Mexico strolled to a 1-0 win over China in a friendly at Qwest Field in Seattle, its first game since Hugo Sanchez was fired as coach at the end of last month.

Midfielder Cesar Villaluz was on target in the 14th minute to give interim coach Jesus Ramirez a winning debut in Wednesday night's game.

The 19-year-old Cruz Azul player scored with a left-foot shot for his second international goal after Sergio Santana laid Jorge Hernandez's cross into his path. Santana and Sergio Ponce both had shots saved by Song Zhenyu as Mexico, fielding an experimental team of home-based players, pressed for a second goal before halftime.

Santana wasted its best second-half chance when he headed wide from an unmarked position.

Ramirez was previously in charge of the Mexican team which won the world under-17 championship in 2005.

A crowd of 56,416 roared, chanted, sang and blew horns throughout the night.

The fourth-largest soccer crowd in Seattle history was so joyful it did "The Wave" during the United States' national anthem just before the game. Fans displayed their disapproval of some officials' calls by throwing paper airplanes from the upper deck of Qwest Field, which will be home to the expansion Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer in 2009.

"It was impressive, honestly," Mexico interim coach Jesus Ramirez said. "It made me happy that we could send them home tonight happy."

China coach Vladimir Petrovic added of the night-long fiesta at his team's expense, "It was very difficult for us. The fans for Mexico was its 12th player on the pitch."

China had just three shots and it didn't get the ball into Mexico's penalty area more than a few times. That left veteran goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez, one of the only recognizable names on Mexico's roster, mostly idle. He made just one save.

"In the first half, we didn't know how to play Mexico, their style," Petrovic said.

Mexico easily could have led 5-0 at halftime. Song made two diving saves on breakaways by Mexico, including one by Villaluz on a shot from 15 yards.

(Agencies April 18, 2008)