Mexico Opens World Cup With a 2-0 Win, but Goal Difference May Matter

Mexico beat South Africa 2-0 on Thursday in its opening match of the 2026 World Cup, but the result may prove too narrow. The host controlled much of the game and took 16 shots, yet scored only twice, even after South Africa was reduced to 10 men for much of the match.

The report says goal difference could become decisive under the tournament format. The top two teams in each group advance automatically to the round of 32, while the best eight third-place finishers from 12 groups also progress. That means standings and tiebreakers could be critical later on.

Mexico is in Group A with South Korea and Czechia. The piece says, mathematically, four points will likely be enough to finish third and advance, but if Mexico loses to both South Korea and Czechia, it could regret not scoring more against South Africa.