VIVA LA FANDOM
OKC fans of Mexico gather at southside soccer hot spot
Business Writer ddishman@oklahoman.com
It ain’t over until it’s over, and even then, sometimes it just ain’t over. Fans of the Mexico national soccer team in Oklahoma City thought everything was over Wednesday morning when their team was blown out by Sweden in a crucial match in the World Cup.
Hope seemed lost for the Oklahoma City-living, Mexico-cheering crowd, until an unlikely hero emerged from east Asia.
Mexico would need some assistance from South Korea, which was matched up against defending champion Germany, to advance.
And, thus, Mexico is still alive in the knockout phase, which begins Saturday.
Watching the match
Wearing green-andwhite jerseys, some had skipped work to pack into Medio Tiempo sports bar at 9 a.m. to cheer their team on in what they hoped would lead to a victory and a berth in the tournament’s knockout stage.
“I come definitely to watch games and hang out with friends,” Alejandra Barron said.
Barron and her friends watch a lot of sporting events at the bar and restaurant on 2035 S Meridian Ave., but they go all out when Mexico is playing soccer. “We take off (work) for that,” Alejandra Barron said.
The restaurant and bar doesn’t normally open until
11 a.m., but exceptions are made for the World Cup, Medio Tiempo owner Mike Venegas said. The added interest is a boost for business.
“These guys that come in here, they follow them year in and year out,” Venegas said. “We’ve packed out and even had watch parties in the parking lot.”
It’s the kind of venue where even the non-diehards turn up to catch a game.
Emilio Castillo, who describes himself as more of a baseball fan, interrupted his normal routine to catch the game Wednesday.
“I was going to go to a normal breakfast spot, but I came here for the environment,” Emilio Castillo said. “It’s the World Cup and it’s a big thing, that’s why I watch it.”
Mexico typically underperforms in World Cups, Castillo said. And as the game progressed, his words seemed prophetic.
After a scoreless first half, Mexico unraveled in the second. The team gave up three goals, including one off a controversial penalty kick and an own goal.
A once rowdy bar in Oklahoma was in shock as the dejected fans watched their team flounder in Russia.
“It’s been exciting just to get this far,” Aimee Barron said.
A change in fortune
Meanwhile, the South Korea vs. Germany match was nearing a conclusion, with both teams still scoreless. One TV was switched over so dejected fans could watch the other match unfold. Fans perked up, holding out hope.
Sure enough, South Korea scored not once, but twice in extra minutes and the bar went wild. Chants of Ko-re-a! Kore-a! erupted throughout Medio Tiempo.
One man pulled his green shirt off and swung it around his head. Miraculously, Mexico would advance, thanks to one of the tournament’s biggest upsets.
“It’s not the way we wanted to advance, but we will take it,” an excited and relieved Alejandra Barron said.
The knockout round will begin Saturday with the final 16 teams competing. Mexico will play Brazil on Monday, at 9 a.m. local time, and you can rest assured some of Oklahoma City’s biggest sports fans will be there to watch.