Mexico opened the 2026 FIFA World Cup in style on two fronts as Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez gave the co-hosts a 2-0 win over South Africa 2-0.
The tournament’s opening ceremony featured traditional and modern performances at Mexico City Stadium featuring the likes of Shakira.
Quinones, a forward, scored first and helped set up the second as Mexico dominated the game, according to FIFA reports.
There were three red cards handed out as the visitors paid the price for poor discipline.
Bafana Bafana (RSA) trailed 1-0 before they had Sphephelo Sithole sent off for bringing Jiminez down on the edge of the penalty box. Also red carded were Sithole’s team-mate and substitute Themba Zwane, and Mexico centre-back Cesar Montes.
MEXICO OFF TO BEST START
“I’m happy and excited to score my first World Cup goal in such a spectacular stadium with amazing fans,” Quinones told www.fifa.com.
“It’s important for me to acknowledge what my team-mates did to secure the first three points. We’ve felt the support of the fans these past few days. We’re united and today it really showed.”
Quinones was named player of the match.
SOCCEROOS GAMES Australia’s Group D games are against Turkey on Sunday, June 14, in Vancouver (Canada); the US on Saturday, June 20, at Seattle (USA); and Paraguay on Friday, June 26, at San Francisco (USA). All dates are AEST. Click here to a link to all live sites.
“If you make mistakes, they will punish you. They will hurt you at this level,” South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams says.
“I think the most important thing is that now we know what we’re up against because we’re not used to this. We haven’t been part of the World Cup for a very long time.
“We went down but we kept fighting. We didn’t give them anything towards the end,” he says.
“We had a few decent chances as well. We’ll keep fighting, we’ll keep going as a team, and we’ll be better.”
In the other game on the opening day, South Korea is due to play the Czech Republic at Guadalajara Stadium, Mexico.
Click here to link through to video of the opening ceremony from the FIFA website.
A mix of traditional and modern performances kicked off the tournament. Performers included Shakira, Burna Boy, Alejandro Fernnndez, Belinda, Danny Ocean, J Balvin, Lila Downs, Los Angeles Azules, Mana and Tyla.
Meanwhile, Somali World Cup referee Omar Artan, who was deported from the US, has been offered control of UEFA’s Super Cup game in August; see full media report here.
Artan was denied entry to the US for the tournament with Somalia one of 12 countries on a US travel ban list.
Media reports showed him returning home to a hero’s welcome including a parade of a packed stadium as Somalis showed their support for him.
UEFA confirmed the appointment, saying Artan will control the August 12 game in Salzburg between Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and Europa League winners Aston Villa.
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