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Photos: The World Cup celebrations in Mexico City that registered as an earthquake

By Johnny Simon
Published

Update (June 23, 10:45 ET): Mexico’s National Seismological Service reported on Wednesday that the seismic activity was in fact not related to the goal, but to two small earthquakes that occurred before and after the goal was scored.

Mexico’s surprise World Cup victory against defending champion Germany was felt in the hearts of Mexicans, soccer lovers, and fans of dramatic suspense everywhere. It was also felt by seismographs.

Around the time that Mexican forward Hirving Lozano scored in the first half of the match, seismologists detected vibrations in Mexico City that resembled a small earthquake. The shaking wasn’t from shifting tectonic plates however—the Institute of Geological and Atmospheric Investigations suggested instead that it may have come from thousands of fans in Mexico City jumping up and down.

Seeing pictures of excited fans crowding into Mexico City’s Zocalo and elsewhere to view the broadcast, it’s easy to see how Mexico beating the defending champs could be a literal seismic shift.

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