Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Five goals, four water breaks, three red cards and a glittering opening ceremony.
The World Cup 2026 opening day they gave everything you could ask for.
Recommended Articles
list of things 3end of series
Ever since a clap of thunder to a a late winning goalThursday was full of games, from Mexico City to Zapopan.
Al Jazeera breaks down the key points from the first day of the 2026 FIFA World Cup:
Will this be the World Cup with the most red cards?
Three red cards were given to Yaya Sithole, Themba Zwame and Cesar Montes during this period Mexico won 2-0 in South Africa it was unusual for a World Cup.
In the last two editions, Qatar 2022 and Russia 2018, only four red cards were issued in the entire match. The opening match of this year’s World Cup will be the same.
Being the leader at the start of the competition often sets the tone for the rest of the campaign, the sequence of dismissals at the Estadio Azteca could be repeated several times over the course of 39 days, 104 games in North America.
Thursday’s three reds were just short of four in the 2006 World Cup, the so-called “Battle of Nuremberg”, between Portugal and the Netherlands.
The record for most red cards – 28 – was also set in the same competition in Germany.
VAR controversial in the middle of the debate again
The look of confusion and disbelief among the South African players after Zwane was sent off for throwing an arm in the face of Mexico’s Roberto Alvarado sparked a debate: Does the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) play spoilsport again?
Referee Wilton Sampaio did not issue a red card, but after being sent to the viewing area by VAR, Sampaio decided to send Zwane off.
Although the replays are not known, it seems that Zwane wanted to move Alvarado, but his hand caught the face of the Mexican.
Zwane was eventually booked for “violence”, a controversial decision, which seemed harsh because it was not well known. South African coach Hugo Broos was not satisfied.
“Second red card, I think the Mexican player blocked my player,” Broos said at the post-match press conference.
“It’s the responsibility of the players, and we also have to accept it, but I don’t think (it was red), it was too soft to give like a red card.”
Hydration breaks or energy kills?
The beginning of regular hydration breaks – one in each half – went into effect for the first time at the World Cup on Thursday, and attracted initial criticism from spectators and coaches.
While some broadcasters stuck with the feed featuring the players, others cut the ads, disrupting the viewing experience for fans watching on TV.
Viewers in the United States were left disappointed after broadcaster Fox pulled all commercials and missed the second half of Mexico’s opening game against South Africa.
US head coach Mauricio Pochettino had mixed feelings about the three-minute break, which takes place regardless of the weather and has been notified by FIFA to prioritize players’ health.
“I don’t like it. I only like it when the conditions are very bad, but when the conditions are good, it is not necessary to have a water break,” he said at a press conference on Thursday.
“For me, it’s 50-50. For coaches and staff, it’s an opportunity to change or fix problems. But it’s part of the game, and we accept it.
“I don’t agree with it, but it’s not a big issue and it won’t affect the game too much,” he said, adding that he didn’t watch the opening game.
Son Heung-min makes a mistake, but South Korea wins
Son Heung-min is often the hero of the South Korean national team on the biggest stage, but on Thursday, despite the talisman getting the lion’s share of the chances, he failed to score in their 2-1 win in the Czechia.
Son worked hard with Lee Kang-in and the impressive Lee Jae-sung to create a number of chances in the first half, with the three combining to run through the middle and execute a series of dangerous passes that he was unable to finish.
But Oh Hyeon-gyu and Hwang In-beom arrived at the event, all intent on leading the Koreans to a late defeat against the Czech Republic.
South Korea vs Czechia: A clash of styles
Although both teams opted for a 3-4-3 formation, there were significant differences in their systems and tactics.
South Korea played fluid, possession-based football, while the Czechia relied heavily on dead balls, opting for a tight, one-on-one approach.
Although the Czechs took the lead with direct play, the Koreans – boosted by the Mexican crowd cheering for them – came back with their dominance of possession and impressive play, winning comfortably against their opponents.
