BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) 鈥 Luciana Medina was so nervous that she could barely sleep the night before Saturday鈥檚 match between Argentina and Mexico which could have all but knocked the soccer-mad South American country from the World Cup.
After the game, she couldn鈥檛 stop smiling.
鈥淚鈥檓 so proud. I truly loved the match,鈥 Medina, a 23-year-old communications student, said while wearing an Argentina jersey. 鈥淚鈥檓 so happy.鈥
Argentines breathed a collective sigh of relief Saturday afternoon as the country obtained a decisive 2-0 victory over Mexico dissipating doubts that had emerged about Lionel Messi鈥檚 team after the shock loss against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. That loss had sent the country almost into a state of national mourning.
鈥淭he whole week was very sad, everyone was very aggressive as well, as if they were lost, without knowing what to do,鈥 Medina said. 鈥淲e were all very nervous.鈥
Mar铆a del Carmen Mart铆nez, 60, said she was 鈥渧ery tense鈥 when she arrived at a plaza in Buenos Aires to watch the match on giant screens.
鈥淚鈥檓 happy now,鈥 the retail worker said with a smile. 鈥淚t鈥檚 as if the players finally woke up.鈥
Manuel Gauto, 21, agreed he saw a different team on the field than the one that fell before Saudi Arabia.
鈥淭hey rose to the occasion and put their hearts into it,鈥 Gauto said. 鈥淭hey have another attitude now.鈥
The mood was completely different in Mexico City, where thousands had gathered in bars and plazas to follow the match only to be left disappointed by their team鈥檚 performance.
The coach 鈥済ave away the game,鈥 complained Daniel Mart铆nez minutes after the match ended. 鈥淲e鈥檙e completely destroyed, but this doesn鈥檛 end here.鈥
There were long periods of silence in Mexico City鈥檚 Revolution Square as fans found few moments to celebrate.
鈥淚鈥檓 crying out of emotion but also sadness,鈥 Lupita D铆az said. 鈥淚 love soccer but Mexico is failing us now.鈥
In Buenos Aires, the tension was almost palpable as thousands gathered on a hot summer day to watch the decisive game, and an eerie silence fell over the crowd throughout the first half as neither side obtained a goal and doubts once again crept in about the team long thought to be one of the favorites to win the World Cup.
鈥淚 went through a lot of emotions, first I was very nervous and anxious for the game to start and in the first half I saw that something was missing,鈥 Valeria Ben铆tez, 24, said.
All that pent up energy made the crowd explode in jubilation when Messi scored the first goal.
鈥淭he planets aligned in the second half, I thought they played well, there was a strategy that was well thought out,鈥 Ben铆tez said. 鈥淟et's hope this is only the beginning.鈥
Karen Veliz, a 36-year-old accountant, went to watch the match with her family and friends, but found it hard to have fun at first.
鈥淚 was super, super nervous. It was only after they got the first goal that I could finally relax,鈥 she said.
Argentines had been eagerly awaiting the World Cup, counting on the tournament to shift the mood of a country that has been economically stagnant for years, is suffering one of the world's highest inflation rates and where close to four in 10 live in poverty.
Mat铆as Stamm, a 26-year-old programmer, said he felt much lighter after what he described as 鈥渁 very complicated week because we came from a very positive streak and then fell in the first game of the Cup.鈥
Many fans were particularly frustrated at Tuesday鈥檚 loss against Saudi Arabia, a match seemingly everyone expected Argentina to win, given the team鈥檚 36-game unbeaten streak leading up to the tournament.
鈥淲inning games is super important to recover confidence,鈥 Stamm added. 鈥淲e have to go with humility and calm because each game is a final.鈥
For Ariel Rivera, a 37-year-old, software developer, said that Saturday鈥檚 victory showed 鈥渢here is still hope.鈥
鈥淎rgentina has everything that it needs to be able to win,鈥 Rivera said. 鈥淚 think we鈥檙e going to go far.鈥
鈥斺赌斺赌-
Associated Press writer Maria Verza contributed from Mexico City.
