Image source: Alamy Stock Photo
Mexico got their 2026 World Cup campaign off to a perfect start with a 2-0 win over South Africa at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on Thursday evening.
El Tri completely outplayed Bafana Bafana (who finished the match with nine men) and secured the first three points in Group A thanks to goals from Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez.
Mexico almost claimed the lead as early as the fifth minute, with Raul Jimenez latching onto a right-flank cross and striking a volley on target, but South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams made a fine low save.
However, just four minutes later a defensive error from South Africa handed Mexico the opening goal: Sphephelo Sithole was dispossessed on the edge of his own penalty area and Julian Quinones struck a low drive through Williams’s legs to make it 1-0.
South Africa had to wait until the 38th minute for their first attempt at goal, with Lyle Foster getting in between two markers to meet a cross from the inside left channel, but his header drifted wide of the target.
El Tri upped their game in the latter stages of the first half and twice in quick succession went close to doubling their lead, with Jimenez helping on a cross only to be denied by a diving Williams save, before Quinones struck the base of the post with a clipped shot from the middle of the penalty area.
Bafana Bafana then had their first effort on target, with Mbekezile Mbokazi letting fly from long range in the 45th minute, but Mexico goalkeeper Raul Ramgel made a comfortable save to ensure his side led 1-0 at the interval.
Sithole’s game went from bad to worse early in the second half when he clumsily brought down Brian Gutierrez just outside the penalty area as the last defender – leaving referee Wilton Sampaio no choice but to issue a straight red card for the denial of a goal scoring opportunity.
Mexico doubled their lead and effectively killed off the game as a contest midway through the second half when Jimenez got on the end of Roberto Alvarado’s in-swinging cross from the right and headed home for 2-0.
Bafana Bafana suffered a further blow late on when substitute Themba Zwane was also shown a red card for a strike to the face of Alvarado, following a VAR review. South Africa were lucky that Mexico did not take advantage of their numerical advantage and run up a more emphatic score line in the dying minutes – primarily because Mexico defender Cesar Montes was shown a red card of his own in injury time.
The teams will continue their Group A campaigns next week, with South Africa facing Czechia in Atlanta in the early evening of Thursday 18 June, and Mexico tackling South Korea in Zapopan in the early morning of Friday 19 June.
Mexico (1) 2 (J. Quinones 9’, R. Jimenez 67’)
South Africa 0
Mexico: R. Rangel, I. Reyes, C. Montes, J. Vasquez, J. Gallardo, E. Lira (E. Alvarez 76’), R. Alvarado, B. Gutierrez (L. Chavez 66’), A. Fidalgo (G. Mora 66’), J. Quinones (A. Vega 79’), R. Jimenez (A. Gonzalez 76’)
SA: R. Williams, I. Okon, N. Sibisi, M. Mbokazi, K. Mudau, T. Mokoena, Y. Sithole, A. Modiba (O. Appollis 77’), J. Adams (T. Zwane 61’), L. Foster (T. Mbatha 56’), I. Rayners (E. Makgopa 77’)
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