By Angelica Medina
MEXICO CITY, June 11 (Reuters) – Mexico coach Javier Aguirre said his side had overcome their opening-match nerves after beating nine-man South Africa 2-0 in the World Cup Group A opener at the Estadio Azteca on Thursday, but warned they still had plenty to improve.
Julian Quinones fired the co-hosts ahead with a composed finish before Raul Jimenez sealed the win with a second-half header in front of an expectant home crowd.
“This could have been a 4-0 match, but people were happy. It is the start of the World Cup, we left the nerves behind and we go with three points,” Aguirre told reporters. “Now we are thinking about what is next.”
Mexico were the better side for long spells and played most of the second half with a numerical advantage after South Africa midfielder Sphephelo Sithole was sent off five minutes after the restart for a foul on Brian Gutierrez.
The visitors were reduced to nine men in the 84th minute when Themba Zwane was dismissed for violent conduct, but Aguirre said Mexico had made the game more complicated than necessary.
“We didn’t play well in the first half. It could have ended 3-0 easily,” he said. “We were superior in the first part, but the score did not reflect that. We complicated things for ourselves.
“After the second goal we got overconfident, then came the sending-off. We need to improve, but it was a good game.”
Quinones opened the scoring after Erik Lira won possession following Sithole’s defensive error and Jimenez headed in Mexico’s second in the 67th minute from Roberto Alvarado’s incisive cross.
Mexico, who ended a seven-match wait for an opening-game victory at the World Cup, next face South Korea in Guadalajara, while South Africa take on the Czech Republic.
(Reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico City, editing by Ed Osmond)
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