Czech Republic crash out of World Cup following another Mexico masterclass

[p]With so much at stake, the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/czech-republic/6LHwBDGU/"]Czech Republic[/a] began with urgency and came desperately close to securing the lead after just eight minutes, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/visinsky-denis/Mcjm4kMm/"]Denis Višinský[/a] missed the target from inside the box, instantly slumping to his knees in disbelief that he had squandered such a golden opportunity.[/p][p]Meanwhile, the co-hosts started the match in a very disjointed manner, and posed very little attacking threat in the opening stages.[/p][p]Ultimately, this was a first half which severely lacked in quality from both teams, and was best summed up by Roberto Alvarado’s shot for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mexico/O6iHcNkd/"]Mexico[/a], which he ballooned over the bar from a promising position.[/p][image alt="Match Momentum" id="69c9ef87-d530-41ff-99af-ac6d0e165bd1" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="fb50e45b-ac88-43c6-a798-3f744fe2aced" original-width="1920" original-height="1080" /][p]With top spot in the group already assured for El Tri before the start of this contest, Javier Aguirre’s side played with little spark in front of a huge home crowd, and could only muster one shot on target before the interval.[/p][p]The second half desperately needed someone to take the game by the scruff of the neck, and it was [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/chavez-mateo/faDbbOlf/"]Mateo Chávez[/a] who stepped up to take on that responsibility.[/p][p]With 10 minutes played after the restart, the full-back received a pass from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/romo-luis/KjqnJo1F/"]Luis Romo[/a] and proceeded to skip past an opponent before calmly slotting the ball past Matěj Kovář to break the deadlock and send the crowd wild.[/p][image alt="Mateo Chavez Goal" id="ee83a9a2-47eb-4d24-b6ad-bd2a651a9dde" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="b392c9f9-8b8c-4812-b2af-e9a6a73adcb6" original-width="1920" original-height="1080" /][p]The situation quickly became very dire indeed for the Czech Republic, as poor defending allowed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/quinones-julian/dQkfXJPR/"]Julián Quiñones[/a] to poke the ball home and notch his second goal of the tournament just after the hour mark.[/p][p]There was a far happier story at the other end, though, as popular 40 year-old El Tri goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ochoa-guillermo/vRRQAdn3/"]Guillermo Ochoa[/a] came on to rapturous applause in the latter stages, replacing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rangel-jose/YRqyCLUD/"]Raúl Rangel[/a] after 78 minutes to add another chapter to his WC legacy. [/p][p]The result was never in doubt after Mexico claimed their second goal of the game, and El Tri sealed the three points in style when substitute [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fidalgo-alvaro/xhkOoavF/"]Álvaro Fidalgo[/a] scored deep into stoppage time. With this comfortable win, which marked their biggest at the WC since 1970,[/p][p]El Tri are now unbeaten in their last 11 games. Meanwhile, Miroslav Koubek and his squad will have to reflect on a disappointing WC campaign, after failing to make the most of a return after 20 years’ absence from the biggest stage of all.[/p][image alt="Match Stats" id="38c6e5e2-d12c-409d-b805-91164cb13403" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="fa5a697a-33bb-446c-bac2-9b99d9a14d67" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alvarado-roberto/KfqaIjeB/"]Roberto Alvarado[/a] (Mexico)[/b][/p]