Mexico defeated Ecuador 2-0 at Mexico City Stadium on Wednesday morning, securing their first World Cup knockout stage victory in exactly 40 years. The host nation eliminated the South American squad and advanced to the Round of 16 with a commanding first-half performance.
The Round of 32 match started smoothly despite a thunderstorm delay that hit the capital earlier in the day. Mexico seized control immediately, pressing high and forcing errors in the defensive third.
Julián Quiñones opened the scoring in the 22nd minute with a precise finish. Raúl Jiménez doubled the lead shortly after in the 31st minute, building an insurmountable advantage before halftime. Ecuador struggled to mount a meaningful response against the Mexican defensive line, according to the final match summary.
The frustration for Ecuador boiled over in the closing moments of the contest. Piero Hincapié received a straight red card in the 90th minute, reducing his team to ten men. The final whistle triggered wide celebrations across the stadium as Mexico officially snapped their infamous multi-decade elimination streak.