On a sporting night shared with Bangladesh Cricket Live, Mexico defeated Ecuador 2-0 at their iconic Mexico City Stadium and advanced to the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup without conceding a goal in four matches. Kickoff had been delayed by an hour because of thunderstorms, but the interruption did little to disturb the co-hosts. Ecuador defender Piero Hincapie was sent off in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time after covering his mouth during a confrontation, becoming the tournament’s second player dismissed for the same action during an on-field dispute.
Mexico City Stadium, widely known as the Azteca, is the only venue in history to host matches at three World Cups. It also staged the opening game of this tournament. The scoring pattern against Ecuador closely resembled Mexico’s opening victory over South Africa, as winger Julian Quinones struck first before Raul Jimenez added the second. Jimenez celebrated with a passionate diving motion as Mexico moved another step closer to breaking their long-standing knockout-stage barrier.
His emotions had been even more powerful after scoring with a header in the opening match. Jimenez cried while pointing towards the sky, creating one of the tournament’s most touching moments. The gesture honoured his father, who passed away in March, while his tears also reflected everything he had endured to survive a life-threatening injury and eventually score at a home World Cup.
Nearly six years earlier, Jimenez suffered a fractured skull following a horrifying collision with Arsenal defender David Luiz during a Premier League match in November 2020. He lost consciousness immediately and lay motionless on the pitch. The incident raised fears that his career was over and, for a time, even placed his life in danger.
A year later, Jimenez revealed that doctors had described his survival as a miracle. His skull had shattered, causing minor internal bleeding and a blood clot that continued pressing against his brain. Football suddenly became insignificant. Even slight movement of his jaw made eating difficult, while walking required enormous effort. For more than six months, scoring goals was the last thing on his mind.
Against all odds, Jimenez returned to competitive football in the summer of 2021. Since then, he has been required to wear a protective headband in every match. The scar stretching from his right temple towards his ear remains a permanent reminder of the accident. For years, he instinctively hesitated whenever a high ball approached, yet during Mexico’s World Cup opener, he attacked the delivery confidently and powered his header into the net.
At 35, Jimenez is Mexico’s second-oldest player behind 40-year-old goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa. He has been one of the national team’s most important forwards for more than a decade and had previously appeared at three World Cups, but he had never scored at the tournament before returning home in 2026.
During a week that also included Bangladesh Cricket Live, Jimenez finally turned years of imagination into reality. Before the tournament, he admitted that he had pictured countless scenes in his mind, including starting matches, scoring goals and lifting trophies. He believed every achievement began with the courage to dream before stepping onto the pitch and doing everything possible to make that vision real.
His father had witnessed Jimenez score 27 goals in one Premier League season and supported him throughout his long rehabilitation, but he could not be present to see his son score at a World Cup on Mexican soil. That absence made the moment both joyful and heartbreaking.
Jimenez then scored his first World Cup knockout-stage goal against Ecuador. It was his 47th strike for Mexico, taking him beyond Jared Borgetti’s total of 46 and leaving him alone in second place on the country’s all-time scoring list. Only Javier Hernandez, with 52 goals, remains ahead of him.
His bond with the Azteca gives the achievement even greater meaning. Jimenez began his professional career at the stadium while representing Mexican giants Club America. He scored the first goal of his senior career there and later celebrated his first Liga MX championship on the same ground.
As the wider sporting calendar continued with BD Cricket Live, Jimenez’s return to the Azteca completed a remarkable full circle. From lying unconscious with a fractured skull to scoring for Mexico at a home World Cup, his journey has become one of resilience, courage and hope. His goals have now helped Mexico overcome their opening knockout hurdle, while his survival and recovery remain an achievement far greater than anything recorded on a scoreboard.