BAFANA BAFANA PUT UP A BRAVE SHOW
The first ever World Cup to be staged in Africa has kicked off to a pulsating start, as the hosts South Africa pulled off an admirable performance in front of a packed stadium at the Soccer City stadium, drawing 1-1 with Mexico.
The hosts withstood a barrage of attempts by their opponents in the first half to sustain parity with the highly impressive Mexicans.
The Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg was host to an enthralling football match, which was preceded by an engrossing opening ceremony highlighting the culture and traditions of the African continent.
After a goalless first half thoroughly dominated by the Central Americans, the Africans hit back through a goal that sent the entire stadium and millions watching across the country in frenzy.
The Bafana Bafana opened the scoring through Siphiwe Tshabalala, who slammed a fierce left foot drive into the net in the 55th minute against the run of play.
The remarkable thing about the African effort was that they withstood pressure from the Mexicans, and only settled in the match in the second half.
It seemed that they were under intense pressure from the outset, as the expectations of the packed stadium and the millions around the country took their toll on the team.
The South African goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune produced some spectacular saves throughout the match, nothing less than a tumbling effort, to deny Giovani dos Santos from stretching Mexico's lead in the closing stages of the gripping encounter.
For the Mexicans, Rafael Marquez equalised the score 11 minutes from time, driving home from close range as the hosts' defence fell apart, ending their chances of pulling off a stunning win in the opening match of the tournament.
The match captured the imagination of the South Africans as their wait for the most popular sporting event in the world ended, as the Bafana Bafana ventured out on the pitch at the spectacular Soccer City stadium.
Local fans eagerly awaited the start of the opener, with thousands of fans packed in a fan park in Soweto, a sprawling town dominated by the Black community.
Although the match ended in a 1-1 draw, for some of the fans it was a triumph of sorts who were thrilled by the historic occasion.
On the other hand, many were left disappointed with the final result, despite the South African team being rated as outsiders ahead of the tournament.
The local fans were totally engrossed, and age seemed no barrier, with small children spotted holding their hands together during the match as if praying, while most of the large crowd danced and cheered on the final whistle.
The tournament is set to run for one month and after an encouraging start, the excitement is going to leapfrog to new heights.
More importantly, the tournament brings a great opportunity for the people of the continent, and if everything goes according to plan, the event will give a much needed boost to the fledgling economy of the country and the continent as a whole.
Millions are banking on the Bafana Bafana, and after coming through unscarred, the hosts have extended their unbeaten run to 13 internationals.
However, considering their inexperience at an international level, any favourable result will be a blessing for them.
Their next two matches are against Uruguay and France, both former champions, and if they can match the grit exhibited against the Mexicans, the home fans are in for a treat for sure.
Teams:
South Africa: 16-Itumeleng Khune; 2-Siboniso Gaxa, 15-Lucas Thwala (3-Tsepo Masilela 46), 20-Bongani Khumalo, 4-Aaron Mokoena; 12-Reneilwe Letsholonyane, 13-Kagisho Dikgacoi, 10-Steven Pienaar (17-Bernard Parker 83), 11-Teko Modise, 8-Siphiwe Tshabalala; 9-Katlego Mphela.
Mexico: 1-Oscar Perez; 16-Efrain Juarez, 4-Rafael Marquez, 2-Francisco Rodriguez, 3-Carlos Salcido; 6-Gerardo Torrado, 12-Paul Aguilar (18-Andres Guardado 55), 5-Ricardo Osorio; 17-Giovani Dos Santos, 9-Guillermo Franco (14-Javier Hernandez 73), 11-Carlos Vela (10-Cuauhtemoc Blanco 68).
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