Mexico boss Javier Aguirre described the potential change to the last-16 showdown with England as a “kick in the stomach.” FIFA was weighing moving the Estadio Azteca fixture from 6pm local time (1pm BST) to an earlier slot because of the threat of weather disruption. No decision had been announced by late Friday night, but Aguirre said the move would “really hit us hard.” “It’s like a kick in the stomach,” he told Radio Formula. “Now we have to change the entire work plan. I’m not saying it goes completely out the window – but almost, because you’re losing six hours that were already scheduled. I don’t like it at all, but obviously we’ll comply with what FIFA says. Neither my players nor I like it. This changes everything because you have to reschedule everything and wake up earlier. I don’t like the idea at all.” Mexico have won all four games of the tournament without conceding a goal. England face the added challenge of altitude and a hostile atmosphere, with Aguirre calling the 6pm kick-off “perfectly fine.” The 67-year-old insisted his side would not gain any extra advantage from a changed kick-off. “Nobody asked me,” he added. “At 6pm we were perfectly fine. We’ve performed very well at that time. It’s an ideal kick-off, and I love it because we play well then. Noon is not a common time for us. I don’t think we’ve played at 12pm in 40 years. This team has never played at that hour under me. I don’t agree with it, and nobody asked me, but FIFA decides and I comply. I don’t see any advantage, none at all. Ever since the match against Ecuador ended, we knew we were playing at 6pm, and now this really hits us hard.”
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