体坛英语新闻：Mexico celebrates 0-0 tie with Brazil

MEXICO CITY, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Fans of Mexico's national football team Tuesday celebrated their 0-0 tie with Brazil as part of the 2014 Brazil World Cup games.

The outcome of the game, played at the Castelao Stadium in the Brazilian city of Fortaleza, may not help Mexico advance to the second round of the tournament, but it won't hurt either.

Mexico still has to play Croatia on June 23 to see if it can qualify for the next round.

"It was fabulous, Mexico deserved to win," a grocery store manager in Mexico City told Xinhua.

The clerk, named Jorge, had placed a TV set in the middle of the shop so he and his clients could watch the game, which he described as charged with excitement.

"It was a very interesting game, in which the Mexicans played on a par with the Brazilians," a woman by the name of Matilde said.

"Thanks to the goalkeeper (Guillermo Ochoa), Mexico fended off several goals. I felt really nervous whenever Brazil neared Mexico's goalpost and really excited whenever the Mexicans neared Brazil's," a taxi driver by the name of Ernesto said.

"Mexico played an excellent game. I actually believed the national team was going to lose. This tie is in reality a victory, because Brazil continues to be one of the favorites to win this championship," said Federico, a security guard at a private company.

Sports commentators on major TV stations and news media also praised the team's goalkeeper, saying Ochoa's performance "was sensational" and dubbing him "Saint Ochoa."

Thousands of fans gathered at Mexico City's main plaza to watch the game on a giant screen broke out into celebration.