Predictions are always just that, predictions. Overnight, Mexico just erased ours. FIFA World Cup storylines are often flipped on their head overnight, and Mexico vs South Africa was no different. What should’ve been close went decidedly in one direction and became one of the biggest storylines of the tournament so far. After the dust settled, so too did the stock of Mexico (in betting markets, among fans and predictors alike) as they jumped out to an early upset of tournament favourite South Africa.
Mexico Sent an Early Message
South Africa entered Wednesday night as representatives of an entire continent. El Tri? They left with the three points and maybe something even more invaluable in terms of belief.
If you wagered on Mexico prior to kickoff at the top World Cup betting sites listed on Bettingtop10 ZA, you’re excited. For everyone else, it was a tough dose of reality that this World Cup is going to be anything but predictable.
As soon as game 2 kicked off, it was clear that Mexico had arrived to make a statement.
As a team that many pegged as a strong candidate to win Group A, this was a chance for El Tri to solidify that belief. South Africa had other plans, however, as Mexico marched into Johannesburg and came away with three points.
From start to finish, El Tri dominated territorially, recorded 11 shots to South Africa’s 2, and thoroughly impressed fans and pundits alike. You knew Mexico was good. Now the rest of the world does too.
Bafana Bafana Bubble Bursted
Back in March, South Africa was riding high. A strong run through qualifiers had installed hope and belief within Bafana Bafana that they could possibly challenge some of football’s elite this summer.
Fast forward to matchday one, and those dreams were instantly diminished. South Africa looked shaky from the jump and were never really in the game, as the Mexican strike force made life difficult for the Golden Arrows and completely controlled the match. Needless to say, one game doesn’t make a tournament, but that group stage spell will now loom large if South Africa falters again.
The Group Of Death Now Suddenly Looks Like Mexico’s Group to Lose
Before the tournament even started, many predictors had already tabbed Group A as one of the most balanced groups at this World Cup. Few people gave Mexico a shot in that group, but now those predictions are skewed. The line on Mexico to win Group A shot up immediately as bookmakers and bettors alike digested the results from South Africa.
While Group A is far from decided, Mexico just doesn’t look like it’ll be threatened by anyone else moving forward. The intrigue surrounding each World Cup group is what can happen when those groups start clicking. Which teams find form early and gain momentum? Which teams fall flat on their faces?
After one game, Mexico has managed to do a little of both.
A Long Tournament Still Awaits
Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, it’s only one game. Yes, Mexico looked great, but South Africa still has two games to right the ship and show the world they deserve to be here. For as quickly as Mexico can solidify its standing at the top of Group A, South Africa can just as easily dismantle it with two solid performances. Only time will tell how this group plays out, but one thing is for sure: both teams will take what happened on Wednesday night and learn from it as they head into their next match.
