Mexico got their joint-home World Cup off to the perfect start with a 2-0 opening match win over nine-man South Africa – in a game that had THREE red cards.
It was, however, a World Cup debut to forget for South Africa midfielder Yaya Sithole at a raucous Azteca Stadium, who was at fault for Mexico’s first as he gave away possession for Julian Quinones to strike home after nine minutes.
Quinones blasted Mexico in front from inside the box
Then the midfielder was given a straight red card in the second half as he brought down Bryan Gutierrez through on goal, with referee Wilton Sampaio taking no time in giving him his marching orders.
In truth, Mexico should have been out of sight even before the red card. Raul Jimenez was denied twice by South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, while Quinones struck the post in a dominant first half for Mexico, as Bafana Bafana barely threatened.
But with the nerves entering the Azteca, Raul Jimenez put them to bed as he headed home Roberto Alvarado’s cross at the back post for his first ever World Cup goal. Given everything he’s been through with his serious head injury in 2020, there was no surprise to see tears in his eyes.
Jimenez doubled Mexico’s lead at the back post
There was even room for VAR to get involved as the video referee spotted South Africa substitute Thembo Zwane swiping at Alvarado’s face when fighting for the ball. In the first controversial call of the tournament, referee Wilton Sampaio sent Zwane off too.
Then Mexico defender Cesar Montes was controversially given his marching orders by Sampaio for stopping a South Africa counter on the edge of the box. Despite Khalisu Madau having a long way to go to goal, the Mexico defender was sent down the tunnel – even after VAR checked it.
The key moments from an eventful Mexico City opener…
- Pre-match: Shakira and Burna Boy led the first of two opening ceremonies at the Azteca Stadium
- Pre-match: In the second ceremony, the USA flag was booed by the crowd as flags of the 48 participating teams came out.
- 9: GOAL! Sithole’s pocket is picked on the edge of his own box, allowing Quinones to fire home the first goal of the World Cup – and send the Azteca Stadium into delirium!
- 43: POST! Quinones is denied a second goal by the foot of the post from a similar area.
- 46: CALAMITY! South Africa nearly gave a second goal away straight away in the second half, when playing out the back, but Alberto Fidalgo failed to take his chance in the box.
- 50! RED CARD! Sithole’s afternoon goes from bad to worse as he brings down Bryan Gutierrez on the edge of the box as the last defender.
- 67: GOAL! With the nerves starting to creep in, Jimenez headed in at the far post to double Mexico’s lead.
- 82: VAR AND RED CARD! Video technology is used for the first time in the tournament as referee Wilton Sampaio is called to the monitor as Zwane is adjudged to have slapped Alvarado in the face. The South Africa substitute is sent off.
- 90+2: ANOTHER RED! Mexico defender Montes is also controversially sent off for hacking down Khaliso Madau, when it looked like a classic yellow card.
Neville, Keane have their say on second and third red cards
Gary Neville and Roy Keane had their say on whether the second and third red cards in the World Cup opener were sendings off.
On Zwane’s red card, Keane said: “South Africa are getting frustrated with the game. And the way we used to play, you’re looking at it now going: is it really violent conduct?
“Look at the manager [reacting to the red card], it’s hard enough for a manager to win football matches to compete, but to self-destruct like that has no chance.”
Neville, however, responded: “He’s just gone across and trying to leverage him to push away. It’s not quite a slap.
“If he’d have been given a yellow, and a yellow for the third one, then we’d be saying that’s fine.”
On the third red, Neville said:” I thought it was more of a red card than that slap round the face.
“It’s lazy defending [for the third red card], he doesn’t want to go into his own box and give a penalty so I will give away a foul on the edge of the box and take one of the team.
“It didn’t feel like a game that had three red cards in it. It’s the classic 1980s, 1990s tackle – Tony Adams and Steve Bruce used to do this all the time. They were brilliant at it. I’m being dragged into my own box, I don’t want to give away a penalty, I’m going to foul him outside my own box.
“It’s with force, but it’s basically being given for denying a goalscoring opportunity. It’s on the edge, right on the edge in terms of whether he has to cross it. It would have been difficult to score from there.”
Keane said: “You’re 2-0 up, you’re coasting. The manager will be more frustrated with that sending-off than the South Africa one.
“I would give a red for that. If he [South Africa’s Madau] is getting past him, he’s passing for his mate to score. It’s pure laziness. What is it about defenders not wanting to defend? Instead of going: ‘I’m going to show you wide’, he went: ‘I’m going to lunge at you’.”
Analysis: The new normal? New rules in play at World Cup opener
Sky Sports’ Sam Blitz:
There are lots of trends and talking points from this opening match, right from the moment we saw the Azteca Stadium for the first time.
Loud boos for the United States flag will raise questions about anti-American sentiment when matches are played in Canada and Mexico.
Speaking of atmosphere, how England will fare at a loud and tricky Azteca Stadium if they meet Mexico in the last 16 round, as projected, could be a conversation to have from this opening game.
But what stands out is the new rules in play at the World Cup. There is a clear desire from officials to speed the game along and reduce time-wasting.
Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio – who officiated England’s World Cup 2022 loss to France – showed off some of the new rules
In first-half stoppage time, referee Sampaio hurried Mexico along and brought in the new ‘five-second rule’ – counting the time down on his hand when he felt the co-hosts were taking too long.
Substitutions are much quicker too, with every single player sprinting off the pitch when taken off. If players take longer than 10 seconds, the outgoing player is booked.
Will these new rules create a quicker game? The jury is still out. This match also saw the three-minute water break in the middle of each half rolled out – with the PA system taking the opportunity to play music out of the speakers. It’s new, but it won’t sit well with everyone.
There’s no loss of time with it being added on after 90 minutes. But whether teams can recover the flow of the game after breaks will be interesting to see.
With the new guidance on holding at corners still to be judged, and VAR hasn’t got off to the best start so far after that controversial Zwane sending off, the biggest World Cup ever is set to see a new form of football to get used to.
What the result means…
In pictures: The World Cup opening ceremony
An opening ceremony took place at the FIFA World Cup
Shakira danced with Burna Boy at the Azteca Stadium – there was no Diana Ross penalty this time around
FIFA President Giovanni Infantino was present after facing controversies pre-tournament
