The first of 104 World Cup matches was won by the country that hosted the start of the tournament.
Mexico took down South Africa, 2-0, in Mexico City after Estadio Azteca played host to the World Cup opening ceremonies.
Mexico was the better team from the jump, scoring in the ninth minute after already having two corner kicks.
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A pass from South Africa’s goalie got away from a teammate and was picked off by Erik Lira. The ball was then taken by Julián Quiñones, who took just one dribble toward the middle of the field and ripped a right-footed shot into the net, putting the crowd into a frenzy.
Hopes of a South African comeback took a hit when Yaya Sithole was given a red card in the 50th minute for bringing Mexico’s Brian Gutiérrez on what would have been a breakaway.
From then on, South Africa was playing with 10 men, making it an even larger mountain to climb.
The dagger came in the 67th minute, when Raúl Jiménez scored a header on a perfect cross from Roberto Alvarado, making it a 2-0 game. Playing in his fourth World Cup, it was Jiménez’s first goal in tournament history, and he could not help but let out his emotions.
South Africa was hit with one more red card in the 84th minute, and Mexico was given one in the 92nd minute. South Africa’s Sithole and Themba Zwane, as well as Mexico’s César Montes, will each miss their next games against Czechia in Atlanta and Korea in Guadalajara, respectively.
In World Cup history, Mexico has now won 15 of the 23 matches in which it has scored first, drawing five and losing three.
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Estadio Azteca, renamed Mexico City Stadium for the tournament, held the tournament’s opening ceremonies, during which all 48 competing countries were represented. FIFA President Gianni Infantino was in the building with the FIFA World Cup Trophy.
Mexico is coming off a disappointing trip to Qatar, as it was the first time since 1978 that it competed in a World Cup and did not make it to the knockout stage. Aside from its ban in 1990 and not qualifying in 1982, it had made it past the group stage in nine straight World Cups it played in.
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