Mexico fans celebrate 2-0 World Cup win over Ecuador
Mexico reached the World Cup last 16 after beating Ecuador, ending a 40-year wait for a knockout-stage victory.
By Lucas Ferreira · Science & Environment Writer
2 min read
Mexico’s national team beat Ecuador 2-0 at the Azteca Stadium and moved into the World Cup’s last 16, Al Jazeera reported, citing EPA and Reuters coverage. The result ended a 40-year wait for a Mexican victory in the knockout rounds, sending supporters into streets and squares across the country.
Al Jazeera reported that the match was played before a packed crowd at the Azteca in Mexico City. Reuters images showed Orbelin Pineda celebrating with teammates after Mexico secured qualification for the round of 16, while EPA photographed players marking the win after the Round of 32 match.
Celebrations spread through Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey and smaller towns, according to Al Jazeera. Fans wore green jerseys, carried tricolour flags, set off fireworks and sang late into the night after the final whistle.
Mexico City crowds fill public squares
In Mexico City’s Zocalo, thousands gathered in the historic centre, Al Jazeera reported. Supporters chanted the team’s slogan, “Y si si?” meaning “What if?”, while horns, drums and music filled the square.
Reuters photos showed crowds in Mexico City celebrating in the streets and public spaces. One image by Luis Cortes showed fans covered in artificial snow from a machine after Julian Quinones scored Mexico’s first goal, according to the photo caption.
Al Jazeera reported that mariachi groups played well-known songs, including “El Rey,” as families and friends embraced and danced. Some supporters climbed lampposts and monuments during the celebrations.
EPA also published an aerial image of fans gathered around the Angel of Independence in Mexico City after the win over Ecuador. The photograph, credited to Tomas Perez, showed the scale of the celebrations at one of the capital’s most recognizable landmarks.
Fans look ahead after ending long drought
Al Jazeera reported that similar scenes took place outside bars, fan zones and community screens around the country. Older supporters described the result in connection with memories from 1986, while younger fans said they were seeing a historic moment for the first time, according to the outlet.
The celebrations were not limited to Mexico. Reuters photographed Mexico fans at a watch party in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, after the match, according to a caption credited to Lisi Niesner.
With Mexico now in the last 16, Al Jazeera reported that many fans believed the celebrations would continue and expressed hope for a deeper World Cup run on home soil. The next stage gives Mexico a chance to build on a result that supporters had waited four decades to see.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.