BLOW BY BLOW | Bafana suffer two red cards as they lose against Mexico

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FULL TIME - Mexico 2 Bafana Bafana 0

That was a tough one. Difficult to bounce back from. It was not all bad. Much of it was not great at all, though. Enough said. And signing out. Goodnight SA, and good luck.

90 + 8 - THAT’S FULL TIME!

90+2 - RED CARD! - Centreback Cesar Montes clumsily takes down Khuliso Mudau on the right.

90min - Seven minutes added.

83min - RED CARD! - Substitute Themba Zwane, on for Jayden Adamas in the 61st, is battling to get past Roberto Alvarado in an attacking position, catches him with a hand in the face.

After VAR consultation referee rules free kick and a red card.

This is not just a blow for the match, but for the tournament. Two players suspended.

And it’s possibly not a good look for this Bafana’s competence at the level.

80min - Appollis gets a skidding shot in at Rangel, easily held.

77min - SUBS: Oswin Appollis, who many will feel might have started, on for Modiba. Can the Orlando Pirates man do something?

Evidence Makgopa on For Iqraam Rayners, who seems to have barely had a touch.

73min - Jimenez bursts into the box and Nkosinathi Sibisi clatters him down. No penalty.

72min - Always a tough opener for Bafana. Still, a feeling that if they cannot get just a goal, just some confidence-building play, they will battle for confidence in the next game against Czechia in Atlanta, Georgia (June 18, or this coming Thursday, 6pm SA time). Not all bad, but Bafana have battled to get anything concrete from this game, except being able to battle with some grit, which is not completely inconsequential.

70min - OK. Damage limitation now for Bafana?

67min - GOOOOOOAAAALLLLLLLLLL!!!!!! Goooalll! Goaaalll! Mexico 2 Bafana 0

Jimenez. Cross in from the right and he gets in ahead of his markers, free to head past Williams at close range.

(It was the second option).

66min - Gilbert Mora, the 17yr-old youngest player at this World Cup, on for Gutierrez.

63min - Perhaps it’s clutching at straws - there’s a certain scrappiness to this game and grit even while battling for any rhythm from Bafana, which perhaps, just perhaps, can see them sneak something. Or Mexico could get a few more. One has to keep hope alive. Perhaps it’s the first option.

56min - SUB: Foster is off, Thalente Mbatha comes on.

55min - Aubrey Modiba shot from range comfortably taken by Rangel.

53min - Can Bafana Bafana recover from this. One tries to stay optimistic. This was always a tough ask. The host nation, and such an experienced one, for such an inexperienced South Africa. Now with 10 men? Wow, that’s a tough one.

Let’s see, who knows? Chins up guys.

51min - Free kick into the wall.

50min - RED CARD! - Oh dear. Red card Bafana. Gutierrez played in behind the SA defence and he’s steaming through, Sithole clatters him down from behind and it’s a straight red. Free kick to Mexico on the edge of the box.

47min - And Mexico straight back on the front foot, as Bafana scramble clear and a volley by Gutierrez from outside the box blazes over.

46 min - And that’s the second half under way.

HALF TIME - Mexico 1 Bafana Bafana 0

Yes, that was a tough half for the South Africans. But it could definitely have been worse.

Mexico had some real chances, but not endlessly. They had more half-chances. Bafana had half-chances, and just about hung in defensively.

So OK, there was promise, given the stage, given the spotlight like Broos’ World Cup babes in the wood have never experienced anywhere close to.

But yes, if this pattern continues in the second half, Bafana will probably concede more, will probably lose. Broos needs answers at the break. The players too.

They also showed enough in the first half to suggest they can settle, they can do something. That’s football. Cometh the hour, cometh the players who rise to the occasion. Let’s see if they can!

45+5 - That’s half time.

45+4 - Gutierrez played in by Quinones, scuffs his shot with a defender in front of him.

45min - Corner cleared, Mbekezeli Mbokazi hits a drive from outside the box with power but Mexico keeper 1. Raul Rangel takes easily.

44min - Corner to SA.

42min - Fidalgo hits the post for Mexico!

41 min - Ball in from MF and Jimenez just can’t get a foot to it, Williams saves.

37min - Bafana get a half-chance - long ball in from left midfield, Lyle Foster angles a header wide of the right upright.

35min - Dangerous Quinones on the overlap down the left, whips one in that is stopped by Williams.

Tentative from Mexico. Bafana looking to find their feet.

33min - And perhaps the heat and altitude taking its toll already, but Mexico also consolidating, as the game slows. Bafana will like that, for now, but have to be wary. And they have to get some passes together at some stage, which they have in patches. Final ball lacking.

28 min - And back under way ...

25min - Then the water break. Remember, it’s a 1pm kickoff in midsummer Mexico City. The altitude (2,240m) will help the heat a bit, but it’s still hot. This will be a feature of this World Cup.

24min - Free kick swung in and easily cleared by Mexico.

23min - SA get their foot on the ball a bit, even, as Mokoena brought down by 26. Brian Gutierrez making a run down the right.

22min - Alright then - 22min gone, almost the first quarter, Bafana just about hanging in there, not being run ragged, perhaps showing tentative signs of settling.

19min - Quinones turns and takes a crack from range, wide enough.

17min - Teboho Mokoena, big challenge on 8. Alvaro Fidalgo and booked.

13min - Bafana have to settle here. They really, really do.

9min - GOOOOOOAAAALLLLLLLL!!!!!! Goaalll Goaaall Goaallll!!!! Mexico 1 Bafana 0

Goal for Mexico. Sphepehlo Sithole gives the ball away on the edge of the box - 9. Julian Quinones smacks it through Willliams’s legs.

6min - Of course, it’s a bit of a nervy start from SA. How could it not be?

5min - cross in and danger CF Raul Jimenez gets a strong 1st-time volley on goal, good stop by Ronwen Williams!

4min - Mexico have a free kick around Bafana’s area, taken into the wall.

9.06pm - 1min - that’s it, that’s the kickoff ... we are underway at the Azteca!

9.03pm - Rousing anthems are complete. The stadium looks superb, the atmosphere electrifying.

Is this match’s kickoff running a little late?

Pendants exchanged.

This is it folks ... this is it!

The 2026 World Cup is finally here! Bafana Bafana in the opening match! Let’s go, let’s go!!!!

We await the starting whistle ... moments to go ...

8.45pm - Some of the pre-match analysis:

8.27pm - And here’s how Mexico will line up:

8.20pm - A break rudely interrupted by the Bafana starting XI coming out.

As Mahlatse Mphahlele writes:

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos sprang a few surprises with his formation and the personnel in his starting line-up for Thursday’s 2026 Fifa World Cup opening match against Mexico.

Ronwen Wlliams has taken his place between the posts at Estadio Azteca (1pm in Mexico City, 9pm SA time).

However, of great interest is in front of him where Broos has gone with a three-man defence of Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Ime Okon and Nkosinathi Sibisi.

This defensive system may have been necessitated by the fact that Mexico usually play with one striker in veteran Raúl Jiménez and Khuliso Mudau and Aubrey Modiba will operate as wingbacks.

Mudau and Modiba will drop back to add numbers at the back if Mbokazi, Okon and Sibisi are under pressure from Mexican attacks that are expected to come from the probes of midfielders Edson Álvarez and Gilberto Mora.

In the midfield, Broos went with the experience of Teboho Mokoena, Sphephelo Sithole and Jayden Adams as he looks to nullify some of the dangers that may come from Mexico’s engine room.

This three-man centre sees Broos, for the first time in a months, leaving out traditional wingers in Oswin Appollis and Tshepang Moremi. Mudau and Modiba will have the freedom to move forward as wing-backs.

The other interesting aspect is Broos left out playmakers Relebohile Mofokeng and Themba Zwane.

Also interesting is Broos has gone with a two-man attack of Lyle Foster and Iqraam Rayners.

Bafana starting XI: Ronwen Williams; Nksoinathi Sibisi, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Ime Okon; Khuliso Mudau, Sphephelo Sithole, Teboho Mokoena, Jayden Adams, Aubrey Modiba; Iqraam Rayners, Lyle Foster

7.50pm - Some scenes from closer to home ... (After this your blogger might take a short break, begin resting the fingers, and brain, for the manic typing-fest to come ... secretly take in some of the opening ceremony he so disavowed minutes earlier).

7.45pm - While your scribe was so busy typing, he did not even notice that on the TV, the opening ceremony had begun(!). Not everyone’s cup of tea. Not so much mine. But this is the moment we know it’s a World Cup and it’s really here! Enjoy.

7.40pm - AAAAANNNNDDDD ... since it’s Mexico against Bafana Bafana in a World Cup game, certainly nothing wrong with reliving THAT goal in 2010 ...

7.31pm - Mamello Makha in the House ...

7.30 pm - Machaka in the House ...

7.29pm - The fans are arriving, the usual suspects are descending on the Azteca ...

Botha in the House ...

7.25pm - To warm us up, here are some videos sent from Mexico by Mahlatse Mphahlele, with some of the pre-match interviews and footage of training for this huge, huge game:

7.16pm - Here are some match facts, collated in an earlier story by your live update blogger:

All you need to know about the Mexico v Bafana and World Cup opening:

• Kickoff time: 1pm in Mexico City, 9pm SA time.
• Venue: Estadio Azteca — also known as Mexico City Stadium (the official name for the World Cup) and Estadio Banorte (for sponsorship reasons).
• Capacity: 87,523.
• On TV: The opening ceremony and opening match will be televised on SABC 3 and SuperSport PSL [203] and streamed free on SABC+.
• Match officials: Referee: Wilton Sampaio (Brazil); assistant referee 1: Bruno Pires (Brazil); assistant referee 2: Bruno Boschilia (Brazil); fourth official: Juan Gabriel Benítez (Paraguay); reserve assistant referee: Eduardo Cardozo (Paraguay); video assistant referee (VAR): Nicolás Gallo (Colombia).
• 2026 World Cup co-hosts: Mexico, Canada and the US.
• Opening ceremony start time: 11am in Mexico City, 7pm SA time (televised from 7.40pm on SuperSport PSL [203] and 7.30pm on SABC 3 and streaming on SABC+).
• Who will sing the SA national anthem: Tyla, SA’s Grammy Award-winning singer
• The Mexico anthem: Mexican singer Alejandro Fernández
• Mexico opening ceremony performers: Shakira and Burna Boy will premiere the official tournament song titled Dai Dai; plus J Balvin, Tyla, Alejandro Fernández, Maná, Belinda, Danny Ocean, Lila Downs, Los Ángeles Azules
• Additional opening ceremonies: The first games in Canada and in the US on Friday will also have opening ceremonies.
• When is the 2026 World Cup final? July 19 (MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, US)

• Who to watch out for in Mexico’s ranks: Fulham centre-forward Raúl Jiménez is the star player and attacking fulcrum who is deadly in front of goal. Johan Vásquez (Genoa) and Lokomotiv Moscow’s César Montes are tough centre-backs. Full-backs Jesús Gallardo and Israel Reyes like to get forward on the overlap. Fenerbahce’s Edson Álvarez at anchor and box-to-box player Érik Lira are usually the central midfielders. Tijuana’s 17-year-old Gilberto Mora, the youngest player at the tournament; Brian Gutiérrez of Guadalajara, and Real Betis’s Álvaro Fidalgo are attacking midfield options who will look for space between the lines. Alexis Vega (Toluca) and César Huerta (Anderlecht) provide pace and width on the wings. Other striker options include Armando González (Guadalajara) and AC Milan’s 25-year-old striker Santiago Giménez.
• Mexico’s tactics: Coach Javier Aguirre wants his team to be resilient and uncomfortable to face. If you’re their opponents, you can expect Mexico to be rigid and frustrating to launch attacks against, and expect pacey, pointed, direct attacks back at you when you lose the ball in their territory. They play a flexible 4-3-3 formation that can become a 4-2-3-1 or even a 4-4-2 depending on the game situation and opponents.
• Who will be key for Bafana?: Ronwen Williams in goal, 20-year-old talent Mbekezeli Mbokazi and whoever he partners in central defence. Right-back Khuliso Mudau is a machine and left-back Aubrey Modiba hugely experienced. Teboho Mokoena is Bafana’s other major star player in central midfield, where he may partner talented Jayden Adams or the more physical Sphephelo Sithole. Orlando Pirates’ Tshepang Moremi and Oswin Appollis (another huge performer for Pirates and Bafana coach Hugo Broos) are likely to be the wide attacking players. Lyle Foster’s experience seems likely to get him the nod upfront, though he’s been a bit out of touch, so Iqraam Rayners and Evidence Makgopa are the striking back-up on the bench.

• A bit about the Azteca: Estadio Azteca is the only football stadium in the world to have both Pelé (1970) and Diego Maradona (1986) − regarded as the two best footballers of all time − win the World Cup there. Mexico hosted the 1970 World Cup, in which Pelé’s Brazil, regarded as perhaps the best team of all time, beat Italy 4-1 in a legendary final. The 1986 World Cup in Mexico is regarded as perhaps the best of all time. Maradona’s virtuous performance throughout, including his Goal of the Century in the quarterfinal against England, and probably the second-best goal of all time in the semifinal against Belgium, and two magical assists in the 2-1 final win against Germany, is the stuff of legend. It’s capacity then was 115,000 but that has been reduced by modernisation and renovations.
• A fascinating piece of trivia: Mexico beat Belgium 2-1 in the opening game in 1986. Mexico’s current coach Aguirre and Bafana coach Broos lined up against each other in that match and are now coaches in the 2026 opener, 40 years later, at the same venue.
• Trivia most people know: The 2026 opener is a rematch of the 1-1 opening game draw between Bafana and Mexico at FNB Stadium when SA hosted the 2010 World Cup.
• World Cup group: Group A.
• Other teams in the group: Czechia (Czech Republic), Korea Republic.
• Rankings of the teams in Group A: Mexico — 15; South Korea — 25; Czechia — 41; South Africa — 60.
• Next Group A game: Korea Republic v Czechia, Estadio Guadalajara (Thursday, 8pm in Mexico; 4am on Friday SA time).
• How teams progress to the last 32 and knockouts: Finish in the top two in the group or among the eight best third-placed finishers from the 12 groups.

6.50pm - This is your captain speaking. Testing, testing.

Fasten your seatbelts and get set for take-off... the 2026 Fifa World Cup takes off, or rather, of course, kicks off in just under two hours now!

That’s kind of crazy isn’t it?! Crazier still, Bafana Bafana, as they did the last time they kicked a ball at a World Cup finals as hosts in 2010, play the opening game.

Crazier still, it’s the same two teams. Co-hosts Mexico will provide a stiff test for Bafana Bafana in this 2026 opener, 16 years after these teams drew 1-1 at FNB Stadium in the 2010 opener.

I am Marc Strydom, TimesLIVE Sports Editor and Arena Holdings Digital Sports Editor and I am not your captain, but your LIVE UPDATES BLOG host for Mexico v Bafana Bafana at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City (1pm in Mexico City, 9pm SA time), and it’s ‘squeaky bum’ time now!

I am not in Mexico City, but in my living room in Melville, Johannesburg. Th hugely experienced Arena and TimesLIVE Senior Sports Reporter and Football Writer Mahlatse Mphahlele is in the fabled Azteca, and catch his match report at around 11.15pm. (More on Mahlatse’s excellent build-up coverage later in this blog).

The butterflies have been disturbed by a swarm of bees in the stomachs, right? The anticipation is EXCRUCIATING!

Hugo Broos’ Bafana really have no right winning this game. A draw would be an excellent result.

Mexico have won six of their eight warm-up games in 2026 and drawn the other two. They have been to 17 of the 22 World Cups, and almost always in the modern era reach the last 16, then battle to go further. They are ranked 15th by Fifa. They thrashed Serbia 5-1 in their last warm-up last week.

South Africa are ranked 60th, have exited in the group stage in all three of their World Cups and this generation are babes in the wood on a World Cup stage, let alone the huge viewership opener, let alone at the Azteca in front of its audiovisual wall of green and noise! They have not won a warm-up match this year and had an iffy Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco in January and February, exiting in the last 16.

And yet! And yet ... and yet. Let’s tone this down a little with the exclamation marks. And yet ... this is football ladies and gentlemen. This Bafana have talent. They should be hungry after such a lengthy absence.

And Mexican supporters can be fickle. They can turn against their team, like when they booed them in a drab draw against Portugal in March. They have not all overly warmed to the conservative football of coach Javier Aguirre in his third stint.

And yet, again, they have players at clubs like AC Milan. If there is a hint of ordinary-ness to Aguirre’s Mexico, Bafana have to calm butterflies that make yours and mine, dear reader, seem like tiny bacteria, and somehow take the game to some extent to the co-hosts. That will take some doing.

And yes, it’s football, so ‘some doing’ is always a possibility of being done.

Pull up your popcorn, your lagers and pints if at the pub, get comfy in that lounge sofa - the world’s greatest sporting spectacle is about to begin ... and, for the next four hours, Bafana Bafana are at the centre of it!

... to follow: what you need to know about Bafana Bafana v Mexico.

TimesLIVE