World Cup Roundup : Mexico Wins, 2-1, Causing a Celebration

Mexican soccer fans flocked to Azteca Stadium at Mexico City to support their national team’s World Cup debut Tuesday, then celebrated the 2-1 victory over Belgium by dancing, singing and partying in the streets.

Before a crowd of 110,000 that rocked the massive stadium each time the Mexicans did something positive, Fernando Quirante and national soccer hero Hugo Sanchez scored goals. Mexico then held off the Belgians, who got a goal by Erwin Vandenbergh late in the first half but could not produce anything more.

When the game ended, the street parties began. Within minutes of the conclusion, about 400 people had flocked to the Angel of Independence landmark to shout “ Mej-i-co , Mej-i-co ,” and “ Ganamos (We won!).” Others who were headed to the monument’s steps to cheer, sound trumpets, wave flags and generally express their joy at the victory called on those passing by to join in the celebration.

Even in the prisons, inmates have been provided with color televisions to watch the games, the government said.

At the game itself, tens of thousands of Mexicans dressed in green, red and white--some with their faces painted in the Mexican national colors--created a constant din. The fans waved flags and chanted, and one banner high in the inexpensive seats proclaimed, Ayer Rationes Hoy Campeones --Yesterday Little Mice, Today Champions. A Mexican sportswriter once referred to the Mexican soccer team as “little mice.”

A lone Belgian flag was draped over the railing of the third tier of the stadium and, on the opposite side of the field, a small group of Belgians displayed a Flemish flag--a black lion on a yellow field.

The fans whistled and yelled derisively when Belgian players appeared on the field, which was wet from a morning rain that stopped an hour before kickoff.

When the host team took the field, it was met with a thunderous ovation. That roar grew even louder when Quirante, a defender who moved up to attack, headed home a free kick by the team captain, Tomas Boy, at the 23-minute mark of the 90-minute match.

Then Sanchez, the team’s star striker, put in a header after Boy’s corner kick was headed to him by Javier Aguirre.

The Belgians came back on Vandenbergh’s goal late in the first half but never came close to tying the score.

“We had the rain god, Tlaloc, on our side for turning away the clouds at the right time,” said Bora Milutinovic, the Yugoslavia-born coach of the Mexican team. “We hope Tlaloc continues to help us in the next few days and that the sun continues to shine.”

Portugal 1, England 0--Midfielder Carlos Manuel, whose goal against West Germany in the qualifying round got Portugal into the World Cup, scored with 15 minutes remaining at Monterrey to lift his team to the upset victory over England.

The English defense, staunch all game, fell apart on Portugal’s goal. Diamantino, who goes only by the single name, broke free on the right side and, drawing goalkeeper Peter Shilton to him, passed to an open Manuel. The midfielder’s left-footed kick found the open side of the net with 15 minutes remaining.

The Portuguese had few good scoring chances, while the English wasted several opportunities by overpassing.

In the 53rd minute, England missed its best chance when Terry Butcher’s skillful pass found Gary Lineker, who had Portugal’s goalkeeper, Manuel Bento, beaten. But the ball was intercepted by Alvaro before it headed to the net.

Lineker, the leading scorer in the English first division last season, wore a fiberglass cast on his injured left wrist but was still England’s best player. The English captain, Bryan Robson, who missed much of his team’s World Cup training because of shoulder, hamstring and Achilles’ tendon injuries, also played.

Northern Ireland 1, Algeria 1--Zidane Djamel’s second-half goal at Guadalajara gave Algeria the tie. The winning kick, a wicked left-footer, soared through the Irish defensive wall and past the left arm of a diving Pat Jennings in the Irish net. The goal came in the 58th minute after Algerian pressure had produced a pair of good scoring chances by Rachid Harkouk.

Harkouk sent a header over the net off a corner kick earlier in the half. Later, Jennings made a save on his knees on Harkouk’s 30-yard drive.

Algerian goalie Larbi El Hadi made a game-saving stop with his right knee on a shot by Ian Stewart in the 68th minute.

The Irish scored first when Norman Whiteside’s direct free kick hit an Algerian defender in the wall and ricocheted past Hadi at the five-minute mark. Defender Nouredine Kourichi fouled Steven Penney just outside the penalty area, and Soviet referee Valery Butenko awarded the free kick.

Midway through the half, Rabah Madjer of Algeria and Mal Donaghy of Northern Ireland were injured when they collided and bumped heads going after the ball near the Irish net. Donaghy returned to action, but Madjer was helped off the field and had to be replaced by Harkouk.