MEXICO CITY — Mexico made an immediate impression at the biggest World Cup in history, giving the roaring home crowd at the iconic Estadio Azteca a huge jolt of excitement four years after a major disappointment for El Tri.
Mexican soccer players understood the intense pressure and high expectations they were facing on Thursday in the opening match of the first 48-team edition of the World Cup, which the country is co-hosting with Canada and the United States. They embraced their role, though, and got off to a winning start by beating South Africa 2-0 in a match that also produced three red cards.
“I made an effort to explain to them what a World Cup and an opening match on home soil meant, but they are young and had to experience it for themselves,” said Mexico coach Javier Aguirre, who played for the country the last time it hosted the tournament in 1986. “I can no longer talk about having played in a home World Cup, because they already know what it’s like.”
Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez scored the goals for Mexico, which entered the day with five losses and two draws when playing on the first day of a World Cup.
The Mexicans rebounded from the massive disappointment of being eliminated after the group stage four years ago in Qatar. That followed seven straight trips to the round the 16, an achievement that became more of a curse for failing to reach the quarterfinals.