Mexico 1-0 South Korea - 2026 World Cup Match Report and Player Ratings

South Korea Mistake Hands Mexico Winner in Poor Game

Thank god that's over!

Luis Romo netted the winner of a poor game between Mexico and South Korea, after a horrible error from goalkeeper Seung-Gyu Kim.

The result keeps Mexico top of Group A, having defeated South Africa on opening night, and they will be celebrating long into the evening as they become the first nation at the 2026 World Cup to qualify for the Round of 32.

Mexico 1-0 South Korea as it Happened

This was a game that would have huge implications on the course being set for the escapees of Group A, with both Mexico and South Korea having won their respective matches on the opening night of the World Cup last week.

15 minutes in, the tension in the air was almost snapped by Heung-Min Son, who didn't have the best of games in that win against Czechia. A long ball was snapped forward to the LAFC star from midfield, which sent Son chasing after the ball as Raul Rangel came flying off his line. The striker got there first, clipping a heighty loft over the keeper and on target, but former West Ham midfielder Edson Alvarez would be there in the knick of time to bicycle-kick the chance off of the line.

Quinones, the man who scored the first goal of the tournament against South Africa last week, spurned the biggest chance of the game at the 20 minute mark. A clever cross from the right had found the Saudi Pro League Golden Boot winner in the area, but Min-Jae Kim put enough pressure on him to fluff his header straight down the throat of Seung-Gyu Kim.

Halftime Score - Mexico 0-0 South Korea

Seung-Gyu Kim would be looking to the sky in shame not long into the second half, as he dropped a clanger on the way to Mexico grabbing the lead.

A header on goal from Raul Jimenez had gone skywards, and the Tokyo City goalkeeper rushed out to claim it. Without a firm grip on the ball, he clattered into Gi-Hyuk Lee in front of him and dropped the ball right at the feet of Luis Romo, who reacted quickly enough to poke the ball home for a first goal in a game lacking in chances.

A match crying out for big chances eventually saw a big one land for Jimenez shortly after the second hydration break. An excellent pass into the returning Wolves striker from the impressive-on-the-night Quinones led to the veteran striking on goal from a tight angle, but this time Kim stood tall to deny him.

There was a chance for a Mexican second five minutes from stoppage time, and again Kim was tested well this time from long distance. Substitute Orbelin Pineda nodded a long ball down to the edge of the area for fellow sub Obed Vargas, who hit a venomous effort towards the bottom corner that Kim got down well to meet and deflect.

In shocking fashion, South Korea somehow did not find an equaliser almost immediately after. A brilliant ball came in from the left for Gue-Sung Cho, who met the ball with a header that went straight at Rangel. The keeper didn't get it to safety from the close angle, and Hyung-Jun Yang stabbed a follow-up on goal from the floor, but the Mexico stopper reached up under pressure and caught the ball on the line.

South Korea had a pep in their step now, and a corner swung in from the left hand side once again which found Han-Beom Lee completely unmarked in a great position. The defender really should have done better with the chance, though, awkwardly twisting in the air and guiding it well wide of the mark. Straight after, yet another cross came in for Gue-Sung Cho in a great position, but he somehow missed another golden headed chance.

It was a game with chances few and far between that opened up slightly at the death, and Mexico came out with their arm raised when all was said and done.

Full-time Score - Mexico 1-0 South Korea

Mexico Player Ratings

• Raul Rangel (7)

• Jorge Sanchez (6)

• Edson Alvarez (8)

• Johan Vasquez (6)

• Jesus Gallardo (7)

• Erik Lira (7)

• Luis Romo (7)

• Brian Gutierrez (7)

• Roberto Alvorado (6)

• Julian Quinones (8)

• Raul Jimenez (7)

• Orbelin Pineda (7)

• Obed Vargas (7)

• Israel Reyes (6)

• Santiago Gimenez (6)

• Cesar Huerta (6)

South Korea Player Ratings

• Seung-Gyu Kim (3)

• Han-Beom Lee (5)

• Min-Jae Kim (7)

• Gi-Hyuk Lee (5)

• Moon-Hwan Kim (6)

• Young-Woo Seol (6)

• In-Beom Hwang (6)

• Seung-Ho Paik (6)

• Kang-In Lee (5)

• Jae-Sung Lee (5)

• Heung-Min Son (5)

• Hwang-Hee Chan (6)

• Hyun-Gyu Oh (6)

• Hyun-Jun Yang (5)

• Ji-Sung Eom (6)

• Gue-Sung Cho (4)

Man of the Match - Julian Quinones

It was a terrible game, in all honesty, but Quinones' impressive start at this World Cup did continue tonight.

A Golden Boot winner in his domestic affairs in Saudi Arabia, he was a danger down the left consistently throughout the evening.

Bad Day at the Office - Seung-Gyu Kim

In a poor game with few chances, dropping a goalkeeping clanger that ultimately decided the game was always going to land you here.

Kim's game overall wasn't too bad, making a couple of nice saves following the goal to keep his side in it, but the error made in such a poor fashion was the most glaring downside of the match.