Mexico's mental fortitude to come to the fore and other talking points as Group F leaders prepare for Sweden clash

ALL IN THE HEAD FOR MEXICO

Mexico played with great verve in their famous win against Germany, and matched that against South Korea, dominating a game they really should have won by more than the eventual 2-1 scoreline.

Can they produce a third straight performance of the same ilk and quality? Sweden will be a tougher nut to crack, with a well-organised defence and a team wary of being hit on the counter. Mexico will not be able to catch them by surprise, so if they win it will be after going toe-to-toe with their European foes.

It will help this is a must-win game for Sweden, while Mexico will top the group with a draw. Still, the weight of expectation will come with its own challenge for El Tri, one they will have to manage the entire game – and especially if they fall behind.

If that does happen, Mexico will need to keep their heads for entirely different reasons. There is still the slightest chance that they don’t qualify for the last 16 – if they lose to Sweden and Germany win their game, all three sides will be on six points and it will come down to goal difference – so Mexico will have to avoid panicking.

Regardless of how the game’s going, the game will test their mental fortitude.

CAN SWEDEN SHOW MORE ATTACKING IMPETUS?

Sweden have made a name for themselves as a hard-working, spirited side, but on Wednesday they will need to find a more expansive version of themselves. The easiest way to guarantee qualification for the last 16 is by winning with a two-goal margin or more, which means Sweden will have to be more attacking than they usually are.

It’s something they’re quite capable of – their qualifying run for this tournament saw them score 26 times in 10 games, including an 8-0 win over Luxembourg and a 4-0 and 3-0 wins over Belarus.

It’s one thing beating up on a couple of European minnows, however, and entirely another trying to rack up the goals against a side that has been one of the best in this tournament.

This could be a game where their lack of star power hurts them – Sweden don’t seem to have a player who can take a game by the scruff of its neck and dominate it, at least not from an attacking sense. Coaxing that sort of performance out of one or more of his squad will be manager Janne Andersson’s toughest task against Mexico.

MEXICO’S GOLDEN GENERATION CAN ACHIEVE CROWNING MOMENT

Hirving Lozano may have stolen all the headlines for Mexico as their country’s next big young hope, but in truth this is a veteran side, with players like Chicharito, Carlos Vela, Miguel Layun, Hector Herrera, and Andres Guardado all having experienced big games for their national teams.

Mexico have been a fixture in the last 16 at recent World Cups, so they’ve been in high-pressure situations together, and it would be a stretch to say that this is the biggest game they’ve faced together.

Yet as they usually enter last-16 ties as underdogs, this game will provide a different sort of pressure. They have an opponent they would normally be expected to find tough, but not on current form, and not based on the way they’ve raised expectations at this tournament.

Chicharito especially has struggled to live up to the hype at football’s biggest tournament, even as he’s embarked on a glittering career that’s taken him to the top of his country’s scoring charts as well as great success at club level. He’s only scored four times at a World Cup, at three different tournaments, but in Russia he’s been a driving force in attack.

Mexico will need that sort of performance from him and his colleagues to see this through.