MEXICO CITY — Mexico closed its group with a 3-0 victory over Czechia at the Estadio Azteca, a result that followed heavy boos at halftime and a late cameo for goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, according to ESPN. The win gave Mexico three consecutive victories heading into the knockout rounds.
The home crowd had reacted similarly in the previous group game, when boos rang out at halftime in Guadalajara during a scoreless match with South Korea on June 18. Mexico went on to win that game 1-0 on a Luis Romo winner, and again finished strongly against Czechia with late goals from Mateo Chávez, Julián Quiñones and Álvaro Fidalgo, according to ESPN.
Head coach Javier Aguirre defended the players’ need for focus after the jeers, saying, “You know the fans are very demanding, and players have to stand tall, and they cannot lose their concentration. They just have to keep their cool and their emotional balance,” according to ESPN. Aguirre has repeatedly emphasized result over style, saying, “At the end of the day, the important thing is to win.”
Aguirre’s Mexico has favored defensive pragmatism throughout the tournament rather than expansive attack. The coach prefers offside traps and ensuring enough players are able to track back and put numbers behind the ball, producing a conservative approach that is not “parking the bus” but can yield predictable build-up and, at times, uninspiring play for fans who favor high-pressing, attack-minded soccer, according to ESPN.
That conservatism reflects Aguirre’s reputation built in Spain, where he made a name helping smaller clubs avoid relegation. He told players they “shouldn’t be too proud when people are cheering for them” and not “discouraged when people are booing them,” according to ESPN.
The coach’s unwillingness to take risks could change perceptions in the knockout stage; according to ESPN, that same caution may prove useful against possession-heavy opponents such as a potential matchup with England.
