Mexico made a winning start to their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a comfortable 2-0 victory over South Africa on Thursday night. Julián Quiñones opened the scoring in the ninth minute after capitalising on a defensive error, while Mexico dominated possession and created several chances throughout the first half as South Africa struggled to cope with the pressure.

The game tilted further in Mexico’s favour early in the second half when South Africa midfielder Yaya Sithole was sent off for a dangerous challenge. The winning team took full advantage of the numerical superiority, with Raúl Jiménez heading home Roberto Alvarado’s cross in the 67th minute to double the lead. South Africa’s woes worsened when substitute Themba Zwane received a red card after a VAR review, reducing the team to nine men.

Despite a late red card for César Montes in stoppage time, the hosts comfortably saw out the match in front of more than 80,000 spectators. The victory gives Mexico a strong start in the tournament and boosts their hopes of progressing from the group stage, while South Africa face an uphill battle in their remaining fixtures.