Mexico relishes chance to even the score

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This article was published 27/06/2010 (5943 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

PRETORIA, South Africa — Mexico will get the chance to erase a grudge nursed for four years when it meets Argentina in the World Cup second round today.

At the 2006 World Cup, Argentina beat Mexico — thanks to an extraordinary goal by Maxi Rodriguez — in the round of 16 and fate has conspired to match the two sides at precisely the same stage of this year’s tournament.

"I have a thorn in my side from four years ago and hopefully on Sunday we can take it out," said midfielder Rafael Marquez, who scored Mexico’s solitary goal in that 2-1 defeat in 2006.

But the challenge looks formidable against Diego Maradona’s attack-minded team, which everyone wants to avoid this time around.

And it’s not just the prolific strikeforce of Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain and Carlos Tevez that the Mexicans will need to contain in Pretoria.

Playing in midfield will be that man Maxi, who’d settle for any winner today rather than a repeat of his 2006 wonder goal.

"I’ll be happy if I can just tap it in," he said Friday. "What happened in that game is history now. The important thing is that the team wins and progresses."

— The Associated Press