Last-16 exit tipped for Mexico

– Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio (right) was apologetic, his players defiant and their critics baffled after they reached the last-16 of the World Cup, despite a 3-0 defeat to Sweden.

After silencing Osorio’s critics with wins over Germany and South Korea, they nearly blew it against Sweden and only progressed because of Germany’s defeat to South Korea. They will face Brazil next, making them odds-on to go out in the round of 16 for the seventh time in a row.

Proceeding to the last eight or beyond has become a seemingly fruitless task since the Mexicans last reached the quarterfinals when they hosted the competition in 1986.

Former coach, Ricardo la Volpe, whose team were eliminated in 2006, said it might be all in the mind.

“I think the problem is the famous fifth match,” he said, adding that Mexico felt more comfortable as underdogs. “It’s a psychological thing and the players don’t know how to play with the burden of being winners.”

Former Mexican forward Hugo Sanchez was more critical: “My colleagues tell me Osorio is studious but he didn’t study Sweden so well because if he had, we would have imposed our style and kept the ball on the ground.”

Midfielder Rafael Marquez rounded on the critics: “What we have achieved is important. The first mission has been accomplished and now we have to continue improving for the next one.” –