YEKATERINBURG, Russia — An ecstatic roar thundered across the stands in the tense closing moments of the Mexico-Sweden game Wednesday. A joyful storm of unidentifiable liquids and debris hurtled through the air. Mexican spectators pumped their fists and hugged one another tightly.
The outburst had little to do with what was happening on the field at Central Stadium, where Mexico was disintegrating en route to a 3-0 loss to Sweden in the two countries’ vital final match of the World Cup group stage. Rather, the fans were reacting to events unfolding 600 miles away, in Kazan, where South Korea, against all odds, was beating Germany, the defending champions of the World Cup.
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