News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. June 29, 2018: Thousands of football fans in downtown Mexico City erupted in celebration for their national team advancing to the round of 16 Wednesday, despite just witnessing a loss to Sweden in the last match of the group stage.
The city closed several downtown streets and set up multiple giant screens by the Angel of Independence statue for fans to watch Mexico versus Sweden.
The game, although ended Mexico’s winning streak with Sweden winning by three goals, fans were not too bothered with the loss, as both Mexico and Sweden advanced to the next round with South Korea defeating the defending champion Germany in the other game within the group.
With Mexico safely advanced to the round of 16, fans burst into song and dance, cheering for a victory that shines over the loss of one game.
“We played a very hard game. It was very difficult. Though we won the first two games of the group stage, but we lost this one. But still, we made it to the round of 16. We qualified,” said one resident after the game.
“We didn’t do so well in this game. But good thing the result of the other game that was played simultaneously puts us in advantage. We qualified,” said another.
Mexico, as a regular at the World Cup, has qualified 16 times out of 21 World Cups from 1930 to 2018. It’s advance Wednesday also marks a streak of 7 of making the round of 16 at the World Cup for the country dated back to 1994. (SOURCE: CCTV)
