‘Nightmare from start to finish’ for South Africa in opener
South Africa's 2026 Fifa World Cup defeat by Mexico has been described as "a nightmare from start to finish" by former captain Dean Furman.Bafana Bafana went 1-0 down in the ninth minute after Sphephelo Sithole was caught in possession on the edge of his penalty area, and the midfielder was then sent off in the second half, with forward Themba Zwane also seeing red in Mexico City as the co-hosts strolled to a comfortable 2-0 win in the opening game at the finals."South Africa were just miles off it," Furman told BBC Radio 5 Live."There's really not one player on that pitch in a yellow shirt who can hold their hand up and say they did themself justice."Mexico were in total control from minute one. They looked more assured, they were calm in possession."It was just turnover after turnover after turnover, and when you're playing against quality opposition you get punished."Cameroon were the last team to see red twice in the opening match of a World Cup, when they faced holders Argentina in Italy in 1990.Incredibly, the Indomitable Lions registered a famous 1-0 victory against Diego Maradona's side, a result which South Africa never threatened to match.South Africa became the first nation on the continent to host the World Cup in 2010, with Pan-African unity in plentiful supply as Ghana reached the quarter-finals.Sixteen years on the same cannot be said as many fans across the continent were supporting Mexico on Thursday rather than Bafana Bafana.It is partly in response to anti-migrant protests and violence in South Africa, which has prompted several other African countries to repatriate some of their citizens. South African officials have condemned the violence and insisted their country is not xenophobic.But many on the continent were happy to see South Africa defeated, with Elisha Kamau organising a 'hate-watch' party in Nairobi."Close to 200 people showed up and almost all of them were supporting Mexico," he told Newsday on the BBC World Service."In Kenya, generally speaking, people support Senegal and Cameroon and Central African states, and less South Africa and Morocco."The second reason I think is just the timing of the xenophobic attacks. It depends who is playing South Africa, but I think most people would support the other team."Daniel Kaniki, a Congolese fan who watched the game at a fan park in the US city of Atlanta, told BBC Sport Africa: "Africa is like one country and if one is chasing others, we are not a family any more. That's why I'm supporting Mexico."Though not everyone agreed.Ghanaian Vanlare Quist, also at the fan park, said he was rooting for South Africa, adding that he was "a proud African".He blamed the anti-immigrant sentiment in South Africa on a few individuals.
