I know many websites (in England atleast) give live commentary updates, which leads people to almost break the refresh button on their computer, but I thought that considering I have been massively excited for this moment for the past year at least, i’d give it a go and let you know updates from the game and what i’m thinking as I’m watching the opening of the World Cup in South Africa. I’ll be watching from England on ITV1, so bear with me as their coverage is ususally terrible anyway. As ever, you can follow me on twitter @Clusks and i’d love to hear your comments below, which I will try to incorporate into this write up:
-The opening ceremony saw a dung beetle getting a good first touch on the ball, and then people recoiling from R Kelly hoping they don’t get any stray fluids in their face (may be over elaborating). There was also an Algerian singer who’s name I didn’t catch, but all the lyrics to his song involved either a ‘de’ or a ‘do’.
- ITV have Lucas Radabe and Francois Pienaar to interview before the game. No surprise to see they’ve got onto the subject of how football/soccer can unite the nation. Oh, and they’ve got onto the subject of the 1995 rugby World Cup which i’m sure Pienaar never gets asked about any more.
- Well almost thirty minutes to kick off and ITV have informed us that they’ll finally be doing some analysis of the football that’s actually being played today, which is a treat. Also on another note, for some reason in England we are being spammed with adverts about BBQs, one advert was promoting a CD entitled ’101 BBQ songs’. I never get an urge to eat flame grilled burger when listening to particular songs.
- Just seen South Africa dance their way onto the pitch for their warm up, they look really fired up, but Booth looks some what out of place. I’ve got a 15 game accumulator on and I put Mexico to win this game, but I watched Invicitus last night and now i’m concerned
- Key men: Everyone expects a lot of Pienaar in this team, but Modise is a pretty big player for Bafana Bafana and could really make a big statement to world football at this tournament. As for Mexico, I expect there to be a lot of buzz around Salcido once this tournament is over, reminds me a lot of Zhirkov and Anyukov when they stormed Euro 2008 from Russia’s full back positions. Also, if Vela can find his finishing touch he could be a force to be reckoned with and wouldn’t just know him as “that guy who becomes the world’s greatest footballer on the football manager game”.
- Sepp Blatter comes out and gets a big cheer when he name drops Mandela. The World Cup is in full force here, and vuvuzelas are echoing everywhere. Here come the national anthems – Mexico have a great one!
- They’re both doing their huddles in the same half of the pitch as Mexico moved over there, and South Africa’s involved everybody patting Pienaar on the head. Here’s the kick off, you’ll never be more excited over a South Africa V Mexico fixture!
Kick Off!
2 Mins: South Africa barely have a touch of the ball and the South Africa goal keeper Khune is forced to parry a shot which falls to Gio dos Santos, but his shot at an open net is deflected. The resulting corner also looks dangerous and Mexico show no nerves at all.
6 Mins: Gio Dos Santos is looking great here, lively and vibrant, the South African players are reacting after he’s already made his move! I think any other country would be bored of blowing those vuvuzelas by now – but the locals haven’t stopped.
12 Mins: It’s gone to becoming quite cagey as many expected, although South Africa are struggling to put two passes together while Mexico still look very confident, even if their goalkeeper Perez is a bit of a live wire. No surprise to see the ITV commentators have mentioned Sven due to his relationship with Mexico.
15 Mins: Thwala makes a good tackle to give away a corner, but from the resulting corner Franco has a header that is off target, his reaction suggesting that he could have done better. A free kick a few seconds’ later means South Africa finally have a bit of possession – only took them fifteen minutes! A good passing movement results in a free kick for Bafana Bafana, even though it was blatantly a dive. If they score we can get the rumour mill regarding host nation favouritism going again. But Pienaar get’s nowhere near troubling the keeper – goal kick.
19 Mins: A harsh yellow card for a handball against Juarez and South Africa have a good position from the free kick. At first goalkeeper Perez was standing a mile off his line to which I was screaming at him to get back on for the sake of my accumulator, but luckily South Africa didn’t take it quickly. It’s a poor free kick and Mexico break with two men on the counter attack, and Gio Dos Santos again has an attempt at goal that threatens but ultimately goes wide!
23 Mins: He may have a name that sounds like you’re speaking in tongues, but Tshabalala isn’t afraid to run and get a few crosses in. A passing move across the park see’s Mphela on the edge of the 16-yard box on South Africa’s right hand side, and he attempts to drill a cross in, which Oscar Perez initially spills but then recovers. He looks like good entertainment for the neutral Perez, I love the sort of goalkeeper that loves to punch stuff instead of catching it.
28 Mins: Gio Dos Santos again runs through about three yellow shirts and all they can do is hack him down. A yellow card for Dikgacoi and Marquez (?) lines up the free kick. No surprise to see the CENTRE BACK’S free kick go over the bar.
33 Mins: Mexico pass the ball about once again, and Carlos Vela dinks the ball into Franco who has got away from his marker. He tries to ease the ball past Khune, but the goalkeeper has made himself big enough to stop it. Best chance so far.
34 Mins: South Africa have gone to sleep. Mexico find themselves in a great position which looks like it surprises them, as Vela has the ball on the right and attempts to either cross or shoot (I can’t decide which) but in the end it’s gone wide. They’ll be disappointed they haven’t scored in this first half to be honest.
38 Mins: Controversy here but it’s a brilliant call from the linesman. Mexico have a corner and South Africa just let about three players free. the ball is flicked on to vela who puts the ball into the back of the net, but he is just ahead of the goalkeeper Khune who has come out to punch the ball and got absolutely nowhere near. Disallowed goal, but good officiating.
41 Mins: Another freekick for Mexico, another act of terrible set-piece marking from Bafana Bafana. Franco has another header that misses the target. If Mexico had a finisher they’d be 4-0 up here.
42 Mins: South Africa come alive for the first time in an age. A great passing movement results in a corner after Gaxa’s cross is blocked. From the corner, Perez makes a hilarious leap for the ball and it deflects off Franco for another corner. The second corner is terrible however; it appears to be flashes of brilliance from South Africa here.
44 Mins: A cross from South Africa almost reaches the head of Mphela who managed to lose his marker. South Africa get a corner, which Perez punches away, and then proceeds to dive across the floor, probably realising that the cameras are on him. I love this guy.
Half Time!
- That’s half time in the opening game of the 2010 World Cup. Adverts in England are trying to entice people to put a bet on a 2-1 victory to Mexico at 12/1. With Mexico’s poor finishing and South Africa’s rare abillity to excite, i’d steer clear of that one. This one is looking like a likely draw as things stand, or a 1-0, but i’m sure South Africa will be encouraged by their finish to the first half, whereas Mexico will know that they have the pace and passing movement to run rings around the hosts.
- ITV show South African fan’s reaction to Khune’s save from Franco, they’re in some bar in South Africa and everyone is celebrating except one man that looks mortified in the front row. Maybe he bet against his own country?
Second Half Kick Off!
45 Mins: ITV commentators say that although it looks like a lovely day it is actually quite cold in South Africa. South Africa have made a change, no surprise that it’s in the full back areas, as Masilela comes into the game to play at left back, replacing thwala. There is also a problem of quite a few empty seats before the second half starts, is there only one toilet in this stadium or something?
55 Mins: GOAL! TSHABALALA: It’s been a good start to the second half, and the ball is played through to Tshabalala who is burst forward after beating the offside trap from the left wing and smashed the ball into the top corner of the net for the first goal of this World Cup. A great first goal and a good celebration from the South African’s as a massive roar is let out from the crowd. I don’t know who got the assist as a dog was barking – obviously a big South Africa fan.
56 Mins: Quite strange really, Mexico are set to make a substitute here only minutes after the second half has commenced, and this was a decision made before the goal was scored, suggesting the Mexican manager is one of the most impatient managers at the World Cup. Guardado who plays for Deportivo in Spain is on for Aguilar. Also my brother has pointed out if anyone has noticed, a lot of the Mexican players are wearing the same boots in this game. Cha-ching!
60 Mins: Mexico have a free kick which is caught by the keeper. They get the ball back and get it to Gio Dos Santos on the right wing who manages to beat his marker and get a shot on goal which Khune meets with a fantastic save. He must have springs in his step, that was a great jump to stop that.
66 Mins: South Africa get another passing move together and Mphela lines up a shot that is weak and deflected, but it drops to Modiese who seems to hit it a bit too casually in front of goal and puts it wide, luckily for him though it was offside, so his blushes are saved.
69 Mins: Heres the moment we’ve all been waiting for. Cuauhtemoc Blanco takes to the field, obviously this can only result in a hattrick for the main man. What a hero!
70 Mins: Gaxa plays the ball into Modiese and it looks too heavy, but Modiese makes a great first touch and claims he is being held back as he has a shot which is saved by Perez in goal and cleared to safety. Was that a penalty? Opinion seems quite divided. ITV have just claimed that Blanco is the danger now. I love you Blanco. Also it’s not just the Mexican’s with those boots on, many of the South African’s have them on too. Interesting…not.
74 Mins: Mysterious Man Utd signing Javi Hernandez comes onto the field to replace a disappointing Franco, who hasn’t found his finishing touch today. Seems Mexico are trying to throw the kitchen sink at this one now and are looking to go a bit gung ho. I reckon there could be another goal in this one.
76 Mins: Blanco threatens as his first touch sets up South Africa perfectly into an attack, in which Modiese looks for Tshabalala at the far post, but his cross is too heavy.
79 Mins: GOAL! MARQUEZ: The changes have worked for Mexico, it’s a short corner that doesn’t work out very well, but the cross comes in and Mokoena is playing everyone onside while the rest of the South African team have pushed forward. It is missed by the front two, but Marquez takes it down and has all the time in the world. Mexico will be favourites to go on and get the winner now. Blanco winner!
80 Mins: Gaxa has a hopeful shot which Perez doesn’t want to hold onto, so punches out in front of him. Great stuff from the Mexican goal keeper once again, like I said, everybody loves a keeper that punches!
83 Mins: Surprise here as Pienaar comes off, but Bernard Parker, a striker, comes onto the field showing that South Africa believe that they can win this one and won’t settle for a draw. Although it appears that Parker is going to play more of a supporting role to Mphela up front.
85 Mins: Good little chip from Blanco that for a second looked like it had put Javi Hernandez in at goal, but a good block from South Africa and it’s a goal kick as it comes back off Hernandez.
89 Mins: ITV viewers have voted Tshabalala man of the match for this game. He’s been good, but not Gio Dos Santos? No goal but he’s been amazing in his game!
90 Mins: Oh my lord! A nothing ball thumped forward see’s Mexico’s defence slow to react and all of a sudden Mphela gets a hold of the ball and his first touch sets him up beautifully, and despite beating Perez, the ball hits the near post. Agonising for the rainbow nation.
Full Time!
- Nothing much happens in added time, although Perez once again came running off his line to be Mexico’s sweeper keeper. The full time whistle goes and South Africa goal keeper Khune drops to the floor looking like he’s in despair and if their World Cup is already over! Both teams have a right to feel a bit uneasy about not picking up the victory, but an exciting start to the 2010 World Cup! Oh, and my accumulator is over in the first game. Brilliant – thanks lads.
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Sorry I could not read what you were saying because of that terrible bee noise.
WHAT?! YOU’LL HAVE TO SPEAK UP TOM
haha