Lozano’s early goal helps Mexico surprise Germany
Defending World Cup champions have been finding it hard to get out of the group stage lately, and Germany is proving no exception.
The 2014 winner, ranked No. 1 in the world, was exposed defensively and surprisingly beaten by Mexico, 1-0, on Sunday in Moscow, putting its hopes of advancement in doubt.
Well, not everyone is in doubt.
“We will make it,” Germany coach Joachim Loew said. “There’s no reason to fall apart because you lose one game.”
Hirving Lozano scored the lone goal in the 35th minute, picking up Javier Hernandez’s pass inside the penalty area and beating Mesut Ozil before shooting past Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer from 10 yards.
The goal decided the match – a match Germany didn’t expect to lose.
“I don’t know if it’s the biggest victory in (Mexico’s) history, but one of the biggest for sure,” Lozano said.
“My teammates and I did some great work. We all ran our hearts out. This is the result of all that hard work.”
Three of the previous four defending World Cup champions failed to reach the knockout stages.
Mexico had never beaten Germany in a competitive match, but was transformed from the team which lost to the Germans, 4-1, in last year’s Confederations Cup.
Lozano, a 22-year-old forward, got Mexico going with a deflected shot over the bar in the first minute. That set the tone for Mexico to torment Germany on the counterattack, with Lozano taking full advantage of right back Joshua Kimmich’s tendency to go forward.
After Lozano’s goal, Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa pulled off a spectacular save, palming Toni Kroos’ shot onto the crossbar.
Brazil 1, Switzerland 1: Brazil joined the list of big teams struggling to win opening matches.
Philippe Coutinho gave Brazil the lead in the 20th minute with a volley that bounced in off the right post, but Switzerland’s Steven Zuber then headed in the equalizer in the 50th minute.
Mexican referee Cesar Ramos dismissed complaints that Zuber had shoved defender Miranda before getting to the corner from Xherdan Shaqiri.
“I was pushed out of the way. There is video of what happened and the referee could have seen it. But it didn’t happen,” Miranda said after a match played in Rostov On-Don, Russia.
Ramos also ignored a penalty claim late in the second half when Gabriel Jesus was wrestled to the ground by Switzerland defender Manuel Akanji.
Serbia 1, Costa Rica 0: Aleksandar Kolarov scored on a left-footed free kick in the 56th minute in Samara, Russia.
After David Guzman was handed a yellow card, Kolarov curled the ensuing free kick over the wall. Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas stretched, but couldn’t stop the swerving ball.
“It was an amazing goal,” Costa Rica defender Bryan Oviedo said of Kolarov’s effort. “Maybe two out 10 balls will go in like that.”
The final moments of the match were marked by a squabble on the sidelines as Nemanja Matic got into a tussle with a Costa Rican coach. Players from both teams rushed toward the scrum but it was diffused.