Bafana beat Bleus, both bow out

South Africa beat France 2-1 for only their second FIFA World Cup™ victory, but both teams ultimately emerged losers in Bloemfontein. Carlos Alberto Parreira's team became the first host nation to fail to qualify for the tournament's second round while a miserable campaign from the French came to a predictable conclusion as they also bowed out of South Africa 2010.

The African side's story was ultimately one of disappointment as they exited their own tournament on goal difference with Mexico taking the second qualifying place in Group A behind Uruguay. For France there was further ignominy as a second defeat in three games provided a fitting epitaph to the sense of disharmony which had infected Raymond Domenech's squad virtually since the opening game.

The beleaguered coach, who now leaves his post, made six changes to the team that had gone down to Mexico in their previous game – with captain Patrice Evra one of those dropped. However, initially France promised to lift the gloom for their followers with some attacking thrusts. One should have seen Andre-Pierre Gignac fire them into an early lead but he could only direct his attempt straight at Moneeb Josephs who was deputising in the South African goal for the suspended Itumeleng Khune. Djibril Cisse then flicked on Abou Diaby's floated pass but again the goalkeeper was behind it all the way.

Bafana Bafana were not short of voluble support and the stadium erupted with joy in the 20th minute when they took the lead. It followed a right-sided corner which precipitated a mistake by Hugo Lloris who was unable to put a glove on the ball, allowing Bongani Khumalo to profit from his towering leap at the far post and a downward header gave the host nation the lead.

Their hopes raised, South Africa kept pouring forward in search of further goals which would be crucial if it came down to goal difference. At the other end of the field came a decision that would help their cause as Yoann Gourcuff duelled for an aerial ball with MacBeth Sibaya and was shown the red card as the home midfielder lay on the ground requiring treatment.

Parreira's side sensed their chance as 12 minutes later Katlego Mphela bundled the ball in at the far post after Tsepo Masilela's ball across had caught the French defence in confusion. News that Uruguay had taken the lead against Mexico only added to the sense of euphoria around the stadium and not even a chance for France, which William Gallas failed to seize as a free-kick found him unmarked in the area, could dampen it down.

Mphela drew a fingertipped save from Lloris and it was he who led the charge for second-half goals, striking the crossbar, demanding another fine stop from the keeper, and then burrowing his way through only to find the side-netting. In the final reckoning those misses were to prove crucial. In the 70th minute France took a lot of sting out of South Africa's attacks as Florent Malouda, who had just appeared off the substitute's bench, was on hand to roll the ball home after Franck Ribery had unselfishly squared the ball into his path.

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Forlan silences South Africa

Diego Forlan silenced the crowd for the first time during South Africa 2010 with a wonder strike worthy of any stage, and was also on target from the spot as Uruguay took a step closer to the last 16 with a 3-0 win over the hosts. Alvaro Pereira sealed a comfortable victory for the South Americans with a stoppage-time tap-in.

South Africa, who had not beaten Uruguay in their previous two meetings, headed into this game in Pretoria knowing the hopes of the Rainbow Nation rested upon their shoulders, with both sides having picked up a point in their opening outings in Group A. Carlos Alberto Parreira brought in Tsepo Masilela for Lucas Thwala in the hosts' starting line-up, while Uruguay opted to make two changes, with Edinson Cavani and Jorge Fucile coming in for Mauricio Victorino and Ignacio Gonzalez.

Pretoria had been a lucky place for Bafana Bafana, who had not yet lost at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium, but it was Uruguay who started the brighter. In the 23rd minute, Luis Suarez teased his way past Bongani Khumalo before stinging the palms of Itumelenge Khune. It was a clear warning of what was to come and, within 60 seconds, the South Americans were ahead through Forlan. Khune had clearly not been expecting the Atletico Madrid forward to unleash a shot from 30 yards out, and stood rooted to the spot as his stunning drive, taking a slight deflection off the back of Aaron Mokoena, dipped over his head and into the back of the net.

The second half started as the first had finished, with Oscar Tabarez's side threatening to add to their lead. Cavani was first denied an opportunity to strike at goal thanks to some smart defending by Masilela, Diego Lugano might have been wheeling off in celebration had he made any kind of decent connection with Forlan's inviting corner-kick, and, in the 67th minute, the lively Pareira was guilty of scuffing a gilt-edged chance wide.

Bafana Bafana were still being frustrated in their search for an equalising goal, but when the chances did present themselves, they failed to profit. Katlego Mphela could not direct a header from Siboniso Gaxa's cross, Steven Pienaar's attempted shot was blocked, and Teko Modise's 68th-minute shot, South Africa's first on target, was easily smothered. The host nation's hopes of making it to the last 16 for the first time in their FIFA World Cup history received a hammer blow in the 76th minute when Khune was adjudged to have brought down Suarez, prompting referee Massimo Busacca to point to the spot, before flashing a red card at the South African keeper. Forlan stepped up to take the resulting penalty and made no mistake in smashing the ball past the deputising Moneeb Josephs.

Mphela and Siphiwe Tshabalala both had chances to reduce the deficit in the closing stages but, in the end, there was little the hosts could do to deny Uruguay a deserved and vital three points. Indeed, the South Americans added insult to injury in stoppage time with Pereira given the space to tap in Suarez's inviting cross.

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Marquez equaliser frustrates South Africa

Rafael Marquez denied South Africa a dream start to their FIFA World Cup™ with a late equaliser for Mexico in a 1-1 draw in an absorbing Opening Match at Soccer City.

Carlos Alberto Parreira's hosts appeared on course for three points when Siphiwe Tshabalala fired them in front with a superb 55th-minute strike. But after Teko Modise had missed a clear chance to seal victory, Marquez rescued the draw that Mexico's first-half dominance deserved with a close-range finish 11 minutes from time.

South Africa's players were singing as they came down the tunnel before stepping out into a wall of noise inside Soccer City. But after referee Ravshan Irmatov blew the first whistle of these finals, it was Mexico who looked the team in tune. Familiar with a background din from their own Azteca Stadium, they made a positive start which might have yielded the earliest goal of any FIFA World Cup Opening Match as Alessandro Dos Santos nearly struck inside two minutes. Paul Aguilar delivered a low cross and when goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune failed to smother it, Dos Santos looked poised to bury the loose ball only for Aaron Mokoena to make a vital block.

Javier Aguirre's Mexico created a steady supply of chances as they dominated possession in the first half-hour. After Guillermo Franco had sent a header over from a corner, the lively Dos Santos threatened again when he surged upfield from the centre-circle before slicing a shot wide from the edge of the box. After 32 minutes Carlos Vela sent a dinked ball over the Bafana backline to Franco but he was foiled by Khune. When that pair next combined, Mexico got the ball into the net but Vela was offside as he turned in Franco's flick-on from a corner.

Once or twice South Africa’s interpassing almost opened up the Mexico rearguard only for the final ball to go astray. But it was not for nothing that South Africa entered this contest unbeaten in 12 games and home hopes rose before the break when Tshabalala whipped in a dangerous ball that Katlego Mphela just failed to get his head to. It was Tshabalala himself who made the breakthrough by concluding a four-man move in spectacular style ten minutes after the restart.

Latching on to a long diagonal through-ball by Kagisho Dikgacoi, he broke into the penalty box on the left before unleashing a superb left-footed shot high into the opposite corner. Soccer City exploded in celebration and after Khune had turned behind Dos Santo's rising shot, Modise could have put the game out of sight. He had already spurned one clear chance, albeit when ruled offside, when he broke through in the 72nd minute. Under pressure from Francisco Rodriguez, however, he failed to get the power on his shot to trouble Perez. The hosts paid for their profligacy when Andres Guardado picked out the unmarked Marquez at the far post and he gave Khune no chance with a near-post finish. Even then South Africa might have snatched a winner only for Mphela's left-foot strike to rebound to safety off the post.

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South Africa World Cup Squad 2010

The South Africa World Cup Squad 2010 has just been released and Carlos Albert Parreira has sprung a few surprises including omitting Benni McCarthy from his final squad. The South Africa World Cup squad 2010 is now out and has been cut down from the initial squad involved in the two recently played friendlies.

South Africa World Cup Squad 2010

Here is the final South Africa World Cup Squad 2010:

Goalkeepers: Itumeleng Khune, Moeneeb Josephs, Shu-Aib Walters.

Defenders: Siboniso Gaxa, Matthew Booth, Lucas Thwala, Aaron Mokoena, Bongani Khumalo, Siyabonga Sangweni, Tsepo Masilela, Anele Ngcongca, Lucas Thwala.

Midfielders: Steven Pienaar, Teko Modise, Siphiwe Tshabalala, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Thanduyise Khuboni, Kagisho Dikgaco, Macbeth Sibaya, Surprise Moriri.

Forwards: Katlego Mphela, Bernard Parker, Siyabonga Nomvete.

The big surprise is the omission of Benni McCarthy, the South African all time top scorer and the West Ham striker will be bitterly disappoint to have missed out. What are you thoughts on the South Africa World Cup Squad 2010? Do you think that the correct choices were made? With the World Cup so close, the team will have to deal with the entire world watching the host nation throughout the tournament. Will they be able to handle the pressure?

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