Mexico celebrate their second goal in Lusail
Mexico was eliminated from the World Cup after a 2-1 win over Saudi Arabia at Lusail Stadium, leaving them behind Poland on goal differential.
El Tri’s fate was completed by Salem Al Dawsari’s stoppage-time consolation, albeit they were already on their way out by an even slimmer margin.
Until that moment, the sides were separated by an inferior fair play record, with Poland having already lost 2-0 to Argentina.
Mexico still had two minutes to add a decisive third goal to second-half goals from Henry Martin and Luis Chavez, but the goal they had been chasing for so long proved out of reach.
Tata Martino’s men may have been punished for not capitalizing on a dominant first half, coming closest when Mohammed Al Owais denied Alexis Vega in the third minute.
The second period started off well, with Cesar Montes flicking Chavez’s corner into the six-yard box, where Martin couldn’t miss.
One swiftly became two thanks to a spectacular Chavez free-kick, but Hirving Lozano and substitute Uriel Antuna both had potentially crucial goals called out for offside, leaving Mexico agonisingly short heading into stoppage time.
Following full-time in the Poland encounter, Al Dawsari strolled through to net an effort that ultimately meant little but felt heartbreaking for Mexico.
What does it imply? Tiebreakers entice El Tri
Mexico came perilously close to reaching the knockout stage for the eighth time in a row.
Although their goal differential, rather than their fair play record, eventually determined their elimination, El Tri would not have needed to chase a third goal and leave holes at the back if they had not received seven yellow cards to Poland’s five.
Only once before, in 2018, when Japan edged out Senegal, had the fair play tiebreaker been used, and like on that occasion, it felt brutal on Mexico as the seconds ticked away before the late goal.
Chavez’s solo performance
Mexico had failed to score in their previous four World Cup matches, but Chavez seemed desperate to break that streak.
The midfielder took nine shots, scoring with one free-kick and drawing a great save from another, however they had a combined value of 0.3 anticipated goals as he regularly tried his luck from distance.
The main character goes missing.
While Chavez tried to push Mexico through, Saudi Arabia’s talisman was nowhere to be found until the closing seconds.
Al Dawsari may have belatedly scored his third World Cup goal — a joint-record for Saudi Arabia — but he had so far failed to exert any influence on the game. That was only his second attempt, and it came far too late to save Saudi Arabia’s aspirations of advancement.
Facts about Opta:
Mexico was eliminated in the World Cup group stages for the first time since 1978 – they had advanced from the group stages in each of their previous eight appearances.
Saudi Arabia has been eliminated in the World Cup group stages for the sixth time in six appearances (1998, 2002, 2006, 2018 and 2022). The only time they advanced to the Round of 16 was in 1994.
Mexico has won five of their six games against Saudi Arabia in all competitions (D1), with this being their first meeting since a 5-1 victory in the Confederations Cup in 1999.
Mexico’s Henry Martin scored the opening goal of the 2022 World Cup, his country’s 29th goal of the tournament.
What comes next?
Both Mexico and Saudi Arabia will return home, as will their respective armies of traveling supporters, with El Tri no certainly hoping to avoid any mention of Poland’s last-16 clash against France.
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