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A week previously it had been a chilling, rain-bearing wind that swept the picturesque Parc Lescure here but now some of the highest temperatures recorded in France this century are adding uncertainty to the 16th World Cup finals.

 A heat wave has engulfed the south and southwest of the country and that added to the troubles of Belgium in a Group E 2-2 draw with Mexico here that saw another two red cards shown - this time by Scottish referee Hugh Dallas.

 The red card mania remains the major threat to the World Cup and the result of this game was directly referee-affected.

 Mexico were in control until Pavel Pardo was sent off in the 29th minute for a tackle that, in more normal times, could have warranted a yellow card.

 Mexican coach Manuel Lapuente said: 'We wanted to win and we were on our way to achieving this when we got a red card.

 'From then on we had to play with only 10 men, which meant changing our tactics.

 'After that a Belgian player was sent off and we managed to score two goals to equalise.

 'The weather did not worry us. What bothered us most was having to play with only 10 men for a significant part of the match,' he added.

 Belgium deserve great credit for battling superbly in excruciating conditions where temperatures reached 37 degrees Celsius.

 First-aid men at the stadium had to deal with a number of cases of people fainting in the fierce heat and water and soft drinks were sold out.

 The powerfully built Marc Wilmots scored both Belgian goals on either side of half-time to give the European side what seemed to be a match-winning edge.

 But with the livewire Mexican attack comprising Luis Fernandez and Ramon Ramirez simply outstanding, Mexico came back when Belgian substitute Gert Verheyen was sent off in the 55th minute after conceding a penalty.

 Dallas, who was considered certain to follow FIFA's dictates to the letter, waved away a host of Mexican players, including pint-sized goalkeeper Jorge Campos, before showing the distraught Verheyen the card that is now dominating this tournament.

 Alberto Garcia Aspe, a lethal striker of a dead ball, made no mistake from the spot and Mexico surged back into the game.

 The equaliser came as no great surprise but was the result of yet another flashing Mexican attack down the right through Ramirez, who crossed deep to the less impressive Blanco who side-footed it past the helpless Filip de Wilde.

 With both sides down to 10 men it again became a wide open contest but the clearcut chances came late and to Mexico, who were denied by goalkeeper De Wilde.

 Belgian coach Georges Leekens said: 'I don't know whether I should be unhappy or not with the result because when you're 2-0 up and playing against only 10 men you ought to finish up winning.

 'The danger came from the three top-class Mexican forwards and luck was on our side in the first half, so I think the result is maybe okay.

 'The Mexicans are a lot more used to this heat than we are and I just hope it will change although that wasn't the cause of this result.'  The result leaves Belgium having to beat South Korea in their final group game to have any chance of advancing.



Heat and red card take toll on Belgium