Mexico City, June 11 (IANS) Mexico manager Javier Aguirre said his players would need to stay composed under pressure when they open the FIFA World Cup against South Africa on Thursday, warning any lapse in concentration could prove costly.

Aguirre said the right mindset would be as important as his team’s football in front of an expected crowd of 80,000 fans at the Azteca stadium, reports Xinhua.

“It’s true that the betting odds and lines put one team ahead of another,” Aguirre told reporters on Wednesday. “The advantage of playing at home, the altitude and the support of your fans should make a difference; that’s something the players have to handle.As the favorite, you can’t lose your head.”

Mexico is seeking its first victory in a World Cup opener after seven previous appearances in the tournament’s first match or first-day fixtures.

Aguirre said he only learned of the statistic when asked about it at his pre-match press conference.

“Then we have one more reason to win tomorrow,” he said. “We will break that statistic.”

The 67-year-old, who is in his third spell as Mexico manager, recalled the last time the country hosted the tournament in 1986 when he was a player in the “El Tri” team that reached the quarterfinals.

He said nothing in his five decades as a player or manager compared with the experience of hosting a World Cup.

“I have not had a greater emotion in 50 years in football than a World Cup at home. It is something unforgettable,” he said.

“I want to transmit to the players that it can be a great day for us, that it can be a celebration that will be remembered for decades.”

Mexico will also face South Korea and the Czech Republic in one of the tournament’s most competitive groups. Aguirre said his team would need to be ready for a variety of challenges if it hoped to advance to the knockout stages.

“I think we’re prepared for any eventuality. We’ve tried to put them through different tests; these have been selective processes in which it’s not just about football,” he said.

“You have to maintain your emotional balance in the face of any unfair decision or an accident of football. We’ve selected 26 Mexicans who are prepared for whatever comes tomorrow; I hope that is reflected on the scoreboard in the end.”

–IANS

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