It was a horrible night for El Tri in Ekaterinburg, but Juan Carlos Osorio's side lives to fight another day in Russia It all seemed so simple. Mexico needed to get a point against Sweden and win the group. Sure, after wins against Germany and Korea, it would've been nice for manager Juan Carlos Osorio to be able to make big changes and rest some regulars. He did the opposite. The change-happy manager went with the same team that won the second game. It all got so complicated. Mexico went into the halftime break feeling good. After a nervous opening 10 minutes, which saw left back Jesus Gallardo issued the fastest booking in World Cup history, things settled down. For the final 10 minutes of the half, it looked like Mexico would score. The break did little to ward away that feeling. El Tri came out looking for the goal that would give it some breathing room. At one point shortly after play restarted, the Mexico attack was working with all 10 field players in the attacking half, so little threat Sweden seemed to pose to the Mexico goal. A slow-developing play in the 50th minute changed it all. After a mishit by Viktor Claesson, the ball fell to an unmarked Ludwig Augustinsson whose shot deflected off Guillermo Ochoa's hand and in for the goal that changed everything. With Mexico looking to get back level, things got even worse. With El Tri too far up the field, Sweden was able to hit back, and Hector Moreno was whistled for a penalty just after the hour mark. Andreas Granqvist stepped up and fired a perfect shot past Ochoa to extend the lead for the European side. A dozen minutes later, with Sweden on another of its rare trips forward, 20-year-old right back Edson Alvarez lost track of his feet and ended up putting a benign cross past Ochoa. "I have to say that we qualified because we beat Germany and Korea. However, and nevertheless, I am very hurt," Osorio said after the match. "I think that for the first time in many, many games, when we played against a team that played that idea of football, direct football, we usually play with three in the back plus an anchor man that is very good in the air. Basically we defend with four. "Today for the first time I decided to play with four but not in that structure. At the end, we didn’t succeed in our penetration in the last third. That’s number one factor why we didn’t score. Second, we allowed them to score three goals, which I think is too many." Then Sweden, the tall, strong defenders that they are, packed in the box. Carlos Vela sending a header wide in the 80th minute just about summed it all up. Mexico was in control of the play, it had Sweden's defense all but beat and still couldn't put a ball into the net. The draw was off the table. Mexico needed to get a goal, maybe two to move into the knockout stages if Germany scored. It didn't. Korea did. Twice. It all worked out in the end. The entire Ekaterinburg Arena erupted in cheers as news of Korea's late goal against Germany spread through the stands. Sweden fans celebrated winning the group while Mexican fans tossed their beers in the air. Some no doubt quietly removed the tickets to the round of 16 match in Samara they had listed on StubHub. Article continues below "We learned about it like everybody, I think, on the field," goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa said after the game. "You could see the fans were happy because they scored a goal there." With far more anxiety and worry than anyone ever would have anticipated, Mexico ended up second place in the group. Just like everyone thought it would before the tournament. Now, Osorio has the difficult task of getting his players ready for a round of 16 game - one in which Mexico will be looking to make history and advance to the quarterfinals for the first time on foreign soil - that likely comes against Brazil. For now, he can just thank the heavens - and Korea - that Mexico is there at all.<doc-sep>Amid scorching heat in Rostov and a cauldron-like atmosphere created by almost 20,000 fans, Mexico beat Korea Republic 2-1 in Group F to put one foot in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ knockout stage. El Tri initially struggled to break down the Koreans, who set up in a defensive tactical shape and left the livewire Son Heungmin to plough a lone furrow up front. However, after Carlos Vela's 26th-minute penalty had broken the deadlock, the Mexicans were able to breathe easier and better guard themselves against counter attacks thereafter. Even so, Guillermo Ochoa was called into action to prevent Son from equalising shortly before half-time. The Taeguk Warriors were forced to come out of their shell and push forward as the match wore on, but this more open approach suited Mexico down to the ground, paving the way for them to double their lead. El Tri fans in Rostov Arena were in full voice after Javier Hernandez struck in the 66th minute and will have gone away with high hopes that their country will finally break their Round of 16 hoodoo this year. As for Korea Republic, Son's stoppage-time screamer from outside the box will have served as scant consolation given that the result left them staring elimination in the face.<doc-sep>SWEDEN surged into the last 16 of the World Cup with a deserved 3-0 victory on Wednesday over a poor Mexico side, who still qualified ahead of Germany after the holders’ loss to South Korea. The Swedes went through to the knockout rounds as the unlikely winners of Group F, taking the beaten Mexicans with them. Second-half goals from defenders Ludwig Augustinsson and Andreas Granqvist, from the penalty spot, plus a comical own goal were reward for a physical display from Sweden, who only made it to Russia by beating Italy in the play-offs. They and Mexico, who were ragged throughout, will next play whichever two teams emerge out of Brazil, Switzerland and Serbia in Group E, which concludes later on Wednesday. Ludwig Augustinsson of Sweden celebrates. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images Mexico came into the game at the Yekaterinburg Arena in the driving seat in a group where all four teams, including South Korea, could qualify, but they appeared the more nervous. It took them less than 30 seconds to make their mark on Sweden, Jesus Gallardo earning a yellow card for clattering into Ola Toivonen almost straight from kick-off. Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa handled outside the box and then flapped at the resulting free-kick. On 12 minutes Marcus Berg clipped wide from close range with a bicycle kick. On the quarter-hour mark, Mexico, who had the overwhelming support inside the stadium, should have taken the lead when Carlos Vela found himself in space on the edge of the box. His bending left-footer shaved the post, catapulting a few sombreros off the heads of Mexico fans as they expectantly sprang to their feet. They were up again on 30 minutes when referee Nestor Pitana of Argentina took a look at a video replay when the ball hit Mexico striker Javier Hernandez on the arm in the box. After lingering at the pitch-side monitor, then going back for a second glance, Pitana ruled it no penalty -- the Mexicans celebrated as if they had scored a goal. The Swedish players and coach Janne Andersson were furious, and understandably -- Hernandez appeared to move his arm towards the ball. Sweden, with their greater physicality, were on top, but Mexico were dangerous on the break. At the interval, with the game also goalless in Kazan, Mexico and Germany were going through. Sweden badly needed a goal and five minutes after half-time they deservedly got it, defender Augustinsson popping up from left-back to volley in. There was more drama on the hour, as Hector Moreno brought down Berg in the box and skipper Granqvist held his nerve in front of the massed ranks of Mexicans to bury his penalty. Plastic beer cups rained down, before Mexico defender Edson Alvarez compounded a miserable evening with a 74th-minute own goal when he miskicked past Ochoa. Mexico's Edson Alvarez, right, scores an own goal. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) Source: AP That left Mexico in a perilous position, as a late German winner would have sent the Central Americans crashing out, but two injury-time South Korean goals in Kazan ensured Juan Carlos Osorio’s men edged through as runners-up. Mexico will need to pick themselves up quickly if they are to go beyond the last 16 for the first time since 1986 and end a run of six consecutive second-round defeats. STARTING XIs Mexico: Guillermo Ochoa, Carlos Salcedo, Hector Moreno, Hector Herrera, Edson Alvarez, Miguel Layun, Andres Guardado (capt), Jesus Gallardo, Carlos Vela, Javier Hernandez, Hirving Lozano Sweden: Robin Olsen, Mikael Lustig, Victor Lindelof, Andreas Granqvist (capt), Ludwig Augustinsson, Viktor Claesson, Albin Ekdal, Sebastian Larsson, Emil Forsberg, Marcus Berg, Ola Toivonen FOLLOW LIVE! (If you can’t see the blog, click here)<doc-sep>Mexico striker Javier Hernandez has described Group F as “the Group of Death” ahead of Wednesday afternoon's pivotal fixtures. All four teams could in theory still qualify, although Mexico lead the way with six points, having won their opening two games. They play Sweden, with Germany facing South Korea. “We still haven’t qualified properly, we haven’t confirmed our progress, but who would have said we would have had six points by now in this group?” said Hernandez, whose 50 international goals make him Mexico’s all-time top scorer. “We are facing an opponent that knows how to work very well. This is the Group of Death.” He added that Mexico had a “magnificent opportunity to break that ceiling” ­after falling at the last-16 stage in each of the last six World Cups. “We are highly motivated, we’re very, very confident.” Juan Carlos Osorio, Mexico’s coach, said his team would play for a win against Sweden even though a draw would be good enough to qualify. “Leading the group will not have an impact on our style of play and our strategy,” he said.<doc-sep>
Mexico do not have history on their side in their bid to dump Brazil out of the FIFA World Cup 2018 but this version of El Tri have already demonstrated a capability to surprise in Russia. For a seventh straight World Cup Mexico have made it to the last 16, but, agonisingly, they have failed to go any further on the six previous occasions, turning the desire just to make the “quinto partido” (fifth match) an obsession. “There’s no greater memory than making history with a fifth match,” said Mexico captain Andres Guardado. “We’re different players in terms of the mental aspect, but we know we’ll be judged by whether we get through or not. READ | Fans joke about Ronaldo, Messi rivalry as megastars exit World Cup “What greater motivation could you need when we face off against the five-time champions? It’s the perfect scene. It’s the biggest game of our lives.” Mexico’s last-16 misfortunes have often come down to the finest of margins. Defeat on penalties to surprise package Bulgaria in 1994 started an inauspicious run. They blew a lead against Germany four years later and against Argentina in 2006. Conceding twice to the Netherlands in the final minutes four years ago hurt more than most defeats, with a controversial penalty awarded for a theatrical Arjen Robben tumble deep into stoppage time sending the Dutch into the last eight. VAR (the video assistant referee) should prevent a repeat of that injustice, but Guardado has warned Italian referee Gianluca Rocchi not to be fooled by any playacting from the world’s most expensive player, Neymar. WATCH | FIFA World Cup 2018: Fans react as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo exit “We all know who Neymar is, but it isn’t up to me or my team to judge him, but the referees and FIFA,” he said. “Now there’s VAR they need to watch his style and know how to manage it. “We know he likes to exaggerate fouls, throw himself on the ground a lot, but that’s his style of play and the person who needs to stop that is the referee, not us.” Tough task A Brazil side finding their stride in Russia after a slow start are arguably the toughest challenge Mexico could have asked for as they were punished for failing to back up victories over Germany and South Korea with defeat to Sweden to finish second in Group F. Under Colombian coach Juan Carlos Osorio, though, Mexico approach every game seeking to impose themselves rather than in fear of the opposition. READ | FIFA World Cup 2018: Edinson Cavani optimistic over injury before France clash “We will try to be more offensive-minded and more driven towards winning games rather than just being happy to be there and trying to not get embarrassed or playing not to lose,” said Osorio ahead of the tournament. He was true to his word by going for Germany’s jugular in an opening game shock the world champions failed to recover from, failing to get beyond the first round of a World Cup for the first time in 80 years. Hirving Lozano scored the only goal in Moscow but Mexico could and should have had many more with cooler heads. Despite landing in what is widely perceived as the tougher half of the draw, the team do not want for ambition. READ | Cristiano Ronaldo non-committal on future after FIFA World Cup 2018 knockout “Why can’t we be Greece in the Euros? Why can’t we be Leicester in the Premier League?” said striker Javier Hernandez, Mexico’s all-time top scorer with 50 international goals. “We want to be world champions and that’s what we’re aiming for. We don’t want to put any limits on ourselves.” To be champions, they need to get to the fifth game first.