'Chucky' strikes for Mexico

MOSCOW (AP):

Defending World Cup champions have been finding it hard to get out of the group stage lately, and Germany are proving no exception.

The 2014 champions, ranked No. 1 in the world, were exposed defensively and surprisingly beaten by Mexico 1-0 yesterday, putting their hopes of advancement in doubt.

Well, not everyone is in doubt.

"We will make it," Germany coach Joachim Loew said. "There's no reason to fall apart because you lose one game."

Hirving Lozano scored the lone goal in the 35th minute, picking up Javier Hernandez's pass inside the penalty area and beating Mesut Ozil before shooting past Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer from 10 yards.

The goal decided the match a match Germany didn't expect to lose.

"I don't know if it's the biggest victory in (Mexico's) history, but one of the biggest for sure," Lozano said. "My teammates and I did some great work. We all ran our hearts out. This is the result of all that hard work."

Three of the previous four defending World Cup champions failed to reach the knockout stages, France, Italy and Spain. Two of them lost their opening matches while the Italians had to settle for a draw.

Mexico had never beaten Germany in a competitive match but were transformed from the team which lost to the Germans 4-1 in last year's Confederations Cup, conceding twice in the opening eight minutes.

Lozano, a 22-year-old forward nicknamed "Chucky," got Mexico going with a deflected shot over the bar in the first minute. That set the tone for Mexico to torment Germany on the counterattack, with Lozano taking full advantage of right back Joshua Kimmich's tendency to go forward.

"We were nervous and we weren't playing the game we wanted to play," Loew said. "We need to see what caused this."

After Lozano's goal, Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa pulled off a spectacular save to keep the score even, palming Toni Kroos' shot onto the crossbar.

WHY CHUCKY?

Lozano's nickname comes from the haunted doll Chucky in the "Child's Play" franchise of horror movies.

He doesn't share the doll's red hair, but got the name as a young player at Mexican club Pachuca when he played pranks by hiding under teammates' beds.