Pakistan, July 1 -- Julian Quinones continued his outstanding FIFA World Cup campaign by scoring as Mexico defeated Ecuador 2-0 on Tuesday, securing a place in the round of 16. The Colombian-born forward netted his third goal of the tournament, giving home supporters fresh hope that the co-hosts can finally break through their long-standing World Cup barrier and challenge for greater success.

The victory also ended Mexico's 40-year wait for a World Cup knockout-stage win, with their previous success coming in a 2-0 victory over Bulgaria at the Azteca Stadium in 1986. Since then, talented Mexican teams repeatedly failed to progress beyond the group stage or the first knockout round, making this result a significant milestone for both the ...