Gelsenkirchen, Germany – The tens of thousands of Mexican soccer fans who have traversed this country following their team have dreamed that El Tri would finally get past a World Cup quarterfinal.
Mexico has never done it. Every four years, Mexico thinks it can do it.
Mexico, dream on.
It qualified for the round of 16 Wednesday despite a 2-1 loss to Portugal to end Group D play, but this team has turned into a Volkswagen in a nation filled with Mercedes. Playing against a team that didn’t need the game nearly as much and which rested five starters to avoid getting second yellow cards and one-match suspensions, Mexico couldn’t even garner a draw.
Mexico fell behind within six minutes, its star received a hand-ball penalty leading to a second goal, its leading scorer missed a penalty shot and one starter was ejected, forcing Mexico to play a man down the last 30 minutes.
Not that the Mexican fans can’t still dream, but the obscenities they rained on outgoing coach Ricardo La Volpe after the game may indicate they’re saving their dreams for 2010. La Volpe could have taken a cue from Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, who turned to the Mexican fans at the final buzzer and gave them an obscene Italian salute.
“We also learn from our mistakes,” said Rafael Marquez, who had the hand ball. “Now the World Cup is really underway. It really hurt to hear our own fans boo us.”
In order to miss the round of 16, Mexico needed to lose and for Angola to wallop Iran. Angola’s 1-1 tie kept Mexico alive, but it may be on life support until Saturday’s second-round game with heavily favored Argentina, the Group C winner.
Since defeating Iran, Mexico has scored one goal in two games. Granted, star forward Jared Borgetti missed his second consecutive game with a torn thigh muscle, but Jose Fonseca’s header into the right corner in the 29th minute has been Mexico’s lone score.
“We’re getting decent shots,” La Volpe said. “They’re just not going in. We’ve got forwards who are reliable. We get to the opposing goaltender. But we need to see if we can get more positive results.”
It doesn’t help playing catch-up after six minutes. Portugal, which already had clinched a second-round spot, scored on its first shot. Simao Sabrosa dribbled down the left flank past Mexican defenders Francisco Rodriguez and Marquez and passed to Maniche, who was waiting just inside the penalty box.
Goaltender Oswaldo Sanchez didn’t have a chance.
Eighteen minutes later, Mexico started scoreboard-watching. It fell behind 2-0 when Marquez, arguably Mexico’s best player since Hugo Sanchez, inexplicably put his hand up on a Portugal corner kick. Sanchez guessed right on Sabrosa’s penalty kick, but it was just out of his reach.
Mexico, however, got a break when Portugal’s Petit’s hand touched the ball when he fell in the penalty area. Up stepped Omar Bravo, who had two goals against Iran. As goaltender Ricardo dove right, Bravo rocketed a shot that would have landed in the Rhine River if the stadium hadn’t been enclosed.
“I can’t blame anyone else,” Bravo said. “An 11-meter has to be a goal. Now I need to clear my head, as Saturday means everything to us.”
The only good news for Mexico is that winning Group D isn’t a huge advantage over placing second. Maybe Mexico can start over. Borgetti could return Friday.
“For 3 1/2 years, this team has been under enormous pressure,” La Volpe said. “On Saturday it’ll be a different team. They’ll be more at ease. Perhaps that will enable my team to score more goals.”
As for Portugal, which meets The Netherlands on Sunday, it is in the second round for the first time in 40 years and its 3-0-0 mark could make it a fashionable darkhorse when the bracket is redrawn.
Against Mexico, Portugal didn’t play two of its biggest stars, Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona’s Deco. And they’re rested.
“Now Portugal will be treated with respect by other teams,” said Luis Figo, the Inter Milan star.
Mexico, meanwhile, just wants respect from its own country.
