FOOTBALL-MAD Mexico put on a footballing clinic against Czechia to top Group A at the World Cup, as they also handed some late minutes to a World Cup legend.
The hosts started the group as they meant to go on by picking up wins against South Africa and South Korea before adding Czechia to their list of victories.
Mateo Chavez opened the scoring for Mexico as they battered Czechia 3-0 Credit: EPA
It had been a poor first half of football at the Mexico City Stadium, with just one shot on target between the sides.
But in the second El Tri finally turned the screw to give the home support something to cheer about.
As they cleared the ball up field Luis Romo took the ball down in the centre circle with three defenders around him.
Yet somehow the 31-year-old managed to wriggle out of the press and poke the ball into the path of the charging Mateo Chávez.
The left-back popped up down the right wing and poked the ball past a flying defender before composing himself and curling the ball into the bottom corner of the net for the first goal of the game.
And things went from bad to worse for the Czechia as just six minutes later their defence was split wide open.
Ex-Manchester United goalkeeper Matej Kovar managed to do enough to slow the momentum of the ball, but was helpless as the defenders who had positioned themselves behind him failed to clear the ball away.
That allowed Julián Quiñones, the star who scored the World Cup’s first goal, to tap home the second of the game.
The goal took the wind out of the sails of the Czechia, who when all was said and done mustered only a single shot on target as they were eliminated from the World Cup.
Mexico noticed this, and head coach Javier Aguirre took the chance to bring on legendary goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa.
Ochoa, 40, came on to a huge applause in the 78th minute and was cheered loudly every time he touched the ball.
This was the headband-wearing shot-stopper’s sixth World Cup campaign, and will be his last after confirming he would retire following the tournament.
But there was even more calamity defending yet to come as a long ball by Ochoa was allowed to bounce before Mexico got themselves in behind before substitute Álvaro Fidalgo swept home a third.
It marked Mexico’s biggest World Cup win since 1970.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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