2026 World Cup: Nine-man South Africa fall to hosts Mexico in opener

The return of South Africa to the FIFA World Cup ended in disappointment as Mexico secu jin88bet jin88bet.one .one red a com jin88bet.one jin88bet.one fortable 2-0 victory in the opening match o jin88bet.one jin88bet.one jin88bet.one jin88bet.one jin88bet.one jin88bet.one jin88bet.one jin88bet.one f the jin88bet.one 202 jin88bet.one 6 tournament.

Sixteen years after the two na jin88bet.one jin88bet.one jin88bet.one jin88bet.one jin88bet.one jin88bet.one jin88bet.one jin88bet.one tions met in the jin88bet.one opening game of jin88bet.one the 2010 World C jin88bet.one jin88bet.one jin88bet.one up, Mexico once again had the jin88bet.one fina jin88bet.one jin88bet.one jin88bet.one jin88bet.one jin88bet.one jin88bet.one jin88bet.one jin88bet.one jin88bet.one jin88bet.one ak168app.baby ak168app.baby ak168app.baby l say, taking ad ak168app.baby ak168app.baby ak168app.baby ak168app ak168app.baby ak168app.baby ak168app.baby .baby ak168app.baby ak168app.baby ak168app.baby ak168app.baby ak168app. ak168app.baby baby ak168app.baby vantage of costly South African mistakes and finishing the match against nine men at the Estadio Azteca on Thursday night.

However, their ak168app.club ak168app.club determination to pla ak168app.club y out from the back proved costly in th ak168app.club ak168app.club ak168app ak168app.club .club ak168app.club ak168app.club ak168app.clu ak168app.club ak168 ak168app.club ak168app.club app.club b ak168app.club e ninth minute.

Defender Sithole hesitated on the edge of ak168app.club ak168app.club ks168app.site ak168app.club ak168app.c ak168app.club lub his own penalty area and was quickly dis ak168app.club possessed by Lira.

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The Mexican midfielder immediately fed Julian Quinones, who fired beyond g ks168app.site ak168app.club ak168app.club oa ak168app.club ks168app.site ks16 ks168app.site ks168app. ks168app.site si ks168app.site te 8app.site ks168app.site ks168app.site ks168app.site ks168app.site ks168app.site ks168app.site lkeeper ks168app.site ks168app.site ks168app.site ks168a ks168app.site ks168app.site ks168app.site ks168app.site ks168app.site ks168app.site ks168app.site pp.site Ronwen Williams t ks168app.site ks168app.site ks168app.site ks168app.site ks168app.site ic88 ks168app.site ks168app.site ic88 ks168app.site ic88 ks168app.site o score the first goal of the ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ks168app.site ic88 ks168app.site ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 2026 FIFA World Cup and send the home cr ic88 ic88 owd into c ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 elebration.

South Africa struggled to recov ic88 ic88 er from t ic88 he setback.

Qui ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 nones nearly d ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 oubled Mexico’s advantage midway through the first ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 half when his l ic88 ic88 ic88 ong-range ef ic88 ic88 fort nar ic88 rowly cleared the crossbar, while Teboho Mo ic88 koena was booked aft ic88 er halting a dangerous Mexican counter-attack.

Bafana’s best opportunity of th ic88 ic88 e opening period arrived ic88 in th ic88 ic88 e 38th min ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ut ic88 e when youngster Mbekezeli Mbokazi ventured forward fro ic88 m defence and deliv ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ered ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 a cross for Lyle Foster ic88 ic88 ic88 .

The striker connected with a header but could only direct his effor ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 lr88 ic88 lr88 ic88 ic88 ic88 ic88 t wide.

Mexico continued to threaten lr88 lr88 ic88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 ic88 ic88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 ic88 ic88 lr88 before the interval. Williams produced an excellent save to d lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 eny Raul Jimenez, lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 while lr88 Quinones struck the post moments later after another dangerous lr88 lr88 attack.

The hosts deservedly carried a 1-0 lead into the break. Th lr88 lr88 lr88 e se lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 l lr88 lr88 r88 lr88 cond half brought further misery for South lr88 Africa.

Willi lr88 lr88 ams’ attempt to play out from the back almost gifted Mexico another goal shortly after the restart before disaster struck in the 5 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 0th minute.

lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 Sithole, lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 already res lr88 lr88 pon lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 sible f lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 or t lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 he opening goal, w lr88 lr88 a lr88 lr88 s shown a straigh lr88 lr88 lr88 t lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 red card after lr88 lr88 lr88 bringing down Gutierrez as t lr88 he last defender and denying a clear goalscoring opp lr88 lr88 ortunity.

Reduced to ten men, South Africa found it increasingly difficult to contain the hosts.

Mexico eventually made their numerical advantage co lr88 lr88 op88 lr88 lr88 op88 op88 lr88 lr88 lr88 op88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 lr88 op88 lr88 op88 op88 op88 lr88 op88 op88 lr88 op88 lr88 op88 lr88 op88 op88 op88 op88 lr88 unt in th lr88 op88 e 67th minute when veteran striker Jimenez rose highest op88 to power op88 op88 home a header from op88 lr88 a cross delivered from the right flank. op88 op88 lr88

The goal effect op88 si88 ively ended the contest, alth si88 ough the drama was far from over.
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A lengthy VAR review in the 82nd min si88 ute resulted in South Africa being reduced to nine players op88 op88 after Zwane received op88 o op88 si88 si88 si88 si88 op88 si88 op88 op88 op88 si88 si88 si88 si88 si88 si88 si88 si88 si88 op88 si88 p88 si88 si88 a straight red card for an off-the-ball incident involving Alvarado.

Mexico’s si88 evening was not entirely trouble-free, however. Deep into si88 si88 si88 si88 stoppage time, Cesar Montes was sent off after bringing down Khuliso Muda si8 si88 si88 si88 8 u as the last man during a rare South African counter-attack.

Despi 88v te fin si88 si88 si8 si88 8 ishing with t 88v en men them 88v selves, Mexico comfortably saw ou si88 88v 88v t the remaining minutes to secure all three po si88 88v 88v si88 88v ints.

The res 88v 88v ult sends Mexico to the top of Group 88v 88v 88v 88v 88v 88v 88v 88v 88v 88v 88v 88v 88v 88v 88v 88v 88v 88v 88v A with three points after the opening round of matches.

South Africa, meanwhile, begin th 88v 88v 88v eir campa 88v 88v ign at the bottom of the standings a 88v 88v nd will need a 88v SEXXXXX-VN response in the SEXXXXX-VN i SEXXXXX-VN SEXXXXX-VN r next SEXXXXX-VN 88v fixture SEXXXXX-VN if they are to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive.

The group’s other opening match between the SEXXXXX-VN SEXXXXX-VN SEXXXXX-VN SEXXXXX-VN SEXXXXX-VN SEXXXXX-VN SEXXXXX-VN SEXXXXX-VN SEXXXXX-VN SEXXXXX-VN SEXXXXX-VN SEXXXXX-VN SEXXXXX-VN SEXXXXX-VN SEXXXXX-VN SEXXXXX-VN SEXXXXX-VN SEXXXXX-VN SEXXXXX-VN Czech Republic and SEXXXXX-VN SEXXXXX-VN SEXXXXX-VN SEXXXXX-VN SEXXXXX-VN SEXXX SEXXXXX-VN SEXXXXX-VN SEXXXXX-VN SEXXXXX-VN SEXXXXX-VN XX-VN SEXXXXX-VN SEXXXXX-VN South Korea will take place later.

Mubarak Haruna

Mubarak Haruna is an emerging force in African football journalism, recognised for his speed, accuracy and ability to break major stories. He specialises in breaking news, match coverage and multimedia storytelling across radio, television and digital platforms.He holds a degree in Journalism from the Ghana Institute of Journalism and has developed his craft within some of Ghana’s leading media organisations. Mubarak has worked with the Multimedia Group, where he served as a sports radio and television presenter at Joy FM, while also contributing as a writer for Myjoyonline.com.Known for his sharp instincts and ability to deliver timely football stories, Mubarak has gained growing recognition for his impactful reporting and dedication to the profession.He is currently the Deputy Managing Editor of African.Football, where he plays a key role in driving editorial operations, breaking major stories and supporting the platform’s mission to deliver fast, reliable and high-quality African football content to a global audience.

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