World Cup 2026 scores, results: Mexico caps off thrilling Day 8 with win after Canada makes history

An extraordinary effort from both teams, but it’s Mexico that gets the victory.

Mexico becomes the first team to clinch a spot in the knockout round, officially winning Group A behind Luis Romo’s sole goal.

With stoppage time waning, South Korean defender Lee Han-beom tries for a header off a corner kick, but it goes wide.

Wildly enough, that’s the first corner kick that either team has attempted all game.

How did that not go in?? Mexican keeper Raúl Rangel gets the miraculous double save amid chaos in the box to keep South Korea from equalizing.

Obed Vargas rips a beautiful shot, but Kim Seung-gyu gets his third big save of the game to deny Mexico another.

That was a nearly perfect ball from Yang Hyun-jun, who cut back to a charging Oh Hyeon-gyu in the center of the field, but Oh doesn’t quite reach in.

The referees later call it offsides, though replay makes it appear that Yang was just on. Regardless, no goal for the Koreans.

Raúl Jiménez gets very close to adding to Mexico’s tally, shooting off a great ball in from Julián Quiñones, but Kim Seung-gyu redeems himself with another big save.

In the 71st minute, both teams freshen things up in the midfield. Mexico takes out Brian Gutierrez and goal-scorer Luis Romo, replacing them with Orblein Pineda and Obed Vargas.

For South Korea, Seol Young-woo and Kim Moon-hwan have been replaced by Yang Hyun-Jun and Eom Ji-sung.

The South Koreans have made two changes, with captain Son Heung-min and midfielder Lee Jae-sung heading out. Hwang Hee-chan and Oh Hyeon-gyu have come in as replacements.

Shortly afterwards, Paik Seung-ho is given a yellow card after a crunchy tackle on Luis Romo in the 58th minute.=

The sounds of “Cielito Lindo” — a song associated with Mexican fans — are echoing through the stadium after Mexico goes ahead.

Mexico breaks the deadlock off a very costly mistake from Kim Seung-gyu, who leaped to try and catch the ball but gets tangled up with his own player. In the chaos, the ball falls to midfielder Luis Romo, who slams it into the wide-open net.

Kim is immediately furious about the mistake, but Mexico — and the crowd is Guadalajara — are elated.

Mexico opens the second half with back-to-back chances, but Brian Gutiérrez’s shot goes wide of the goal and into the side netting, and Julián Quiñones misses a connection on a potential cross.

Second half is underway for Mexico-South Korea. Neither team has made any changes at halftime, with 45 minutes left in the battle for the top of Group A.

The Guadalajara crowd boos as both teams head into the locker room scoreless. Mexico had one good chance in the 20th minute, but looked pretty directionless throughout the rest of the half. South Korea, meanwhile, had some good movement in the box, but couldn’t connect the ball or stay onside.

It’s 0-0 for now, though hopefully one team or the other will find more a spark in the second half.

There’s been a lot of intensity from both teams in this matchup so far, but not a lot of truly big chances. Mexico has had three shots (with one on target), but hasn’t put anything in the box since Quiñones broke through; South Korea, meanwhile, has yet to take a shot. But neither team has been able to break through so far.

A lot of that has been defending: Both teams have been excellent in their own defensive third.