United News of Bangladesh

The opening match of the World Cup delivered a rarity in international soccer: three players sent off with red cards. No World Cup match has had that many players ejected since a 2006 game between Portugal and the Netherlands, when four players received red cards — a World Cup record. The last World Cup in Qatar in 2022 had only four red cards in the entire tournament. On Thursday at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane were sent off for South Africa while César Montes was shown a red card for the tournament co-host. It’s the first time three players have been sent off in the opening match of a World Cup – and all three were straight red cards, meaning none of the ejected players were given two yellows. Mexico won the match 2-0. Sithole was red-carded after taking down Mexico’s Brian Gutierrez on the edge of the box at the start of the second half. Things got worse for South Africa when Zwane was sent off following a video review for striking Roberto Alvarado in the face in the 84th minute. Finally, in stoppage time, Montes saw red for bringing down Khuliso Mudau. The red cards mean the three players will be suspended for at least one more match. South Africa’s next match is against the Czech Republic and Mexico next faces South Korea in Guadalajara. The match between Portugal and the Netherlands at the 2006 World Cup in Germany stands out with its four red cards – two for each team. That game in Nuremberg also had 16 yellow cards.

Mexico made an immediate impression on the largest World Cup in history, giving the roaring home crowd at the iconic Azteca Stadium a huge jolt of excitement four years after a major disappointment. Mexico’s players understood the intense pressure and high expectations they were facing on Thursday in the opening match of the first 48-team World Cup tournament. But they embraced their role 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 his team the last time Mexico 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 is co-hosting the 2026 tournament with Canada and the United States. 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. But there is hope this year. Mexico has reached the quarterfinals twice in its history, and both times it was the host country — in 1970 and 1986. Aguirre was on that team in 1986.  

Italian referee Daniele Orsato was chosen Friday to handle the opening game of the World Cup. FIFA picked Orsato for Sunday’s match between host Qatar and Ecuador, describing him as “one of Europe’s most experienced referees.” He turns 47 on Wednesday. Until 2016, FIFA imposed a mandatory age limit of 45 on match officials for international games. Read: Amid all its controversies, can football win the day in Qatar? Orsato, who was a video review official at the last World Cup, refereed the 2020 Champions League final when Bayern Munich beat Paris Saint-Germain 1-0. He worked three games at last year’s European Championship, which was won by his home country. Italian referees have one of the best reputations in the modern era of World Cups, handling two of the past five finals. FIFA referees committee chairman Pierluigi Collina officiated the 2002 final and Nicola Rizzoli was picked for the 2014 final.