Mexico fans enjoy a night to remember at the Azteca, Egypt gives a big update on Mo Salah’s fitness, and the Netherlands lose their manager after a shootout disaster.
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Here are today’s World Cup quick hits.
1. Mexico fans light up the Azteca
Over 80,000 fans piled into the Azteca Stadium as Mexico kept its World Cup dream alive with a win over Ecuador. (Getty Images: Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle)
Mexican fans have provided plenty of colour throughout this tournament, from dressing up a duck to donning Rey Mysterio-style marks.
The fans at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium needed to wait a little bit longer than anticipated for the Round of 32 clash against Ecuador to begin, but once it did, there was no stopping the home side.
The World Cup co-hosts rained 10 shots on goal in the first half alone, as goals from Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez gave them a 2-0 lead at the break.
Raúl Jiménez (pictured) scored the second of Mexico’s two goals in the win over Ecuador. (Getty Images: Kevin C. Cox)
Outside of the two goals, one of the loudest cheers of the evening came when Mexican goalkeeper Raúl Rangel got back onto his feet after being clattered in a second-half clash.
Rangel’s understudy, the iconic veteran Guillermo Ochoa, broke out in a brief warm-up but was not ultimately required.
The Azteca will once again be the venue when Mexico faces the winner of England and DR Congo in the Round of 16, and if the co-host’s form is anything to go by, it’ll take an incredible performance to defeat the North Americans on its home patch.
2. Ecuador’s unwanted wake-up call
Mexican fans did their best to give Ecuador a sleepless night ahead of their round of 32 match.
From midnight until the early hours of the morning, dozens of fans gathered outside the Westin Hotel in Santa Fe, using loudspeakers, horns and motorcycles to disturb the visiting team’s rest.
Team hotel serenades are a deeply entrenched, highly polarising tradition in Latin American football. While they began as a passionate way for fans to rally behind the home team, they have increasingly evolved into a psychological weapon designed to rob visiting players of a good night’s sleep.
Mexico fans have been causing some mischief near the Ecuador hotel. (Getty Images: David Ramos)
After the incidents in Mexico City, the Ecuadorian federation said it had filed a formal complaint with FIFA.
“Such conduct stands in stark contrast to the principles of fair play, equity, and unity that a World Cup should embody,” the FEF said in a statement.
“The FEF respectfully calls upon the competent authorities to pay greater attention to these events and to adopt the necessary measures to safeguard the safety of our players, coaching staff, and fans.”
3. Bad news, Australia. ‘The King is back’
Egypt captain Mohamed Salah resumed training, participating in part of the team’s session as he continues his recovery from a hamstring strain, and boosting hopes he will be fit for the last-32 clash against Australia.
Salah was substituted during Egypt’s 1-1 draw with Iran in its final group match, casting doubt over his availability for the knockout tie in Dallas.
Photos posted on the Egyptian Football Association’s Facebook page showed a smiling Salah back on the training pitch. The team accompanied the images with the caption: “The King is back”.
Tony Popovic and the Socceroos will be watching with interest, wary of even a wounded version of the Egyptian talisman.
4. Koeman goes down with the Dutch ship
One day after the Netherlands lost a World Cup round of 32 match to Morocco on penalty kicks, Ronald Koeman announced his second run as the Dutch coach had come to an end.
Per Koeman’s Instagram account, he made the decision not long after the Netherlands failed to make the round of 16 for the first time in 12 World Cups.
Ronald Koeman’s reign as Netherlands boss is over. (Getty Images: Alex Pantling)
“(Monday) night I decided to end my time as coach of the Dutch national team,” Koeman wrote in Dutch. “Looking back on my career, I mainly feel proud and grateful. I’ve had the privilege of working at Vitesse, Ajax, Benfica, PSV, Valencia, AZ, Feyenoord, Southampton, Everton, FC Barcelona, and of course two periods with Oranje, clubs and people that shaped me and gave me memories that I will cherish my whole life.
“That’s exactly why it hurts that my time (with the Netherlands) ends like this. We all dreamed of a World Cup where we would make history. That didn’t happen. Nobody is more disappointed about that than I am. As a coach, you carry that responsibility. I have always felt it and will always continue to feel it.”
5. Mbappe and Deschamps’ bond grows closer
When Kylian Mbappé scored the first of his two wonderful goals against Sweden, he ran straight to his manager.
Didier Deschamps was not on the bench for France’s final group game against Norway, as he had returned home after the death of his mother.
Kylian Mbappe dedicated his opening goal to his grieving coach. (Getty Images: Ian MacNicol)
Back with the squad but undoubtedly still grieving, Deschamps was at the front of mind for Mbappé and the rest of his French teammates.
“That’s the DNA of this group. We’re all in this together,” Mbappé said.
“The coach has gone through something that, unfortunately, everyone experiences at some point in life. It’s incredibly difficult. He’ll never be alone with us. We’ll support him.”
Deschamps and Mbappé are in lock-step, united as they attempt to lead this sensational France team to a third straight World Cup final, and hopefully another title.
“I told you from day one: he’s on a mission,” Deschamps said of Mbappé.
“I said a long time ago that he has embraced his role as captain. The image people may have of him from the outside doesn’t always, in fact, only rarely, reflect who he really is.”
