Mexico finally won a World Cup opening match as they defeated South Africa by a 2-0 score. After 7 tries, Mexico finally got the victory in a lively but accident ridden opening match. Mexico was the better team from the start and dominated the game but should have done better in the score and the game was a good but not great performance from the home side. Mexico will now travel to Guadalajara, where for the first time ever they will play a group stage match outside Estadio Azteca when they face
South Korea.
The 1st half started with Mexico coming out with no surprises, the only change from their last friendly being Israel Reyes getting the start over Jorge Sanchez. A cross into the area would find Raul Jimenez, who got off a great left footed shot but South Africa’s goalkeeper, Ronwen Williams made a great save. After Erik Lira would win a ball outside the area, Julian Quiñones got to the ball, got into the area and got off a right footed shot past the legs of Williams and into the net to score and give Mexico the early 1-0 lead. For the first time in history, Mexico had scored the first goal in a World Cup. From outside the area, Quiñones got off a right footed shot that went just wide. A longball was badly handled by Mexico’s goalkeeper, Raul Rangel, but the ball would eventually be cleared off by Mexico’s defense. After getting into the area, Jesus Gallardo got off a low cross that forced Williams to make a save before it could get to two Mexican attackers. A cross into the area from Alvaro Fidalgo was just missed by Jimenez but it bounced all the way thru and forced Williams to make a save. After a great combination between Brian Gutierrrez, Jimenez and Quiñones, the latter would get off a right footed shot past Williams but it would hit the post. Mbekezeli Mbokazi would get off a left footed shot from way outside the area but it was easily saved by Rangel. After getting a great pass from Quiñones, Gutierrez had a great chance but his right footed shot would go wide in a wasted chance. The halftime whistle blew with Mexico dominating but only having a one goal lead to show for it.
The 2nd half started with neither team making a substitution. A mistaken pass by Williams would gift the ball to Fidalgo but he failed to take a shot and instead got off a pass that was blocked. The ball eventually fell to Gutierrez, who got off a right footed shot from outside the area but it went wide. From way outside the area Quiñones tried to lob the shot into the net but Williams easily saved it. A thru pass allowed Gutierrez to go on a 1 vs 1 but he was brought down by Yaya Sithole. As he was the last man, he would get a red card which left South Africa with 10 players. Aubrey Modiba got off a left footed shot from outside the area that Rangel would easily handle. South Africa subbed out Lyle Foster for Thalente Mbatha. While Mexico continued to dominate, they weren’t as fluid as they were in the 1st half. South Africa subbed out Jayden Adams for Themba Zwane. Mexico subbed out Brian Gutierrez and Alvaro Fidalgo for Luis Chavez and Gilberto Mora. Mora broke the record for the youngest ever Mexican to play in a World Cup. Roberto Alvarado would get off a great cross into the area where Raul Jimenez would get to it and head the ball past Williams and into the net to score and give Mexico the 2-0 lead. It was a very emotional moment for Jimenez, who not only survived a life threatening injury but had lost his father earlier in the year. Mexico subbed out Erik Lira and Raul Jimenez for Edson Alvarez and Armando Gonzalez. South Africa subbed out Aubrey Modiba and Iqraam Rayners for Oswin Appollis and Evidence Makgopa. Mexico subbed out Julian Quiñones for Alexis Vega. After Alvarado got slapped in the area, the referee would go to VAR and decide to give a red card to Themba Zwane. Down to 9 players, South Africa completely sat back but Mexico kept being conservative going forward. Off a counter by South Africa, Cesar Montes would bring down Khuliso Mudau and incredibly the referee judged him to be the last man and gave him a red card. In a match that Mexico had completely dominated, Montes would get a red card that will make him miss the match against South Korea. The match would end and Mexico would get their victory to start the 2026 World Cup.
Mexico started their World Cup on the right track although the feeling was left that it could have been better. Mexico won a World Cup opening match for the first time in their history. Previously Mexico had lost their first five times they opened the World Cup until the streak came to an end in the 1970 World Cup, where they tied the opening match against the USSR by a 0-0 score. While Mexico won their opening match in the 1986 World Cup against Belgium, it was during the time frame where the defending champion played in the opening game, not the host (The opening match was a 1-1 tie between Italy and Bulgaria). Mexico would only play the opening match in 2010, where they tied against South Africa by a 1-1 score. In an historic game today, as it was the first time in history that an opening matchup was repeated, Mexico would defeat South Africa. While the win is a great result on paper, the fact that South Africa went down to 9 players and Mexico could only win by two goals will sour people. What really soured the match for Mexico though was the red card to Cesar Montes, who will now miss a key match against South Korea. South Korea now looks as the toughest opponent for Mexico after they defeated Czechia by a 2-1 score in their opener late Thursday. Mexico will need to improve and a couple of key players should also get the nervousness off themself, which seemed to be a key cause for the lackluster performances of various players. Mexico will need to improve to make it better but at least they were able to get the victory and climb to first place in the group, hoping they can improve and not have a step back.
