Mexico beat South Africa 2-0 for World Cup opening match

Di opening game for di 2026 World Cup don end wit more red cards than goals.

Mexico defeat South Africa 2-0 but di talking point go be about di three red cards for di game.

Goals from Julian Quinones (9 mins) and Raul Jiminez (67 mins) secure all three points for di host kontri wey create plenti chances.

Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane bin get straight red cards bifor Cesar Montes also get red card late for di game for Mexico.

Mexico dominate di game wit 61% possession and four shots on target wey South Africa get 39% possession wit two shots on target.

In di end, Mexico go dey happy as dem capitalise for one poor pass for di back to punish South Africa bifor veteran striker Raul Jiminez score di second goal.

Mexico go face South Korea for dia second game for 19 June bifor dem meet Czechia on 25 June.

For South Africa, dem gatz face Czechia on 18 June bifor dem meet South Korea for dia last group game.

Second Half

FULLTIME.

Ref don blow whistle for di end of di game

90+6" Mudau dey for floor afta foul from di mexico attacker.

90+5" Di steam for di game don die now. Ref fit blow whistle any moment from now.

90+4" Chance still dey for one last chance for either of di two teams.

Waste! South Africa waste di freekick as dem try to play am short. Di chance don vansh.

90+3 Freekick to South Africa for di edge of di Mexico box.

RED CARD for Mexico.

Cesar Montes deny goalscoring opportunity as di last man.

90+1" Mexico dey play di ball for di South Africa area bifor dem lose di ball. Ref give freekick and red card for Cesar Montes.

90+7 mins

89" Mbokazi don foul Edson Alvarez.

88" Time don dey run out for Bafana Bafana to create sometin and even sore one goal.

85" Mexico get advantage to finis off di game and dem fit score more goals serf.

Zwane bin dey di pitch for only 20 minutes bifor im get di red card

82" RED CARD! Second red card for South Africa. Themba Zwane carry elbow wack di head of Alvarado and afta VAR check, di ref give am red card. South Africa down to 9 men

VAR. Referee bin dey go check for possible red card for south Africa for deliberate elbow.

81" Alvarado bin dey for ground afta one South Africa player drag am, but ref neva see.

Ova 80,800 fans don dey di stadium for dis opening game.

78" Mexico comot dia oda goalscorer Julian Quinones, dem replace am wit Alexis Vega.

76" South Africa also bin make two more changes - Makgopa and Appollis enta to replace Rayners and Modiba.

Mexico make some changes. di goal scorer Raul Jimenez and Lira don comot; Edson Alvarez and Gonzalez don replace dem.

75" South Africa dey defend well to shut out Mexico wey dey try to score again.

73" Yellow card for Sibisi afta im hack down Quinines. South Africa players don dey frustrate.

72" Raul Jiminez fall for ground inside di box dey search for penalty but ref don wave am away.

71" Di game don restart.

Cooling break!

Di Wolves striker meet one cross from Alvarado afta Quinones and Mora combine for di far side

66" GOOOALLL! Raul Jiminez don score for Mexico. 2-0

65" Mexico don carry di youngest player for di tournament Gilerto Mora (17) enta di game togeda wit Chavez. Gutierrez and Fidalgo don comot.

63" Bafana Bafana bin dey press Mexico for dia penalty box and almost win di ball but El Tri don clear di ball.

62" Freekick to South Africa, high boot from Quinones againsr Mudau. Di Al Qadisah player dey protest say im be innocent but ref already award di freekick.

Anoda change for Bafana Bafana, Adams don comot for Zwane.

60" Bafana Bafana dey try to keep di ball and create some chance for di counter but so far Mexico don block all dia attampts.

58" Anoda poor freekick from Mexico. South Africa clear dia lines thru Mbokazi.

57" Lira don fall for ground, referee blow whistle for freekick to Mexico.

Dem comot Lyle Foster di striker for Thalente Mbatha wey be defensive midfielder.

55" Shot! Modiba bin shoot from more than 40 yards, di Mexico keeper strugle to ctach dat one, but eventaully im save am.

53" Mexico bin dey string passes togeda slowly, dem already miss plenty chances dis second half, South Africa go dey happy say dem no concede second goal yet.

52" Dat red card na di thrid red cup for South Africa for di World cup. Now dem gatz try to play di rest of di game wit 10 men

51" From di freekick, Raul Jiminez smash di ball into di wall. Chance don waste again.

49" RED CARD! Sphephelo Sithole don chop red card as di last man wey foul Gutierrez.

48" South Africa survive early scare for dis second half. Quinones try to score spectacular goal from di center but Willaims catch di ball.

CHAAANCE! What a miss! Ronwen Williams bin pass di ball to Mexico forward Fidalgo, but im waste too much time wey e carry di ball go wide. Di chance don miss.

South Africa bin pass di ball but right afta dem dash di ball to Mexico but fail to capitalize.

46" Referee don blow whistle for di game to begin!

Second half don start

Who go get di next goal? South Africa to equalize or host nation Mexico to extend dia lead? Time go tell

Players comot di dressing room dey enta pitch for di second 45 minutes

First Half

45+4 HALFTIME

45+3 Chaaaance! Guitierrez miss ogbonge chance as im dey try to place di ball into di far corner. South Africa bin dey open for dat chance but Mexico no fit take advantage

Alvarado don hustle Modiba from South Africa until im carry di ball comot for goalkick to Mexico.

45+2" Mexico dey try to find di second goal bifor di halftime whistle but dem no dey succesful.

Dem don add four minutes to di first half afta South Africa keeper Ronwen Williams don comot to clear one ball for di box.

45+4 mins

44" Shot! Rayners bin shoot from outside di box, but Mexico keer Rangel save am

43" Corner to South Africa as Gutierrez bin block one cross by Mudau.

South Africa escape as we bin dey approach di halftime whistle.

42" POST! Mexico bin hit di post thru Julian Quinones, di scorer of di first goal.

41" Saaave! Ronwen Williams don save one ball from Jinimez.

40" Di first half almost don reach di score still remain 1-0 to di host kontri.

38" Lira bin dey for ground as Sithole bin catch am as im try to play di ball. Referee bin award freekick but im no give Sithole card for dat foul.

36" South Africa get one chance - Foster meet one cross inside di Mexico box but di ball go wide. Dat be dia first chance for di game so far.

34" Chaaance! Mexico try to create chance as dia fullback overlpa and cross one low ball into di South Africa area biut goalkeeper Ronwen Williams don collect di ball.

33" Lyle Foster get di ball inside di Mexico area but dem bin hustle am until im pass di ball comot di pitch for throw-in. Mudau don vex.

32" OFFSIDE! Modiba tin say im beat di ofside trap to collect one long ball and cross into di Mexico box bit ref bin whistle for offside.

31" Bafana Bafana bin dey try to string some passes togeda but na for dia own area, Mexico bin dey press dem

29" Di game don restart wit Mexico trying to create chance but South Africa bin deal wit di challenge well well.

24" Referee don call for water break!

21"Yellow card for Brian Gutierrez from Mexico for foul on Mokoena.

Mexico keeper Rangel comot im line for one south africa attack but dem no fit take advantage.

20" Mudau from South Africa bin lose di ball wey im try to win am back but di player don foul im marker.

South Africa don win frekick for di center of di park.

19" Chaaance! Julian Quinones try to shoot from range but di shot don land on top di South Africa net.

17" South Africa no get any shot on target yet - Mexico bin get three wey one enta di net.

16" First yellow card for di tournament - Teboho Mokoena collect am for one bad foul

13" Mexico don dey dominate di ball so far since dia goal, Mudau from South Africa fail to colect one long ball wey di ball comot for throw-in to Mexico.

12" Raul Jiminez bin win corner for Mexico but dem no fit take threaten di Bafana Bafana

11" South Africa dey try to recover from dat early setback

10" We get di first goal for di 2026 World Cup - na Saudi Arabia goalking Julian Quinones bin get am

Mexico don punish South Africa as dem try to play from di back but di Mexicans bin press dem well wey dem catch dem. Goalkeeper Williams no fit do anytin about dat Quinones strike

8" GOOAALLLLLL! Mexico take di lead, Julian Quinones score thru di legs of Williams

7" Afta those two chances di game don settle now. Di fans dey nervous for di stadium

6" Mexico tink say dem get corner kick but referee say na goalkick to South Africa.

5" South Africa try to counter and catch Mexico but dia final ball be poor, goalkeeper Rangel collect di ball.

4" Chaaaance! Raul Jiminez wit di first chance of di tournament wit im shot but Ronwen Williams bin save am

Mexico waste di freekick as dem blast di ball for di wall.

3" Both trams dey size each oda bifor Modiba hack down Mexico player, ref blow whsitle for freekick near di South Africa box.

2" Di atmosphere for di stadium dey boil, di home fans bin dey boo every South African touch so far

Mexico fans dey chant 'Ole Ole' afta every pass by dia team afta kickoff.

1" Referee don blow whistle for di game to begin!

Mexico sing dia own anthem wit thousands of fans for di stadium.

South Africa musician Tyla bin dey lead dey sing dia national anthem on top di pitch

Mexico players wit dia traditional green jersey and South Africa bin dey wear dia Yellow jersey don dey waka enta pitch now.

As tins dey now, everywia don set.

VAR be Nicolas Gallo from Colombia wit Juan Lara from Chile as assistant VAR referee and Jerome Brisard from France as di oda support official for VAR.

Referee Wilton Sampaio go dey di center for dis World Cup opener, two assistants Bruno Pires, Bruno Boschilia all from Brazil, togeda wit di fourth official and reserve referee Juan Benitez and Eduardo Cardozo both from Paraguay.

Dis be di time we bin dey wait for.

Welcome everibody to di coverage of di first game of di 2026 Fifa World Cup for Mexico.

Di colourful opening ceremony don end wit fine fine performances from Alejandro Fernandez, J Balvin, Mana wey Shakira and Burna Boy close di ceremony wit di official World Cup song 'Dai Dai'.

Di Estadio Azteca for Mexico City dey boil wit excitement as fans no fit wait for di game to kick off.

Now all eyes dey focus for di football, both coaches don drop dia lineups.

Mexico manager Javier Aguirre don drop record goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa but veteran striker Raul Jiminez and Saudi league goal king Quinones bin dey lead El Tri from di front.

For South Africa, Hugo broos bin start midfielder Teboho Mokoena for midfield wey Burnley striker Lyle Foster bin dey start up front.

Dis na din lineup for both teams

Mexico XI: Rangel (GK), Reyes, Montes, Vasquez, Gallardo, Lira, Fidalgo, Gutierrez, Alvarado, Jiminez, Quinones.

South Africa XI: Williams (GK), Modiba, Mbokazi, Okon, Sibisi, Sithole, Mokoena, Adams, Rayners, Foster

Very soon di players go comot for di pitch for di action to begin

Buildup

Afta many months of tok-tok and buildup, di World Cup finally dey hia and afta di colourful opening ceremony wey go happun for di Estadio Azteca for Mexico City on Thursday evening, di football go begin.

Two oda opening ceremonies go happun on 12 June for Toronto (Canada) and Los Angeles (USA).

Top stars like Shakira and Burna boy dey set to perform di Fifa World Cup song for dis year togeda wit oda artistes like Alejandro Fernandez, J Balvin, Mana and Tyla, for di Estadio Azteca for Mexico City at 5:30 PM GMT (6:30 WAT).

Di game itserf between di host kontri Mexico and South Africa go happun at 7:00 PM GMT (8:00 WAT).

Dis be di second time Bafana Bafana of South Africa go jam wit Mexico for World cup game opener – 16 years afta dem face each oda for di 2010 tournament.

For dat game for di 2010 World Cup, e end for 1-1 draw for Johannesburg.

Apart from di buildup to di biggest tournament wey dey dominated wit controversy ova visa wahala, fan tickets and oda security issues, South Africa also dey enta di game afta plenty tension for dia kontri.

On top social media, many African fans say dem go support Mexico for dis opening game sake of di anti-immigration protests and xenophobic attacks against black Africans for di kontri.

Vigilantes and oda groups bin dey pursue African migrants from di kontri wey dem give 30 June deadline for all African foreigners to comot dia kontri.

So far kontris like Ghana, Mozambique, Malawi, Nigeria and Zimbabwe don evacuate some of dia citizens from di kontri as threats and violence against African migrants dey continue.

For football fans for Africa, dis attacks on fellow black pipo dey unfortunate, na so dem also decide say dem no go support South Africa.

Team news and buildup

Mexico don appear for di World Cup 18 times, wey dis be dia nineth successive qualification to di mundial.

Overall dem play 60 games for di tournament (W17, D15, L28), dia best finish for dia history be when dem reach di quarterfinals for 1970 and 1986.

El Tri dey carry a mix of experience players and young talents to di tournament.

Guillermo Ochoa dey appear for im sixth tournament, captain Edson Alvarez bin win di best player for di 2025 Concacaf gold Cup, Raul Jiminez be di top scorer for di 2025 Concacaf Nations League.

Dem also get di youngest player for di tournament – Gilberto Mora (17 years).

For South Africa, dis be dia fourth World Cup appearance, di first time since dem host di tournament 16 years ago.

Hugo Broos dey count on di core of im locally based players to try and qualify from dia group.

Mamelodi Sundowns Goalkeeper Ronwen Williams wey win 2023 Afcon goalkeeper of di tournament, togeda wit teammate Teboho Mokoena di engine for midfield and Burnley striker Lyle Foster go hope to begin on a strong foot.

Di ova 65 million South Africans go dey support dia team and hope dey use di criticism and online trolls and drags as motivation.

Wetin di two coaches tok ahead of di game

Dia manager Javier Aguirre bin dey lead di kontri to di tournament for di third time (2002, 2010, 2026), im sabi di game well well.

"South Africa football don evolve wey dem improve so much," Aguirre tok journalists ahead of di game.

Im add say "we dey respect South Africa, for football today, we no get small rivalry, but we no dey fear dem."

Di 67-year-old Mexico coach also pay tribute to South Africa gaffer Hugo Broos ahead of di match.

"I dey respect Hugo very much, im give South Africa di structure dem get wey im bin dey use di Sundowns and Orlando players for di team since dem dey young, dem bin dey play togeda since."

Bafana Bafana coach 74-year-old Hugo Broos sabi say Mexico be di "strongest team" for dia group.

"We dey ready to fight for every ball against dem; dem dey play good football wey dem go play in front of 85,000 fans for stadium."

Broos say "e dey important say we win our first game for di competition for group like dis, if you no win, you already dey difficult position."

Possible lineups

Mexico XI: Rangel; Gallardo, Vasquez, Montes, Reyes; Gutierrez, Lira, Fidalgo; Quinones, Alvarado, Jimenez

South Africa XI: Williams; Mudau, Okon, Mbokazi, Modiba; Mokoena, Sithole, Mbatha; Moremi, Foster, Appollis

Di game go happun at 7PM GMT (8PM WAT), make you join us hia for live commentary