TOKYO, Japan – Mexico are through to the knockout stage of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after taking care of business in a 3-0 win over South Africa in their Group A finale on Wednesday night at the Sapporo Dome in Sapporo, Japan.
Mexico came out strong and grabbed a 1-0 lead in the 18’ with some slick passing that saw Henry Martin find Uriel Antuna down the right wing and the cross from Antuna meeting the charging Alexis Vega, who slammed a shot into net.
Vega nearly had his second of the night in the 38’ after a Luis Romo header bounced off the crossbar, but Vega’s follow up was denied by South Africa GK Ronwen Williams.
Mexico would find that second goal right before halftime in the 45’ when South Africa failed to clear a corner kick and a bouncing ball in the area landed right to Luis Romo, who calmly stroked a shot into net for a 2-0 advantage.
South Africa DF Repo Malepe was issued a red card in the 58’ for a foul on Mexico’s Henry Martin, and the FW promptly went to work, finishing off a one-two combination to make it 3-0 to Mexico in the 60’.
Despite a red card to Carlos Rodriguez in the 66’, the Mexican defense saw things out with no problem to nail down the three points and a spot in the next round.
