World Cup Group Stage - 1
Mexico 2 - 0 FT South Africa
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
9' J. Quinones (E. Lira)
T. Mokoena 17'
23' B. Gutierrez
HT
Y. Sithole 49'
↓ L. Foster ↑T. Mbatha 56'
↓ J. Adams ↑T. Zwane 61'
66' ↓ B. Gutierrez ↑L. Chavez
66' ↓ A. Fidalgo ↑G. Mora
67' R. Jimenez (R. Alvarado)
N. Sibisi 74'
76' ↓ E. Lira ↑E. Alvarez
76' ↓ R. Jimenez ↑A. Gonzalez
↓ I. Rayners ↑E. Makgopa 77'
↓ A. Modiba ↑O. Appollis 77'
79' ↓ J. Quinones ↑A. Vega
T. Zwane 84'
90'+2 C. Montes
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Mexico
Goalkeepers
Raúl Rangel 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
95
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Israel Reyes
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
95
Total Mins
Started
Entry
César Montes 
FRIENDLY FIRE
Red Card
Mistake
Red Card
Mistake
2
Fouls
6.9
Rating
Johan Vásquez
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
95
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jesús Gallardo
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
95
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Midfielders
Erik Lira 
PROVIDER
1
Assists
1
Assists
1
Key Passes
7.3
Rating
Roberto Alvarado
PROVIDER
1
Assists
1
Assists
2
Key Passes
8
Rating
Brian Gutiérrez
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
66
Total Mins
66
Entry
Álvaro Fidalgo
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
66
Total Mins
66
Entry
Julián Quiñones 
DRIBBLER
5
Dribbles
5
Dribbles
6
Attempts
83%
Success %
Forwards
Raúl Jiménez 
FINISHER
1
Goals
1
Goals
3
Shots
7.9
Rating
BENCH
Carlos Acevedo 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Guillermo Ochoa
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Jorge Sánchez
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Mateo Chávez
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Gilberto Mora
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
29
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Luis Chávez
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
29
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Luis Romo
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
César Huerta
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Edson Álvarez
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
19
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Obed Vargas
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Orbelín Pineda
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Alexis Vega
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
16
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Armando González
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
19
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Guillermo Martínez
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Santiago Giménez
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
South Africa
Goalkeepers
Ronwen Williams
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
95
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Khuliso Mudau
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
95
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Nkosinathi Sibisi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
95
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ime Okon
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
95
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Mbekezeli Mbokazi 
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
5
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Aubrey Modiba
LATE SHIFT
13
Late Mins
13
Late Mins
77
Total Mins
77
Entry
Midfielders
Teboho Mokoena
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
95
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Siphephelo Sithole
FRIENDLY FIRE
Red Card
Mistake
Red Card
Mistake
3
Fouls
5.2
Rating
Jayden Adams
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
61
Total Mins
61
Entry
Forwards
Iqraam Rayners
LATE SHIFT
13
Late Mins
13
Late Mins
77
Total Mins
77
Entry
Lyle Foster
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
56
Total Mins
56
Entry
BENCH
Ricardo Goss
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Sipho Chaine
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Bradley Cross
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Khulumani Ndamane
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Olwethu Makhanya
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Samukelo Kabini
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Tholo Thabang Matuludi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Thalente Mbatha
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
39
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Themba Zwane
FRIENDLY FIRE
Red Card
Mistake
Red Card
Mistake
1
Fouls
5.5
Rating
Kamogelo Sebelebele
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Oswin Appollis
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
18
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Tshepang Moremi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Relebohile Mofokeng
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Thapelo Maseko
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Evidence Makgopa
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
18
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06/11/2010 | South Africa | 1 - 1 | Mexico | World Cup | FNB Stadium |
06/11/2010
Mexico Win
South Africa Win
Draw
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Azteca Siege: Mexico Crush Nine-Man South Africa
Highly Entertaining Futmetrix Score: 71/100. Three red cards and an absolute barrage of attacks at the Estadio Azteca turned this group stage opener into a fiery spectacle of dominance.
Early Siege at the Azteca
Mexico dominated possession right from the kick-off, turning Estadio Azteca into a cauldron of noise. With 61% of the ball, the hosts wasted no time launching an aggressive attacking scheme that left the visitors chasing shadows. The Stakes were incredibly palpable for this opening group stage match, and the home side responded brilliantly. In the 9th minute, Julián Quiñones capitalised on a sharp pass from E. Lira to set the tone for the evening. It was a deserved early opener that forced South Africa onto the back foot immediately. The visitors struggled to establish any meaningful rhythm, managing barely any presence in the final third as the hosts piled on the pressure with wave after relentless wave of attacks.
Red Cards and Relentless Pressure
The Balance of the match completely shifted—or rather, shattered entirely—just after the break. In the 49th minute, Y. Sithole saw red for a cynical tripping offence, leaving his teammates with an absolute mountain to climb against a team already in top gear. The Intensity skyrocketed as Mexico brutally exploited the numerical advantage across the pitch. A barrage of 16 total shots turned the penalty area into a relentless shooting gallery, suffocating any faint hope of an away response. The sustained pressure inevitably took its toll in the 67th minute when R. Jimenez successfully doubled the lead. He latched onto a precise delivery from R. Alvarado, smashing the ball home and effectively putting the game beyond reach for the beleaguered visitors.
A Fiery Finish
The final stages of the match descended into absolute chaos, pushing the disciplinary limits to the absolute brink. South Africa's deep frustrations finally boiled over when T. Zwane was dismissed for a reckless elbowing incident in the 84th minute, reducing the weary visitors to nine men. Not to be left out of the referee's increasingly crowded notebook, Mexico's C. Montes also saw a straight red card for tripping deep into stoppage time. Despite the late surge of indiscipline, the hosts comfortably secured three vital points and a top spot in the group standings. The sheer volume of chances created—compared to a measly three total shots from the visitors—underscores a thoroughly deserved opening victory on home soil that sets a daunting benchmark.
Key Questions
How did the red card for Y. Sithole impact the match?
Sithole's 49th-minute dismissal crippled South Africa's defensive shape, allowing Mexico to monopolise possession and comfortably double their lead shortly after.
What made Julián Quiñones the Man of the Match?
Quiñones ignited the attacking siege with a brilliant 9th-minute goal and constantly threatened the opposition defence, dictating the tempo throughout.
What does this mean for Mexico's season?
Opening with three points and a commanding victory places Mexico at the summit of their group, providing massive momentum for the tournament ahead.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Opening Day Pressure for the Hosts
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 6/100. A heavily one-sided group opener that offers little dramatic tension unless the underdogs can pull off a monumental tournament shock.
The Setup
The World Cup fever hits the Estadio Azteca on June 11, 2026, as Mexico kick off their group stage campaign against South Africa. While our pre-match Stakes rating might look modest on paper for a first-round clash, the reality of tournament football is clear: every single point is crucial to survive and advance. The hosts enter the pitch as overwhelming favourites, boasting a staggering win probability that strips away much of the pre-game suspense. The underlying data reveals a notably low Form rating for both sides in their respective preparations, hinting at potential early nerves and a scrappy opening half. Meanwhile, a severely lacking Stars rating reflects a matchup largely devoid of the global household names that usually light up this grandest stage. Instead, this fixture shapes up to be a gritty, tactical battle rather than a showcase of individual attacking brilliance.
Key Battle
Without standout superstars to single-handedly dictate the narrative, the defining clash happens in the middle of the park. The host nation's midfield unit must control the tempo and break down a likely entrenched defensive block from the visitors. If the home side's playmakers cannot find a way through the lines, growing frustration could level out the Balance of the match, giving the away side a golden chance to strike on the counter-attack.
Our Prediction
Expect a dominant, if highly methodical, performance from the home nation. They will likely monopolise possession while the visitors sit deep in a low block. A comfortable 2-0 victory for Mexico is the expected outcome, eventually breaking down the stubborn resistance through sheer persistence and structural discipline.