World Cup: Mexico stuns Germany 1-0

June 17 (UPI) -- The Mexican national football team was confident, and that confidence led to Mexico snatching a 1-0 win over reigning world champion Germany in a tense opening Group F match at the 2018 FIFA World Cup on Sunday in Moscow.

Both teams played previously at the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia, where the Germans stunned Mexico 4-1 in a semifinal match of the tournament, which came a year before the world's main quadrennial football championship.

The match at the legendary 80,000-seat capacity Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow was attended by over 78,000 people on Sunday night with an almost equal number of football fans in the stands from Germany and Mexico, mixed with numerous football fans, who sported bright yellow colors of the Brazilian national team.

The game blasted off with two rapid offensive attacks by the Mexican squad on the goal of the reigning world champions in the opening minutes of the match.

The German team seemed rattled by the energy of their opponents as restless Mexican players continued delivering attacks on goal, guarded by German team captain and goalie Manuel Neuer.

Mexico's frantic energy yielded a positive result on the 35th minute of the match after 22-year-old striker Hirving Lazano rushed on the left, paused for a brief cutback and then fired a shot into the German net to give his team a 1-0 lead over the defending world champions.

The Mexican side kept pressing the Germans throughout the first half, but the score of 1-0 did not change as the teams entered halftime.

Germany appeared refreshed after the break and took an initiative on the offensive side early in the second half, but Mexico stood solid with goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa leading the way.

The closing 15 minutes of the second half saw an array of yellow cards, with two handed out to German players and one flashed for a Mexican player.

Although the German squad increased the pressure on their opponents in the closing minutes of the game, Mexico managed to close out the 1-0 victory.

Team Mexico is playing its next Group F match against South Korea on June 23 in the city of Rostov-on-Don, while Germany is set to play on the same date against the national squad from Sweden at Fisht Stadium in Sochi.