Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 4
Shearer Backs England to Beat Mexico in Azteca Quarter-Final as Hosts Lost 2 of 89 There
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 4

Shearer Backs England to Beat Mexico in Azteca Quarter-Final as Hosts Lost 2 of 89 There

3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 4

Summary

  • Azteca Stadium's altitude, hostile crowd and Mexico's home edge will not intimidate England, Alan Shearer said, predicting Tuchel's side will win if they focus on the game rather than the occasion.
  • 89 competitive home games since 1966 have brought Mexico only two defeats at the Azteca, but Shearer said that record is less daunting on closer inspection and should be treated as another challenge to embrace.
  • Thomas Tuchel still faces selection calls at right-back and on both wings, with Julian Quinones' 3 World Cup goals a key threat and Anthony Gordon pushing to start after his cameo against DR Congo.
  • England also need a much faster start than in the DR Congo match, Shearer said, warning that falling behind again in Mexico City would make a comeback far harder.

Insights

Is England’s late arrival a fatal gamble against Mexico’s punishing high-altitude advantage?
Can Tuchel's tactics overcome scientific warnings and the ghosts of England's past at the Azteca?