Czechia 0–3 Mexico: Chávez & Quiñones seal perfect group stage for hosts
Mexico wrapped up a flawless Group A campaign with a 3–0 win over Czechia at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, becoming the first host nation to win all three group-stage matches at a World Cup. A goalless and largely uneventful first half gave way to a six-minute Mexican surge early in the second half, with 22-year-old Mateo Chávez breaking the deadlock before Julián Quiñones doubled the lead, his second goal of the tournament.
Chávez opened the scoring on 55 minutes after Luis Romo threaded a pass through for a composed finish inside the box. Six minutes later Quiñones capitalised on a poor clearance by Tomáš Holeš to convert from close range. Mexico had rotated their squad with top spot already secured, but the team showed no let-up in intent.
Substitute Álvaro Fidalgo added a third in the fourth minute of stoppage time, set up by Roberto Alvarado, to seal an emphatic victory. The match was also notable for the Azteca reception given to goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa — aged 40 — as he came on to become only the sixth player in history to appear at six FIFA World Cups. Czechia were eliminated; Mexico advanced as Group A winners.
Key moments
- •Mateo Chávez opened the scoring on 55 minutes — a composed finish from a Luis Romo pass — in his first World Cup
- •Julián Quiñones pounced on a Holeš defensive error six minutes later to score his second goal of the tournament
- •Álvaro Fidalgo sealed the victory in the 90+4' with a composed stoppage-time finish, set up by Roberto Alvarado
- •Guillermo Ochoa, aged 40, came on to become the sixth player in history to appear at six World Cups, receiving a huge Azteca ovation
- •Mexico became the first host nation to win all three group-stage matches at a World Cup
Timeline
Match facts
- Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
- 80,824 attendance
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- Referee: Yael Falcón (Argentina)
Match report generated from publicly available sources. Facts are drawn from the sources below.