Mexico Vows `Revenge' on Unbeaten Argentina for 2006 World Cup Elimination

Mexico has a chance to gain revenge on Argentina, after yesterday’s 1-0 defeat to Uruguay put the team up against the two-time champion in the last 16 of the World Cup.

Argentina beat Mexico 2-1 with an extra-time goal at exactly the same stage in the 2006 tournament. The team and its followers say they haven’t forgotten that night in Leipzig, Germany. Argentina finished atop Group B last night with its third victory in the group stage, a 2-0 win over Greece.
“This is a nice possibility to get even with what happened four years ago,” coach Javier Aguirre told reporters after last night’s match at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Phokeng, South Africa.
Uruguay won Group A with seven points after holding off Mexico after Luis Suarez’s first-half header.

Mexico qualified ahead of South Africa thanks to a better goal difference, though the hosts were 2-1 winners over 1998 champions France, which went home without a victory.
With South Africa leading France 2-0 at halftime and their team trailing Uruguay, Mexican fans fretted during the break, discussing the potential tiebreakers needed to qualify for the next stage.

After France’s goal, thousands of green-shirted Mexicans cheered wildly. South Africa was unable to get the five goal swing it needed.

Revenge

“We knew the next phase would be Argentina but in Mexico we’ve been thinking of revenge,” said Alejandro Loredo, a 39- year-old supporter with his nation’s flag painted on his cheeks and a Mexico bandana strapped across his forehead.

Argentina and Mexico were tied 1-1 when Maxi Rodriguez scored the goal of the 2006 World Cup in the eighth-minute of extra time to seal the win. The midfielder controlled a long pass by Juan Pablo Sorin on his chest before thumping a left- footed volley beyond goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez from outside the penalty area.

Argentina, which was captained last night by current world player of the year Lionel Messi, won all three of its qualifying matches, scoring seven goals and conceding just once.
Facing a team playing as well as the South Americans isn’t something to fear, said current Mexican national team goalkeeper Oscar Perez.

“If we’re going to play Argentina why should we wait, we might as well play them now,” he said. “Whoever the opponent is, we need to win.”

Uruguay’s Run

Uruguay plays South Korea. Its unbeaten run in the tournament has sparked national celebrations, coach Oscar Tabarez said, after calling his family from the dressing room after the match.
“In the old town of Montevideo there’s a huge celebration going on with car convoys in the streets,” Tabarez said.

Uruguay, which needed to beat Costa Rica in a playoff to reach the finals, hasn’t conceded a goal at the tournament and its 3-0 victory against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana on June 16 was the first time the team scored more than twice in 56 years of World Cup play.

“It was very important for us (to finish top),” striker Diego Forlan said in an interview. “We are not afraid of any team.”

Mexico will meet Argentina at Soccer City in Johannesburg on June 27. Uruguay plays South Korea in Port Elizabeth a day earlier.

Editor: Christopher Elser

To contact the reporters on this story: Tariq Panja at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium at tpanja@bloomberg.net; Franz Wild the Royal Bafokeng Stadium at fwild@bloomberg.net

Source: fifa.com