is counting on a huge home-field advantage to help it reach the quarterfinals for the first time in 40 years.
England stands in the way.
It鈥檚 one of two epic round of 16 knockout matchups on Sunday. Brazil faces Norway in the other game.
Mexico appears to have its best chance in decades to end the drought in what many are calling the biggest match in the country鈥檚 history, largely because of where the game will be played.
Mexico has won eight matches and tied two at their 鈥渉ome鈥� stadium since opened in 1966.
In this tournament, El Tri has three home wins without conceding a goal. Mexico won 2-0 against South Africa and 3-0 against the Czech Republic in the group stage, and beat Ecuador 2-0 in the round of 32. Mexico also defeated South Korea 1-0 in the group stage in a game that was played in Guadalajara.
鈥淭he stadium is a monster; that explains the high number of wins and draws, and the few losses 鈥� which were just accidents,鈥� said Hugo S谩nchez, the striker who played for Mexico in the 1986 World Cup and now serves as an ESPN analyst. 鈥淲e approach this with optimism because we know it鈥檚 England, but if we play the way we did against Ecuador, we can beat them.鈥�
Since last reaching the quarterfinals in 1986, Mexico failed to make the tournament once, failed to advance out of group stage play once and been bounced in the round of 16 seven times.
鈥淚鈥檓 one of those who couldn鈥檛 make it through; it happened to me in South Africa and Korea,鈥� said Javier Aguirre, who managed El Tri during those campaigns. 鈥淚t鈥檚 deeply painful because you play a great group stage, only to be knocked out for a variety of reasons.鈥�
England ready for the challenge of playing at the high altitude of Azteca Stadium
England knows it will have to battle more than Mexico to advance to the quarterfinals for the third straight time at the World Cup.
sits at more than 7,300 feet (2,200 meters) above sea level and for elite athletes to perform at their peak at high altitude, a period of adaption is required to reduce fatigue caused by lower atmospheric pressure and reduced oxygen availability, experts say.
It is generally recommend an extended acclimation period of at least two weeks, or the 鈥渇ly-in, fly-out鈥� method of arriving as close to game time as possible before acute symptoms set in, according to sports scientists.
鈥淢y understanding is that we cannot adapt to the altitude. That is just a huge advantage that Mexico will have,鈥� England coach Thomas Tuchel said earlier this week. 鈥淚t just takes too much time.鈥�
The game will be Mexico City鈥檚 fifth and final match of this year鈥檚 World Cup.
Harry Kane putting together an exceptional World Cup
England will be counting big time on Harry Kane to deliver in its round of 16 knockout match against Mexico.
罢丑补迟鈥檚 in the World Cup.
England trailed for the opening 75 minutes of its round of 32 match against Congo on Wednesday, Kane remained confident. The 6-foot-2 forward scored two late to earn a and send England to the round of 16 to face Mexico in Mexico City.
Kane said the key to playing at the highest level is bringing consistency to everyday training.
Round of 16 schedule
Sunday, July 5:
鈥� Brazil vs. Norway, 4 p.m. EDT in East Rutherford, New Jersey (Fox/Telemundo/Peacock)
鈥� Mexico vs. England, 8 p.m. EDT in Mexico City (Fox/Telemundo/Peacock)
Monday, July 6:
鈥� Portugal vs. Spain, 3 p.m. EDT in Arlington, Texas (Fox/Telemundo/Peacock)
鈥� United States vs. Belgium, 8 p.m. EDT in Seattle, Washington (Fox/Telemundo/Peacock)
Tuesday, July 7:
鈥� Argentina vs. Egypt, noon EDT in Atlanta, Georgia (Fox/Telemundo/Peacock)
鈥� Switzerland vs. Colombia, 4 p.m. EDT in Vancouver, British Columbia (Fox/Telemundo/Peacock)
Brazil faces Norway in epic clash, looking to avenge a stunning 1998 World Cup loss
Norway is hoping for a repeat of its during the 1998 World Cup.
However, Norway remains a slight underdog as it tries to advance to face the winner of the matchup between Mexico and England outside Miami on July 11.
Sele莽茫o has won three in a row since opening the tournament with , also at the Meadowlands in northern New Jersey.
Norway has a win of its own at the stadium outside New York, to advance to the knockout round. Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti called Norway a challenging opponent because of structure, as well as talent.
鈥淭hey have great players,鈥� Brazil midfielder Bruno Guimar茫es said through an interpreter. 鈥淭hey are not in the knockout rounds by accident. It鈥檚 not that we are not respecting Norway. We just believe in our football. We believe in our country, and we want to continue on this dream.鈥�
Norway鈥檚 Erling Haaland and Brazil鈥檚 Vin铆cius J煤nior are the stars to watch
Erling Haaland has five goals at the World Cup for Norway and 25 over his past 14 competitive matches internationally and 60 in 53 with the national team.
But he faces a formidable challenge against Brazil鈥檚 back line duo of Gabriel Magalh茫es and Marquinhos that Norway coach St氓le Solbakken called one of the best central defenses around.
鈥淭here will certainly be some tough duels between them and Erling,鈥� Solbakken said. 鈥淏ut for me, it鈥檚 more about Brazil against Norway and not that those two against Erling.鈥�
Brazil has a dangerous forward trio led by , who has combined with Matheus Cunha for seven goals through four games.
Asked to compare the 6-foot-5, 205-pound Haaland and the 5-foot-9, 170-pounder known as 鈥淰in铆,鈥� Solbakken said, 鈥淥ne is a machine that you can see the accelerations and the great physique, and the other is more a ballerina that can dance with the ball.鈥�
Guimar茫es called Haaland one of the best attacking players in the world, in the same stratosphere as England鈥檚 Harry Kane.
鈥淗e is really something else,鈥� Guimar茫es said. 鈥淲e have to mark and attack. We do have to attack, but we got to make sure that somebody stays on him because with one ball he can decide the match and we don鈥檛 want to let him have it.鈥�
Brazil’s Lucas Paquet谩 not expected to play against Norway
Brazil is expected to be without midfielder Lucas Paquet谩 against Norway.
Paquet谩 limped off at halftime and did not return for the due to a hamstring injury.
鈥淲e do not have anyone else on the team with the same characteristics of Lucas Paquet谩, so we鈥檒l have to find someone else,鈥� Ancelotti said, while declining to reveal his plan.
On the flip side, Norway defender Julian Ryerson is a candidate to return after leaving early in the game against Senegal on June 22 with injury.
More World Cup news
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Stat of the day
Morocco’s Brahaim Diaz now has four assists and owns the all-time record for most assists by any African player in World Cup history. He is only the second African to have three assists in a single tournament, joining Morocco鈥檚 Tahar El-Khalej (1998).
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AP Sports Writers Carlos Rodriguez and Stephen Whyno contributed to this report.
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