Ecuador files World Cup complaint after Mexican fans disrupt hotel sleep before last-32 tie

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Supporters of the Mexican national side staged a loud protest outside Ecuador's team hotel on the eve of their World Cup last-32 fixture, scheduled for later on Tuesday.

From around midnight into the early morning, several dozen people gathered at the Westin Hotel in Santa Fe, an affluent neighbourhood on the outskirts of the capital. They used loudspeakers, horns and motorcycles in an effort to deny the visiting squad a full night's rest.

Hotel serenades aimed at rival squads remain a longstanding and sharply debated feature of Latin American football culture. What started as spirited backing for the home nation has, in many instances, become a pre-match tactic intended to unsettle opposing players.

After the overnight disturbance in Mexico City, Ecuador's football governing body said Tuesday that it had submitted a formal complaint to tournament organisers.

"Such conduct stands in stark contrast to the principles of fair play, equity, and unity that a World Cup should embody," the federation, known as FEF, said in a statement. "The FEF respectfully calls upon the competent authorities to pay greater attention to these events and to adopt the necessary measures to safeguard the safety of our players, coaching staff, and fans."

The protest, coordinated through social media, compounded an already difficult arrival for Ecuador. The disruption crowned a taxing travel itinerary that the South American side had deliberately built around a late Monday night landing, a plan meant to reduce the strain of Mexico City's altitude of roughly 2,200 metres, or about 7,300 feet.

Sports scientists who study performance at elevation generally cite two contrasting strategies: a prolonged acclimatisation period of at least two weeks, or a short "fly-in, fly-out" window that keeps players on site only until acute symptoms appear.

Teams from the major professional leagues in the United States commonly follow the latter approach when travelling to Mexico City.

Ecuador's journey from Columbus, Ohio, however, was troubled by delays from the outset. Head coach Sebastián Beccacece said their flight was held up for more than three hours, though he did not say whether he had accounted for the two-hour time difference between the cities.

"A flight delay, then the transfer to the hotel — it ended up being a nine-hour journey; we took three hours longer than scheduled," Beccacece said. "But the team is doing well and is excited — obviously facing an opponent that posted good results in the group stage."

The delegation arrived at Felipe Ángeles International Airport, about 65 kilometres, or 41 miles, from the hotel. Players and staff then had to cross Mexico City's notoriously congested roads to reach Santa Fe, with Monday night's heavy rain further slowing the trip.