Mexico
FIFA Rank #17(1 : 0)
South Africa
FIFA Rank #57- 📅 Date
- 🕐 Time
- 🏟 Stadium Mexico City
- 🧑⚖️ Referee WILTON SAMPAIO
🧠 Match Summary
vs
Mexico opened their home World Cup campaign in emphatic fashion, defeating South Africa 2-0 in front of a passionate crowd in Mexico City. Julián Quiñones broke the deadlock as early as the ninth minute, settling nerves and setting the tone for a dominant Mexican performance. El Tri controlled the contest with 61% possession and outshot their opponents 16 to 3, though South Africa showed enough spirit to keep the scoreline respectable, registering two saves of note. Raúl Jiménez put the result beyond doubt on 67 minutes, converting to confirm a comfortable Group A victory.
South Africa, making their World Cup return, battled to the end despite finishing with two red cards that left them severely undermanned in the closing stages. Mexico, buoyed by home advantage and the electric atmosphere of their capital, will head into Matchday 2 with confidence and three crucial points already secured.
AI-generated — may contain errors
🎬 Match highlights (video)
Watch highlights on YouTube ↗
Source: beIN SPORTS — official YouTube channel
⚡ Match events
-
9'
Julián Quiñones
-
17'
Teboho Mokoena
📋 a bad foul
-
23'
Brian Gutiérrez
📋 a bad foul
-
49'
Sphephelo Sithole
-
67'
Raúl Jiménez
-
74'
Nkosinathi Sibisi
📋 a bad foul
-
84'
Themba Zwane
📋 violent conduct
-
90'
César Montes
📊 Statistics
👕 Lineup
Mexico 4-1-4-1
Starting XI
- Raúl Rangel
- Israel Reyes
- Jesús Gallardo
- Érik Lira
- César Montes
- Johan Vásquez
- Roberto Alvarado
- Brian Gutiérrez
- Raúl Jiménez
- Álvaro Fidalgo
- Julián Quiñones
Substitutes
- Luis Romo
- César Huerta
- Guillermo Ochoa
- Carlos Acevedo
- Luis Chávez
- Mateo Chávez
- Santiago Gimenez
- Obed Vargas
- Alexis Vega
- Guillermo Martínez
- Armando González
- Gilberto Mora
- Edson Álvarez
- Jorge Sánchez
- Orbelín Pineda
South Africa 5-3-2
Starting XI
- Ronwen Williams
- Khuliso Mudau
- Aubrey Modiba
- Mbekezeli Mbokazi
- Ime Okon
- Nkosinathi Sibisi
- Teboho Mokoena
- Sphephelo Sithole
- Lyle Foster
- Iqraam Rayners
- Jayden Adams
Substitutes
- Oswin Appollis
- Sipho Chaine
- Themba Zwane
- Kamogelo Sebelebele
- Khulumani Ndamane
- Thabang Matuludi
- Samukele Kabini
- Relebohile Mofokeng
- Thalente Mbatha
- Ricardo Goss
- Bradley Cross
- Thapelo Maseko
- Tshepang Moremi
- Evidence Makgopa
- Olwethu Makhanya
📋 Match officials & info
- 🌐 Match number 1 of 104
- 🏆 Stage Group A
-
🧑⚖️ Main referee
WILTON SAMPAIO (البرازيل)
-
🚩 Assistant referees
Bruno Pires (البرازيل) · Bruno Boschilia (البرازيل)
- 📺 VAR + 4th official To be announced
- 🟨 Yellow cards 1 — 2
- 🟥 Red cards 1 — 2
