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A Bittersweet Moment For LA Fans As Mexico Is Eliminated From The World Cup
Felipe Favela and his friend Alejandro Bustamante-Martínez during the Mexico vs Saudi Arabia game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. About 100 Angelenos gathered to watch the match at Guelaguetza, a Oaxacan restaurant in Koreatown.
(
Julia Barajas
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LAist
)
Topline:
Mexico was eliminated from the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar on Wednesday, despite a 2-1 win over Saudi Arabia.
Why it matters: Mexico will not be in the knockout round for the first time since 1978.
Mexico won — so why are the out? The way teams advance in the World Cup can get a little complicated. Mexico — which is in Group C, along with Argentina, Poland and Saudi Arabia — fell short on goal difference. The goal difference is determined by the net total of goals scored minus goals conceded. (Poland had a goal differential of zero, while Mexico was outscored by one.)
What fans are saying: "I think all odds were against them,” said Felipe Favela, who watched the game in L.A. while visiting from Baja California. “I think that they played their hearts out today. And had it been any other referee, we would’ve won and we would’ve passed. But [you] can’t have everything your way.” Favela joined about 100 fans at the Oaxacan restaurant Guelaguetza in Koreatown to cheer for Mexico while enjoying café de olla, Oaxacan tamales and other dishes.
What's next: Saudi Arabia was also eliminated. Argentina and Poland will advance to the next round. The 32 teams competing at the Qatar 2022 World Cup were divided into eight groups — Group A to H — for the first phase. The top two teams from each group qualify for Round of 16, the first of the knockout stages.
Go deeper: Where To Watch Your Favorite World Cup Team Across Los Angeles
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