"If this continues, we'll lose to Korea" — Mexico, despite leading 2-0, faces backlash; domestic media furious: "Opponents sent off, yet they didn't even attack"

*This content was translated by AI.

Mexican media offered harsh criticism of their national team's performance.

Ranked 15th by FIFA, Mexico secured a 2-0 victory over South Africa (ranked 60th) in the opening match of Group A of the 2026 FIFA North, Central America and Caribbean World Cup qualifiers at Mexico City Stadium on the 12th (Korea time).

With home-field advantage and rated as the strongest team in Group A, Mexico (3 points) moved to the top of the standings, ahead of South Korea and the Czech Republic, who have yet to play. South Africa sits at the bottom of the group.

Mexico took control with an early goal by Julian Quiñones in the 9th minute of the first half and a decisive strike by Raul Jimenez in the 22nd minute of the second half. Two South African players were sent off consecutively in the second half, giving Mexico a complete numerical advantage. However, in the final moments of the match, Mexico's key defender Cesar Montes also received a red card for an excessive foul. As a result, Montes will be unable to play in the upcoming match against South Korea.

After the match, the Mexican media outlet 'Record' reported, "Despite the victory, Mexico delivered a disappointing performance."

The outlet strongly criticized the national team's passive play despite having a numerical advantage. "With two opposing players sent off, Mexico held a numerical advantage for eight minutes yet cowered in their own half against weak South Africa," it stated, adding, "Even considering Cesar Montes' red card, it is unacceptable for a superior team like Mexico to simply wait for the final whistle and waste time."

Both the result and the content fell short of expectations. The outlet noted, "They should have delivered an excellent performance and secured a decisive win against weak South Africa, but Mexico failed to play the game perfectly at all." It further pointed out, "Coach Javier Aguirre confidently predicted a comfortable victory before the match, but the actual performance was completely different." The outlet emphasized, "To give hope to the nation in a World Cup held on home soil, Mexico must demonstrate higher ambitions."

The lack of creativity in the midfield was also brought under scrutiny. The outlet analyzed, "The midfield showed no flashes of brilliance. There was a lack of aggressive tactical ideas to utilize their powerful attacking lineup."

It then mentioned the next opponents in the group stage, including South Korea, urging thorough preparation. The outlet warned, "South Korea and the Czech Republic are strong teams completely different from South Africa. Mexico, which won the match but failed to show a convincing performance, must keep this in mind."

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*This content was translated by AI.