Mexico rescues a draw against South Korea with a goal from Santiago Giménez.

The Mexican national soccer team drew 2-2 against South Korea in a friendly match held at Geodis Park in Nashville, United States, closing out its FIFA World Cup campaign with two consecutive draws.

The scoring opened in Mexico's favor in the 22nd minute. Raúl Jiménez headed in a precise cross from Rodrigo Huescas , putting Javier Aguirre's team ahead. However, the Asians were quick to react. Before scoring, Bae Jun-ho and Oh Hyeon-Gyu challenged goalkeeper Raúl Rangel with shots that grazed the goal, demonstrating South Korea 's intensity in attack from the start.

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After Mexico's goal, the game remained balanced in midfield. Hirving Lozano tried a shot inside the box that went wide, and Johan Vásquez closed out the first half with a shot that was saved by the opposing goalkeeper.

The second half brought multiple changes for both teams. Mexico brought on Carlos Rodríguez , Diego Lainez , Alexis Vega , and Santiago Giménez , while South Korea bolstered its attack with the introduction of Son Heung-Min , Kim Jin-Gyu , Jeong Sang-Bin, and Lee Tae-Seok .

The tie came in the 65th minute. Son Heung-Min , following a headed pass from Oh Hyeon-Gyu , finished with his left foot from inside the box to make it 1-1. Ten minutes later, Oh Hyeon-Gyu appeared again after a counterattack led by Lee Kang-In and finished with his right foot to put South Korea in front 2-1.

Mexico tried to react with shots from Alexis Vega , Érick Sánchez , and Santiago Giménez , but were unsuccessful in the following minutes. As the game drew to a close, the Asian team controlled the ball, committing strategic fouls and closing down spaces.

When the match seemed lost for Mexico, Santiago Giménez took the ball just outside the area, turned around and shot with a half-turn to score the final 2-2 in the 95th minute. With this result, Mexico concludes the FIFA World Cup with a draw against Japan (0-0) and another against South Korea , leaving doubts about its defensive performance and solidity ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Coach Javier Aguirre will have to adjust his defensive and offensive system for the upcoming matches, while fans analyze the players' performances. Despite the opportunities generated by Huescas , Jiménez , and Giménez , the national team continues to face challenges in coordinating its midfield and defense.

The final draw reflects the need to consolidate both offense and defense, especially in the final minutes of the match, where Mexico allowed South Korea to briefly take the lead before equalizing. The national team will return to Mexico to continue its preparations for the 2026 World Cup, with the aim of improving its performance and correcting errors detected during the September friendlies.