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Quiñones and Jiménez end Mexico's 40-year knockout curse with 2-0 win over Ecuador

Julian Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez struck within nine minutes of each other in the first half as Mexico beat Ecuador 2-0 to reach the World Cup round of 16 — their first knockout-stage victory since hosting the 1986 tournament.

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Quiñones and Jiménez end Mexico's 40-year knockout curse with 2-0 win over Ecuador
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Mexico ended a 40-year wait for a World Cup knockout win by defeating Ecuador 2-0 at Azteca Stadium on Tuesday, with Julian Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez scoring in a dominant first-half spell to send El Tri into the round of 16.

Quiñones broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute before Jiménez doubled the lead nine minutes later, and Mexico never looked back. It was the first time Mexico had won a knockout-stage match since defeating Bulgaria in the round of 16 on home soil at the 1986 World Cup. In the intervening years, they lost seven consecutive knockout matches between 1994 and 2018, then suffered a group-stage exit at Qatar 2022 — their first since Argentina 1978.

The win carried individual milestones as well. Quiñones’ third goal of the tournament makes him Mexico’s joint second-highest scorer in World Cup history, level with Luis “Matador” Hernández and Javier “Chicharito” Hernández, who each netted four. Jiménez’s second goal of the competition took his international tally to 47, moving him clear of Jared Borgetti and to within five of Chicharito’s all-time Mexico record.

The result also marked a historic moment for CONCACAF: Mexico became the first side from the confederation to eliminate a CONMEBOL opponent in a World Cup knockout match, with South American teams having won all five previous such encounters.

Playing at the iconic Azteca Stadium, Mexico extended an unbeaten run across 10 World Cup matches at the venue, with their last official defeat there coming in a 2013 World Cup qualifier against Honduras. The win also stretched their overall unbeaten run to 12 games.

Ecuador, who were bidding to reach the round of 16 for only the second time in their history and the first since the 2006 tournament in Germany, offered little in response after falling two goals behind.

The match kicked off an hour later than scheduled after a thunderstorm delayed proceedings at Azteca Stadium.

Mexico will face the winner of Wednesday’s match between England and Congo in the round of 16 on Sunday.

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