Voodoo Red Card

Mexico fans resort to witchcraft for soccer victory

A Mexican sports daily is pinning its hopes of beating the United States in a World Cup qualifying match on voodoo — with help from a U.S-based electronics chain.

An advertisement in the sports daily Record on Tuesday invited fans to clip a coupon and redeem it at their local Radio Shack store for a voodoo-doll likeness of a U.S. player. The hope was that a little black magic might help Mexico break a decade of futility on the road versus its northern neighbor.

"Help end the losing streak so Mexico advances," the ad read.

An illustration showed a pair of scissors slicing off the leg of a doll in a U.S. jersey that was bruised, crying out in pain, leaking stuffing, and stuck with pushpins.

The press office of Radio Shack in Fort Worth, Texas, did not immediately return phone calls and e-mails seeking comment.

Radio Shack's Mexico office confirmed it was participating in the promotion.

Mexico plays the United States on Feb. 11 in Columbus, Ohio, in the first match of the final round of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2010 World Cup.

The "Tri" has not won in the U.S. for 10 years.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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