FIFA World Cup

FT Thursday, June 11, 2026
South Africa LDLDW 0
–
Mexico DDWWW 2
1st2ndT
RSA000
MEX112
Estadio Banorte · 80,824 att. · FOX

Match Report

Carl Recine/Getty Images

Mexico kick off World Cup with 2-0 win over South Africa amid three red cards

Mexico's misery in World Cup opening games was finally ended as they secured a 2-0 win over South Africa at the Estadio Azteca in a match featuring three red cards.

Full story at ESPN →

Team Stats

11
Fouls
12
2
Yellow Cards
1
2
Red Cards
1
1
Offsides
1
1
Corner Kicks
3
2
Saves
2
39.5
Possession
60.5
3
SHOTS
16
2
ON GOAL
4
0.7
On Target %
0.3
0
Penalty Goals
0
0
Penalty Kicks Taken
0
272
Accurate Passes
467
334
Passes
520
0.8
Pass Completion %
0.9
1
Accurate Crosses
4
8
Crosses
12
0.1
Cross %
0.3
46
Long Balls
48
17
Accurate Long Balls
31
0.4
Long Balls %
0.6
0
Blocked Shots
5
7
Effective Tackles
6
14
Tackles
12
0.5
Tackle %
0.5
7
Interceptions
8
17
Effective Clearances
15
17
Clearances
15

Highlights

01:04 Keller: Mexico 'could have set the tone' for the group Watch on ESPN 01:56 Gomez on South Africa's red cards: 'I have no idea what got into them' Watch on ESPN 00:43 Laurens: South Africa 'need to improve massively' to advance Watch on ESPN 00:51 Mexico fans celebrate opening goal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Watch on ESPN

Head to Head

RSA leads series 1-0-1

Lineups

MEX · 4-1-4-1

  1. 1Raúl RangelG
  2. 5Johan VásquezCD-L
  3. 3César MontesCD-R
  4. 6Érik LiraDM
  5. 23Jesús GallardoLB
  6. 15Israel ReyesRB
  7. 8Álvaro FidalgoCM-L
  8. 26Brian GutiérrezCM-R
  9. 16Julián QuiñonesLM
  10. 25Roberto AlvaradoRM
  11. 9Raúl JiménezF

RSA · 5-3-2

  1. 1Ronwen WilliamsG
  2. 21Ime OkonCD
  3. 14Mbekezeli MbokaziCD-L
  4. 19Nkosinathi SibisiCD-R
  5. 6Aubrey ModibaLB
  6. 20Khuliso MudauRB
  7. 13Sphephelo SitholeCM
  8. 23Jayden AdamsCM-L
  9. 4Teboho MokoenaCM-R
  10. 9Lyle FosterCF-L
  11. 15Iqraam RaynersCF-R

Timeline

  1. 9' Goal! Mexico 1, South Africa 0. Julián Quiñones (Mexico) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Érik Lira.
  2. 17' Teboho Mokoena (South Africa) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
  3. 23' Brian Gutiérrez (Mexico) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
  4. 25' Delay in match for a drinks break.
  5. 25'
  6. 27' Delay over. They are ready to continue.
  7. 27'
  8. 49' Yaya Sithole (South Africa) is shown the red card.
  9. 56' Substitution, South Africa. Thalente Mbatha replaces Lyle Foster.
  10. 61' Substitution, South Africa. Themba Zwane replaces Jayden Adams.
  11. 66' Substitution, Mexico. Luis Chávez replaces Brian Gutiérrez.
  12. 66' Substitution, Mexico. Gilberto Mora replaces Álvaro Fidalgo.
  13. 67' Goal! Mexico 2, South Africa 0. Raúl Jiménez (Mexico) header from very close range to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Roberto Alvarado with a cross.
  14. 68' Delay in match for a drinks break.
  15. 68'
  16. 70' Delay over. They are ready to continue.
  17. 70'
  18. 73' Delay in match because of an injury Raúl Jiménez (Mexico).
  19. 73'
  20. 73' Delay over. They are ready to continue.
  21. 73'
  22. 74' Nkosinathi Sibisi (South Africa) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
  23. 76' Substitution, Mexico. Edson Álvarez replaces Érik Lira.
  24. 76' Substitution, Mexico. Armando González replaces Raúl Jiménez.
  25. 76' Substitution, South Africa. Evidence Makgopa replaces Iqraam Rayners.
  26. 77' Substitution, South Africa. Oswin Appollis replaces Aubrey Modiba.
  27. 79' Substitution, Mexico. Alexis Vega replaces Julián Quiñones.
  28. 81' Delay in match because of an injury Roberto Alvarado (Mexico).
  29. 81'
  30. 81' Delay over. They are ready to continue.
  31. 81'
  32. 82'
  33. 84'
  34. 84' Themba Zwane (South Africa) is shown the red card for violent conduct.
  35. 90'+2' César Montes (Mexico) is shown the red card.

FIFA World Cup News

All news
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