Mexico goals: Quinones (9), Jimenez (67) Julian Quinones got the first and helped set up the second as Mexico dominated and downed South Africa in the opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026™. Javier Aguirre’s side took less than five minutes to create the game’s first chance amid an electric atmosphere at Mexico City Stadium. Israel Reyes whipped a cross in from the right, and Raul Jimenez got power behind the bouncing ball, forcing Ronwen Williams to tip it around his post smartly. It merely maintained deadlock for a few minutes. Erik Lira burgled the adidas Trionda from Sphephelo Sithole, and Quinones struck it through Williams’ legs from just inside the box. Bafana Bafana will have been relived to go in at half-time at a one-goal deficit, their captain having produced a superb save from a Jimenez header and the post having denied Quinones. South Africa’s task got significantly steeper shortly into the second half. Jimenez, racing through on goal, was felled on the edge of the penalty area by Sithole, who was sent off. The Mexican fans, including boxing megastar Canelo Alvarez, erupted as 17-year-old Gilberto Mora was sent on, and within 60 seconds they were celebrating a second goal. Quinones played a slick one-two with Jimenez and fed Roberto Alvarado, whose devilish delivery was nodded home at the back post by the Mexico No9. The contest concluded with two red cards, South Africa substitute Themba Zwane and Mexico centre-back Cesar Montes seeing red. The latter failed to spoil the home supporters’ mood: El Tri were up and running.
Mexico are now unbeaten in their last eight World Cup curtain-raisers, winning six. They beat Korea Republic 3-1 at France 1998, Croatia 1-0 at Korea/Japan 2002 and IR Iran 3-1 at Germany 2006 before a 1-1 draw with hosts South Africa in 2010. Mexico returned to the victory column with 1-0 defeats of Cameroon at Brazil 2014 and Germany. A goalless draw with Poland followed at Qatar 2022.
Sources: FIFA Official
