Keta: Football fans across Keta Municipality of the Volta Region and several parts of the region have erupted in jubilation following South Africa's 2-0 defeat to co-hosts Mexico in the opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on Thursday. According to Ghana News Agency, many supporters declared and described the loss as a retribution for South Africa's longstanding history of xenophobic violence against fellow Africans living and working within its borders. Mexico secured a dominant victory in a fiery and controversial opener, with the match ending ten against nine after three straight red cards, marking the first time in 20 years that a World Cup match witnessed three dismissals. The first goal came in the ninth minute when Julian Quinones pounced on a loose ball to give the co-hosts the lead, with the South African defense caught flat-footed in the opening stages. The encounter, played at Estadio Azteca, became the first stadium to host a match in the 2026 World Cup, with the game ending with a 2-0 victory for El Tri after Raúl Jiménez added the second from a spectacular header. Mr. Martin Agbenu, a resident of Keta, in reacting to the defeat, told the Ghana News Agency that many African fans expressed delight, and the loss was seen as karmic justice for South Africa's repeated xenophobic attacks. "We are all African, and we must be together and stay with each other without fear. But the xenophobic attack on fellow Africans clearly indicates we are not the same. Go to Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Nigeria, none support them. Supporting South Africa would be like we are taking their jobs, they should go and support their country," he said. He said that many could not support South Africa because of how they treated fellow Africans and vowed that no one would support a country that chases its brothers and sisters with machetes and burns their shops, describing the loss as not just a football result but a message to South Africa. He explained that several fans predicted South Afric a would become the first nation to exit the expanded 48-team tournament and argued that the poor start compounded by defender Sphephelo Sithole's red card had placed Bafana Bafana in a precarious position. "Historically, Mexico and South Africa have met four times, with El Tri edging the head-to-head with two wins to Bafana Bafana's one. Their only previous World Cup meeting was a 1-1 draw during the 2010 tournament in South Africa." South Africa's next Group A match was scheduled for Thursday, June 18, against Czechia in Atlanta, a game many analysts describe as a must-win if they are to progress, especially without their defender Sithole, after group opponent South Korea defeated Czechia 2-1. Mr. Agbenu stressed that Africa has achieved a milestone at the ongoing tournament, with CAF securing ten national teams, the largest-ever representation, including Senegal, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Algeria, Tunisia, Côte d'Ivoire, Cape Verde, South Africa, and DR Congo. GNA gathered that, while many fans reveled in S outh Africa's defeat, some cautioned against mixing football with politics, while other fans have pledged support for the remaining nine African nations as the tournament unfolds. It was clear that the first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has produced three red cards, compared to the entire 2022 tournament which produced only four red cards.
- June 28, 2026
