Quinones Makes History as Mexico Down South Africa in Fiery World Cup Opener

Mexico City: The roar inside Estadio Azteca had been building for months. When the moment finally arrived, Mexico delivered exactly what a nation had hoped for — a winning start to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In front of a packed home crowd, El Tri defeated South Africa 2-0 in a dramatic tournament opener that featured history-making goals, red-card chaos, and the unmistakable sense that Mexico’s World Cup journey could be something special.

The hosts wasted little time imposing themselves on the contest. Mexico controlled possession and repeatedly stretched South Africa’s defense. Their pressure was rewarded when Julian Quinones etched his name into World Cup folklore, scoring the first goal of the tournament and sending the stadium into delirium.

Quinones was the game’s standout performer, constantly troubling the South African back line with his pace and movement. The forward nearly doubled his tally before halftime, but the visitors survived the scare and reached the break trailing by just a single goal.

Any hopes of a South African comeback were severely damaged shortly after the restart.

Veteran striker Raul Jimenez showed his trademark composure in front of goal, finishing clinically to double Mexico’s advantage and ignite celebrations throughout the stadium. IANS

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