Soccer
Julian Quinones believes Mexico demonstrated a brilliant connection between the players and fans as the World Cup co-hosts started in style.
Quinones starred as Mexico beat South Africa 2-0 at the Mexico City Stadium, where three players saw red.
South Africa were reduced to nine men, with Yaya Sithole and Themba Zwane dismissed, before Mexico captain Cesar Montes received his marching orders in second-half stoppage time.
The tally of three red cards already at this edition of the tournament is just one short of the entire number of red cards that were shown at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar (four in 64 matches).
It was nevertheless a job well done for Mexico, who teed themselves up to progress into the round of 32.
Quinones led all Mexico players for shots (five), successful dribbles (five) and line-breaking passes in the final third (five). His ninth-minute opener marked the first time a CONCACAF player has scored the first goal in a single edition of the World Cup.
“I’m happy and excited to score my first World Cup goal, in such a spectacular stadium with amazing fans,” he said.
“It’s important for me to acknowledge what my team-mates did to secure the first three points.
“We’ve felt the support of the fans these past few days; we’re connected, and it really showed.”
Nine of Mexico’s 10 outfield players were involved in the 34-second passing move that led to Raúl Jiménez’s goal versus South Africa. pic.twitter.com/nLQuMazHuw
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) June 11, 2026
Mexico remain unbeaten in their last eight World Cup openers (W6 D2) since losing 1-0 to Norway in their first game in 1994.
Raul Jimenez scored their second, netting his first World Cup goal as he headed home from Roberto Alvarado’s excellent cross in the second half.
At 35 years and 37 days, Jimenez is the oldest player to score on his first World Cup start since Iran’s Yahya Golmohammadi in 2006 (35y 84d).
“It was a really beautiful feeling, something beyond words, something I had always dreamed of: playing a match of this magnitude, at home, with these fans,” Alvarado said.
“The game plan is always to go out and press. After that, we dropped the tempo a bit, but maybe we lacked a little more patience and a little more possession of the ball.
“I’m happy that Raul was able to score that goal. At half-time, he had told me to send in a cross for him. I didn’t think twice, and I knew that in that area it could be dangerous. Thank God I got the assist, and Raul was able to score that goal.”
Mexico take on Son Heung-min’s South Korea in their next Group A fixture.
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