Three red cards and total chaos: Mexico lose a key defender, giving South Korea reason to smile ahead of their second meeting [2026 FIFA World Cup]

[Financial News] The 2026 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup has kicked off its 39-day journey with a dominant Mexico victory. But for the South Korea national football team, the most welcome development was not the host nation's flashy opening win. It was the direct red card shown to Mexico's starting center back late in the match.
Ranked 14th in the FIFA standings, Mexico crushed 60th-ranked South Africa 2-0 in the Group A opener at Mexico City Stadium on the 12th KST. With that result, Mexico became the official winner of the tournament's opening match in the first-ever 48-team World Cup and collected three points in style.
Backed by a clear edge in quality and overwhelming support from the home crowd, Mexico struck early. In the 9th minute of the first half, Julián Quiñones, the Saudi Pro League scoring champion, fired in the opening goal and the tournament's first strike to seize control.




South Africa, which tried to mount a comeback in the second half, collapsed under a disastrous twist of fate. Just four minutes after the restart, midfielder Yaya Sithole was sent off for a rough foul, leaving his team a man down. Mexico then put the result beyond doubt in the 22nd minute of the second half, when star striker Raúl Jiménez found the net. The goal moved Jiménez into a tie for second place on Mexico's all-time men's national team scoring list with 46 goals. South Africa, meanwhile, which was appearing in the finals for the first time in 16 years, self-destructed further when Temba Zwane received a second red card in the 39th minute of the second half for an unsportsmanlike strike to an opponent's face.
The scoreline was a comfortable Mexico win, but the aftermath was bitter. In stoppage time, Cesar Montes, the anchor of Mexico's central defense, was shown a direct red card after forcefully pushing an opponent to the ground. It was a bruising contest that produced three red cards in a single opening match.
Mexico's setback is a major boost for Hong Myung-bo's side, which is in Group A and looking to shake up the standings. South Korea national football team will face Czechia in its opening match at 11 a.m. on the same day, then meet Mexico in the second round on the 19th. With Montes, the key piece in Mexico's defensive setup, unavailable for the Korea match, the Taegeuk Warriors now have a much clearer target as they chase a place in the quarterfinals on foreign soil.


jsi@fnnews.com Jeon Sang-il Reporter