World Cup Opener: Mexico Beat South Africa 2-0

Mexico made a winning start to their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a convincing 2-0 victory over South Africa in the tournament’s opening match at the iconic Estadio Azteca on Thursday.

The co-hosts delighted a packed home crowd as Julian Quinones scored the first goal of the tournament before veteran striker Raul Jimenez sealed the victory in the second half. The encounter, however, was overshadowed by disciplinary issues as three players were sent off, with South Africa ending the match with only nine men.

The atmosphere inside the historic stadium was electric as more than 80,000 fans gathered to witness the opening fixture of the competition. Mexico responded to the occasion early, taking the lead in the ninth minute through Quinones.

The forward capitalised on a mistake in South Africa’s defence before firing a low shot through the legs of goalkeeper and captain Ronwen Williams. The goal sparked wild celebrations among the home supporters, who dominated the atmosphere throughout the contest.

South Africa struggled to cope with the pressure and intensity of the occasion. Coach Hugo Broos had warned his players about the intimidating environment at the Estadio Azteca, but his side appeared unsettled from the opening whistle.

Their situation worsened shortly after the break when midfielder Sphephelo Sithole was shown a straight red card in the 49th minute for bringing down Brian Gutierrez, who was through on goal.

Mexico continued to control possession and doubled their advantage in the 67th minute. A swift counterattack ended with Roberto Alvarado delivering a precise cross that Jimenez headed home from close range.

South Africa’s hopes of mounting a comeback were effectively ended in the 84th minute when Themba Zwane was dismissed following a VAR review. The midfielder was judged to have struck Alvarado in the face during an off-the-ball incident.

Mexico also finished with ten men after Cesar Montes received a late red card for a reckless challenge on Khulisa Mudau.

The result gives Mexico an early advantage in Group A and boosts their hopes of progressing to the knockout stage, while South Africa face an uphill task in their remaining fixtures.