Mexico vs. Korea Republic Live World Cup 2026 Updates, Scores and Highlights

Mexico wins Group A after prevailing in one of the cagiest matches in the tournament. Both teams combined to take 17 shots, with only six on target. There were long periods where neither team could force the opposing goalkeeper to make a save. Force wasn't needed in the deciding goal for Mexico to get another home victory.

It was only a matter of time before the tournament would have its first goalkeeping gaffe. Seung-Gyu is the unfortunate keeper who somehow failed to claim a harmless ball nodded up from Raul Jimenez. He spilled the ball over center back Gi-Hyuk Lee to turn a routine move into a total disaster. That allowed midfielder Luis Romo to capitalize on the Korea Republic calamity.

The bizarreness continued for Korea Republic as Heung-Min Son was taken off in the 57th minute. Nobody could have seen the substitution coming with Mexico in the lead. Son showed flashes when he was on the ball. For him not to be involved as Korea Republic looked for an equalizer was hugely surprising.

Mexico slowly built on their fortunate goal. Quinones turned brilliantly to put in a terrific cross for Jimenez. The angle wasn't quite there for one of all-time great Mexican strikers to secure the win. They produced another strong chance with Santiago Gimenez, Orbelin Pineda, and Obed Vargas combining well to force Seung-Gyu into a low save. Vargas hit a sharp low shot to force one of the few saves in the game.

It took nearly 87 minutes for Korea Republic to produce their first shot on target. Two attacking substitutions combined to create a rare jaw-dropping moment in the match. Celtic's Hyun-Jun Yang curled a cross into the box where Gue-Sung Cho was in prime position to head in the equalizer. Raul Rangel made an outstanding double save to narrowly keep the header out. It was a game-winning moment from a team that still looks to be a work in progress despite winning the group.

In a match without many standouts, multiple Mexican players shined in their back four. Captain Edson Alvarez was a commanding presence at center back. The veteran midfielder-turned-defender looks comfortable in his new role, thanks to his strong positioning and intelligence on and off the ball. Left back Jesus Gallardo made vital interventions to help earn a well-deserved clean sheet.

Winning the group was Mexico's first objective to ensure they play as many games as possible at home during the knockout stage. Doing it in two games is hugely rewarding in the new format, where teams will look to rest players as much as possible to give themselves the best chance of going far in the knockout stage. Mexico can do that, while Korea Republic remains in a solid position to finish second in Group A. A win against South Africa would secure that spot for them next Wednesday.

Even boxing champions want to watch the World Cup. The Mexican star takes the action in Guadalajara.

The former Spurs star was brought off early in the second half. Interesting.

An absolute howler from Korea Republic goalie Kim Seung-Gyu leads to Luis Romo pouncing to give El Tri the lead!

It's been a half of crunching tackles, strong defensive positioning, and both attacks repeatedly caught offside (six in total). Both teams look evenly matched, but they have stifled each other in a game with few notable moments. Korea Republic do look confident in possession. Unfortunately for them, they haven't been confident enough going forward to create any genuine chances.

In a half of few shots on goal, Chivas' Roberto Alvarado delivered a picture-perfect cross to Julian Quinones for a header that had decent power on it. It went completely straight into the hands of goalkeeper Seung-Gyu Kim. Quinones has been limited after his outstanding performance in the opening match against South Africa. That was the only time either goalkeeper was tested in the first half.

With a combined five shots and three touches in the opposition box, both teams need to expand themselves in the second half. Mexico is struggling to produce attacks, with their midfield failing to win duels and playing too many desperate long balls. Korea Republic will feel encouraged being tied against the co-host, but they need to be more fearless on the ball.  It's been a far too conservative approach for a team that can play a smooth, aggressive style,

Kim Seung-gyu keeps the hosts off the board!

The goal wouldn't have counted, but Edson Álvarez wasn't taking any chances.

Mexico plays its first World Cup match in this magnificent stadium.

Some big names on both sides.

What began as a party finished as a deeply emotional day for Canada after a horrific injury to Ismaël Koné obscured Jonathan David's hat trick and Canada's first-ever World Cup win.

We won't speculate on the exact nature of the injury or show you the gruesome images, but it's safe to say Koné's tournament is over. And the fate he suffered under a shocking challenge from Assim Madibo could very well be a rallying point for this Canada side, which held his empty jersey aloft after Nathan Saliba made it 4-0 in the 64th minute against the nine-man Qatari's.

Madibo was clearly remorseful for his challenge as he walked off the pitch bewildered, still holding his head speechlessly as he processed the consequences of his misjudgment. 

The good news is Koné was able to wave to fans as he was stretchered off the pitch. But aside from the emotional component, Canada manager Jesse Marsch must also continue to manage a squad shortened by injuries.

He got center back Moise Bombito back into action at halftime after the center back missed the opener with a leg injury. Alphonso Davies was theoretically available to return from an injury as well, but Marsch opted not to test it.

When it was all over, it was easy to almost write off David's excellent performance as a footnote. But seeing the 26-year-old finally break his World Cup drought in such sensational fashion can only do good for his confidence. If he and Canada can draw or beat Switzerland on Matchday 3, they'll top their group and remain in Canada during the start of the knockout phase.

Canada's all-time leading scorer makes more history in 6-0 romp

Nothing going right for the Qataris

Nathan Saliba off the post and in, dedicates goal to injured teammate Koné

Red card issued, Ismaël Koné stretchered off after gruesome injury

For Canada, that was more like it.

After a frustrating grind of a draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina in their World Cup opener, the True North have been dominant so far behind Jonathan David's decisive play in the first half against overmatched Qatar.

The Juventus man's attempt on goal set up Cyle Larin's second goal of the tournament from a rebound in the 16th minute. Then David added the first two of his World Cup career by following a pair of rebounds, scoring once on a sumptuous volley and once on an acrobatic poke from very close range.

In between the ends of that first-half brace, referee Cristián Garay rightly dismissed Qatar's Homam Ahmed for hauling down Tajon Buchanon just outside the box on an obvious goal-scoring chance.

With the Swiss posting a 4-1 win earlier, there's every motivation for Jesse Marsch's side to try and run it up after halftime for goal-differential purposes. As for Qatar, perhaps it's a time to give some regulars an early exit with an eye toward recovery for their finale against the Bosnians.

Canadians fully in control against 10-man Qatar

Jonathan David's 40th international goal is a peach

Canada's No. 9 gets second goal of World Cup after pouncing for 1-0 vs. Qatar

Canada-Qatar in Group B is here.

As Switzerland has done over the last several major tournaments, they find impressive ways to advance to the knockout stage. Although it took time for them to break the game open, one of Europe's more consistent sides earned a convincing victory. They were clinical in front of net, strong in defense, and accurate in their passing. It was an all-around excellent second half performance from them.

They didn't take long to create high-quality chances. A looping cross from left back Ricardo Rodriguez found Michel Aebischer at the far post, where they created an overload to put Bosnia in a precarious position. Aebischer was unable to capitalize and sent his header well over. Accurate crosses would eventually result in shots on target. Another terrific pinpoint ball from Xhaka to Ndoye resulted in a beautiful bicycle kick that forced Nikola Vasilj into a tremendous save.

As he did in the first half, Ndoye continued getting the better of Dedic on the left wing with his quick feet and pace. That led to him drawing what felt like an inevitable yellow card on the overmatched right back. Vasilj continued to make diving saves, stopping an awkward header from Breel Embolo going in after the corner was directed toward the near post. The resilient goalkeeper continues to be one of Bosnia's most dependable players since the memorable wins over Wales and Italy to qualify for the World Cup.

Basilj couldn't do enough to stop Switzerland's next shot on target. A double substitution from Murat Yakin proved to be the difference in creating the breakthrough. Ruben Vargas put in a dangerous cross to force a scramble in the box. The ball fell to Freiburg's Johan Manzambi, who smashed the ball into the back of the net with a fantastic volley. Switzerland's persistence in crossing ultimately paid off emphatically with a decisive goal from their rising star.

Bosnia's lack of attacking firepower was evident against one of the better sides in the World Cup. It put extra pressure on the back four, which would break down further after conceding. Center back Tarik Muharemovic got caught out of position defending Embolo, forcing him into attempting a last-ditch tackle. He didn't get any of the ball, which left the referee with no choice but to send him off.

It would take only four minutes for Switzerland to capitalize on the red card. A nice passing sequence set up Embolo in the box, who turned quickly to send a perfectly weighted pass for Vargas to hit first time. The super sub guided his shot into the far corner to score the second goal. Vargas wasn't done there. A beautiful ball from Xhaka found him down the left. With enough space to work with, he connected with Manzambi for another outstanding team goal. Manzambi is certainly proving to be a player to watch for going forward. 

Bosnia would produce a terrific consolation goal from Ermin Mahmic. After a poor punch from Gregor Kobel off a corner, the young Bosnian midfielder blasted a volley in for his first international goal. That wouldn't stop Switzerland from scoring once more. Right winger Amar Memic was penalized after catching another influential sub Djibril Sow with a desperate tackle in the box. That gave Xhaka his moment to shine after putting on a passing clinic. He would finish the match in style with a smooth penalty into the bottom left corner.

What a great late on. Unreal scenes.

Vargas scores Switzerland's second in ten minutes to put game out of reach.

Yeah, that one's going to get called all day.

What a strike from Manzambi to take late lead

He had a good run.

It's currently a stalemate between two European countries that tend to struggle to score goals. Switzerland has been largely in control, as Bosnia has looked sluggish when trying to break on the counter. The few times they have had space to pose a threat have left a lot to be desired, with captain Edin Dzeko waiting for quality service. Switzerland has been largely in control otherwise.

They came out with urgency as expected following a disappointing draw to Qatar by dominating possession, with captain Granit Xhaka pulling the strings at the heart of the midfield. He has connected with Dan Ndoye several times to start attacks. As Bosnia has shown in their journey to qualify for the World Cup, their defense has been resolute in handling the pressure of defending deep with several players behind the ball.

Ndoye has been active as one of the Swiss' primary playmakers. After a poor performance against Qatar, he is looking to make the difference as he did in his tremendous showings at Euro 2024. While the Nottingham Forest winger hasn't come close to scoring, there is more conviction in how he is playing down the left side. Bosnia will need to provide right back Amar Dedic with more support if they are going to have a chance of taking something from the most difficult matchup in Group B.

Lot of money there. Big spend.

Switzerland and Bosnia is a goooooo

Second game of the day incoming

It ends in a draw between two teams who will gladly take the point after both played well at completely different times. Czechia's hot start put them ahead, while South Africa finished the game strong, attempting to create attacks and test the goalkeeper, who had little to do in the first half. The game itself wasn't all that memorable, but they fought hard to overcome their limitations.  

Both teams produced half-chances early on, but they were thwarted by excellent defending. Defensive positioning is one positive both teams can take from a lackluster overall game. There was a clear lack of quality throughout the game, as both teams battled to gain control without ever fully taking command. A combined 22 fouls signify that both teams failed to execute crisp passing and create goal-scoring opportunities.

The first true significant moment came in the 79th minute as South Africa was rewarded after gaining more possession. Right winger Thapelo Maseko's shot hit Pavel Sulc in the right arm in the box to earn a penalty. That led to the influential central midfielder Teboho Mokoena coolly slotting in the penalty kick into the bottom left corner. It was a controversial decision as many believed Sulc's arm was tucked in. The goal felt deserved for South Africa, particularly for Mokoena, who had the most touches (119) and created the joint-most chances (5) in the match.

Czechia came nowhere close to matching the intensity they played with in the first ten minutes. For the second consecutive match, their performance level dropped off massively as the second half went on. It felt like the only way they could score was from a set piece. They never came close to scoring from them in the second half. Schick struggled to get involved during the entire game. After scoring memorable goals in the previous two European Championships, he hasn't imposed himself so far in the World Cup. 

South Africa did improve in the second half but failed to truly test Kovar in the final 15 minutes. They will take a deserved point, as there is an opportunity for them to reach the knockout stage. The same goes for Czechia, who will need to find solutions to why they played poorly in the second halves of both their games. 

Mokoena penalty grabs Bafana Bafana a lifeline

It's been a strong response from Czechia following a disappointing loss in their opening game. They started on the front foot, nearly scoring in the first minute. A looping ball from captain Ladislav Krejci fell to star striker Patrik Schick at the far post. He found himself all alone yet put a tame effort off target. It wouldn't take long for Czechia to put the ball in the back of the net.

Michal Sadilek's goal in the sixth minute became the quickest goal of the tournament so far. It came off an instant throw-in capitalizing on a disorganized South Africa defense. The throw went down the right byline to Adam Hlozek, who played a sharp cross into the box. It fell to left wing back Alexandr Sojka who appeared ready to shoot. Instead, he played a clever ball into the waiting Sadilek for a well-deserved goal. This was Czechia's second goal from a throw-in at this tournament, which is unsurprising as set pieces are one of their biggest strengths.

Chances have been scarce between both sides after Czechia's impressive start. South Africa continues to attempt to play out the back after struggling mightily at doing it against Mexico. They have been nearly punished multiple times for it. Other than nearly scoring at the end of the first half off goalkeeper Matej Kovar failing to catch a quick cross, they haven't posed much of a threat going forward. Czechia has been very comfortable in and out of possession as they look more likely to score the next goal.

Slick assist for Sadílek to rifle in opener

Nationals anthems get us started

Starting XIs are in for early game of Round 2 fixtures