Mexico begin World Cup campaign with emphatic win over South Africa

Mexico opened the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a convincing 2-0 victory over South Africa in a fiery Group A clash that produced three red cards and two well-taken goals before a packed crowd at the Mexico City Stadium on Thursday.
The hosts made the perfect start when Julián Quiñones struck in the ninth minute from Érik Lira’s assist.
The early goal settled Mexico, who controlled possession and dictated the pace of the match for much of the evening.
South Africa’s hopes suffered a major setback four minutes into the second half when Yaya Sithole was shown a straight red card for a reckless challenge.
Reduced to 10 men, Bafana Bafana struggled to cope with Mexico’s attacking pressure....