The soccer on the field may have been short on goals, but the atmosphere in Los Angeles was anything but.
As Canada and South Africa battled through a scoreless defensive stalemate into the 80th minute of their FIFA World Cup Round of 32 matchup on Sunday, one fan base made its presence impossible to ignore: Mexico.
With El Tri set to play nearby later in the knockout stage, thousands of Mexico supporters filled the stands, creating an atmosphere that often felt more like a home match for Mexico than a meeting between Canada and South Africa.
The sea of green jerseys, Mexican flags and constant chants turned the neutral-site contest into a celebration of the beautiful game. Even without their own national team on the field, El Tri fans showed up simply because there was World Cup soccer to watch.
On the pitch, neither second-place finisher could find a breakthrough. Canada and South Africa remained locked at 0-0 late in regulation, with both defenses standing tall in a tense, physical battle.
While the match searched for its first goal, the Mexican supporters hardly needed one to keep the energy alive. Once again, El Tri fans proved why they are among the most passionate supporters in world soccer, bringing color, noise and enthusiasm wherever the World Cup goes.
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