Mexian fans celebrate a goal. In soccer-centric countries such as Mexico, winning a soccer match can represent more than just a victory on the field. Photo: ++Frank++ (flickr)

Mexico's finance secretary recently warned that falling oil prices and production may lead to the nation's worst recession in 30 years.

But on Wednesday, economic worries took a backseat to Mexico's World Cup qualifying match against the United States, which many Mexicans viewed as more than just a soccer match.

“This was life or death for the whole country,” Kurt Vogt, a Mexican supporter, told The New York Times, which headlined their article about Mexico's 2-1 victory, "Mexico Restores Order to Its Universe."

Not only did Mexico's World Cup 2010 hopes rest on the outcome of the match, as well as an impressive home unbeaten streak — they're 23-0-1 against the U.S. at Azteca Stadium — but the country's hard-hit ego and slumping economy stood to gain substantially as well.

“It's incredible how it effects our emotions and our economy — one game,” said Eliseo “Papo” Santos, a former professional player and coach told Mark Zeigler of The San Diego Union-Tribune. “Not qualifying for the World Cup, it would be devastating for us. It'll bring your country down big time.”

This isn't just a gut feeling — it's "soccernomics." The Union-Tribune's Zeigler points out that after Italy won the World Cup in 2006 its gross domestic product grew by 2 percent, after two years of zero growth.

No wonder both Mexico and the U.S. played their recent World Cup qualifier as if it was the championship match.

FC Barcelona is one of the largest soccer clubs in the world. Photo: Foraggio Fotographic (flickr)

Soccer club FC Barcelona and Fox Soccer Channel — America's leading broadcaster of worldwide soccer — are teaming up with the non profit Malaria No More to fight the preventable disease that kills an estimated 1 million people a year.

In August 2008, FC Barcelona and Malaria No More announced their partnership in the campaign "More than a Club; Kick it to Malaria". Since then, over 1,000 nets have been distributed through online donations.

Carlos Puyol, FC Barcelona's captain, says he's grateful to be part of this cause. "We are all very happy, very proud to be here and to be able to support this great cause."

Fox Soccer Channel has also joined the cause by launching their campaign "Every Goal Saves a Life," where the channel donates $10 — the equivalent of one malaria net — to the More than a Club program for every live goal scored on the channel — the channel has raised over $10,000 so far.