Mexico remain winless after their first two matches at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, following up their 0-0 draw with Poland by losing 2-0 to Argentina on Saturday. El Tri find themselves dead last in Group C, but still with a realistic chance to advance when they face off against Saudi Arabia on Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET. Still, there are big issues, mainly not being able to score a goal in 180 minutes of action. To advance, Mexico have to win and see the Poland vs. Argentina match go their way, but it's complicated.
What are the scenarios facing Tata Martino's side in a do-or-die battle against the confident Saudis?
Here's what to know:
How Mexico can advance: Simple permutations
· Win and have Poland beat Argentina: This is the most straightforward route to the round of 16. A win over Saudi Arabia combined with Poland beating Argentina will be enough for Martino's team to advance. There would be no need to factor in any sort of goal differential in this scenario.
· Win and have Argentina beat or tie Poland while securing a superior goal differential: This is where it gets crazy. Mexico have to win regardless, but if they can win and boost their goal differential, they could potentially sneak past Argentina or Poland (depending on how that games if finishes).
As an example, if Mexico win 2-0, they would have four points and a goal differential of zero. If Argentina beat Poland 3-0, Mexico would, in this scenario, overtake Poland for second place on goal differential to advance. Right now, Mexico are -4 compared to Mexico and -3 compared to Argentina. There is a chance that Mexico win and still go home. Mexico fans will want Poland to beat Argentina or for Argentina to blow Poland out. It's a tricky situation for sure.
World Cup: Group C standings
| TEAM | MP | W | D | L | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Poland | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +2 | 4 |
Argentina | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Saudi Arabia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 3 |
| Mexico | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -2 | 1 |
World Cup: Group C schedule
All times U.S. Eastern. You can stream every match on fuboTV (Try for free).
Tuesday, Nov. 29
Poland vs. Argentina, 2 p.m. on Fox and Universo
Saudi Arabia vs. Mexico, 2 p.m. on FS1 and Telemundo
And here's the full bracket:
Click here to enlarge and print the blank 2022 World Cup wall chart.