Marquez calls for calm as Mexico celebrates

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

NUREMBERG, June 12 (Reuters) Mexico captain Rafael Marquez called for calm and commonsense after the players and fans celebrated a 3-1 win over Iran in their opening Group D game.

The 27-year-old Mexico captain, who won the Champions League with Barcelona last month, is keen to add to his honours and knows that after yesterday's success a concentrated approach is needed for the next group game with Angola on Friday.

''This was a very important win and I'm very happy with it,'' said Marquez, whose assurance and organisational experience helped give Mexico a sense of authority rarely seen before.

''But I think we need to stay calmer in the next game and concentrate so we make fewer mistakes that we did against Iran.'' Defender Marquez, who played on the right of a central trio in coach Ricardo Lavolpe's adventurous 3-4-3 formation, organised the backline and found time to get forward after the break.

''We want to see him doing that,'' said Lavolpe. ''But in the first half we were not able to -- I could see that after only 20 minutes and that is why I made the changes. It was far better in the second half.'' EXCEPTIONAL PLAYERS Marquez, only the second Mexican player to have established himself at a major European club after former striker Hugo Sanchez at Real Madrid, has high ambitions.

Yesterday, he played like a man ready to enjoy an outstanding World Cup and to establish himself among the tournament's exceptional players.

''We know we have a great team now, that we are capable of making a great tournament together and that we can make history for ourselves here in this World Cup,'' he said.

''For me, success would be to reach the semi-finals. Failure would be not to make the second round.

''We want to do better than we did on home soil in 1970 and in 1986... to go further than the quarter-finals.'' He also praised the team's massive support.

Over 30,000 Mexico fans were estimated to be in Nuremberg and they were delighted when goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez was named in the team just over 24 hours after returning from his father's Guadalajara funeral.

''It was a dream for us that Oswaldo played,'' he said. ''That gave us more stability. It was like a home game for us today in that atmosphere.'' Sanchez thanked his team mates for giving him flowers before the game and and then produced one outstanding first-half save.

''I know my father was watching me from Heaven and I thank the team for the flowers,'' he said. ''It is a nice feeling to know that they are thinking of you.'' REUTERS PDS KN1807

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