Mexico City - The hosts Mexico are carrying out a mission to end a 40-year wait to return to the World Cup quarter-finals when they face England in the 2026 edition of the 16th round at the Azteca Stadium, Mexico, Monday at 07.00 WIB.
Mexico comes with strong capital after sweeping their first four matches without conceding, including a 2-0 victory over Ecuador in the last 32. The host's public support as well as Mexico City's condition which is at an altitude of around 2,200 meters will be a physical and mental test for England.
"Of course there are still things that need to be improved and these rounds are just about getting through them. We are in the part of the tournament where we have to fight hard to win, and that's what we've done," said England captain Harry Kane, quoted by FIFA's official website, Sunday.
Mexico under Javier Aguirre does not only rely on the home atmosphere. El Tri also shows a balance of the game through a productive front line and solid defense.
Julian Quinones is one of the main threats after scoring in three of Mexico's four matches in this tournament. Behind, goalkeeper Raul Rangel also recorded four consecutive clean sheets which made Mexico never concede.
Meanwhile, England qualified for the last 16 after defeating DR Congo 2-1 thanks to two goals from Harry Kane. The Three Lions captain has now scored five goals in the tournament and is once again the main focus of England in the knockout phase.
Historically, England has an advantage over Mexico. The two teams have only met once in the World Cup, in the 1966 group stage when England won 2-0 at Wembley and then became world champions.
However, this match presents a different context. Mexico plays in front of their own public and has a strong record at the Mexico City Stadium, while England must keep calm in the face of pressure from the host, the weather, and the atmosphere of the stadium.
This match, as reported by Antara, is expected to be tight. Mexico is likely to try to press from the start to take advantage of the energy of the audience and the adaptation of England to the field conditions, while England needs to play more patiently so as not to lose the structure of the game.
The winner of this match will advance to the quarterfinals and face the winner of the Brazil vs Norway match.
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