India, June 12 -- This is not going to be an ordinary World Cup, going by what happened in the tournament opener between co-hosts Mexico and South Africa.

Gosh, three red cards in the game! Is this a sign that this is going to be a violent World Cup, just like the world today, with wars, of one kind or another, breaking out everywhere?

Yaya Sithole (50th minute) and Themba Zwane (84th minute) from South Africa were sent off before Mexico's Cesar Montes was given his marching orders in stoppage time as the co-hosts won 2-0 at the jam-packed Mexico City Stadium.

That this World Cup has kicked off in this fashion is important. Four years ago in Qatar, the entire tournament saw four red cards. Eight years ago in Russia, there were just fou...