91,585 SEE MEXICO FALL TO ARGENTINA : ARGENTINA 1, MEXICO 0.

Byline: Fred J. Robledo

Mexican fans proved again that when Mexico's national soccer team is in town, it takes more than chilly temperatures to keep them away.

It also helped that Mexico's opponent in Wednesday's highly touted exhibition match was two-time World Cup champion Argentina.

Serving as a preview to the upcoming Copa America in Paraguay and the Confederations Cup later this summer in Mexico, a sold-out crowd of 91,585 turned out to see Argentina defeat Mexico 1-0 at the Coliseum.

Coliseum general manager Pat Lynch called it the largest soccer crowd ever in Los Angeles, surpassing the more than 88,000 that showed up to see Mexico play the United States in the Gold Cup last January. Another estimated 1,000 watched the game on closed-circuit television inside the Sports Arena.

Argentina, ranked No. 7 in the world by FIFA after reaching the quarterfinals of the World Cup in France before losing to Holland, notched a goal in the 67th minute thanks to a breakdown in the Mexican defense.

On a free kick just inside the midfield stripe, Argentine playmaker Marcelo Gallardo sent a pass behind the Mexican defense down the left flank. Guillermo Schellotto gathered the ball as Mexico tried to draw an offside trap. Schellotto raced toward Mexican goalkeeper Jorge Campos as teammate Juan Sorin followed up the middle.

Schellottos' pass for Sorin in front of Campos ricocheted upward off of Campos' foot, allowing Sorin to finish with an easy header in the right netting.