Great battle going on right now at Gelsenkirchen between Mexico and Portugal. It has been an ebb and flow with these two teams. Portugal attacking early and scoring through Nuno Manciche. Then Mexico coming on with Bravo, Pardo, and Fonseca, down the left side. Bravo has been the pick, hardworking and putting in beautiful crosses, right on Fonseca’s noggin. Then there was a flurry of corners from Portugal, and on a corner kick, Rafael Marquez deliberately handballs it, and the referee whistles for a PK. Simao converts it, with a nice little hitch.
The last 5 minutes were all Mexico with Fonseca involved in most of it, the Portugese were able to prevent anymore damage through some fine goal keeping through Ricardo.
Mexico just can’t afford to give up anymore goals, because then it will get down to goal differential should Angola win over Iran. Rafael Marquez is having a nightmare in defense, giving up that silly PK, and his passes have been very soft and easily picked off by the Portugese.
There was a great shot of the thousands of Mexicans in the Mexico City square who had come to cheer their team. it was packed. I think that sort of fervor is missing in the USA. In some aspects, the US is not part of the world, it is a village in the back of beyond.