Many Super Eagles fans would have watched with a tinge of ‘what if' as South Africa's return to the FIFA World Cup after a 16-year absence began in disappointing fashion, Soccernet.ng reports.

On Thursday night, Bafana Bafana fell 2-0 to Mexico in the opening game of the 2026 tournament at the packed Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

Goals from Julián Quiñones in the ninth minute and veteran striker Raúl Jiménez in the 66th minute handed the hosts a comfortable victory in front of 80,824 supporters.

However, the result was only part of the story. Three red cards, costly mistakes and moments of indiscipline overshadowed South Africa's performance. It makes one wonder what the Super Eagles might have achieved had they claimed the automatic qualification spot from Group C.

It will be recalled that South Africa edged Nigeria by just one point during the qualification campaign, finishing on 18 points compared to the Super Eagles' 17.

South Africa repeated the mistakes Nigeria's Super Eagles usually avoid

The opening goal summed up South Africa's difficult evening. Only nine minutes had been played when midfielder Yaya Sithole lost possession in a dangerous area. Mexico reacted instantly, with Quiñones racing through before firing a low shot beyond Ronwen Williams to score the first goal of the 2026 World Cup.

It was precisely the type of mistake Nigeria have spent recent months trying to eliminate from their game. Under their most successful recent performances, the Super Eagles have often preferred quicker transitions rather than taking unnecessary risks deep inside their own half.

South Africa struggled to cope with Mexico's pressing throughout the match. They managed only four shots compared to Mexico's 15 and spent long periods defending inside their own territory. While Bafana Bafana enjoyed moments of possession, they rarely looked capable of hurting the Mexican defence.

Nigeria's attacking setup would likely have presented a different challenge. Players such as Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman thrive when attacking space quickly. Rather than patiently building from the back, the Super Eagles would have looked to exploit the gaps behind Mexico's defence and force centre-backs César Montes and Johan Vásquez into uncomfortable situations.

Physical presence and discipline were missing

South Africa's evening became even more difficult shortly after the restart. In the 49th minute, Sithole received a straight red card after bringing down Brian Gutiérrez as the Mexican attacker raced towards goal. Reduced to ten men, Bafana Bafana struggled to contain the pressure.

Mexico eventually doubled their lead in the 66th minute when Roberto Alvarado delivered a cross from the right and Jiménez arrived unmarked at the back post to head home.

The defending was poor and showed another area where Nigeria may have offered more resistance. The Super Eagles possess several physically dominant defenders capable of dealing with aerial threats. A player like Calvin Bassey would have relished the battle against Jiménez, while midfielders such as Alex Iwobi could have helped Nigeria progress the ball through pressure instead of constantly surrendering possession.

The discipline issue became even more damaging late in the contest. Substitute Themba Zwane was shown a red card in the 83rd minute after VAR spotted him striking Alvarado in the face. Mexico captain Montes was later dismissed in stoppage time for a reckless challenge, but by then the match had already been decided.

South Africa finished with nine men, a reflection of how badly the game slipped away from them.

Did South Africa squander Nigeria’s World Cup ticket?

The painful reality for Nigerian supporters is that the answer may be yes. The final Group C standings showed just how fine the margins were. South Africa finished top with 18 points, while Nigeria ended second with 17 despite suffering only one defeat in ten matches.

The Super Eagles' biggest problem was not losing games but drawing too many. Five draws prevented them from taking control of the group. South Africa, meanwhile, converted more matches into victories and ultimately benefited from the three-point-for-a-win system.

Ironically, Nigeria finished with a superior goal difference of +7, compared to South Africa's +6. Yet that statistic counted for little once Bafana Bafana secured the crucial wins needed to finish first.

Watching South Africa struggle against Mexico will inevitably leave many Nigerians wondering what might have been. The Super Eagles possessed greater attacking firepower, more experience at the highest level and players capable of punishing Mexico's defensive vulnerabilities on the counterattack.

Whether Nigeria would have beaten Mexico can never be known. What is certain is that South Africa earned the opportunity by finishing one point ahead during qualification. However, after a performance marked by errors, indiscipline and a lack of attacking threat, questions will be asked about whether the team that edged the Super Eagles truly made the most of the World Cup ticket that was on the line.