The 2026 World Cup has finally begun. In a packed Estadio Azteca, Mexico, which ended with 10 players on the field, defeated South Africa, which finished with 9, without any surprises, with a score of 2-0 in the first match of the tournament, corresponding to Matchday 1 of Group A.
After a shower of paper hats to welcome the hosts, the first match of the World Cup would start with the Mexicans dominating possession. In the 4th minute, Raúl Giménez would shoot from the edge of the area, but Ronwen Williams denied him the goal with a great save.
Although they narrowly escaped at the start, unfortunately for the Bafana Bafana, they would soon make a childish mistake in defense that would cost them dearly. Williams would clear the ball after an attack from the Mexican team and pass it to Sphephelo Sithole, who mishandled it and gifted it to Érik Lira, who quickly assisted Julián Quiñones to score the 1-0 between the legs of the South African goalkeeper.
After taking the lead, the team coached by Javier Aguirre continued to be the protagonist of the match; however, they lacked precision in attack. Despite this, towards the end of the first half, the Tri would come close to doubling their lead twice. First, Williams would deflect a dangerous shot from Giménez in the area with a strong hand, although it would be ruled out for offside, and immediately after, Quiñones would hit the right post after a good combination of passes near the goal.
