Viewing parties set for Mexico-South Korea World Cup game
LOS ANGELES, CA (FOX 11/CNS) - Viewing parties for Saturday's Mexico-South Korea 2018 FIFA World Cup game will be held in Long Beach, downtown Los Angeles, Koreatown and the former Olympic Auditorium.
The game from Rostov Arena in Rostov-On-Don, Russia is set to begin at 8 a.m. It will be shown live in English on Fox and in Spanish by Telemundo.
A capacity crowd has reserved spaces for the watch party organized by the Los Angeles Galaxy at the historic Art Theatre in Long Beach. The team is encouraging fans to attend the parties at the following auxiliary locations in
Long Beach:
-- Ashley's on Fourth, 1731 E. Fourth St.;
-- Roundin' 3rd Sports Bar & Grill, 4133 E Anaheim St.;
-- Legends Restaurant & Sports Bar, 5236 E. Second St.;
-- Baddeley's Pourhouse Sports Bar, 3348 E. Broadway;
-- Gallagher's Pub & Grill, 2751 E. Broadway;
-- Reno Room, 3400 E. Broadway; and
-- EJ Malloy's, 3411 E. Broadway.
A block party organized by the Galaxy, featuring food, drinks and music, and a four-a-side futsal tournament will begin at 1 p.m. at 402 St. Luis Ave. in Long Beach.
The Los Angeles Football Club's watch party will be held at Tom's Urban in L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles. The party will also include the telecast of the Germany-Sweden game, set to begin at 11 a.m.
The Galaxy and LAFC are both represented on the Mexican team. Midfielders Giovani dos Santos and his younger brother Jonathan dos Santos play for the Galaxy and forward Carlos Vela for LAFC.
Parties for South Korean fans will be held at the grass lawn outside Wilshire Park Place at 3700 Wilshire Blvd. and the Glory Church of Jesus Christ at 1801 S. Grand Ave. near downtown Los Angeles, the building formerly known as the Olympic Auditorium.
Mexico upset defending champion Germany, 1-0, in its tournament opener Sunday. The shutout was Mexico's sixth in its past eight games.
South Korea lost its opener, 1-0, to Sweden, Monday, the third consecutive game it was held scoreless. South Korea is 0-5-2 in its last seven World Cup games dating back to 2010. Mexico is 9-2-7 in its last 18 World Cup group games dating back to 1994.
A victory by Mexico would virtually assure it of a berth in the knockout round. Mexico would be assured of a berth in the knockout round Saturday with a victory over South Korea and a loss or tie by Germany against Sweden later Saturday.
Mexico has reached the knockout round each of the last six World Cups, then lost in the round of 16 each time.
Mexico is 15th in the rankings compiled by FIFA, soccer's international governing body. South Korea is ranked 57th.
Mexico is 3-0 against Asian teams in the World Cup, including a 3-1 victory over South Korea in 1998.
South Korea's hopes of advancing to the knockout stage would officially end with a loss and a tie or victory by Sweden against Germany.
"We will fight as if this is the final match for us," midfielder Lee Jae-sung said.
South Korea coach Shin Tae-yong said "hot weather could be another factor in this match."
"The Mexicans could have the edge in terms of playing under such suffocating heat," Shin said. "It could be an issue for us."
The game is set to begin at 6 p.m. local time in Rostov-On-Don. The temperature at kickoff is forecast to be 90 degrees, decreasing to 86 at 7 p.m. when the second half is expected to begin, according to The Weather Channel.
Both teams will conclude group play Wednesday, with Mexico facing Sweden and South Korea taking on Germany. Both games will start at 7 a.m. Los Angeles time.