- England beat Mexico 3-2 in the 1/8 final at Estadio Azteca, and the goals were preceded by xG data for the teams.
- Jarell Quansah’s 54th-minute goal for England put them ahead, after which they won 49 clearances to 37 for the other team.
- Ezri Konsa explained his success from the “brotherhood” that started with him, Dan Burn and John Stones.
England beat Mexico 3-2 in their 1/8 final match at Estadio Azteca. The statistics show that England had 20 shots on goal, while Mexico had 19 without penalties in total, and the result was clarified by 1.09 expected goals (xG), which indicates the teams’ superiority at the moment of the goals.
After Jarell Quansah’s 54th-minute goal, England took the lead over their opponents, and they then scored on the line through John Stones, Djed Spence and Dan Burn, as well as Marc Guéhi and Ezri Konsa, who added a second goal from a pair of defenders. After that goal, the team had 49 wins (clearances), while the other team had 37, with 20 successful passes after 81 minutes.
The material also provides statistics about Mexico with England: the team had 52 shots on goal, with Roberto Alvarado scoring 23 of them, 19 of which were on target, more than England. It is worth noting that the advantage in shots was not the only reason for England’s victory, as the difference in the number of shots was not decisive either. The author says that the team’s performance and the match’s key moments are reflected in the expected goals (xG) indicator, which shows the teams’ superiority at the time of the goals.
A publication about the match notes Jordan Pickford: in the Premier League season, he made 18 punches, so it is no surprise that he also scored tackles during the match in which England won. The material also states that Pickford recorded a maximum number of punches at the World Cup match in 1974.
In the end, Ezri Konsa commented on his “brotherhood” with the team. Konsa said that the team’s “brotherhood” helped, and that it was through his own experience and understanding that the players were able to win. In turn, Dan Burn and John Stones, who won on the field, called it “excellent,” and the defenders named the team’s “togetherness” as the key to their “defensively.”
The material, based on the author’s own research, also notes that England’s success against Mexico is not accidental. The author says that the team’s performance in the past matches shows a clear pattern: they were able to score against West Germany at the 1990 World Cup, against the Netherlands at Euro 96, against Argentina in the 1/8 final of the 1998 World Cup, and that the team’s style of play and key moments have been consistent throughout the tournament.