AS Bafana Bafana will face Mexico in the opening game of this year’s World Cup, at the Mexico City Stadium, Mexico, at 9 in the evening, the fans are looking forward to see how the local team will start the tournament.
It will be the fourth time that Bafana are playing in this major tournament and it will be the second time that they are opening against Mexico, as happened in the World Cup held here in 2010.
When the local team started playing in this tournament in 1998, they opened with the host, France, and lost 3-0. Le Bleus’ goals in this game in Marseille were blocked by Christophe Dugarry and Thierry Henry, one of them came when Bafana’s striker, Pierre Issa, stabbed home.
Four years later, the local team returned to the World Cup which was played in Korea and Japan, where they played their first match against Paraguay, the match ended in a 2-2 draw. Paraguay’s first goal was scored by Roque Santa Cruz, the second came from Francisco Arce. However, Bafana managed to come back with a goal by Teboho Mokoena and a penalty that Quinton Fortune put in the net near the end of the game.
When the local team faced Mexico at Soccer City in the opening game of the 2010 World Cup, they took the lead for the first time with a shot by Siphiwe Tshabalala at the beginning of the second half. Mexico scored an equalizer scored by Rafael Marquez, ending Bafana’s dreams of collecting three points.
As Bafana have lost once and drawn twice in their opening matches of the World Cup, Hugo Broos’ team has the challenge of making history by defeating Mexico today, although it will be difficult to defeat this team in front of their fans in a historic stadium in this tournament.
It is on the shoulders of the players that will be put on the field by this coach from Belgium to please the fans in this country by returning with full points, and increase the chances of advancing to the playoffs.