 

Mexico have won all three of their group games for the first time ever at a World Cup. Did someone say dark horse? 

Meanwhile, Czechia are out.

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South Africa 1 - 0 South Korea

South Africa pulled off an excellent win to qualify for the knockout stages of a World Cup for the very first time and leave South Korea sweating on results from elsewhere to see if they’ve done enough to get through to the Round of 32. 

South Korea had most of the ball - 70% or thereabouts of the possession - but couldn’t find a way to make their dominance on the ball count, and ended up taking just 8 shots (3 on target) vs South Africa’s 13 (4 on target). 

And only one shot really mattered in the end. After a good spell on the ball, Tshepang Moremi passed the ball to Thapelo Maseko, who jinked inside before smashing it into the bottom right hand corner of the goal. 

Time for South Korea to bring the game to South Africa, right? 

When push came to shove, the Asian side looked bereft of ideas for how to potentially find a breakthrough and didn’t have an answer to the pace and directness of South Africa. While they passed and probed, they couldn’t find a way through the army of yellow shirts. 

And so the game ended with defeat for South Korea to consign them to the unenviable third placed lottery. 

South Korea will now have to wait to see what happens in the rest of the games.Their superior goal difference to Scotland already knocks the Scots down a place in the standings and increases the likelihood the Tartan Army are heading home.

This was South Africa’s third ever World Cup win, and their very first against a non-European team. Magical.

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Final table: