England Faces Mexico, Altitude And Potent Azteca Stadium With World Cup Glory At Stake

England famously recovered itself connected nan incorrect broadside of World Cup history astatine Azteca Stadium, surrendering Diego Maradona’s iconic “Hand of God” extremity and different onslaught known arsenic nan tournament’s “most beautiful goal.”

Maradona and eventual champion Argentina eliminated England 2-1 successful nan quarterfinals of nan 1986 World Cup, leaving nan Brits to stew complete their nexus to a shot legend.

England will return to Azteca Stadium connected Sunday to return connected World Cup co-host Mexico successful a Round of 16 lucifer kicking disconnected astatine 5 p.m. PDT and airing connected Fox and Telemundo.

England coach Thomas Tuchel said during interviews earlier their departure for Mexico that this will beryllium a measurement to “make amends” pinch nan stadium that hosted a extremity Maradona punched successful pinch his fist and “karma will travel backmost for us.”

Argentina’s Diego Maradona punches nan shot past England goalkeeper Peter Shilton to people his “Hand of God” extremity during a 1986 World Cup lucifer astatine Azteca Stadium.

(Getty Images / Getty Images)

“It’s 1 of nan astir beautiful, astir breathtaking matchups you tin person — playing Mexico astatine nan Azteca,” Tuchel said during a news convention aft defeating nan Democratic Republic of nan Congo successful nan Round of 32.

But nan roadworthy to Azteca Stadium hasn’t been easy for England this tournament.

England enters this matchup aft a hard-fought triumph complete Congo. The African squad took nan lead and had chances to widen it, but yet paid dearly for squandering those opportunities. Top England scorer Harry Kane stepped up pinch 2 decisive goals that helped his squad advance. It was England’s first World Cup triumph aft trailing 1-0 since nan 1966 final, which nan English squad won arsenic a tourney host.

The English will not only person to contend pinch shade of Maradona’s 2 goals, but nan altitude successful Mexico City, which is astir 7,350 feet supra oversea level.

Mexico has mislaid only 2 of its 89 matches astatine Azteca Stadium, winning 70 and tying 17. The past clip it mislaid an charismatic lucifer location was a 2-1 conclusion to Honduras successful a 2013 World Cup qualifier.

“There will beryllium galore obstacles — nan altitude will beryllium a awesome disadvantage because we can’t acclimate to it,” Tuchel said. “Let’s dream that erstwhile we look difficulties on nan way, we’ll find nan answers.”

Mexico players observe aft nan team’s World Cup triumph complete Ecuador astatine Azteca Stadium connected Tuesday.

(Luke Hales/Getty Images)

Tuchel noted his squad sewage accustomed to power and humidity while training successful nan United States.

“At nan extremity of nan day, it’s a shot game,” said England’s Marcus Rashford, who besides plays for Manchester United. “We’ve each been playing shot since we were kids, and we’ve played successful different environments and nether different conditions — immoderate much difficult than others, immoderate successful unspeakable places. But it’s up to america to find a measurement to triumph and to activity arsenic a team.”

England expects to look an aggravated astatine atmosphere, pinch nan mostly of much than 80,000 fans backing Mexico.

“It’s 1 of nan awesome stadiums successful soccer. Playing location is simply a blessing. Mexico is astir apt nan favorite. They’re astatine home, playing connected their location turf; it will beryllium a large situation for us, but we’ll beryllium ready,” England’s Marc Guehi told the BBC.

The lucifer will besides airs a important situation for nan Mexican team, which has not conceded a extremity during nan World Cup but will now look an English broadside that excels successful aerial play, pinch lethal scorers for illustration Kane and Jude Bellingham. Mexico’s protect capacity has been credited to nan guidance of Rafa Márquez, a erstwhile Barcelona subordinate who is now 1 of Mexico’s adjunct coaches.

“They’re high-caliber players who tin make a quality astatine immoderate moment, and we person to return advantage of playing astatine location and support our existent level of play because nary 1 has fixed america thing for free,” said seasoned backup goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, different cardinal sound supporting Mexico’s protect effort.

Less than 72 hours earlier nan game, FIFA explored moving nan evening kickoff to noon section clip — a alteration that would person wholly disrupted nan sporting, logistical and affectional readying of some teams.

FIFA first reportedly weighed nan unprecedented alteration because of nan threat of thunderstorms. The Athletic and media outlets covering some teams later reported information concerns aft nan decease of 4 Mexico fans during Round of 32 postgame celebrations triggered nan imaginable alteration successful kickoff time, but some squad pushed backmost and Mexico’s information officials assured they could support fans safe. FIFA relented and did not alteration nan commencement time.

Mexico’s Álvaro Fidalgo celebrates aft scoring against Czechia during a World Cup lucifer astatine Azteca Stadium connected June 24.

(Silvia Izquierdo / Ap Photo/silvia Izquierdo)

“No 1 wants a ceremony — specified an important moment, a once-in-a-lifetime infinitesimal — to move into a sad juncture because of definite things. We don’t want anyone to suffer a loved one,” Mexico midfielder Álvaro Fidalgo said.

Contrary to what galore experts expected, Mexico has breezed done nan group shape and nan 2nd round, astatine home. Coach Javier Aguirre has eased immoderate of nan unit connected himself by starring nan squad to its 5th World Cup lucifer — a feat Mexico had not achieved successful 7 consecutive World Cups. Two of those 7 grounded attempts came nether Aguirre’s leadership: successful 2002, erstwhile Mexico mislaid to nan United States, and successful 2010, erstwhile it mislaid to Argentina — some successful nan Round of 16.

“We’ll effort to support this momentum going astatine home,” Aguirre said. “We’ll effort to play a complete game.”

With nan support of its fans and a consciousness of dream that grows pinch each game, nan Mexican nationalist squad will activity to lucifer its champion performances from 1986 and 1970 — World Cups it hosted, though pinch less participating teams.

Mexico’s Raúl Jiménez celebrates aft scoring against South Africa during a World Cup lucifer astatine Azteca Stadium connected June 11.

(Carl Recine / Getty Images)

“We person to fto them cognize that we’re conscionable arsenic good,” Mexico’s starring scorer Raúl Jiménez said. “That we tin compete connected adjacent terms, we tin play a bully game, and we person nan support of nan fans. It doesn’t matter which goalkeeper is successful beforehand of america — if we put it successful nan corner, nary goalkeeper tin extremity it.”

Advancing past England would people nan first clip Mexico has defeated a past world champion successful a knockout round, and it would besides beryllium nan first clip nan Mexican nationalist squad has strung together 2 knockout-round victories successful a World Cup aft beating Ecuador successful nan information of 32.

Mexico defeated past world champions France and Germany successful 2010 and 2018, respectively, but those wins came successful nan group stage.

“It’s a lucifer everyone ever dreams of. Being successful nan Round of 16 astatine nan Azteca — not conscionable saying it, but moreover reasoning astir it — is incredible,” Fidalgo said. “We person to emergence to nan occasion.”