Mexico vs South Africa: Mexico kicked off its FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign in style, defeating South Africa 2-0 in the tournament's opening match at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.The game had everything football fans could ask for, i.e. early goals, red cards, historic records and a packed stadium atmosphere. More importantly for the hosts, it ended a frustrating streak of winless World Cup opening matches.ALSO READ: FIFA 2026 football World Cup streaming: How to watch it for free in India?Match HighlightsMexico beat South Africa 2-0Julián Quiñones scored the first goal of the 2026 World CupRaúl Jiménez added the second goalThree players were sent off during the matchMexico registered its first World Cup opening-match win in decadesNearly 80,000 fans packed Estadio AztecaMexico Finally Wins a World Cup OpenerFor years, Mexico struggled to start World Cups with a victory. That changed on Thursday night as El Tri delivered a composed performance in front of home supporters.ALSO READ: FIFA World Cup 2026 Schedule Indian Time (IST) PDFThe breakthrough came early when Julián Quiñones found the net in the ninth minute, becoming the first goalscorer of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.Mexico continued to dominate possession and create chances before veteran striker Raúl Jiménez doubled the lead with a powerful header.Key Moments9th minute: Julián Quiñones opens the scoringMexico controls the first halfRaúl Jiménez scores Mexico's second goalSouth Africa struggles to create clear opportunitiesThree Red Cards Make World Cup HistoryWhile Mexico celebrated the victory, the match will also be remembered for its disciplinary drama.Red CardsSphephelo Sithole (South Africa) — sent off for denying a goalscoring opportunityThemba Zwane (South Africa) — shown a red card after a VAR reviewCésar Montes (Mexico) — dismissed in stoppage timeThe three dismissals made the game the first World Cup opening match in history to feature three red cards.Why This Win Matters for MexicoThe result gives Mexico an early advantage in Group A and boosts confidence for the matches ahead.What Mexico GainsThree pointsClean sheetFirst World Cup opener victory in yearsStrong start in front of home fansMomentum heading into the next group-stage fixtureThe match:Ended a long-standing opening-game droughtProduced the first goal of World Cup 2026Featured a record three red cardsDelivered a memorable night for home supportersFor Mexico, it was the perfect start to a World Cup being played on home soil. For football, Mexico finally wins a World Cup openerFor years, Mexico struggled to start World Cups with a victory. That changed on Thursday night as El Tri delivered a composed performance in front of home supporters. The breakthrough came early when Julián Quiñones found the net in the ninth minute, becoming the first goalscorer of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.Mexico continued to dominate possession and create chances before veteran striker Raúl Jiménez doubled the lead with a powerful header.