Mexico 2-0 South Africa: Jimenez’s Comeback Complete as World Cup 2026 Opens with 3 Red Cards!

Mexico kicked off the 2026 FIFA World Cup in style, beating South Africa 2-0 at a thunderous Estadio Azteca in front of over 80,000 fans. Julián Quiñones scored the tournament’s very first goal in the 9th minute, and Raúl Jiménez sealed the win around the 67th minute — a moment loaded with emotion given the striker’s remarkable comeback from a near-fatal skull fracture in 2020. Three red cards made for a fiery, unforgettable opener.

Match Report

Mexico came out of the blocks at blistering pace in front of their home fans. The Azteca crowd roared from kick-off, and El Tri fed off that energy immediately. Quiñones struck in the 9th minute to write his name in World Cup history as the scorer of the first goal of the 2026 edition. South Africa tried to respond but were overrun by Mexican intensity in a pulsating first half. The second half brought even more drama: Jiménez added a second to double the lead, and the match descended into chaos with three red cards handed out before the final whistle. Mexico held firm to secure all three points and record their first-ever World Cup opening match victory.

The Goalscorers: Quinones and Jimenez

Julián Quiñones will forever be remembered as the man who opened the scoring at the 2026 World Cup, netting in the 9th minute to send the Azteca into delirium. Then came the moment the whole of Mexico had been waiting for: Raúl Jiménez, scoring his 46th international goal to become Mexico’s second all-time leading scorer. The weight of that moment goes far beyond numbers. In November 2020, Jiménez suffered a fractured skull in a Premier League clash and nearly died on the pitch. Years of gruelling recovery, surgeries, and sheer determination brought him back to the biggest stage in world football — and he delivered when it mattered most.

Three Red Cards – The Controversy

The match produced a staggering three red cards that kept VAR officials busy all night. South Africa’s Sphephelo Sithole was the first to walk, dismissed early in the second half. Then Themba Zwane received his marching orders following a VAR review — the technology confirming he had struck an opponent off the ball, a decision that sparked heated protests from the South African bench and management. Mexico’s César Montes then saw red in stoppage time to cap a wild evening at the Azteca. Three red cards in an opening World Cup match is a record that underlines just how ferocious this encounter became.

Azteca Makes History

The Estadio Azteca became the first stadium in history to host three FIFA World Cups — 1970, 1986, and now 2026. Over 80,000 supporters witnessed history in person, creating an atmosphere that reminded the world why Mexico is one of football’s great homes. Mexico also recorded their first-ever World Cup opener victory, ending a painful run of five losses and two draws in previous tournament curtain-raisers. Add in 17-year-old Gilberto Mora becoming Mexico’s youngest-ever World Cup player, and this was a night absolutely packed with records and milestones.

Group A Standings

Group A is now fully updated after South Korea came from behind to beat Czech Republic 2-1. Mexico and South Korea both have three points, but Mexico stay top on goal difference (+2 to +1).

According to Yonhap, South Korea overturned an early deficit through second-half goals from Hwang In-beom and Oh Hyeon-gyu. Mexico’s next match against South Korea now has early control of Group A on the line.