Mexico vs Uruguay

22/6/10 Rustenburg

Uruguay 1-0 Mexico

Goal Scorer: Luis Suarez

Uruguay beat Mexico by one goal to nil, making them Group A's winner with 7 points, being the only team to advance without having a single goal scored against them. Mexico became the group's second qualifier with four points, edging out in front of South Africa by a goal difference. This would have helped Bafana had they scored one more goal. [Remember that offside goal?! If only the linesman hadn't been so miserly]. Actually I would have preferred if Mexico and Bafana went through instead, the Mexicans play cool soccer. And I don't like Diego Forlan or that diving Suarez.

South Africa vs. France

22/6/10 Blomfontein

South Africa 2-1 France

Goal Scorers: Bongani KHUMALO (20'), Katlego MPHELA (37') & Florent MALOUDA (70')

RED CARD: Yoann Gourcuff

We are proud of Bafana, they did well, and they won. They played with the spirit of lions and soccer that was lovely to watch. If only they had played like this against Uruguay! There is solace in the fact that they have beaten the former world champions, even if the French team is in a disaster. It is truly shocking to see how France exited the finals. We might have been weeping for our country, but the rest of the world was more worried about France.

When the first goal came from Bongani Khumalo, the Swazi boy, I think it took a second before we believed that we had actually scored in the first half. Then the vuvuzelas erupted, the sounds ecstatic, and Johannesburg was dancing once again. I loved that moment. Imagine how glorious they would have sounded if we had miraculously triumphed. 

I truly believe that S.A. could have gotten that last goal, the one needed to propel them to the last 16, but it was not to be. Also there was that guy Mphela who got the second goal, but kept missing after. I think the coach should have pulled him off, but I doubt there is a better striker than him. Anyway, I think Siphiwe Tshabalala is definitely one of the best players in the team, and he certainly gave us a goal to remember.

South Africa is the first host country to exit the world cup at the group stages. There is much to change, but we bowed out of the tournament gracefully. And we had tremendous fun supporting the boys, even if it was rather nerve racking at times. The team lost, but the colours of Bafana Bafana have united South Africa and that is a true victory. Allah Knows.

Mexico vs. France

17/6/10 Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria

Weather: The French wrapped themselves up in blankets, jackets, warm hats and gloves. I don't blame Henry for not coming on to play, it was freezing, and he looked rather content sitting there.

Mexico 2-0 France

Goal Scorers: Rafael Marquez, Cuauhtemoc Blanco [penalty]

Can you believe the French?! Alright, they really don't want to go through but they could have scored a goal for our benefit, that is so miserly of them. Its ironic that Bafana scored a goal against Mexico and kept the match to a draw, while the French have not yet scored a single goal and Mexico teased them into a win. I like Mexico, they deserve to go through. So, my eyes are a gorgeous red from too much TV and tears for Wednesday's loss, but bye-bye Bafana. We will still wear yellow.

The first half was clean, if only they had continued to not score goals we could have had a chance. France opened the second-half looking rather threatening, but it lasted only the 63rd minute, when a run leaving the rest of the players years behind him, captain Rafael Marquez beat the goalkeeper and scored so very easily. Why haven't the French learnt the offside rule? Is it Raymond? I'm sure glad I won't see him anymore.

When Eric Abidal knocked down some Mexican dude, there, another penalty. South Africa should accept defeat. Cuauhtemoc Blanco, one of the oldest players in the world cup, smacked the ball in, but he almost missed. Kind off.

The Mexican fans went into celebration mode at full scale. Their Inca headgear, screaming feather flew off, and thus begins Mexico's path to next stage.

South Africa vs Uruguay

16/6/10 Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria

South Africa 0-3 Uruguay

Goal Scorers: Forlan scored 2 goals, one of them a penalty & Alvaro Pereira

Oh, I think I'll go on on crying for Bafana for a few days. What happened?! Why did it?! That red card was so very unfair. I want to be optimistic and full of fizz, but its just dreadful. I knew they were going to have a tough time getting beyond Uruguay, but the way they crumbled, scattered all over like crumbs and those giants squashing them. There has been the constant sound of the vuvuzela blowing since the World Cup began, but when the game ended the silence was eerie. 

There we have it. I don't think the team was full of attitude, thinking they would easily beat the Uruguayans. They were so nervy, they could not think. They don't have the mental strength to take the pressure, neither the physical power to take on these teams. I'm sorry about it all, but if we remember just a few weeks ago, we did not have any hope in these boys. We didn't think they were capable of scoring, and their confidence was just as low. We had a lot of fun supporting them and it felt great. And we shall continue to cheer on South Africa, no matter if our team is in or not. 

Bafana's coach lashed out at the referee and I hope that dude goes straight home. 
He called Busacca "the worst referee in this competition so far." "I hope I don't see his face in any game anymore," he said.


ITUMELENG KHUNE apologized:  "The guys (Bafana players) came to me and said sorry, but I think I owe them an apology as well to the rest of the South Africans. It was not deliberate and there was nothing I could do, but the nation deserves an apology, because they have been there for us as a team, so it wasn't nice for them to go through that," said the 22-year-old. 

Yes, Uruguay beat us blue. They know how to play soccer. The End.

France vs. Uruguay

                                                                               

                                                              


11/6/10 Group A. Green Point Stadium, Cape Town


France 0-0 Uruguay 

Les Bleu have never been my favourites. This is mostly to do with beating Brazil in '98. I was eight years old that year, my soccer world featured Ronaldo, bright yellow and no one else. Certainly not the Frenchmen. That win, 3 goals to nil, made me rather traumatized. Then, beating them once again in '06, against a not very good Brazilian team, showed France to be Brazil's nemesis. Man, they just crumble when they see that rooster.

I know that France is a very good team, they have mastered the art of playing both European football with a French and African twist. Extraordinaire Zidan made the team move as if they were in harmony, he made them flow. Also, I don't like the coach at all. Raymond Domenech is scary, and those dark eyebrows add to it.

So seemingly without Zidan and the unsure feelings regarding the coach, I wondered what the French players would do. There is one irritating thing about them though. They start of in this lackadaisical manner, and somehow just end up in the semi-finals. Why do they do this? Can't they just play well from the beginning?

With nobody taking much notice of Uruguay, they played an important strategy. They kept most of their players in defence and had few chances at goal. It was clever, and the French, who don't find it very easy to finish and get goals, even if their midfield might be powerful, couldn't break through. Henry came on with much show as usual, and had his first try at offside. I don't know if he enjoys it.

Even though the French players kept banging at the posts, they came away with a draw. Better for South Africa I guess. They might have not gotten very far in their first game, but France, burbling with big names like Malouda and Ribery, is full of strong talent. We will see them when they play Bafana.

Opening Match: Bafana Bafana vs. Mexico

Group A. Soccer City, Johannesburg


Bafana 1-1 Mexico


Today we all wore yellow. The vuvuzelas sounded from dawn. Suddenly the World Cup was in our palms and ready take South Africa for the ride of its life. I can't tell you how stunning the atmosphere is. It's something new for the country, tasting togetherness and the pride. 

The opening ceremony was lovely, both African and classy. One of the dancers wearing the traditional skins had hung a camera, along with the lion claw necklace, around his neck. It showed that culture and the future would find a way to work together, even if it was in the smallest of gestures. The dung beetle was the most original entertainment I've seen in years, and the amazing thing was that it was trending on twitter. Everything trended on Twitter today, even Desmond Tutu's spirited dancing. 

The guys got off the bus seemingly relaxed, making me a bit worried. Perhaps all the support had gotten to them, and now they thought that they would just let the vuvuzelas do all the work. 

In the first few moments, the Mexicans just blinked as they saw a goal with virtually no defenders. I thought they would have taken advantage, seriously, it surprised me that it took so long for them to get a goal. Team S.A. was in shambles, they were like small hyper children fizzing around and clinging onto their fellow players. Either they were scattered all over or shivering in groups. 

The goal keeper saved them in those first harrowing moments and throughout the game. He is confident and calm, and a pretty good goalie. Imagine if they had somebody whose hand were threatening to fall off, and the vuvuzelas made him deaf, and the bright yellow shirts shone into his eyes. Hey, his name is kind of nice, Itumeleng Khune, it has rhythm.

Siphiwe Tshabalala's goal was mesmerizing. I was moping around, not looking at the screen, praying 'Oh Almighty, a goal!' and all praise to the Almighty, there it was. And what a stunner. It is one of those goals you won't forget. He was running, and with glorious power managed to shoot it straight home. I started screaming, yeah, and the vuvuzelas went wild. Their celebration [planned of course], was cool. Hey, they did well. 

Then on 79 minutes Mexico had to go and score, equalizing and leaving poor South Africa with only one point. As it were, there was nothing between the goals except air, and Rafael Marquez had the time to kick in the ball, and give them, finally, a goal. I thought Mexico would have scored many by then, but South Africa messed up way too many chances. Teko Modise, and that Katlego Mphela had to miss that last minute chance. I mean, really! 

So, quite an exciting opening match. I know, we wanted them to win, but we did get a draw. It's not so bad. After all, I saw many, especially the older people [no offence] who kept saying SA were going to lose the game, and fall to ridicule. They certainly lost themselves in that huge soccer city pitch, but they tried, and that is something to celebrate.

Bafana Bafana has not received much positive attention in these past years. We've complained about them, written them off, and thought that winning a local match was way beyond their capabilities. Many don't even know the players' names. It is only now that the country is cheering on our national soccer side, giving them shouts of encouragement, hoping for a miracle. It is not only for the soccer, it is for the nation.