With calmer nerves, Mexico hopes to top South Korea at World Cup

Goalkeeper Raúl Rangel was 18 and playing for Chivas de Guadalajara’s youth academy when Mexico last faced South Korea in a World Cup match in 2018.

Three years ago, when asked who might be the next great goalkeeper for the Mexican national team, Rangel declared himself ahead of veteran Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa. A bold statement for a player making his professional debut.

On Thursday, the 26-year-old goalkeeper will defend El Tri’s goal in their second World Cup match at Guadalajara Stadium (usually a home game against Chivas) in their second Group A match, when Mexico faces South Korea on Fox/Telemundo.

“I told everyone: ‘I see myself in the World Cup.’ Some people laughed,” Rangel recalled. “I’ve been dreaming of myself in the national team for three years.”

Mexico and South Korea won their opening matches (El Tri against South Africa and the South Koreans against the Czech Republic), meaning the winner of this match will take first place in the group and secure their place in the next round. The incentive for Mexico is clear, as the winner of the group will play the next two knockout rounds at the Azteca Stadium, where El Tri have never lost a World Cup match.

The second-place team will have to travel to Los Angeles for their next game. Even though the competition is tougher, Los Angeles could be a comfortable destination for South Korea; He has a strong fan base in Los Angeles and won’t have to deal with the high altitude of Mexico City.

The coach and players are hoping for a sharper performance against South Korea after the opening match, in which Mexico coach Javier Aguirre admitted that the first day’s pressure affected the team’s performance and that the emotional atmosphere at the Azteca Stadium “put a heavy burden” on many of his players.

“Yes, there was some tension and some fear,” Mexican midfielder Erik Lira said after the opener.

“We need to be more determined; the win calmed the nerves we had the last few days,” said Mexican defender Israel Reyes.

But if Mexico wants to succeed, it needs to not only leave its nerves behind, but also improve tactically. Mexico, which hosts the tournament together with the USA and Canada, aims to reach the knockout stage of the World Cup and pass the round of 16. El Tri could only win one match in the knockout phase; In 1986, they beat Bulgaria 2-0 at Azteca Stadium.

“I think that mental aspect is missing for us. We have to believe that we can achieve great things,” Rangel said. “I really believe that I will become champions with Mexico. We have responsibilities as hosts.”

The match will be played at Guadalajara Stadium, 1,538 meters above sea level, and will be the first time Mexico has played a World Cup match in the city.

Chivas, Mexico’s most popular club team, has the most players on the national team with five, and all of these players will play their second World Cup match on home soil. Mexican American Brian Gutiérrez, who played a key role in the opener, received a red card while trying to stop South Africa, and veteran Roberto Alvarado, who provided the assist against South Africa, joined Rangel as Chivas’ starters in the opener. Joining the opening action are substitutes Luis Romo and Armando González, who also play for Chivas.

Mexico captain Edson Álvarez challenges South African Themba Zwane during their World Cup match at Azteca Stadium on June 11.

(Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Aguirre will have to make at least one squad change against South Korea, with Edson Álvarez replacing César Montes, who is suspended for a red card. Álvarez is coming off injury and it is unclear how he will cope with the stress. Aguirre is also expected to give playing time to 17-year-old Gilberto Mora, possibly replacing Gutiérrez in midfield, and bring in Jorge Sánchez to replace Reyes at full-back.

South Korea comes with a mix of European experience and hunger for victory. LAFC star Son Heung-min is playing in his fourth World Cup, scoring against Mexico in 2018. While Bayern Munich’s Kim Min-jae excels in defensive midfield, Paris Saint-Germain’s Lee Kang-in, who interestingly plays under Aguirre at Mallorca, is a constant threat in creating play. Joining them is Hwang In-beom from Feyenoord in the Netherlands.

The South Koreans have also been training for weeks at Chivas’ training facility Verde Valle, allowing them to acclimate to the altitude. With the support of the Mexican fans, they won the opening World Cup match against the Czech Republic at Guadalajara Stadium.

After the match, Hwang thanked Guadalajara for their support, saying, “It was like playing a game in Seoul.”

“[Mexico] a good team, but as you just saw, we can beat anyone,” Hwang said after his team rallied from a 1-0 deficit to beat the Czech Republic.

This week has not been without controversy for the South Korean team, however, as the team banned media from their country after audio was leaked of media criticizing the exemption from mandatory military service granted to Son. The audio recording also included criticism of coach Hong Myung-bo.

South Korea and Mexico met in Nashville in September before the World Cup and drew 2-2.

But the World Cup stage will be different and will bring great pressure.