Carlos Vela of Mexico
The Bafana Bafana South Africa national football team coached by Carlos Alberto Parreira opened the 2010 FIFA World Cup campaign againt the Mexico national football team coached by Javier Aguirre.
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.
While the south Africans have to be commended for withstanding the pressure from the Mexico team, the Bafana Bafana will need to do more in the second half if they are to give the Rainbow nation and Africa in general a good start to the 2010 FIFA world cup.