Mexico 2 South Africa 0: THREE sent off in bonkers World Cup opener as England sent instant warning by potential rivals

THE World Cup erupted with red card madness as THREE players were sent off in the tournament opener. Goals from Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez, dumped by Fulham only on Tuesday, gave Mexico a flying start to hand England an early potential last 16 warning. But the win that electrified the Azteca was overshadowed by a crazy second half which saw TWO South Africans and one home player sent down the tunnel by Brazilian ref Wilton Sampaio. The South American whistler had little choice but to dismiss Bafana Bafana midfielder Yaya Sithole – who had a game to forget – for a last-man foul on Brian Gutierrez three minutes after the break. Yet the VAR-prompted red to South Africa substitute Thembe Zwane for cuffing home midfielder Roberto Alvarado’s head seemed harsh. And when home defender Cesar Montes also went for a stoppage-time foul on Khuliso Mudau, England had a stark signal of how the tournament might be refereed. READ MORE ON THE WORLD CUP Jimenez, who had never previously scored in the World Cup, proved he has plenty left in the tank for his return to former club Wolves with his game-clinching header. It ensured the Azteca was Party Central for 90 minutes, with lift-off having come with Quinones’ early strike for the tournament co-hosts. Bafana Bafana were utterly outclassed even before midfielder Sithole was the first to be sent off. Their nightmare was completed when substitute Zwane followed him down the tunnel after the intervention of the Dallas-based VAR booth. Most read in Sport WORLD CUP 2026 FREE BETS AND SIGN UP OFFERS World Cup 2026 - all the info LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED! This year’s World Cup will be like no other as a record-breaking 48 nations compete to lift football’s biggest prize. England manager Thomas Tuchel is hoping to finally bring football home after a 60-year drought. But footballing legends Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have other plans in what will likely be their final World Cup appearance. SunSport have got everything you need for the huge tournament LATEST NEWS - Trump admin reveals reason for ref being banned from World Cup - EXCL: USA World Cup hero fears stadiums could be left half-empty - Man Utd World Cup stars set for mixed tournament - How BBC vs ITV line-ups compare for the World Cup KEY INFO - World Cup 2026 full match schedule including kick-off times - World Cup 2026 full squads - World Cup 2026 rule changes - World Cup 2026 prize money VIDEO TIPS AND BETTING If you click a link in this article, we will earn affiliate revenue. When Montes went as well, it was only the fourth World Cup match to see three players dismissed and the first time in an opener. Only one game – the four red last eight clash between Holland and Portugal in 2006 – has seen more. But it gave England a sense of what they might have to overcome further down the line – and an indication that just getting to the business end of the tournament is far from a given. Thomas Tuchel’s men are due to travel to the 7,300 feet altitude of Mexico’s capital in the second knock-out round, if they win Group L. Under pressure to deliver, Javier Aguirre’s all-action side showed there will be more than just the thin air and boisterous Azteca atmosphere to contend with if the Three Lions do have to meet the co-hosts. Admittedly, South Africa, back on the biggest stage for the first time since the Rainbow Nation welcomed the world in 2010, were horrendous, before and after captain and keeper Ronwen Williams helped gift Quinones the ninth-minute opener that set the tone. Quinones, operating off the left flank, demonstrated why he scored 33 goals for Brendan Rodgers’ Al Qadsiah in the Saudi Pro League this season as he crashed home through the keeper’s legs from the edge of the box. It was the perfect start for Mexico, roared on by a crowd already in party mood after the opening ceremony. And once Sithole, culpable alongside Williams for the goal, was dismissed for a blatant last-man foul on Brian Gutierrez, there was never a moment when Mexico were not going to win. Jimenez’s header after ghosting into space to meet Alvarado’s searching centre ensured a winning start – and added his name to the list of Azteca World Cup stars. One of football’s greatest stages hosted Pele and his Samba pals in 1970 and witnessed Diego Maradona with the Hand of God that left Bobby Robson fuming 16 years later. Now, Shakira – her fourth opening ceremony appearance – and Lionesses’ boss Sarina Wiegmann’s favourite Burna Boy, coming together to complete a colourful pre-game ceremony that was full of noise and Aztec outfits. What mattered, though, was that the hips didn’t lie once the real thing got underway – it was, as the fans were told by Andrea Bocelli and EJAE just before the start, “more than just a game and Mexico were bang at it from the outset. Barely four minutes in, Jimenez forced a terrific low stop from Williams after raiding right-back Israel Reyes pulled back to find him 16 yards out. But it was only a short-term escape. Five minutes later, Williams, seemingly unaware of the Mexico press, played Sithole into all sorts of trouble outside his own box. His pocket was picked by Erik Lira and Quinones accepted the chance, thrashing home – although Williams surely should have done better. Quinones was mobbed by a battalion of green-clad team-mates and Mexico rarely relinquished that grip. Indeed, they could easily have been two-up before the break. Williams reacted smartly to prevent a deep cross, which eluded Jimenez, finding the corner of his net, before Quinones was denied his second of the half by the keeper’s left-hand upright after a clever link-up with Gutierrez. Incredibly, the South African skipper did not learn. Seconds after the interval restart, he played a virtually identical pass to the dithering Sithole, which was picked off by midfielder Alvaro Fidalgo. Fidalgo had the goal begging and options on both sides but did not know whether to stick or twist, squandering the opportunity to put the match to bed as he failed to either pass OR shoot. Sithole’s red card, soon after, as he walked into Gutierrez’s trap and barged into the midfielder from behind a foot outside the box – the most obvious “DOGSO” foul you could see – felt like a mercy killing. He’d had an afternoon to forget. Somehow, despite everything, the lead was a solitary goal, although Mexico chose to send on Gilberto Moro, Mexico’s 17-year-old boy wonder and the sixth youngest player ever to appear in a World Cup match. Before the teenager had touched the ball, Jimenez – who at one stage doubted he would ever return to football after that horrendous fractured skull sustained in an accidental head clash with then-Arsenal defender David Luiz – nodded in from 10 yards. He deserved the moment of ecstasy after all that heartache and while Zwane might have been a little unfortunate as he reacted to Alvarado’s block, Mexico are a genuine obstacle. Tuchel knows that, too.