Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup 2026 – Group A – Mexico v South Africa – Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico – June 11, 2026 Mexico’s Raul Jimenez celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Pawel Kopczynski TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Co-hosts Mexico cruised to a 2-0 victory over the much weaker and undisciplined South Africa in the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday at the famed Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
Julian Quinones put El Tri ahead in the ninth minute before Raul Jimenez finally got a World Cup goal in his fourth edition in the second half after South Africa accrued its first of two red cards.
Sphephelo Sithole was sent off in the 49th minute after tripping up Mexico’s Brian Guttierez after he was clear in on goal just outside the South African box. With the match already in hand, La Bafana Bafana’s Themba Zwane stepped across Roberto Alvarado and struck his face, resulting in another straight red to reduce the underdogs down to nine.
Quinones, who plays for Club America in Liga MX, took advantage of shocking play out of South Africa’s back line, where goalkeeper Ronwen Williams’ pass to Sithole went awry. The forward fired a shot through the keeper’s legs to send the Azteca — the first venue ever to host World Cup games in three separate tournaments — into bedlam.
Jimenez, whose career and life fell in danger due to a head injury suffered in 2020, tacked on an emotional second for the co-hosts when he converted a perfect cross from Alvarado with his head at the left post. With it, he drew level with Javier Borgetti for the second-most goals all-time in Mexican national team history at 46, according to FOX, and the moment appeared to be too much for the striker, who shed tears during his celebration.
This is likely the 35-year-old’s final World Cup after representing his country at home shortly after moving from Fulham back to Wolverhampton Wanderers, who were just relegated from England’s Premier League.
But Mexico’s name ended on a sour note when Cesar Montes was shown red in the second minute of stoppage time. It made Thursday’s tilt the first-ever opening match at a World Cup to feature three red cards.
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