England’s clash with Mexico due to remain at scheduled time
· Yahoo Sports
England’s World Cup last-16 game against Mexico will kick-off as scheduled on Sunday, the Press Association understands.
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Thomas Tuchel’s men take on the co-hosts in a mouth-watering clash at the Estadio Azteca with kick-off scheduled for 6 pm (2100 GMT).
Talks took place with relevant stakeholders about moving the game forward due to possible adverse weather conditions in Mexico City, with a new time of 12 pm being widely reported.
FIFA sources indicated no decision was taken to reschedule and the relevant stakeholders will continue monitoring relevant factors.
Under safety rules, games face an automatic 30-minute delay if lightning strikes within eight miles of the stadium, with the clock resetting each time there is a new strike.
FIFA’s World Cup regulations say the governing body has “the right to cancel, reschedule or relocate one or more matches…for any reason at its sole discretion, including as a result of force majeure or due to health, safety or security concerns”.
England playmaker Morgan Rogers said of any potential change: “It’s just another obstacle to overcome. We’ll be ready regardless of the time.
“I’m not concerned about it, but won’t be happy if it wakes me up, I’ll be honest. We’ll deal with it as best as possible. It’s another obstacle to get over.”
England team-mate Marcus Rashford also downplayed the impact of a potential kick-off change.
“I think for us it’s the same, how we prepare for the game,” the forward said. “It has to be the same, we have to be focused, we have to be ready for anything.
“I think it’s one strength of the group, everyone included, the players, the staff, we’re ready for whatever challenges get thrown at us. Obviously it’s not ideal, but also it doesn’t matter.”
The prospect of the fixture time moving shocked former England right-back and coach Gary Neville.
“For our players it’s worse, it’s a sporting disadvantage to England,” he said on ITV. “There’s a sporting integrity issue here as well because I’ve never seen a League Two game moved, I’ve never seen a Sunday League game moved.
“FIFA are just willy nilly making it up and moving a game. It just feels a little bit sort of strange.”
A kick-off alteration would only add to what England boss Tuchel knew would be “a lot, a lot, a lot of obstacles” awaiting them in Mexico.
An intimidating atmosphere awaits at the Azteca, while the visitors are braced for hostility outside the team hotel.
But altitude could be the biggest challenge, with the match taking place more than 2,000 metres above sea level.
Tuchel said: “My understanding is that we cannot adapt to the altitude.
“That is just a huge advantage that Mexico will have. It just takes too much time.
“We have only three days in between (the last-32 win over DR Congo and the Mexico game). This is physically just not possible to adapt to the altitude, which is quite high.
“We knew that before, so this is just something, it’s just a disadvantage, with which we will have to deal.”