Mexico's Guadalajara hosts World Cup playoff match under specter of violence

GUADALAJARA, Mexico, March 27 : Just over a month ago, Mexico's second-largest city Guadalajara was reeling from a wave of violence triggered by the capture and death of cartel boss Ruben "El Mencho" Oseguera. Streets were scattered with burnt-out cars, businesses were shuttered, and spent shell casings littered the ground. 

On Thursday night, the city showed a very different face. Guadalajara hosted its first international football match since that military operation as it scrambles to assuage security concerns ahead of the World Cup, which Mexico will co-host with the U.S. and Canada. 

In an intense playoff match with few scoring opportunities, the Reggae Boyz defeated New Caledonia 1-0 at the nearly full 50,000-capacity Akron Stadium and took a step closer to their dream of returning to a World Cup after 28 years. 

"It was something that took place only one day. The next day everything was under control, so I didn’t cancel the plane tickets. I was always confident," said Rick Brown, a 53-year-old Jamaican-born Canadian, who arrived in the city on Tuesday with his two young children to cheer his team in its attempt to qualify for its second World Cup.

"I feel pretty safe. There are lots of guards," he added, pointing to the heavily armed officers outside the stadium. "The city is great. It reminds me of Jamaica: the people, the food, the weather, it’s like a home away from home".

But much of the focus was outside the ground. 

Both squads arrived at the stadium under heavy security. Military and police personnel with rifles escorted the teams from the moment they landed in the city. 

Guadalajara will host four group stage matches of the World Cup, welcoming teams such as Mexico, Spain, and Uruguay. The South Korean and