Mexico's starting center back suspended for South Korea clash after red card

South Korea's national team got a small but welcome boost ahead of its Group A campaign at the 2026 World Cup. Host nation Mexico cruised past South Africa in their opening match Friday, but lost starting center back Cesar Montes to a red card — meaning he will be unavailable when the two sides meet.

Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0 in the Group A opener at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, which kicked off at 4 a.m. Korean Standard Time on Friday. Julian Quiñones opened the scoring in the eighth minute — the first goal of the tournament — and Raul Jimenez sealed the win with a header in the 67th minute.

South Korea faces Czech Republic in its own Group A opener before taking on Mexico on June 19 and South Africa on June 25. Mexico being forced to field a weakened defensive lineup gives Hong Myung-bo's side an immediate advantage heading into that second match.

The Mexico-South Africa match produced three red cards in total. In the 49th minute, South Africa's Sphephelo Sithole stopped a central run by Mexico's Bryan Gutierrez with a physical challenge. The referee judged it a foul that denied a clear goal-scoring opportunity and showed a red card. Sithole, who had already given away the opening goal, became the first player sent off at this tournament.

South Africa conceded a second red card in the 80th minute, when substitute Themba Zwane appeared to strike Roberto Alvarado in the face with a grabbing motion from behind during a defensive challenge. A video review confirmed the dismissal, leaving South Africa to see out the remainder of the match with nine men.

Mexico, on the verge of a comfortable victory, suffered their own costly moment in stoppage time. Starting center back Cesar Montes was sent off after shoving South Africa's Khuliso Mudau as he broke down the right flank. The red card rules Montes out of the Group A second-round match against South Korea. The 195-centimeter defender had started alongside Johan Vasquez at center back and was also wearing the captain's armband.

Football statistics outlet Opta noted on social media that three red cards in the first match of the 2026 World Cup stands in stark contrast to the entire 2022 Qatar World Cup, which produced just four red cards across all 64 games.