Mexico didn’t let the night breathe long enough for Ecuador to turn it into a problem.
Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez scored nine minutes apart in the first half, and Mexico beat Ecuador 2-0 at Estadio Banorte to reach the World Cup quarterfinals. Ecuador had more of the ball and more corners, but Mexico had the two moments that broke open the Round of 32 tie before halftime.
The game started with Mexico on the front foot. Gilberto Mora shot just over in the fifth minute, Luis Romo missed from distance a minute later, and Jiménez headed wide after a fast break in the seventh. Ecuador’s warning came in the 18th minute, when John Yeboah hit the left post after Piero Hincapié found him in the center of the box. Four minutes later, Mexico punished the miss.
Roberto Alvarado split Ecuador with a through ball in the 22nd minute, and Quiñones finished from the left side of the box into the top-left corner. It was a clean, aggressive goal from a Mexico side that had already shown in its measured opening win over South Africa that it could manage tournament tension without losing control.
Quiñones scores one, then sets up Jiménez
Ecuador barely had time to reset. In the 31st minute, Quiñones became the provider, feeding Jiménez in the center of the box. Jiménez’s right-footed finish went into the top-right corner, and Mexico had a 2-0 lead before Ecuador had produced a shot on target. The first half gave Mexico exactly the match state it wanted: defend from ahead, attack the spaces, and make Ecuador chase.
That detail shaped the second half because Ecuador did have stretches of possession. It finished with 56.8 percent of the ball, eight corners and 25 attempted crosses. But most of it came from awkward areas, and Mexico’s center backs kept clearing traffic before Raúl Rangel had to turn the night into a rescue job. Ecuador produced seven shots and only one on target.
Mexico, by contrast, accepted a lower share of possession and still finished with 15 shots. César Montes forced Hernán Galíndez into a save from a 67th-minute header, Johan Vásquez headed wide seconds later, and Orbelín Pineda almost curled in a third during stoppage time. The scoreline never needed another goal, but Mexico had enough counters and set pieces to keep Ecuador from fully tilting the field.
The night got worse for Ecuador late. Kendry Páez was booked in stoppage time, Hincapié had a yellow upgraded to red after VAR in the 95th minute, and Moisés Caicedo followed with another booking before the final whistle. Ecuador’s tournament had included a sharp win in the 2-1 result against Germany, but this knockout match got away from it before the final surge arrived.
For Mexico, the win keeps the hosts moving and gives the next round another team with real attacking balance. Mora’s early touches were part of the tempo, Alvarado supplied the pass that opened the match, Quiñones had a goal and an assist, and Jiménez gave Mexico the finish that turned pressure into separation. It also keeps Mora inside the wider conversation around the World Cup’s next wave, even on a night shaped by senior forwards.
Mexico did the hard work before halftime and then made Ecuador run out of answers. In a knockout match at home, that was enough.
