Three expulsions at the start of the World Cup
Mexico starts the home tournament with a win
Updated June 11, 2026 – 11:25 p.mReading time: 3 minutes
At the Aztec Stadium, hosts Mexico take an early lead. Shortly after half time there was a sending off and thus a preliminary decision.
Mexico won the first game of the World Cup against South Africa 2-0 (1-0) and starts Group A as hosts with three points. Julián Quiñones had already put El Tri in the lead in the ninth minute. The game then leveled off until the break, but the Mexican team still dominated the game.
Shortly after the break, South Africa’s Sphephelo Sithole was sent off, after Mexico’s Brian Gutiérrez was the last man to fall just outside the penalty area. Afterwards, South Africa no longer posed a threat; Raúl Jiménez scored for Mexico, making the final score 2-0.
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However, that wasn’t the end of it for South Africa; referee Wilton Sampaio interpreted a collision between South Africa’s Themba Zwane and Roberto Alvarado as an act of aggression by the South African. Zwane was also sent off. But that wasn’t enough, in stoppage time the Brazilian referee drew another red card, this time Mexico’s César Montes.
That’s how the game went
At 1:05 p.m. local time, after the entire squad of both teams had lined up around the center circle for the anthem, five minutes later than planned, the game started. Mexico coach Javier Aguirre, who, like his Belgian counterpart Hugo Broos, was a player for the South Africans at the 1986 World Cup, initially did without his 17-year-old super teenager Gilberto Mora. Instead of iconic keeper Guillermo Ochoa (40), 26-year-old Raúl Rangel stood in goal at his sixth World Cup.
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But everything Aguirre came up with worked out. And how. The first huge chance after five minutes. From the right side, the advanced defender Isreal Reyes crossed into the back of the South African defense, and Jiménez shot straight away. Just like that, keeper and captain Ronwen Williams was able to direct the ball to the corner.
A little later it happened to Bafana Bafana, who had been delayed in traveling to Mexico due to a lack of a visa. Erik Lira won the ball 20 meters in front of the South African goal, set up Quiñones, who humiliatingly tunneled through Williams from around 16 meters.