Germany vs Mexico: Live blog, text commentary, line-ups, stream & TV channel World Cup defending champions Germany will be looking to retain their title with an opening fixture victory against Mexico Mexico have advanced to the knock-out stages of the World Cup in each of the last six tournaments and are now in the driving seat after this result. Germany will have to improve for their games against Sweden and South Korea but will be wary of the fact that the last two defending champions have exited the competition at the group stage. A huge result for Mexico and a scoreline that will rock the World Cup. Hirving Lozano's goal proved to be the difference but the entire performance from Mexico was superb. Germany simply couldn't cope with their counter-attacks and didn't really create enough to break through a resilient defensive line. A poor start to the tournament from Germany but Mexico looked fantastic, they played perfectly to counter the German system. Only one team has ever won the World Cup after losing their opening game that was Spain in 2010. Germany need to improve but Mexico can be proud of this historic victory. Full-Time Germany 0-1 Mexico 90+1 Mins: Into three minutes of added time, Germany are on the verge of beginning their World Cup defence with a defeat. 90 Mins: Herrera picks up a late yellow card for a clumsy foul. 90 Mins: There are to be three minutes added on at the end of this game, can Germany find an equaliser? 89 Mins: OFF THE POST! The ball drops to Brandt on the edge of the area and the Bayer Leverkusen man smashes a ferocious attempt at goal which clatters the outside of the post. 87 Mins: Was that the chance!? Gomez rises in the area to head at goal and you'd expect to see the net bulge. However, his effort sails over the bar. 87 Mins: Substitution: Last roll of the dice for Germany now as Julian Brandt replaces Timo Werner. 84 Mins: Hummels now has his name taken for a clattering challenge, with his frustration clearly showing. 84 Mins: SAVE! I've lost count of the number of times Kroos has tried his luck from distance but, barring the free-kick, hasn't threatened Ochoa enough. It's another comfortable save. 83 Mins: Muller picks up Germany's first yellow card of the game for a blatant shirt pull on Herrera. 82 Mins: WIDE! Layun has space following another counter attack and he drives a fierce shot at goal but it whistles past the far post. 79 Mins: Second change for Germany and another very attacking one, with Gomez replaces Plattenhardt. 78 Mins: OVER! Layun hits on the counter and has to do it all on his own, trying to beat Neuer from distance but his attempt isn't good enough. 77 Mins: Huge tackle! Germany ping the ball around, looking to make room, and Draxler looks to have an opening. He fires at goal but it's crucially blocked and put behind for a corner, though Mexico's defence remains firm yet again. 76 Mins: Germany are running out of time but they remain patient looking for an opening. Kroos picks the ball up on the edge of the area and tries to guide an effort into the bottom left-hand corner but it's wide of the mark yet again. 73 Mins: Substitution: Guardardo makes way for Mexico legend Rafael Marquez who is appearing in his fifth World Cup Finals 72 Mins: A break in play as Gallardo receives treatment after taking a cross from Reus straight in the face. 70 Mins: PENALTY SHOUT! Hernandez is found by a searching through ball and the West Ham man has the goal at his mercy. He comes under pressure from Hummels, falling to ground but he was certainly looking at it. 68 Mins: Germany are throwing everyone forward, leaving just Boateng back to protect Neuer's net. Mexico could exploit that if they're a bit braver but they're content with what they have at the moment. 67 Mins: BLOCKED! Germany starting to find room as a cross floats over Salcedo and into the path of Draxler, who sees a shot deflected behind. From the resulting corner, Werner volleys over the bar. 66 Mins: Substitution: Goalscorer Hirving Lozano makes way for Raul Jimenez, he has been fantastic today and may become one of the breakout stars of this tournament. 65 Mins: OVER! Kimmich latches onto Boateng's cross and tries an acrobatic overhead kick, which loops over the head of Ochoa and lands on the roof of the net. 64 Mins: Mexico have packed the defence to limit the space for Germany to exploit and they're playing a lot deeper in the second half. The question is whether just one goal will be enough to secure the win. 62 Mins: Into the final 30 minutes of the game and you expect both sides to have at least one clear-cut opportunity to find the net. Mexico would love to double their lead but Germany are dictating the tempo of the game. 61 Mins: Substitution: An indication of Low's plans for the remainder of the match as a very attacking change is made. Reus enters the frame, replacing Khedira. 60 Mins: Germany need fresh ideas and it looks like Low is about to make his first change, with Marco Reus getting stripped and ready on the sidelines. 58 Mins: Substitution: Tactical switch for Mexico, as Alvarez replaces Vela in what is clearly a defensive change. 57 Mins: Huge moment! Mexico hit on the counter again with two players charging through on goal, exposing the space left by Plattenhardt. Hernandez attempts to cut the ball across to Vela but he fails to get the ball under control. 56 Mins: Mexico always travel well to World Cup tournaments and are being given an immense reception here. Every touch is being cheered by their fans, although they have their backs against the wall at the moment. 54 Mins: Werner tumbles on the edge of the box, appealing for a free-kick, but the referee waves play on. Germany still to craft a direct opening, though Draxler sees a shot blocked and wins a corner. 52 Mins: Germany are enjoying the lion's share of possession in the minutes since the restart but they're yet to find a way through the Mexico defence. 50 Mins: Mexico will need to keep their heads throughout the match as Germany will certainly increase the pressure as the game progresses but they look solid for now. 48 Mins: Doesn't look to be a change of plan for Germany, as Kimmich continues to push forward and leaving plenty of room at the back. 46 Mins: Germany get us started in this second half. Joachim Low will be determined for his side to perform better in the second half and Werner, who has looked threatening when he's found space in behind, needs to be given more of the ball. Hummels and Boateng need to improve at the back, as they've struggled in the first period. Mexico have been fantastic in the opening half and thoroughly deserved their lead. They haven't allowed Toni Kroos any time on the ball, while Hirving Lozano has been deadly down the left and it's his goal that has been the difference. The last two defending World Cup winners have exited the competition at the group stage, could Germany continue that trend? HALF TIME: Mexico go in 1-0 up and they deserve their lead. Osorio's side have looked incredibly dangerous with their pace on the break. They have shown no fear against the defending world champions who have looked off the pace. 45 Mins: There will be one minute added on at the end of the first half. 44 Mins: Germany continue to look off the pace in attack, misplacing passes and wasting opportunities, while their defence is being torn apart by the pace of Mexico on the counter-attack. STAT: The last time Germany conceded first in a World Cup match and went on to win was back in 1998, versus Mexico (2-1). A good omen?<doc-sep>UPDATE: Hirving Lozano has given Mexico the dream start they wanted. After getting out on the break, Lozano cut it back to get the ball on his right foot and then beat Manuel Neur near post to send Mexico into halftime leading the defending World Cup champions 1-0. The day has finally arrived. Mexico and Germany face off at Luzhniki Stadium in arguably one of the most anticipated fixtures in recent Mexican soccer history. Your first game in a World Cup always assumes unprecedented proportions, but taking on the defending world champions in your first game takes things to a whole different level. It’s not by any means the easiest game for Mexico, but if there is any game where Juan Carlos Osorio and his players can prove their doubters wrong, it is definitely this one. Of course it won’t be easy, but there’s no such thing as easy games at this level of play. America’s team will have the weight of nearly a whole continent on their shoulders, and that is all the motivation they need to start their World Cup on the right foot. HOW TO WATCH, STREAM 2018 WORLD CUP Date: Sunday, June 17 Time: 8:00am Pacific, 10:00am Central, 11:00am Eastern Venue: Olimpiyskiy stadion Luzhniki, Moscow, Russia TV: Fox Sports 1 (US-English), Telemundo (US-Spanish), Azteca 7 (Mexico), TDN (Mexico), Sky HD (Mexico), UnivisionTDN (Mexico), Canal de las Estrellas (Mexico) Streaming: Telemundo (streamed on NBC Sports); fuboTV (Free trial + monthly subscription) Listings via LiveSoccerTV.com<doc-sep>When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Sign upfor the latest MUFC breaking news and transfer updates Pre-tournament favourites and current holders Germany get their World Cup campaign underway in the first game of Group F. Mesut Ozil and Ilkay Gundogan caused controversy recently after taking a picture with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan which has disrupted Germany’s build-up. Mexico have had injury problem with Nestor Araujo failing to recover from a knee problem before the tournament while Diego Reyes will miss the game with a hamstring injury. How to watch Germany vs Mexico live on TV Germany vs Mexico will be live on BBC One from 3.30pm. Kick off is at 4.00pm. How to watch Germany vs Mexico live online Fans can stream the match online via BBC iPlayer.<doc-sep>
The 2018 World Cup has brought plenty of drama, and today’s slate of games could well keep the trend going. Costa Rica is hoping to make another surprise run deep into the tournament, but they face a pretty tricky opponent in Serbia. Later in the day, Brazil will begin their shot at redemption against Switzerland, but the game that has everyone going is Mexico’s game against the 2014 champions from Germany. Costa Rica vs. Serbia What to watch for: We’ve come to expect the Ticos to be characteristically difficult for opponents. Their 541/343 hybrid formation and their thoughtful counter-attacking style of play are hallmarks, and they’ve never had so many players playing at the highest levels of the game. And yet, it feels like this tournament is a year or so too late for them. Six players in their squad are 32 or older, and most of them are attacking players. While they got through qualifying fairly easily, they were hardly impressive, finishing with a 4W-4D-2L record and relying on a solid defense rather than being anything special going forward. There are assumptions out there that they can put together something similar to 2014’s run, but it’s mostly the same players, just four years off their prime. Serbia, on the other hand, averaged 2 goals per game in qualifying directly from UEFA’s group D, with Newcastle striker Aleksandar Mitrovic leading the way with 6 goals in 10 games. While this isn’t a particularly gifted Serbian team, they’re a pretty decent bet to find their way through a group that doesn’t have an obvious weak team. Location: Cosmos Arena (Samara) Kickoff time: 8:00am Eastern Available TV: Fox, Telemundo Available streaming: Fox Sports Go, Telemundo (direct link to the stream) Germany vs. Mexico What to watch for: This should be a very fun group, and this game may be the most fun game it produces. El Tri has a long history of playing up when facing a favorite early in World Cups past, and Germany is still Germany. However, with Mexico looking hardly convincing in their pre-tournament friendlies (including some absolutely dire play from Javier Hernandez), Germany should be considered heavy favorites today. How can Mexico spring an upset? They’re going to need to be extremely sharp on the break, where Hirving Lozano can thrive, and they need a better collective defensive performance than they’ve had in quite a while. They also need to be athletic; if you see Rafael Marquez getting a start at 90 years old, you can prepare your “Juan Carlos Osorio tinkered himself into an embarrassing defeat again” takes before kickoff. Location: Luzhniki Stadium (Moscow) Kickoff time: 11:00am Eastern Available TV: Fox Sports 1, Telemundo Available streaming: Fox Sports Go, Telemundo (direct link) Brazil vs. Switzerland What to watch for: The Swiss are probably up against it today, I’m not gonna lie. Brazil will surely be desperate to bury memories of their 7-1 debacle back in 2014, and despite having an aging crop of defenders, they’re listed as the current favorite to win the tournament by bookies worldwide. They’ve got Neymar, they’ve got Marcelo, they’ve got two regulars in the Barcelona midfield (Paulinho and Philippe Coutinho), and their only real weakness appears to be inexperience in goal. Switzerland, meanwhile, only just squeaked past Northern Ireland to get into the tournament via UEFA’s playoff round, and their only high-end goalscoring threat is winger Xherdan Shaqiri. The emphasis for them will, as it seemingly always is on big occasions, is to stay compact and look for set piece opportunities. That’s probably not enough to get them a result today, but that might not really put them off too much. Their fate in this group probably has far more to do with their results against Costa Rica and Serbia, so don’t be shocked if their response to falling behind 1-0 is to keep doing what they’ve been doing. Location: Rostov Arena (Rostov-on-Don) Kickoff time: 2:00pm Eastern Available TV: Fox Sports 1, Telemundo, NBCSN Available streaming: Fox Sports Go, Telemundo (you get it by now) For listings in other countries, check out LiveSoccerTV.com.