The World Cup officially starts today with the opening match between Mexico and South Africa. This tournament has been marred by controversies and debates, but the soccer is expected to bring a much-needed vibe shift. The first two games of the tournament will be played today, with Mexico facing South Africa and South Korea taking on the Czech Republic.
Mexico vs. South Africa
Mexico is the host nation and is used to playing in the difficult conditions of Mexico City, which is nearly 1.4 miles above sea level. The team will be looking to shut out the noise and focus on the job at hand, with Premier League striker Raúl Jiménez expected to carry a lot of the goalscoring burden. South Africa, on the other hand, is coming into this tournament off the back of two draws in its most recent friendlies and will be looking to cause an upset.
The match between Mexico and South Africa is a reversal of roles compared to the 2010 World Cup, when South Africa hosted the tournament and played Mexico in the opening game. That match finished in a 1-1 draw, but one moment that lives long in the memory is when South Africa’s Siphiwe Tshabalala rocketed his team in front with a goal so special and meaningful that it moved a continent and inspired this current generation of stars.
South Korea vs. Czech Republic
The second match of the day will be between South Korea and the Czech Republic. South Korea will be looking to get off to a good start, but the team has failed to win its opening World Cup fixture in each of its last three tournaments. The Czech Republic will be buoyed by this fact and will look to keep South Korea’s talisman, Son Heung-min, quiet if it is to get anything from the game.
The World Cup promises to be an exciting tournament, with some of the best players on the planet taking part. There will be tears of joy, tears of dismay, and celebrations so wild that you’ll lose total control of your body. The soccer, at least, promises to be special, and the world will be watching as the tournament gets underway.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
