World Cup roundup: Ochoa helps Mexico top Group A, Morocco win six-goal thriller

Last night might have been one of the most entertaining at the 2026 World Cup yet.

Mexico were out to end the group stage with a 100% from their three matches in Group A, while Haiti wanted end their first tournament in 52 years in style by giving Morocco a real run for their money.

FromTheSpot looks back on the action from Wednesday night and Thursday morning, and what it means going forward in this World Cup.

Czechia 0-3 Mexico: Ochoa gets his moment

The co-hosts have so far had the best campaign at the World Cup, save for the fact that USMNT are yet to play their final group game against Turkey.

All of El Tri’s goals came in a storming second half performance, courtesy of Mateo Chavez’s curling strike, the Saudi Pro League’s top scorer Julián Quiñones, and then Álvaro Fidalgo’s strike in stoppage time.

But it was their iconic goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa who stole the show, being substituted on with 12 minutes left to make his 154th international cap for Mexico on his sixth appearance at the World Cup finals.

The 40-year-old legend ensured Mexico ended the group stage without conceding a single goal and eased into the round of 32 on home soil, and was serenaded at full time as his teammates hoisted him high into the air.

He endeared himself to Mexicans everywhere with save after save at the 2014 World Cup and kept Czechia out on a perfect night for the World Cup co-hosts – one that could be Ochoa’s final appearance as his team prepare for the knockouts.

Morocco 4-2 Haiti: Goals galore as Africans progress

Who could have seen this coming?

Morocco entered into this tie as clear favourites for an easy victory, against a Haiti side that hadn’t yet scored a goal. But they gave Scotland a few scares in their opening match, and this was also the case here.

An own goal from goalkeeper Yassine Bounou after Lenny Joseph’s ingenious flick towards the net got the Haitians up and running inside 10 minutes, before Achraf Hakimi tapped in to equalizer with half time looming.

But Wilson Isidor finally made his mark at the World Cup before the whistle blew, unleashing a brilliant effort into the top left corner from the edge of the penalty area minutes later to stun the African Cup of Nations winners yet again.

To round off the best half of football at the tournament yet, Ismael Saibari – who dropped down from striker into the number 10 position behind Ayoub El-Khaabi – notched his third goal in as many games with a tidy finish to make it 2-2.

The African side ended up running away with it in the second period as goals from Soufiane Rahimi and 20-year-old Strasbourg winger Gessime Yassine ended their team’s group campaign by moving second and level on seven points with Brazil.

South Africa 1-0 South Korea: Bafana Bafana remedy horror start

It’d be safe to assume that many had written off South Africa shortly after losing 3-0 to Mexico in the opening match and having both Yaya Sithole and veteran Themba Zwane sent off. Well, they were wrong.

Thapelo Maseko scored the only goal of a game – drilling Tshepang Moremi’s cross into the bottom left – to win what has been dubbed ‘the South Derby’ and book Bafana Bafana’s spot in the last 32 of the World Cup.

His side finished second in Group A on four points, completing a miraculous recovery that goes to show anyone’s tournament really isn’t over until it’s over. Mathematically, that is.

South Korea are still likely to make the cut. With three points from their opening 2-1 win over Czechia and a goal difference of -1, they currently rank fourth out of the 12 sides and can expect to play in the round of 32 starting on June 28th.

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