Mexico-U.S soccer showdown: Triumph for El Tricolor

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Tracy Wilkinson reports from Mexico City on Mexico’s 2-1 soccer victory over the United States yesterday:

What does relief sound like? Across Mexico on Wednesday, it was millions of soccer fans shouting ‘GOOOAAALLLL!’ as their national team scored late in the game to defeat the formidable Americans, 2-1. Gracias a dios, disaster averted.

Mexico, at any time, is passionate about the revered sport. Throw in the long string of bad news whipping the country -- a bloodcurdling drug war, a deadly flu epidemic -- and the patriotic emotions caught up in facing that big, powerful neighbor to the north, and you have the ingredients for obsession.

But this time there was dread as well. National pride was on the line, self-esteem would be measured by the performance of a team that has not had the best of seasons. And the Americans were on a roll, injecting a fear of the unthinkable: that Mexico’s unbeaten record at home against the U.S. could end.

Read the rest of the report here.

Go here for coverage by the L.A. Times sports staff, and check out a photo slide show of the event from both Mexico and Los Angeles.