Mexico City [Mexico], July 5 (ANI): Ahead of his side’s round of 16 FIFA World Cup clash against Mexico at the iconic Azteca Stadium, England coach Thomas Tuchel said that his side is not using late Argentina icon Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ goal against them at the same venue in the 1986 edition of the tournament as an inspiration, but rather is here to “write their own chapters”.
England will take on a dominant Mexico side in their round of 16 clash scheduled for July 6, 5:30 AM IST, who have a dominant record at the iconic venue and the advantage of being used to the high altitude, something which England are not accustomed to. Also, one more thing haunting England during this clash could be the ‘Hand of God’ goal by Maradona, which the legendary footballer scored against them in the 1986 WC quarterfinal at the same venue. While Maradona hit the header, the referee missed a clear handball and allowed the goal to stand, and it became immortalised as the ‘Hand of God’ goal, playing its part in Argentina’s 1986 World Cup win.
Speaking ahead of the match, Tuchel said on the ‘Hand of God’ goal, as quoted by Sky Sports, “Everyone remembers the goal, and of course it is an iconic goal. Two iconic goals in this stadium. A huge disadvantage for the English team, and of course, this is painful and still hurts, but we are not here for revenge.”
“It does not make sense. It is the same stadium, but it is not the same opponent, and even then, it does not make sense. We are here to write our own chapters. The team is ready, we are in good spirits, and we are ready to go,” he signed off.
Since first playing at the venue in 1966, Mexico have lost just twice in competitive matches at the Estadio Azteca, underlining its reputation as one of football’s most difficult away grounds. In 89 matches played there, they have recorded 70 wins and 17 draws, showcasing a dominant home advantage over decades.
England now face a stern test as they prepare to take on the hosts in front of a home crowd, with Mexico’s strong record at the Azteca adding further weight to the knockout encounter. Another challenge for England will be the high-altitude conditions at Estadio Azteca, with the pitch situated at around 7,220 ft (2,240 metres) above sea level. The thinner air at this height reduces oxygen levels for players and also allows the ball to travel faster and farther compared to lower-altitude venues such as Atlanta Stadium (312 m above sea level), where England faced DR Congo in the Round of 32 clash. (ANI)
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