Mexico Wins World Cup Opener; Key Defender Montes Sent Off

[Anchor]

The North and Central America World Cup has officially kicked off. Amid a spectacular opening ceremony, host nation Mexico, which is in the same group as South Korea, defeated South Africa in the opening match to claim the tournament's first victory.

Reporter Yu Byeongmin has the story.

[Reporter]

The opening ceremony of the North and Central America World Cup began amidst the roar of 80,000 spectators packing the Mexico City Stadium.

The World Cup trophy rose from the center of the stage accompanied by performances symbolizing Aztec culture, and the atmosphere reached a fever pitch with performances by famous singers.

Soon after, the flags of the 48 participating nations entered in procession, with the South Korean Taegeukgi appearing second, following South Africa, as part of Group A.

The spectacular ceremony concluded with a performance of the official theme song, "DNA," by K-pop star Lee Jae of Demon Hunters and opera singer Andrea Bocelli.

As the referee's whistle signaled the start of the opening match between Mexico and South Africa, a massive roar filled the stadium. Backed by the fervent support of home fans, Mexico scored the opening goal just nine minutes into the first half.

Intense pressure at the front forced a defensive error from South Africa, and Quiñones intercepted the ball before firing a powerful right-footed shot into the net.

Continuing to pressure South Africa, Mexico gained a numerical advantage in the 3rd minute of the second half following the expulsion of South Africa's Sithole. In the 22nd minute of the second half, a header from Jiménez sealed the victory.

Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0, becoming the first team to secure a win in the tournament.

Meanwhile, South Africa's Zwane was sent off for striking an opponent in the face in the 39th minute of the second half, and in second-half stoppage time, Mexico's Montes received a red card for a rough tackle. Montes, a key pillar of Mexico's defense, will be sidelined for the second match against South Korea, which is expected to be a favorable development for Hong Myung-bo's squad.

Video by Wi Won-yang
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.