NUREMBERG, June 12 - Mexico captain Rafael Marquez called for calm and commonsense after the players and fans celebrated a 3-1 win over Iran in their opening Group D game.

The 27-year-old Mexico captain, who won the Champions League with Barcelona last month, is keen to add to his honours and knows that after Sunday's success a concentrated approach is needed for the next group game with Angola on Friday.

"This was a very important win and I'm very happy with it," said Marquez, whose assurance and organisational experience helped give Mexico a sense of authority rarely seen before.

"But I think we need to stay calmer in the next game and concentrate so we make fewer mistakes that we did against Iran."

Defender Marquez, who played on the right of a central trio in coach Ricardo Lavolpe's adventurous 3-4-3 formation, organised the backline and found time to get forward after the break.

"We want to see him doing that," said Lavolpe. "But in the first half we were not able to -- I could see that after only 20 minutes and that is why I made the changes. It was far better in the second half."

EXCEPTIONAL PLAYERS

Marquez, only the second Mexican player to have established himself at a major European club after former striker Hugo Sanchez at Real Madrid, has high ambitions.

On Sunday, he played like a man ready to enjoy an outstanding World Cup and to establish himself among the tournament's exceptional players.

"We know we have a great team now, that we are capable of making a great tournament together and that we can make history for ourselves here in this World Cup," he said.

"For me, success would be to reach the semi-finals. Failure would be not to make the second round.

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