Mexico upset France to edge to 2nd round
POLOKWANE - France faces an embarrassing early exit from the World Cup after a surprise 2-0 defeat to Mexico in their second Group A game yesterday.
POLOKWANE - France faces an embarrassing early exit from the World Cup after a surprise 2-0 defeat to Mexico in their second Group A game yesterday.
Substitute Javier Hernandez beat France keeper Hugo Lloris to put Mexico ahead on 64 minutes while Cuauhtemoc Blanco added a second from the penalty spot on 79 minutes after Pablo Barrera was brought down by Eric Abidal.
France, winners in 1998 champions have just one point from two games and face hosts South Africa in their final pool game. Even a win might not be enough for them to qualify and escape another disaster after their Euro 2008 flop.
Uruguay and Mexico, who top the group with four points each, will both qualify if they draw next week, eliminating in the process France and South Africa, both on one point.
France were outplayed for the first 45 minutes during which they did not create a single chance. Mexico, by contrast, came close to scoring on several occasions, first when forward Carlos Vela raced into the box unchallenged early on but missed the target.
France were hardly better in the second half, although they did have a chance on 54 minutes when a shot from just outside the area by winger Florent Malouda flew narrowly over the bar.
Mexico and Uruguay who have four each need just a draw to advance from Group A to the second round.
Reuters
Substitute Javier Hernandez beat France keeper Hugo Lloris to put Mexico ahead on 64 minutes while Cuauhtemoc Blanco added a second from the penalty spot on 79 minutes after Pablo Barrera was brought down by Eric Abidal.
France, winners in 1998 champions have just one point from two games and face hosts South Africa in their final pool game. Even a win might not be enough for them to qualify and escape another disaster after their Euro 2008 flop.
Uruguay and Mexico, who top the group with four points each, will both qualify if they draw next week, eliminating in the process France and South Africa, both on one point.
France were outplayed for the first 45 minutes during which they did not create a single chance. Mexico, by contrast, came close to scoring on several occasions, first when forward Carlos Vela raced into the box unchallenged early on but missed the target.
France were hardly better in the second half, although they did have a chance on 54 minutes when a shot from just outside the area by winger Florent Malouda flew narrowly over the bar.
Mexico and Uruguay who have four each need just a draw to advance from Group A to the second round.
Reuters