From frustration to party time: Mexico ready for lift-off after steady start

The opening night against South Africa was met with mixed feelings but Thursday night’s South Korea clash promises to spark feelgood factor

The mood in Mexico City last Thursday night, after a 2-0 win over South Africa in the opening game of the World Cup, was gleeful. Fans crowded around the Angel of Independence, and Calle Río Sena was not merely rammed but carried the smell of urine and spilled beer that tends to characterise mass celebrations. The big roundabout at Insurgentes, where the night before a Beatles tribute act had entertained students, was packed with green shirts. And yet there was a sense that something was missing.

This was in Roma Norte, a relatively wealthy area an hour or so north of the Azteca, and it was notable how many of the shirts seemed box-fresh. A significant proportion of those there were Mexicans who lived in the US. A persistent theme over the first few days of the tournament is how the fans who regularly go to Liga MX games have been priced out. A few minutes from the stadium, in a simple bar just off Avenida del Imán, where the tables were upturned barrels and a sweating teenager grilled burritos on a hot plate, the mood was slightly more ambivalent. Couples danced in the street outside, and there was a general sense of relief. After a group-stage exit in 2022, Mexico can at least now be relatively sure of making the last 32. And there was delight for Raúl Jiménez who, in his fourth World Cup, finally scored his first goal. But there were also two gripes.

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