The Bafana Bafana South Africa national football team coached by Carlos Alberto Parreira opened the 2010 FIFA World Cup campaign against the Mexico national football team coached by Javier Aguirre in an entertaining opener that ended in a 1-1 draw.
The match opened in front of a 91, 000 plus crowd at Johannesburg – JSC stadium on a hot Friday evening after an array of entertainment at the opening ceremony. South African President Jacob Zuma declared the World Cup open a few minutes to 16hrs GMT.
South Africa’s Bafana Bafana had to rely on the superb hands of goalkeeper Itumeleng KHUNE in the 1st half to dent an ambitious Mexico team which was pouring everything at the South Africans.
Mexican forward Carlos VELA had his 38th minute goal disallowed for offside despite a South Africa player being in the goal beyond the goal line. But the Mexicans who were far better than the South Africans failed to convert many of the chances they got.
Siphiwe TSHABALALA1 scored a stunner in Wolrd Cup opening match
The South Africans did punish them for that as they came back with purpose and got rewarded with a goal by Siphiwe TSHABALALA who routed a superb left goal in the right corner of the Mexico goal, as Mexican goalkeeper Oscar PEREZ was superbly beaten by the local Kaiser Chiefs forward.
South Africa missed two good chances with the Mexican Goal keeper to beat in the mid of the second half when they enjoyed good possession. They sure came to rue the missed chances as the Mexicans who were always pressing got a well deserved goal in the 80th minute courtesy of Andres GUARDADO.
South Africa coach Carlos Alberto Parreira made several changes including substituting the instrumental Steven PIENAAR, but the South Africans failed to make any impact on the results. Even a 89 minute superb chance by Katlego MPHELA ended hitting the goals post and returning to field.
Both teams will feel this is a good result, given that they both had good chances to beat each other, though it is a bad start for both teams as they have given the chance for a lead to their Group A counterparts France or Uruguay who play at Durban later today.