Mexico host Ecuador with Azteca unbeaten record at stake

Ecuador at the Azteca, and history is on your side

Mexico has never lost a World Cup match at the Estadio Azteca. That record goes on the line Tuesday night when your team faces Ecuador in the Round of 32 (4).

Kickoff is 22:00 Brasília time, which is late evening in Mexico City (3).

Jesús Gallardo put the mood simply: "The support of the fans motivates us. It doesn't make us nervous because we feel we are at home, with our people behind us. You can tell the crowd is really involved with us, and we want to repay them by giving them that joy" (4).

Aguirre needs one more win to reach the last 16

The host nation can book a spot in the Round of 16 with a victory. Mexico enters on three straight wins in the tournament (6). Javier Aguirre has called on the Azteca crowd to tip the scales in an all-Latin American knockout tie.

Ecuador arrive with Plata firing

Ecuador reached this stage by beating Germany, with Gonzalo Plata scoring the winner (3). Their attack has decisions to make: two spots for three players up front against Mexico, and Enner Valencia may start on the bench (3).

The likely Ecuador lineup includes Hernán Galíndez in goal, a backline of Alan Franco, Joel Ordóñez, Willian Pacho, and Piero Hincapié, with Moisés Caicedo and Pervis Estupiñán anchoring midfield (3).