Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez scored in either half of the match as hosts Mexico beat South Africa by 2-0 in the opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 at Mexico City Stadium early Friday morning.
Julian Quinones got the first and helped set up the second as Mexico dominated and downed South Africa in the tournament opener.
Mexico took less than five minutes to create the game’s first chance. Israel Reyes whipped a cross in from the right, and Raul Jimenez got power behind the bouncing ball, forcing Ronwen Williams to tip it around his post smartly.
It merely maintained deadlock for a few minutes. Mexico took the lead as Erik Lira stole the ball from Sphephelo Sithole, and Quinones struck it through Williams’ legs from just inside the box in the 9th minute.
Bafana Bafana will have been relived to go in at half-time at a one-goal deficit as their captain produced a superb save from a Jimenez header and Quinones denied by the post.
South Africa’s task got significantly steeper shortly into the second half. Jimenez was brought down on the edge of the penalty area by Sithole, who was sent off.
Quinones played a slick one-two with Jimenez and fed Roberto Alvarado, whose devilish delivery was nodded home at the back post by the Mexico No 9 in the 67th minute
The contest concluded with another two red cards, South Africa substitute Themba Zwane and Mexico centre-back Cesar Montes seeing red.
(With inputs from FIFA)
