Mexico vs South Africa Highlights 🌎🏆 2026 FIFA World Cup™

Mexico in green!I mean, some mayhem here at the Aztec.

Bon killing the game a little bit that way.

Turned it inside, I've noticed early on, South Africa, when Mexico have the ball, go to five at the back.1976, they got to the quarter -finals on both occasions.Jiménez, Reyes gets a decent if he puts it...Wrong run, Williams!First thing he's had to do!

Well, this all starts with Jimenez heading the ball wide.A good layoff, and then he follows into the box.And this is a fantastic save from Williams to parry that wide.And here's the chance again.Watch Jimenez follow into the box.It sat up perfectly for him.

He gets pretty good purchase on it.Not perfect, a little off the shin.

Incidentally, he and his opposite number, Hugo Breus, played against each other in the 1986 World Cup.

Well, Ian, I told you South Africa do want to possess the ball.The one thing you cannot do is turn the ball over.It falls to Quinones and Williams is going to want that one back.Good first touch.Quinones cuts inside on his preferred right foot.Good strike.

Williams can't get his leg shut fast enough.1 -0 to Mexico.

And you hope that the nation will be glued to that.Absolutely we will.Stewart Holden on the call for that US match.

I also think it's not too early to say, Ian, South Africa have to be careful here.If you lose the game 1 -0, you lose by a goal, it doesn't kill your hopes for the rest of the tournament, but you lose by 3 -4 -5, that can put you in a big hole, as goal differential could be a deciding factor as to which team's going through.

Another set piece to defend for the South Africans here, it was up for that one as well, didn't quite get over it to direct his header.

Go fast and try to hit the killer pass, what they need is to get into Mexico's end.Have some of the ball.There's a replay of the ball by Quinonez.

That's the referee's view of it, by the way.The ref can.Now Modiba.This is easily cut out.It's World Cup.And they can't really beat the yellow card.

Yeah, Mexico do a good job playing out of pressure.And Fidalgo, good first touch.Slides by Maquena.It's absolutely a yellow card.

McGuinna been delighted with his Mexican start.Quiñones, nice and sharp, fancy his chances.He's got a stack of them.

Confidence high.The first touch is excellent, but he should have slid in Fidalgo there, who was running alongside that South African back line.Can't blame him for being a little selfish there after the first goal, but that could have been a big chance for Mexico.

See the idea of that ball towards Reynes.a bit of a mess of it.Reiners plays it back into the middle.That could have been something for South Africa.They're claiming a handball.Only Reiners is really, mind you.

Here's Mokwena, and then Reyes with the cross, which is too near to Ronwin Williams.Can South Africa come up with this time?Here's Alvarado.A bit too much of Reyes, really, as he thought of the shot.It's a touch and that from Williams.

And Williams did really well, but I thought Gallardo was going to hit this first time.You see Jimenez behind the back line.Mbokazi.It could have resulted a little too easy through the Mexican back line.Foster just sneaking in between.the two center backs.

There's that dive down by Williams to his left.Again, a runner across the near post.

Just a little labored from Mexico and the press.The challenge on Lira means that possession is turned over.He wants a Satori, isn't it, with the challenge.He does check to spread the play.Mudao's header, not that convincing.And here's Jiménez!

His first ever World Cup goal.

And this is so difficult for a goalkeeper because if Jimenez does redirect it, you've got to be ready to dive to your right.

I was just about to say how good he's been.

Turns inside, gets the initial shot.The layoff here.You thought it was going to hit the back of the net.You see from the referee cam here, just off the woodwork.

Reynos.Boudin is wide, the right back.He will get the corner.Leighton in the half.Cuenha here.This is not a bad ball, it's well defended by Mexico.

Ray Jeffert from Mendoza, he can't hit them.Best part of 40 yards.You called that game, didn't you?Yeah.I was already 50 then.It's Quinonez getting behind.

Four minutes of added time at the end of the half.Jimenez with the layup, no go out.He thought about the shot.Does.And didn't get hold of it.It was blocked anyway on the way through.

Mexico have an out.

And he's really good at holding the ball and getting out of pressure.A piece of play again.They've come inside, yeah.Quinonez again, just been so good.And you needed a little bit of composure.There are a number of things you could have done there.

Drag it to your left, open your foot, and curl it inside the right post.Roll it across to Raul Jimenez.But the one thing you can't do is let South Africa off the hook like that.

That is halftime.One goal and other chances too, in truth, for South Africa.But the star of the half is Julián Quiñones with the goal.Mexico leading South Africa by a goal to nil at halftime.We shall see.Mexico have only lost one of 11 World Cup games when they've led at halftime.

That was back in 1978 against Tunisia nearly a year ago.

What are South Africa doing?You're a minute into the half and boy did they get lucky.Multiple chances here for Mexico.This one just taken a little too early from Gutierrez.I have no idea what Williams is doing there.After a phenomenal first half, he nearly ended the game there.

Oh, he is loving it right now.

Danced through a few South African players.

Ambitious, yes, but... breaking in behind.Denial of a goal scoring opportunity and South Africa's problems grow.

Question here is going to be if he was onside or not.At first glance it was very tight but it looks like Sotole is going to be shown the door.

It will be looked at of course.by VAR.Mark Glattenberg our refereeing expert in here.

Mark what do you think?Yeah of course the VAR needs to check the offside initially but it looks like it was onside.I think the defender actually played him on and now the question is was it inside or outside?The referee was in a good position he can clearly see that the contact was outside and once he gives it outside it's not a generalattempt to play the ball and therefore because it's outside it would always be given as a red carpet denying of an obvious goal scoring opportunity.

Yeah look like that I don't see that being reversed.

It's hard goalkeeper side it's really hard at altitude to get it up and down over the wall quickly.It can be done of course but it's it's much more difficult than at sea level.

So close in isn't it to get that up and down to the wall.to Gutierrez and then Gallardo's up and is sliced into row well more than Zed.

Yeah, who says the N -word?Good job by South Africa by the way.Keep their wall tight.Two blockers did their job.

Two countries separated by the same language.Gutierrez again is pretty bright, isn't he?Moudou got a good challenge in that time.Very few goals of late.It should be said they do look a pretty well organized outfit.Which is handy, always.

And there is Modiba!That would make you kind of wonder for a moment.

We'd like to hear from Peter Schmeichel on this.

They can do what they want.But here is a change.Midfielder, Emberta, to come on.Jiménez was able to freshen up a good deal for this World Cup, because he wasn't in the Fulham team that often on the run -in to this team.They've been together since about May the 6th, I understand.A very long camp indeed.

Yeah, obviously it's difficult for the clubs, right?

And they hate it, but you have to take a big picture view of this.This is a massive opportunity as it is for the US and Canada to show really well on home soil.

Hot on any pushing shoving ahead of these set pieces.It's on by Reyes and well defended that time by O 'Connor and Mexico make the right kind of start.Still looking for that second goal here.Quiñones with the deep ball, see what the idea was.

Again, patience will help Mexico, just pulling South Africa apart.

Substitution here, the experienced playmaker, Zouane, is going to be introduced in place of Jadon Adams, who's, in all honesty, not really good into the environment.Zouane is an old campaigner, not in the middle of the pit.They live in hope, South Africa here, and that's the kind of cross that could cause the problem for them.65 gone, Mexico 1.South Africa, nil.Two more changes, Luis Chavez I mentioned to you.

Also, Gilberto Moura.This is what the crowd wanted to see in the 17 -year -old, who is the youngest player at this World Cup.Nero seems to have taken over that role.Jimenez does what he's come out known as again.Cross in!

There's the goal!It's Raul!

It's 2 -0!World Cup goal lost.

Through that man Quiñones again.Jimenez follows his run into the box.You can see what it means to him.Tears all over.Could not be happier for him.2 -0 Mexico.

Soaked in tears, Raul Jimenez.This is the player.whose life was in danger.These players have had a chance to really wrap themselves into football folklore.Jimenez has got another opportunity taken out as the referee.He was right on the scene to be fair and made an instant decision.

This is a tough one.Jimenez does a good job to keep himself onside and I don't think you can give a penalty for this.Certainly a lot of contact from Sabisi.He goes with his shoulder and that's going to be legal.

Not to recommend any other decision other than the referee's decision to play on.

Thank you, Mark.2 -0, no penalty awarded.With a yellow card awarded for Sabisi this time.He's much involved in the action.

At least earn your yellow card if you're going to do it.And the frustration starting to show now for South Africa.This is one of those to be introduced.

And evidence Mac Opa who did score in the Afghan Championships too late against Cameroon.And then comes Elton Alvarez, the captain to win his 100th cap.The fans know about this I think as well.Give him a big round of applause.Like for like switch and Jimenez makes way to...Reina's off and Modiba off.

To make way for those two South African substitutes.A good time, so there's plenty of time to celebrate.

South Africa put themselves in a hole early and nearly at the beginning of the second half.

Made the hole even deeper.Here's Apollos, cutting onto his right foot.Got a decent shot away.Makes an immediate impact.A lot of people thought he might make the starting line.No, he didn't.

Alvarado down.

And I think it might be Vega also who stretched to block that.There you see Alvarado getting run into by Zuane.Yeah, it was the play here against Reyes.And that's why he was down.Or not Reyes, sorry.Alvarado.

A little bit of a left hand there to the face.This could get worse for South Africa.Yeah.

It is another red card.

South Africa reduced to nine players.A nightmare day for them at the Azteca.You heard Mark Klattenberg's interpretation of what he saw there.It's 1 -8.The veteran playmaker has to go.

Agree with that, Landon?I do.You could see the intent as he swam by Alvarado.Just gives him that last slap, really, in the face.And you just can't get away with that anymore, Ian.Right by Reyes.

He's okay now after that little incident.Though Gonzalez stayed down to get a free kick.It's gone the other way.Needs a bit of support.And that's got to be a card.What are they protesting about the Mexican players?

It's absolutely no case at all.Although I did see the referee go to his back pocket initially.Oh, yeah.Wow.

That's what they were protesting.Cesar Montes, red card.

What did you see there, Mark?First of all, what it has to be is it has to be a goal -scoring opportunity.What three elements that the referee is looking at is the position of the ball.Does the attacker have control over the ball?Yes, he does.Is the ball going towards...

Mark did say opinions would differ.

He's right, it is a debate, that one.

He knows it better than us.He knows the exact rules.He's the guy that's repping the top level.

I'm just saying, I play a lot of games.I've never seen that.

I'm not arguing with Mark Flattendoad about refereeing.He knows what he's doing.Emil Garcia Romelu, a real mess at that South Africa, can chase this down.He's got Gonzalez waiting in the middle for a cross.He's on the highest quality cross.And here's Apollos.

for South Africa.The game very stretched now.Moudow thought he was taken out.Referee let that go.Still down and in play.It's a long way back from where South Africa are right now in this World Cup.

Well, I guess we'll find out, Ian, right?You were discussing this earlier.Can three points get you through as a third place team, potentially?Certainly four, you think, would do it.But you never know.

He's blown for time.A game of three red cards, but crucially two goals for Mexico to get them off to a winning start.The first time they've ever won a World Cup opener.Quinonez and then Jimenez.Three points Mexico, none, and a heap of trouble for South Africa.