Kenonis and Jiménez Fire Mexico to 2-0 Win Over Nine-Man South Africa in World Cup Thriller

Three Red Cards And Two Goals: Mexico Beat South Africa 2-0 in Chaotic 2026 World Cup Opener

Mexico opened the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 2-0 win over South Africa at the Estadio Azteca, but the match will be remembered for a historic flood of red cards.

In front of a packed home crowd, El Tri started fast, finished strong, and survived late drama to claim three points on opening night.

The breakthrough came in the 9th minute. Julian Kenonis, the Saudi Pro League Golden Boot winner, fired Mexico ahead and became the first player to score at the 2026 World Cup. It was the quickest goal in a World Cup opener since Philipp Lahm struck for Germany against Costa Rica in 2006.

South Africa’s task got harder four minutes into the second half. Midfielder Sphephelo Sithole was shown red by referee Sampaio for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity. He became the first player sent off at this tournament and only the fourth South African ever dismissed at a World Cup. The last red in a World Cup opening match came in 1994, when Bolivia’s Marco Etcheverry was sent off against Germany.

Mexico made the man advantage count in the 69th minute. Raúl Jiménez, 35, rose to meet a precise cross from Roberto Alvarado and headed home to double the lead.

The game unraveled further in the 84th minute. After a VAR review, 36-year-old Themba Zwane was given a straight red for violent conduct , reducing South Africa to nine men. In stoppage time, Mexico were also down to 10 when César Montes was dismissed for denying a clear goalscoring chance.

The three dismissals marked the first time in World Cup history that an opening match produced three red cards.

Mexico now shift focus to South Korea, while South Africa must regroup for a must-win against the Czech Republic on June 18. For the hosts, it was a sweet start at the Azteca. For Bafana Bafana, it’s a quick reset after a brutal afternoon.