Mexico City, MINA – Shakira started the party. Then El Tri made it an unforgettable fiesta. Red cards outnumbered goals in Mexico City. What mattered, however, was that the gladiators in green got both the latter to spark euphoric scenes. If Mexico cruised to victory, Korea Republic had to eke one out in Guadalajara.
Czechia had weathered a Son Heungmin-spearheaded storm and taken the lead, but Hwang Inbeom inspired an admirable fightback. Mexico 2-0 South Africa Mexico were under immeasurable pressure.
They’d had four cracks at winning the opening match of a World Cup. And four failures. Now, with millions across the planet, and 80,000-plus inside Mexico’s footballing temple, watching, they simply had to triumph. Javier Aguirre’s side did just that.
Julian Quinones settled the nerves early. Raul Jimenez sealed victory. Another almighty roar went up in between as 17-year-old sensation Gilberto Mora became the sixth-youngest player in World Cup history.
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South Korea 2-1 Czechia Hwang Inbeom tried. Lee Jaesung tried. Son Heungmin tried repeatedly. Whatever Korea Republic threw at Czechia’s goal was, however, repelled by the excellent Matej Kovar. Then Miroslav Koubek’s giants hit their outsized opponents with a sucker punch, Ladislav Krejci thumping home a header from a throw-in.
The Taegeuk Warriors were down but not out. Hwang dummied Kovar to his knees and scooped it over his shoulder to equalise. The same player then turned supplier, his handsome cutback turned home by substitute Oh Hyeongyu. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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