The 2026 World Cup began in the most dramatic fashion at the Estadio Azteca. Mexico won the tournament opener 2-0 against South Africa — but the scoreline barely captures what unfolded over 90 extraordinary minutes. Three red cards, two disallowed goals, a post rattled, and over 80,000 Mexicans inside the most famous stadium in World Cup history. El Tri are up and running.
THE GOALS
Julian Quinones gave Mexico the perfect start nine minutes in. Erik Lira won a fifty-fifty challenge in midfield, played it forward, and Quinones pounced in the box — spinning away from his marker and striking low into the bottom corner before any South African defender could react. The first goal of the 2026 World Cup. The Estadio Azteca erupted. Quinones almost made it two shortly after, rattling the post from a tight angle.
Mexico doubled their lead in the second half through Raul Jimenez — the veteran striker nodding home a free-kick delivery with authority to score his first-ever World Cup goal at the age of 35. It was an emotional moment for a player who nearly lost his career to a fractured skull in 2020. Jimenez wheeled away with tears in his eyes.
THE RED CARDS
Three red cards defined the second half. South Africa's Sphephelo Sithole received the first — a foul on Brian Gutierrez that the referee deemed dangerous — reducing Bafana Bafana to ten men. The second South Africa red came minutes later when a defender denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity as Gutierrez bore down on goal. South Africa were reduced to nine men. In the chaos, Mexico's Cesar Montes then received a late red for a cynical challenge — finishing the game at ten men versus nine. Per ESPN, it is only the second time in World Cup history three red cards have been shown in the same match, with South Africa also involved in the other occasion against Denmark in 1998.
HOW THE GAME PLAYED OUT
Mexico were dominant from the first whistle under Javier Aguirre. Brian Gutierrez — the Chicago-born midfielder — was outstanding in the first half, driving forward repeatedly and causing South Africa problems on the right. He should have scored before half-time but scuffed his effort wide. Santiago Gimenez led the line with intensity but could not find a goal of his own. South Africa's best moment came from a set-piece early in the second half when Bafana Bafana tested Guillermo Ochoa — still Mexico's first-choice keeper at 40 years old — with a header that required a sharp save. Mexico's midfield control was never seriously threatened.
LINEUPS
Mexico (4-3-3): Ochoa; Sanchez, Montes, Moreno, Gallardo; Lira, Fidalgo, Alvarado; Gutierrez, Gimenez, Quinones. Subs: Jimenez (for Quinones), Antuna (for Gutierrez), Rodriguez (for Alvarado).
South Africa (4-4-2): Williams; Sithole, Modiba, Mudau, Khumalo; Tau, Mokoena, Baloyi, Zungu; Mothiba, Dolly. Subs: Lakay (for Dolly), Mofokeng (for Mothiba).
THE NUMBERS
Mexico: 61% possession, 14 shots, 5 on target. South Africa: 39% possession, 4 shots, 1 on target. Estadio Azteca attendance: 83,141 — first stadium to host games at three separate World Cups (1970, 1986, 2026).
WHAT IT MEANS
Mexico top Group A with three points after the opening day. South Korea and Czechia also played on opening day — their result affects the group picture. Mexico next face South Korea. South Africa, already down two red-carded players who will miss the next game, face a near-impossible task to progress from Group A having started with nine men for the final twenty minutes.
