Mexico Beat South Africa 2-0 at Azteca — World Cup Scores So Far
Mexico’s 2-0 win over South Africa at Estadio Ciudad de México was the sharpest result in the world cup scores so far conversation on Thursday. The opener came with three red cards and a stadium full enough to turn a rare home-tournament night at the Azteca into the day’s clearest on-field statement.
Azteca Opens Early
Gates opened at 9am, and fans began pouring through the turnstiles not long after. Tickets pushed well into the thousands, and a beer inside the Azteca cost about 280 pesos, or $17, a steep price on a day when the stadium itself carried most of the draw.
The setting carried extra weight because the Azteca has undergone major renovations and because Mexico’s place in the tournament has been treated as an afterthought. Most matches will take place in the United States, which will also host the final, while Canada and Mexico have been offered a token share of the tournament.
Érik Lira Sees The Route
Érik Lira said he was surprised by the thousands of people waiting to encourage the team on the bus route. “There were thousands of people waiting for us with words of encouragement along the route, when we were on the bus.”
He added, “It was beautiful, for me specifically because I grew up in this area.” Lira also said, “You’d see signs: ‘Mexico united’ or ‘We love Mexico.’”
Those scenes stood in contrast to the pressure outside the stadium. In recent weeks, protesters in Mexico City had often clashed with police, and on Thursday there were clashes near the stadium again, though the crowd was smaller after an agreement with striking teachers. Hundreds of riot police were present.
Mexico’s Older World Cup Memory
The Azteca still carries the memory of 1970 and 1986, when Pelé’s triumph and Diego Maradona’s brilliance and deceit helped sear the World Cup into Mexico’s collective consciousness. Thursday’s opener leaned on that history without matching it in scale, since most of the tournament remains in the United States and the home crowd got only a limited share of the event.
One fan outside the Azteca put that split in blunt terms, calling Mexico and Canada’s share “un pedacito” and saying, “The other times we had it, it was for the people. Not so this time.”
