Mexico City, June 11 -- It was a highly intense, festive start to the FIFA World Cup 2026 as co-hosts Mexico outclassed South Africa 2-0 in front of a passionate home crowd at Estadio Azteca on Friday, with the match-up producing some interesting statistics, records and milestones.

The match saw three red cards being shown, two to South Africa and one to Mexico, with fierce tackles, arguments with the referee and plenty of body contact. The three red cards are most in a World Cup opener, as per ESPN. For the first time since the 2006 edition in Germany, a team got two red cards in a WC match, with the last instance being two red cards shown to Portugal and the Netherlands 20 years back during a match.

This is Mexico's 22nd successive wi...