South Africa’s FIFA World Cup campaign got off to a disappointing start after Bafana Bafana suffered a 2-0 defeat to hosts Mexico at the iconic Estadio Azteca on Thursday night.
Mexico secured the victory through goals from Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez, capitalising on defensive lapses and costly mistakes by the South Africans.
Bafana’s task became even more difficult after midfielder Sphephelo Sithole was sent off, receiving the first red card of his international career. South Africa spent much of the second half with a numerical disadvantage, allowing Mexico to dominate possession and control the tempo of the match.
Despite a spirited effort, Bafana Bafana struggled to create clear scoring opportunities as the hosts took advantage of their superior numbers and home support.
More than 80,000 fans packed the stadium, creating a vibrant atmosphere for the opening match of the tournament.
The defeat leaves South Africa searching for their first points of the competition as they look to bounce back in their next group-stage encounter.
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