2026 World Cup Key News Central News Agency (CNA Taipei, July 1) - In the 2026 World Cup, Mexico leveraged its home advantage today, with goals from Quinones and Gimenez securing a 2-0 victory over Ecuador. The team advanced from the Round of 32 and successfully clinched a spot in the Round of 16. As a regular participant in the World Cup, Mexico had previously reached the Round of 16 for seven consecutive tournaments. However, they were eliminated in the group stage last time. This time, Mexico capitalized on its home advantage, advancing to the Round of 32 as group leaders and making a strong comeback. Today's 2-0 win against Ecuador sets them on a path to potentially match their best historical performance of reaching the quarterfinals. In this Round of 32 match, Mexico faced Ecuador on home turf. Although the game was delayed due to heavy rain, Mexico accelerated its attacking pace from the first half, launching frequent assaults. Julian Quinones opened the scoring in the 22nd minute with a shot, and Raul Jimenez added another goal in the 31st minute, giving Mexico a 2-0 lead at halftime. Mexico maintained a steady offensive organization in the second half, but failed to score further to extend their lead. However, their defense effectively limited the opponent's performance. Ecuador's player Piero Hincapie even received a red card in the final injury time for "covering his mouth while speaking." Mexico ultimately secured a 2-0 victory, returning to the World Cup's Round of 16. Their next opponent will be the winner of the match between England and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (Editor: Chang Ya-ching) 1150701 Stand with facts, your every contribution supports the power of press freedom. Download the CNA "First-Hand News" APP for real-time updates. The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or used without authorization.