Mexican fans meltdown after Tri’s defeat

Mexican fan with tears

Published on front page of Reforma newspaper on 28/06/10

 

The humiliation was too much for many fans after Argentina crushed Mexico 3-1 in a win or die match to qualify to the quarter-finals. This match promised to be the rematch of Mexico against Argentina, in which the South American team defeated the Aztec national team four years back on German soil in the same stage of the World Cup.

Spain fail to get us on our feet

So are you still watching? It's fair to say that the neutrals (excluding Switzerland for once) wanted Spain not just to win, but to win well. This has been a World Cup that, thus far, has been lacking in world-class play. It comes to something when Germany - efficient, mechanical old Germany - are considered the flair team of the tournament.

 

The obvious answer is that managers have learnt their lessons from mistakes by their predecessors. Avoiding defeat in their first match has become their priority. As Arsene Wenger put it this week: "In the first round teams play more not to lose than to win. The games are quite locked tactically with very few chances and very few have had a go. The pressure of the World Cup is so intense nobody wants to lose that first game."