Mexico’s Javier Hernandez celebrates after scoring his team’s second goal of a World Cup Group F match against South Korea on Saturday in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. Mexico won 2-1 and leads the group with six points in the standings.ROSTOV-ON-DON, Russia – The criticism of Mexico’s national team heading into the World Cup was loud and scathing. The answer has been emphatic.
The Mexicans won their second straight match at the tournament, beating South Korea 2-1 Saturday to move ever closer to a spot in the round of 16.
“We didn’t listen to the criticism,” striker Javier Hernandez said. “It was just noise.”
Mexico opened its World Cup by upsetting 2014 champion Germany 1-0. Saturday’s win gave the Mexicans six points and a chance to win Group F on Wednesday, when they face Sweden in Yekaterinburg.
“We want the Mexican people to enjoy this. We are going to enjoy it,” Hernandez said. “But as of tomorrow we will be working hard thinking about Sweden, and regardless of the results of the matches against Germany and South Korea, we are going to go out there to get the three points.”
Hernandez and Carlos Vela scored a goal each Saturday at Rostov Arena. Vela converted from the penalty spot in the 26th minute after Jang Hyun-soo handled the ball while trying to stop a cross from Andres Guardado.
Hernandez added the second goal in the 66th, scoring his 50th all-time for Mexico. He hit the ball low past goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo after collecting a pass from Hirving Lozano.
“We have beaten two brilliant and complicated teams, Germany and South Korea,” Hernandez said. “Our talent and hard work have paid off.”
Son Heung-min scored a consolation goal for South Korea in injury time, sending a powerful shot past goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa. The South Koreans kept Ochoa under pressure throughout the match, with Son often sprinting past Mexico’s defense.
“I think our players had a game they will not regret,” South Korea coach Shin Tae-yong. “All of the players became one, and they did their utmost until the very last minute.”
Germany 2, Sweden 1
SOCHI, Russia – Germany was seconds from losing control of its World Cup fate when Toni Kroos whispered to Marco Reus just outside Sweden’s penalty area. With the score tied in the fifth minute of stoppage time, Kroos seemed to remind Reus of a trick play from practice.
The result will live in tournament lore.
Down to 10 men after Jerome Boateng was given a second yellow card 10 minutes before the match’s end, the Germans rallied to revive their bid to repeat as champions, thanks to a strike from Kroos that caught the Swedes by surprise and won’t soon be forgotten in Germany.
“The fact Toni Kroos put it away is just incredible,” Reus said. “He’s shown that talent on previous occasions, but really in this case it was practically the very last opportunity to win this match.”
Kroos lined up for a free kick as if he was going for the goal but instead tapped the ball to Reus, who held it with his toe as the defenders paused. Kroos swung his right foot, curling the ball past a spinning Sebastian Larsson and over the outstretched hand of diving goalkeeper Robin Olsen.
The Swedes watched the ball go in, mouths open in disbelief. The Germans ran to Kroos and erupted in emotional relief.
An early mistake by Kroos led to Ola Toivonen’s goal in the 32nd minute, but Reus equalized in the 48th. A point for a draw would have been enough to stay alive in contention for the knockout stage, but the Germans would have needed help on the final day of group play.
Now Germany, which faces winless South Korea on Wednesday in Kazan, has some control of what happens. Germany and Sweden both have three points in the group standings, but all four teams still have a chance to advance on the final day.
“There’s nothing strange to get ready for that match,” Sweden coach Janne Andersson said. “We still have an excellent opportunity to qualify.”
Belgium 5, Tunisia 2
MOSCOW – Though still a long way from its first World Cup title, Belgium has looked like the most complete attacking force in Russia.
Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku had two goals apiece in a dominant display for the Red Devils during the highest-scoring game yet of this World Cup. With tougher tests ahead – a spot in the round of 16 is almost certain after an opening 3-0 win over Panama – both forwards rested in the second half.
Belgium had a two-goal lead within 16 minutes of kickoff Saturday. Hazard scored with a sixth-minute penalty kick he earned by being tripped, and Lukaku angled a low, left-foot shot into the corner of the opposing goal.
The Tunisians cut their deficit in half when defender Dylan Bronn headed in a goal in the 18th minute, but Belgium wasn’t done. Lukaku clipped a right-foot shot over advancing goalkeeper Farouk Ben Mustapha in first-half stoppage time to match Cristiano Ronaldo with four goals as the tournament’s top scorers. No team has scored more goals than Belgium’s eight.
Hazard then ran out to a long pass in the 51st minute, flicked the ball around Ben Mustapha and shot into an empty net. Belgium substitute Michy Batshuayi made it a rout in stoppage time – but failed with three other good scoring chances – and Tunisia captain Wahbi Khazri got his team’s second goal with almost the last kick of the match.
Belgium will close its Group G schedule Thursday against England in Kaliningrad.