Nuremberg, Germany (My Sportsbook) - Omar Bravo scored twice and substitute Zinha added a goal of his own to give Mexico an impressive 3-1 victory over Iran in the Group D opening match.

Bravo added a goal in the first half, but his efforts were quickly erased when Iran scored the equalizer eight minutes later. But in the second half, Bravo put the Mexicans back in the lead, scoring his second in the 76th. Zinha put the finishing touches on the win, with a goal in the 79th minute.

Bravo scored his first in the 28th minute. Bravo received a flicked pass from Guillermo Franco and sent a four-yard shot into the back of the Iran net. Bravo appeared unmarked by the Iran defense as he received Franco's pass.

Facing a one-goal deficit entering the half, Iran quickly answered with a game-tying goal in the 36th minute from veteran defender Yahya Golmohammadi. Mexican goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez attempted to block Iran's corner kick but fell short, allowing Golmohammadi to jump on the lose ball to send a six-yard shot into the top of the net for the equalizer.

With the score locked in a 1-1 draw, Iran managed to take control of the ball but fell short of taking the lead before the half. After seeing Mexico dominate in the first stages of the half, both teams finished the 45 minutes with nearly equal ball possession.

However, it was Iran who found more goal-scoring opportunities in the first half, with four shots on goal compared to Mexico's two.

Mexico made two early substitution to start the second half, inserting Zinha into the lineup for Franco and Luis Perez in for Gerardo Torrado. The team was forced to make another substitution minutes later, when head coach Ricardo La Volpe brought in Jose Fonseca for striker Jared Borgetti.

Borgetti appeared to be injured and was holding his hamstring prior to being substituted. The striker was Mexico's leading scorer in qualifying, leaving a large void to fill in the team's offense.

Iran came out in full force to start the second half, finding a shot on goal in the 56th, the team's fifth of the match. Mehdi Mahdavikia took a 25-yard knock that bounced into the hands of Sanchez.

Still without an attempt at the Iran net in the 75th, Bravo struck again for the Mexican team, scoring his second of the day in the 76th minute. Bravo broke through the Iran defense, intercepting a poor cross to drill Mexico's second goal of the day into the back of the net.

Minutes later, Mexico scored again, when Zinha found the net off a cross from Mario Mendez. Mendez received a pass on the right side and sent a perfect cross right to Zinha, who was waiting directly in front of the Iran goal. Zinha easily knocked the shot into the net to seal the team's first victory.

Iran attempted to pressure, but fell short, finishing the match with the 3-1 defeat.

Sanchez entered Sunday's match after the death of his father earlier in the week.

Mexico returns to the field Friday to face Angola, while Iran faces Portugal in Frankfurt on Saturday.