When the whole world was watching, Bafana Bafana players went into hiding after losing their opening game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup 2-0 to Mexico at the Estadio Azteca on Thursday.

Goals from Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez saw co-hosts Mexico walk away with the three points.

The defeat sees Hugo Broos’ side sit at the bottom of Group A, with their remaining group-stage matches coming against Czechia (18 June) and South Korea (25 June).

FIRST TAKE | Broos’ loyalty exposes Bafana in loss of their own making against Mexico 

Red cards to Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane will put Bafana Bafana under strain for the rest of their campaign.

Broos deployed a 5-3-2 formation, indicating the team would be conservative in its approach.

The result of this formation, which did not feature the team’s attackers, was a lacklustre, sloppy and unacceptable performance at this stage.

Here’s how we rated the performance of Bafana Bafana players:

The Bafana Bafana skipper had an eventful opening 10 minutes. He was on a high when he made a spectacular save from a Jimenez shot. Moments later, he was picking the ball from the back of the net after Quinones opened the scoring. Williams played a short pass to Sithole, who was mugged off the ball, which created an opening for a shot at goal. With his experience, Williams should have known that playing out from the back was risky at that point, as Mexico started like a house on fire in an electric atmosphere. Although he conceded again, Williams produced saves that kept the scoreboard respectable.

Nkosinathi Sibisi - 5

Sibisi had to deal with the dangerous Quinones keeping the Bafana defence its toes. To his credit, Sibisi made important interceptions, disrupting Mexico’s momentum in promising attacks. As the senior figure in defence, he lacked communication; he was not in sync with Ime Okon and Khuliso Mudau.

The intensity of the game caught him off guard, leaving him at sixes and sevens when Mexico were on the attack around the box. Perhaps he would have been more comfortable playing on the right side of the defence; the responsibilities of being the central centre-back were great.

Mbekezeli Mbokazi -– 7

The Chicago Fire defender was a live wire in the encounter; he embraced the occasion. At times, he was put under pressure, but he remained brave. ‘TLB’ was strong in duels as he foiled many Mexican onslaughts from the left side. His long passes launched Bafana’s attacks, too.

It was an interesting performance by Mudau. The expectation to offer something in attack while supporting Nkosinathi Sibisi in defence occupied his mind. In defence, he made errors that are not usually associated with him, and when in a position to cross, he would hit the first man.

It was a disappointing performance from Modiba in the left wing-back position. Mbekezeli Mbokazi’s presence meant he could push up. However, when given the chance to be offensive, he was ineffective and failed to feed the striking duo of Lyle Foster and Iqraam Rayners with crosses.

Sphephelo Sithole - 2

This is a game Sithole will want to forget. He did not perform at his best. He was at fault for the opening goal; he did not scan his surroundings as he received the pass from Williams, and was sent off at the beginning of the second half. While he was on the pitch, he was dribbled with ease.

The absence of a number 10 frustrated Adams. Whenever he picked up the ball in midfield, he would look up and see Foster and Rayners up front and try to play a pass, but it would be overcooked. A number 10 would have made it easy for him to link play as the number 10.

It was a frustrating game for Mokoena; he will be disappointed, as he had been determined to put in a competitive performance. An early yellow card in the first half meant he could not be aggressive in midfield for the rest of the encounter. A midfield three does not get the best out of Mokoena; he looks out of place every time Hugo Broos plays the formation.

The Burnley striker did not offer much. His body language during the encounter did not inspire confidence. He didn’t press from the front or make any runs to move the Mexican defence when Bafana Bafana had the ball. At the moment, Foster is a player low on confidence, and his display in the opening game of the World Cup will take it down further.

Rayners also suffered from not having a number 10 to create chances and link up with him. He dropped deep to get the ball, but at times it wasn't sticking. That’s not his strength; you want him to be in and around the box, as he has an eye for goal. No chances were created for Rayners during the time he was on the pitch.

ANALYSIS | Bafana’s World Cup shambles: Poor preparation, tactics leave SA on the ropes

  • Bafana’s World Cup shambles: Poor preparation, tactics leave SA on the ropes
  • Bafana’s World Cup dream turns into instant nightmare after woeful Mexico loss
  • Bafana player ratings | Mbokazi held firm, most went into hiding in messy World Cup opener
  • FIRST TAKE | Broos’ loyalty exposes Bafana in loss of their own making against Mexico
  • FIFA World Cup | USA v Paraguay

Source: News24