Mexico City, June 25 (IANS) Goals from Mateo Chavez, Julian Quinones and Alvaro Fidalgo plus an appearance for Guillermo Ochoa help co-hosts Mexico wrap up their FIFA World Cup 2026 group-stage commitments with a third straight victory by sweeping Czechia aside 3-0 here at the Mexico City Stadium.

Mexico came into this contest already certain of top spot in Group A and a place in the Round of 32, but Czechia needed a positive result in order to stand any chance of joining El Tri in the knockout stage, but defeat brought their campaign to an end.

This is the first time Mexico have won all three of their group-stage matches at the World Cup, and also the first time they have kept clean sheets in all of their group-stage games since 1970.

It was Czechia who were the more aggressive in the opening exchanges, with Denis Visinsky especially lively and fizzing a low effort just past the post in the eighth minute.

Mexico gradually settled into their rhythm, though, and Mateo Chavez got the ball rolling, latching on to a Raul Jimenez pass, darting beyond a Czechia challenge and slotting home to send Mexico City Stadium into raptures.

Just six minutes later and it was two. Jorge Sanchez was sent through, and while he was denied by Matej Kovar, a poor Czechia clearance saw the ball fall to Julian Quinones who had the easiest of tasks to double the co-host’s lead.

Ten minutes into the second half, Chavez used his pace to break in behind before calmly slotting home and sparking bedlam inside Mexico City Stadium. Six minutes later, Julian Quinones poked home from close range to make it 2-0.

The celebrations were ramped up even further legendary goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who is at his sixth World Cup, was brought on for his 153rd Mexico cap with 12 minutes to go.

Then, in stoppage time, Alvaro Fidalgo put the icing on the cake. Santiago Gimenez ploughed towards goal but couldn’t beat Kovar. It mattered not, however, as Fidalgo was on hand to rifle the ball into the top-left corner and set the seal on one of El Tri’s greatest nights.

“I really think the most important thing is staying calm. The group has that mindset, along with humility. Above all, we’re a very hard-working team. We’re not satisfied with what we’ve done so far, and that’s because we set these goals for ourselves.

“We’re taking it step by step, one match at a time. Right now, the next game is the most important one for us, and we hope to prepare in the best possible way to put in a good performance,” Ochao was quoted by FIFA.

–IANS

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