Celebrations in Los Angeles began long before the final whistle blew on Tuesday night, when Mexico defeated Ecuador 2-0 to advance from the World Cup knockout stage for the first time in 40 years.

It’s Mexico’s fourth straight win this tournament. The team hasn’t let a single goal in so far. With each victory, a feeling of hopeful glee is growing in Los Angeles, where it’s hard to walk a block without spotting a green Mexico jersey.

A young woman with a light skin tone and long blonde hair puts her hands over her mouth, looking up at a large outdoor screen. She wears a black jersey with green, white and red stripes.

The crowd at Sycamore Grove Park erupted when Mexico defeated Ecuador 2-0, advancing the team to the World Cup’s round of 16.

Mexico fans at the city’s watch parties are confident that something special is happening this World Cup.

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“ I think Mexico’s going to take it all the way. I have a feeling,” said Saul Castro at Sycamore Grove Park, where hundreds gathered Tuesday in a tangle of lawn chairs and picnic blankets to cheer on the team.

Fans in Los Angeles cheer on Mexico in the World Cup

Hundreds gathered at Sycamore Grove Park and LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes to watch Mexico defeat Ecuador on Tuesday night.

Fans celebrated in Los Angeles on Tuesday night after Mexico defeated Ecuador 2-0 in a World Cup match.

Maireli Beltran and Saul Castro came to Sycamore Grove Park in Highland Park to watch Mexico beat Ecuador at a free city watch party.

A crowd in Highland Park was all smiles as Mexico defeated Ecuador 2-0 in the World Cup Round of 32.

A crowd celebrated in Highland Park after Mexico knocked Ecuador out of the World Cup Tuesday evening.

Hundreds gathered at a city watch party in Highland Park to watch Mexico defeat Ecuador.

Hundreds gathered in Highland Park to watch Mexico play Ecuador in the World Cup. The crowd whooped and hollered when Mexico won 2-0.

Hundreds gathered in Highland Park to watch the Mexico-Ecuador match on Tuesday evening.

Hundreds of people gathered at Casa Mexico to watch Mexico defeat Ecuador 2-0 in the World Cup.

Francis Ramirez has a shop on Olvera Street, but business has been slow. So she set up outside Casa Mexico to sell headbands and other paraphernalia to fans.

Vendors kept their eyes on the match while selling bacon-wrapped hotdogs. Kids wrapped in Mexican flags whooped and hollered at the outdoor screen.

Nearby at a watch party at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, Eduardo Reyes was reveling in the crowd. He’d gathered his boyfriend, co-workers and family members to watch the match together.

“ We haven’t gotten to this point [as] the Mexican team,” he said. “I’m pretty excited. We feel the energy, the positivity, and I’m just loving it.”

Two medium skin-toned men wearing green Mexico jerseys pose for the camera. One of them wears a bucket hat designed to look like a soccer ball. Behind, them a crowd in mainly green watches a large screen.

Eduardo Reyes brought his boyfriend, co-workers and family members to Casa Mexico to watch the match. He said he loved seeing people come together in L.A. despite a divisive political climate.

The line at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, remade as Casa México for the tournament, snaked down the street, and some couldn’t fit into the watch party. People on the street were listening to the game on the radio.

Gisel Cruz was selling water and beer to people as they waited to get in. She was also rooting for Mexico, where she has family.

“ This is crazy,” she said, grinning and observing the crowd. “I like it so much.”

Some rallying for Mexico on Tuesday were longtime soccer fans, taught to love the game by family members. Veronica Castro- Aceituno smiled remembering her uncles gathering together to watch soccer when she was a child growing up in Guatemala.

“ They used to play in the barrio,” she said. “They will always stop and watch every game, from small ones to big ones.”

A woman with a medium skin tone and long brown hair wears a green Mexico jersey. She holds a young girl up, who wears a red, green and white ruffled dress. Behind them, fans watch a large screen.

Veronica Castro-Aceituno poses with her daughter while watching the Mexico-Ecuador match. She grew up watching soccer, and especially loves rooting for the goalkeepers including Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa.

Others cheered for the team to honor their roots. Yesenia Rosales came from Palmdale to watch the match in Los Angeles, her hometown. Her parents left Mexico for the U.S., where they raised her.

“ My dad’s from Sinaloa, my mom’s from Michoacán,” she said. “I don’t forget where I came from, where my parents came from, how hard they struggled.”

Mexico plays its next match Sunday afternoon against England. Los Angeles will undoubtedly be in the streets to cheer the team on, hoping it can continue its spectacular run to the quarterfinals.