Mexico defeats South Africa in the first match of the 2026 World Cup
The Mexican national team successfully began its performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, defeating the South African Republic team with a score of 2:0 in the opening match.
Photo: AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko
The score was opened already in the 9‑th minute of the match. A defender of the South African national team made a mistake near his penalty area, after which the ball fell to Mexican striker Julián Quiñones. Without hesitation, he powerfully struck the opponent's goal, and the African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams could not save the shot. Thus, Mexico quickly took the lead.
After scoring the goal, the Mexicans continued to control the game, had more possession, and regularly created dangerous moments near the opponent's goal. The South African national team tried to organize attacks, but their actions were indistinct, and Mexico's defense easily dealt with the threats. The first half ended with a minimal advantage for the hosts — 1:0.
In the second half, the match picture hardly changed. The Mexican team continued to dictate its terms and had a significant statistical advantage. By approximately the 60‑th minute, they had made 13 shots on goal, 4 of which were on target. At the same time, the South African players managed to respond with only three shots, and only two of them were on target.
The situation for the South African national team became even more complicated in the 50‑th minute when its player Sfiso Sithole received a red card, and the team was left with ten men. Taking advantage of the numerical superiority, the Mexicans increased pressure, and in the 67‑th minute, Raúl Jiménez scored the second goal, effectively deciding the fate of the match.
Towards the end of the match, South Africa's problems continued. In the 84‑th minute, another of their players — Themba Zwane — was sent off, so the team was forced to finish the game with nine men. Under these circumstances, Mexico easily brought the match to victory.
The only setback for the hosts was a red card, which defender César Montes received in added time, in the 92‑nd minute. This means he will miss his team's next match.
As a result, the match ended with Mexico winning 2:0. The championship hosts earned important three points and took a good step towards advancing to the next stage of the tournament.
The next match in Group A is scheduled to start on June 12 at 4:50 AM Minsk time — it will feature the national teams of South Korea and Czechia.
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