Mexico made it two wins out of two with a deserved 2-1 victory over South Korea in Rostov as they took charge of Group F.
Carlos Vela put Mexico ahead with a confidently taken first half penalty after a handball decision went against the South Koreans.
Javier Hernandez then added a second on the break, his 50th international goal for Mexico, in the 66th minute to really put them in command.
South Korea kept running hard, as they had been all game in fairness, and Son Heung-min grabbed a consolation with a fantastic strike in injury time to at least get the Koreans on the board.
It was too little too late though and a second successive defeat sees South Korea bottom without a point and all-but out of the World Cup with a miracle now needed for them to get through Group F.
Mexico, by contrast, made it six points out of six after following up their superb win over Germany to put one foot into the last 16.
Their progression into the last 16 will be confirmed if Germany fail to beat Sweden in Saturday's final game, but regardless a point in their last game against Sweden will see them through.
Although they are set to progress out of Group F, they will be keen to get past the round of 16 for the first time since hosting the finals in 1986 - as no team has suffered more second round defeats in the World Cup than Mexico.
Opta Stats
- Mexico have won back to back matches at the World Cup for the first time since winning their first two matches at the 2002 World Cup.
- South Korea have lost their last four World Cup matches; their joint-worst losing run at the World Cup, also losing four between 1986 and 1990.
- Mexico have scored 10 penalties at the World Cup – only France, Germany and Spain have scored more penalties than they have in competition history.
- Javier Hernandez scored his 50th goal for Mexico, becoming the first player in the history of the Mexican national team to score 50 goals.
- Javier Hernandez has scored four goals at the World Cup, a joint-record for Mexico along with Luis Hernandez.
- In the first half, Son Heung-Min had six shots (inc. blocks) – more than South Korea managed in the entirety of their first match against Sweden.
- Javier Hernandez is only the third player to score at three different World Cups for Mexico (2010, 2014 and 2018) after Cuauhtémoc Blanco (1998, 2002 and 2010) and Rafael Marquez (2006, 2010 and 2014).
- Carlos Vela’s penalty was the 14th taken at this year’s World Cup – one more than was taken in the entirety of the 2014 World Cup (13).
- South Korea have conceded a goal via a penalty in both of their World Cup games so far in 2018 – in their previous 29 World Cup games combined, they only conceded one penalty goal.
- Son Heung-Min’s 90th minute consolation goal for South Korea was his eighth shot of the match, five more than any other player in the match managed.
Related World Cup links
- World Cup outright tips
- World Cup Golden Boot tips
- World Cup fixtures & schedule
- World Cup groups & predictions
- World Cup team profiles
- World Cup podcast
- World Cup best bets
- World Cup outsiders to follow
- Elimination predictions
- England's routes to glory
- World Cup Golden Boot contenders
- World Cup Golden Ball contenders
- World Cup Golden Glove contenders
- New world champions in Russia?
- Four £5 flutters in Russia
- World Cup venues in focus
- Full World Cup squad lists
- More free football tips
- Sky Bet's World Cup odds
