Group A looks too close to call after two draws on the opening day, but hosts South Africa and Uruguay should have a clearer idea of their destinies at this World Cup after what promises to be a hotly contested encounter in the heartland of Pretoria. While it is far-fetched to suggest that their Loftus Versfeld Stadium encounter will be decisive, a victory for either side would go a long way to booking a place in the Round of 16.
Score – South Africa 0 – 3 Uruguay
SA coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has made one change to his starting line-up against Uruguay, with Tsepo Masilela replacing Lucas Thwala.
Teams
South Africa: 16-Itumeleng Khune; 2-Siboniso Gaxa, 3-Tsepo Masilela, 20-Bongani Khumalo, 4-Aaron Mokoena; 12-Reneilwe Letsholonyane, 13-Kagisho Dikgacoi, 10-Steven Pienaar, 11-Teko Modise, 8-Siphiwe Tshabalala; 9-Katlego Mphela.
Uruguay: 1-Fernando Muslera; 2-Diego Lugano, 3-Diego Godin, 4-Jorge Fucile, 16-Maximiliano Pereira, 15-Diego Perez, 17-Egidio Arevalo, 7-Edinson Cavani, 11-Alvaro Pereira, 9-Luis Suarez, 10-Diego Forlan.
Referee: Massimo Busacca (Switzerland)
They may be riding a wave of optimism inside the host country, but Carlos Alberto Parreira’s South Africa will face a tough task against Uruguay. In their opening game against France, the Uruguayans showed that they possess the ability to contain teams and launch dangerous counter-attacks. Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez has hinted that against South Africa they will be more adventurous compared to that safety-first approach.
Uruguay have been preparing in Kimberley, a town famous for the surrounding gold mines, but it is goals that Uruguay want after their stalemate with France hence Tabarez’s expected decision to go with an extra striker in Edinson Cavani. The South Africans too want to improve on their finishing after the 1-1 draw with Mexico, where striker Katlego Mphela missed a glorious chance in the dying moments, watching in agony as his shot shaved the upright.
Still, South Africa gave their millions of home supporters cause for optimism with their opening display against Mexico. When pressed against the ropes in the first 20 minutes, they were able to absorb the pressure and, having overcome the stage fright that gripped them early on, found a head of steam in the second half. It was a performance that served notice that the hosts should not be taken lightly and the fact that they were less than 10 minutes from victory against an organised and polished Mexican side earned them rave reviews.
Players to watch
Itumeleng Khune v Diego Forlan
South Africa’s exciting young goalkeeper, Itumeng Khune, is in the form of his life, as seen by his flying save from Alessandro Dos Santos in the second half of the game against Mexico. He showed his importance to Bafana Bafana in that Opening Match and may need to be at his best again to deny a Uruguay front line including Atletico Madrid striker Diego Forlan. Although expected to play behind the front two, Forlan will be hustling for an opportunity to open his account after missing a late scoring chance against France. South Africa showed a lack of concentration when conceding an equaliser to Mexico and Forlan will be looking to exploit any such weaknesses.
The stats
7 – the number of goals scored between the two sides in their two previous meetings. All the goals came during the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup match in Saudi Arabia where South Africa lost 4-3.
What they say
“I think we broke the ice [against Mexico]. We will be much better against Uruguay because now we know what we’re going to get and what to expect. I think there are some things that we need to fix as well. We need to concentrate until the last minute and we need to take our chances in a game like this because they are a really good team,” South Africa midfielder Steven Pienaar.
“All matches are different – now we’re facing South Africa, then Mexico, they will all be different, all difficult games. Hopefully we will be able to get more control of the ball; that way we will be able to run less and rest more, and manage the flow of the game better. South Africa is a team with good players, fast players that can counter and come out very quickly so we are going to have to be very careful,” Uruguay forward Diego Forlan.
Have your say
Who do you think? Can Bafana Bafana get their first win of their FIFA World Cup?
o no
Uru 1-0
24 Goal by Diego Forlan(Uruguay) right-footed (top-left of goal) from left channel (25 yards).South Africa 0-1 Uruguay.
Pity about that goal, think it will be tough for us from here.
We dont look very good at the moment, hope after half time see us getting better
Gbs, I dunno whether you have any contacts in the press box tonight. If you do, please get someone to gooi that altitude switch with about 20 to minutes to go….
Hey, hoe gaanit met almal hier?
Ja tok, wens ek het die soccer reels geken, dan kon ek ten minste saamskreeu.Hoop rerig ons Bafana manne trek die knoop deur. SA doen goed innie sport afdeling deesdae…sal lekker wees om soccer(football) by daai lysie aan te heg 🙂
Lekker aand vir almal
@ superBul:
Super, I don’t know much about soccer but we really not keeping up with this team. Being outplayed here I think. Hope they score straight after the break. That would break the confidence of Uruguay. Such a pity about that goal.
Also Tshabalala is trying too much and not passing when he should.
@ bos_otter:
66 – Hello Bos, I really hope we can win but feeling doubtful now. Would do so much for our country if Bafana went through to the next round. There is huge, huge support for our team from all South Africans. So hoping we can come out and score quick.
@ fender:65 – We need to keep possession and make them run and run and run. That will tire them. Well think it will. Hoping like crazy. They are all over us at the moment.
67
Puma i dont know the game well, i heard the commentators half time and then i realized i know sweet blue all. I did not even see what they were talking about. 😀
But i would think we must send in more attackers like they said we play against the best defenders. We must also pass trough and not so much across.
We are rattled, at least we win the fight , blood wise
All these forward passes..making me sick man….is the ref blind 🙂
Hey Puma…yea, would be nice. Wish I could be there to experience the atmosphere…never been to a football.
Cum mon’ Bafana Bafana!!
Must say from a rugby perspective the ref is biased .
2 yellows for SA nothing for them
Puma, we havent settled at all. We’ve looked edgy and nervous from the get go. We need that Soweto swagger and someone to put his foot on the ball and pull the strings in midfield.
Their defenders are killing us , they rob us from the ball with ease
My chance to shine and explain the offside rule and other finer football points………sadly even though I hail from the country that not only invented rugby, but also the ‘beautiful game’ I don’t have a clue either!! 😆
nee kyk dis a kak game die flippen URUs val die hele flippen plek vol
Oh dear….Goalie off….!!
Who gets the gloves now?
Well that is it over. There goes our goal keeper off with a red card.
Now I know very little about soccer, but I thought that was harsh. Maybe a yellow card but not a red. Someone explain????
This was a major f@#$$ by the ref
@ fender:75 – Fender the little I know about football. I could see we were getting a hiding in the midfield. Agree with Super they were just taking the ball off of us with ease.
Feel so much for our supporters. Really do. Now we won’t have our goal keeper for the next game either.
@ superBul:81 – Super, Thought so myself. Think a yellow was fair for our goal keeper but not a red.
And the man with the terrible hair band scores….. 🙁
Okay now see that player was off side too. So what a bugger up by the ref there. Damn man this is the world cup why have such a rubbish ref.
@ Blue Bird:
84 – BB, That should never have been a penalty. That player was off side. Damn man feel for our people now. Uruguay was playing way, way better than us but really this was unfair sending our goal keeper off with a red card. There player was off side.
Why our goalie got a red i dont know , how the fecking hell can you avoid contact there
@ Puma: there = their
i wonder if they ever review a referee. It seems he is untouchable.
@ superBul:87 – Super, The little I know about football, I feel our goal keeper should never ever have got a red card there. Also their player was off side. So ref got it wrong. Should never have sent our goal keeper off and never was it a penalty if their player was offside.
Well I think he was. I know very little about football but think he was offside there.
Users Online
Total 73 users including 0 member, 73 guests, 0 bot online
Most users ever online were 3735, on 31 August 2022 @ 6:23 pm
No Counter as from 31 October 2009: 41,332,680 Page Impressions
_