Mexico legend Jared Borgetti took a swipe at England following the World Cup clash at the Azteca and questioned whether Thomas Tuchel's side 'deserved' to go through. England produced a heroic performance in Mexico City, coping with a red card to beat the co-hosts 3-2 and advance to the World Cup quarter-finals.
England's red card and penalty drama
The Three Lions, bidding to win the World Cup for the first time since 1966, looked in control following two Jude Bellingham first-half goals, the first from Bukayo Saka's inviting cross and the second from Harry Kane's pass across goal. But Mexico got a goal back just before half-time through Julian Quinones and just ten minutes after the restart England were reduced to ten men. Referee Alireza Faghani did not even blow for a free-kick when Jarell Quansah brought down a Mexican forward but decided a red card was necessary following a VAR review.
Momentum was with the hosts at that stage but England scored a third shortly after through Kane's penalty, won by new Barcelona signing Anthony Gordon. But Kane then conceded a penalty following another VAR check and Raul Jimenez's spot-kick set up an agonising final half an hour for ten-man England. Mexico launched wave after wave of attacks without really coming close to an equaliser as England held on to book their place in the quarter-finals.
Mexico manager gracious in defeat
Departing Mexico manager Javier Aguirre was incredibly magnanimous after his side's exit, wishing England 'well' for the rest of their World Cup campaign. 'I can't fault my team for anything,' he said. 'We did everything we could, and they're a great team. This is the top level, you can't make mistakes because they'll cost you dearly. We took a chance with our substitutions to take advantage of having an extra man, but we weren't able to do it. I have nothing but words of gratitude for everyone's support.'
'I would have liked to say goodbye to my people with a victory – for everyone to be satisfied. It hurts. It hurts a lot… but well, I don't have many more words. I'm not going to make excuses; a loss is a loss. They scored three goals from four or five shots, while we had 18 shots – six or seven on target – but that counts for nothing. We lost. Our opponent didn't make mistakes against us. We wish them a great World Cup.'
Borgetti's angry reaction
Not everyone within Mexican football was so magnanimous, however, with former striker Borgetti declaring himself 'angry' as England 'did not deserve' to go through. 'I'm sad, sad. I'm angry because it wasn't more,' Borgetti, Mexico's third leading goalscorer of all time, told ESPN. Asked by a presenter why he felt 'angry', the 52-year-old added: 'Because I believe Mexico deserved more. We were ready for more. Sometimes things don't work out like you want them to, how you've planned them to and I believe sometimes it's a little bit of luck, no?'
'Look at all the attempts. There are some who sometimes get a lot despite not doing a lot. And I believe England did not deserve this win. I think it was a matter of holding on, waiting and making the most of the chances they got, and they did that, that's fine, you can also win that way. And it hurts me because I believe Mexico could have done more, needed to have done more and deserved more. England, despite it not being their great match, won the match, without even knowing how.'
