3 reds, 2 goals: Mexico sweep South Africa 2-0 in frantic World Cup opener

Short Score: Mexico 2-0 South Africa (Julian Quinones 9′, Raul Jimenez 67′)

Shakira’s performance and three red cards. It was certainly an electric start to the 2026 FIFA World Cup as Mexico beat 9 men 2-0. If the opening day of the 2010 FIFA World Cup was a day to remember for South Africa, Bafana Bafana were given a rude awakening in Mexico at the start of 2026.

MAIN MEXICO VS SOUTH AFRICA

The co-hosts dominated their opponents who were toothless in attack and undisciplined in their conduct as they saw Yaya Sithole and Themba Zwane given their marching orders. In stoppage time, Mexico’s Cesar Montes was given his marching orders for denying a goal-scoring chance as the stadium in Mexico City turned wild. This made the game the first World Cup match to have three red cards. We remind you that the 2022 World Cup had only four red cards in all tournaments.

For Mexico, they gained early momentum in Group A as they secured a 2-0 win thanks to goals from Julian Quinones and star striker Raul Jimenez. They created several chances and controlled play for most parts of the match, leaving the fans at Mexico City Stadium wanting more and a little disappointed with the scoreline.

MEXICO FORCE SOUTH AFRICA BACK

The day began with a sensational opening ceremony headlined by Shakira and her rendition of the song Dai Dai. Mexico started the game on the front foot and tested South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams early through Jimenez, who forced a save and a corner.

FULL: Watch Shakira & Burna Boy Perform ‘Dai Dai’ At 2026 FIFA World Cup Opening Ceremony! pic.twitter.com/ZRmltKr9oH— Central Shakira Brazil (@CentralShakira) June 11, 2026

The home crowd didn’t have long to wait, Williams soon turned into a villain for his side when his misplaced pass into midfield was cut out by Gutierrez, who allowed Quinones to be on goal and put it between the legs of the South African keeper in the 9th minute. It was the third fastest goal for El Tri at the World Cup and Quinones began to control the game more.

Mexico used the wings to attack South Africa, who were struggling up front to find a foothold and get back into the contest.

They wasted chances up front and allowed Mexico to control the ball more. At the end of the game, Mexico had 61 percent of possession and 15 shots on goal compared to four for South Africa.

Both teams began to run out of steam a bit in the final quarter of the half, but Mexico quickly turned it on as Jimenez almost made it 2-0 before Quinones hit the post. The South African fans were happy that the score remained 1-0, but the Mexican fans were not.

JIMENEZ CAPTURES HIS MOMENT

Jimenez has been one of Mexico’s best players and boasts a strong Premier League resume. He was happy to link up with forwards and drop back as the game progressed. Such a move helped Mexico start the second half on the front foot, forcing the first red card in the 50th minute.

Jimenez sent Gutierrez across the goal and Sithole knocked him down just outside the box. The referee said it was a clear denial of a goal scoring opportunity and brandished a red card.

This gave hope to the Mexican fans who got louder and louder and showed their dismay when they saw the score 1-0. That’s when Jimenez stepped up and showed why he’s Mexico’s superstar at this World Cup.

Roberto Alvarado sent a nice cross into the box and Jimenez produced a fine header with a poaching finish. This was a player who suffered a life-threatening injury in 2020 and was sidelined for nine months. Emotions and tears were justified as he set out on his way to victory.

He left soon after, just before the 10 minutes of madness began.

South Africa went into damage control but all plans were foiled as Zwane took a wild swing and was red carded for violent conduct. This made Bafana Bafana the first team since 2006 to receive two red cards in a single World Cup match.

3 – Three red cards have been awarded in the first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

At the 2022 World Cup, only four red cards were shown in a total of 64 matches.

Branded. pic.twitter.com/YWYjy2Mu27— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 11, 2026

But it was time for more drama, this time with the Mexican defense. Cesar Montes had played brilliantly up to that point but decided to stop South Africa’s attack by bringing down the striker. It was rude and unwanted and the El Tri captain will miss the next three matches.

For Mexico, the win means they can rest a little before their crucial match against South Korea in a week. South Africa will now have a work break and will need to win against the Czech Republic on the same day to keep their hopes alive.

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Published on:

12 Jun 2026 02:55 IST