Mexico’s fans celebrate victory of their team after the World Cup Group F match between Germany and Mexico, on June 17, 2018. Photo: Reuters

MEXICO CITY: Mexicans jumping in jubilation on Sunday shook the ground hard enough to set off earthquake detectors and throngs danced in the streets after their team scored a surprise victory over World Cup defending champion Germany.

Elated fans waved Mexican flags and donned traditional “sombrero” hats at the iconic Angel of Independence monument in downtown Mexico City as they sang the country’s unofficial soccer anthem, “Cielito Lindo,” or “Pretty Little Sky,” a popular folksong.

In the city’s massive main square, families in Mexican football jerseys had watched on a giant screen in front of a towering cathedral as Mexico beat Germany 1-0 in Moscow.

When star player Hirving Lozano scored a goal in the 35th minute, supporters jumped up and down, shouting, “Yes, we did it!”

The Institute of Geological and Atmospheric Investigations said highly sensitive earthquake sensors registered tremors at two sites in the capital seven seconds after the game’s 35th minute. It called them an “artificial” quake.

At the Angel of Independence monument after the match, Rodolfo Pulido, 47, led a chant of “Mexico! Mexico! Mexico!” perched on a concrete barrier that usually separates traffic on a busy thoroughfare.

“I am incredibly happy,” said Pulido, with his girlfriend and son on a Father’s Day outing. “It’s a double gift: Mexico won and I get to celebrate with my son.”

He also said he could now dream of Mexico reaching the next stage along with 15 other teams, getting a shot at reaching the quarter- and semi-finals before the final match.

“El Tri,” as the team is called in homage to Mexico’s three-color flag, has failed make it to the round of 16 in the last six World Cups.

Presidential front-runner Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador offered his congratulations at a campaign event in Mexico state, telling supporters, “Just like the team won today, Mexico will keep winning.”

Fans on social media celebrated goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa’s performance, circulating memes depicting him as president of Mexico.

Others riffed on US President Donald Trump’s pledge to build a border wall between the United States and Mexico, placing photos of Ochoa guarding the goal alongside the caption “Hey! We already have a wall.”

Another popular meme depicted German Chancellor Angela Merkel holding a phone to her ear with the text: “Donald? It’s me Angela. Please build the wall.”

Mexico will face South Korea in its next game on Saturday in Rostov-on-Dov, Russia.

Switzerland’s Steven Zuber scores their first goal during World Cup Group E match between Brazil and Switzerland, at Rostov Arena, in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, on June 17, 2018. Photo: Reuters

ROSTOV-ON-DON: Brazil joined the host of big guns who have failed to fire in their opening World Cup game as lax defending from a corner allowed Switzerland to cancel out Philippe Coutinho’s spectacular curling strike and grab a 1-1 draw on Sunday.

The five-times world champions took a deserved lead midway through the first half in the Group E game when Coutinho’s irresistible long-distance shot cannoned in off the far post, but Tite’s side, who had looked so impressive in the tournament build-up, did not build on their advantage.

The highly organised Swiss hit back early in the second period from one of their few chances asBrazil‘s Casemiro and Miranda switched off and the unmarked Steven Zuber barely had to leave his feet to nod in Xherdan Shaqiri’s whipped corner.

Brazil went all out in pursuit of a winner and came agonisingly close to finding it as Coutinho and Miranda lashed wide from inside the area while Neymar and substitute Roberto Firmino were denied by Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer.

They had to settle for a point and joined fellow tournament favourites Germany, Spain and Argentina in failing to win their first game.

It was also the first time Brazil had not won a World Cup opener since drawing 1-1 with Sweden in the 1978 tournament.

“I was expecting to get a victory so, of course, I’m not happy with the result,” Brazil coach Tite told a news conference.

“At this stage of a World Cup you have to take advantage of a goal and see that your opponents are taking risks and you need to have faster transitions.”

Tite did not complain that his side were denied a penalty when Manuel Akanji wrapped his arms around Gabriel Jesus and had little sympathy with claims some of his players had been fouled when Switzerland levelled.

“I can’t coach a team who complains. You can interpret the penalty in any way but there’s no way you can complain,” he added.

Neymar’s flamboyant blond ‘spaghetti’ haircut certainly caught the eye although he only gave glimpses of the spectacular dribbles and plays he is renowned for and which led Paris St Germain to shell out 222 million euros for.

WHIRLWIND FINISH

Instead, Brazil‘s second most expensive player, Coutinho, pulled the strings, constantly finding right winger Willian and drifting striker Jesus with sweeping passes although Switzerland managed to deal with the threat.

Coutinho’s whirlwind finish delighted the Rostov Arena, where yellow-shirted Brazil fans vastly outnumbered the red of the Swiss, although Tite’s side failed to build further momentum, as Neymar was frequently stopped in his tracks by tactical fouls.

Brazil always looked in control until they ceded a corner and Zuber took full advantage of their collective lapse of concentration to level.

Switzerland coach Vladimir Petkovic was delighted with how his side followed his gameplan.

“I am very proud of my team’s discipline, it was everything we talked about,” he said.

“I hope that people will take notice of us now and take us seriously, sometimes there’s a lack of recognition towards us and that’s a pity because we played very well.”