Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio said his plan to beat Germany in their World Cup opener on Sunday was six months in the making, although he refused to take any credit.

Injuries forced the engaging Colombian to alter the plan somewhat, but one constant requirement was pace on the wings, in the shape of goal-scorer Hirving Lozano and attacking midfielder Miguel Layun.

Lozano, tipped to be Mexican soccer's next big thing at just 22, repeatedly tormented Germany's left flank with pacey, incisive runs -- none more so than when the PSV Eindhoven player turned Mesut Ozil in the box and blasted the right-footed winner into the bottom corner.

"In the first half, we managed to play defensively with a great deal of intelligence and hurt them on the counter. We could have scored much earlier, actually," said Osorio, whose players call him The Professor. "With all due respect, I think in the first half we were the superior team."

Germany boss Joachim Low agreed.

"In the first half, we played very badly. We were not able to impose our usual way of playing," the now three-time World Cup manager said.

"It was clear that the wing positions of Mexico are very, very strong in the one-on-one...We said that if the ball comes into our half it is important to double up, have two players there to compensate for the one-on-one."

"If a player like Hirving Lozano has so much space and can run like that then it is simply not easy."

Making things "not easy" was part of Osorio's master plan, but it also needed bravery and heart, things his team had in spades, he said.

Osorio knew that to get the best out of his players when faced with FIFA's world No. 1 team on FIFA's No. 1 stage, he needed to simplify their task.

"I tried to remove the extra pressure from my players," he said. "I think today they really focused on the beautiful game and tried to win every duel, every lost ball and I think we competed at a very high level against the world champions."

Mexico's first World Cup win over Germany in four tries not only got that particular monkey off their back, it might also be a watershed moment in the eyes of the world.

"I think that this is a milestone for Mexican football and I think that now more attention will be paid to Mexican players," Osorio said. "Mexico showed that we have a bright future. I am very satisfied with what we did."

Satisfied, maybe, but still not willing to bask in any personal glory.

"No matter what the result is, I will accept it, I will be responsible. When they win, they get the credit. When they lose, it is my fault.

"That's the way it is. The way football has always been."