Uninspiring France struggle to draw with Uruguay

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World Cup - Uninspiring France struggle to draw with Uruguay

Saturday, June 12, 2010

CAPE TOWN: Former champions France failed to set the World Cup alight on Friday as they struggled to a 0-0 draw against 10-man Uruguay in an uninspiring start to their campaign.

Rarely can a team have arrived at a World Cup with more baggage than France, unsettled by rumoured internal strife and criticised at home for poor form.

They did little to appease their detractors against the South Americans, with neither side able to take the early initiative in Group A after South Africa and Mexico drew 1-1 in the opening match of the tournament.

France coach Raymond Domenech raised a few more eyebrows by leaving not just Thierry Henry on the bench but also Chelsea's Florent Malouda.

Nicolas Anelka was tasked with the main goalscoring duties and Arsenal's Abou Diaby drafted in for Malouda.

But they looked far from convincing at a packed Green Point Stadium.

Both sides started lively enough with France having a great opportunity to take an early lead on six minutes when the dangerous Franck Ribery gave his defender the slip down the left.

The Bayern Munich star sent a low cross into the box with Sidney Govou's outstretched foot sending the ball just past the post, a chance he should have buried.

France came into the match under huge pressure after a string of average performances and they looked like they wanted to prove a point, with Diaby keeping the momentum going with a long range drive soon after.

Uruguay were struggling to find their groove until Diego Forlan found space just outside the penalty area and curled in a shot that forced a fine save from Hugo Lloris.

The game began opening up and minutes later Yoann Gourcuff tested the Uruguay keeper with a swinging free-kick that Fernando Muslera did well to punch away.

But just as suddenly the match got bogged down in midfield and the chances dried up, with the teams going to the break all-square.

The second half started as the first finished and it was becoming a turgid affair.

Forlan showed glimpses of the form that bagged him so many goals last season, effortlessly bringing down a ball on his chest before blasting wide early in the second period.

But the goalkeepers were hardly troubled with Anelka all at sea as France's lone striker. He paid the price with Henry replacing him for his 121st cap with 19 minutes left.

Malouda also came on for Gourcuff as Domenech threw his last dice, but to no avail with France failing to capitalise when substitute Nicolas Lodeiro was shown a red card for a wild challenge on Bakary Sagna with eight minutes left.

Uninspiring France struggle to draw with Uruguay

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South Africa ride wave of emotion in Cup opener

Updated at: 2150 PST, Friday, June 11, 2010

JOHANNESBURG: South Africa's World Cup party was launched Friday amid emotional scenes at Soccer City stadium after President Jacob Zuma announced "the time for Africa has come."

Fifteen years after lifting the rugby world cup, the Rainbow Nation was once again at the centre of the sporting world as a crowd of nearly 85,000 willed on Bafana Bafana in the opening Group A clash against Mexico which ended 1-1.

The host nation sent excitement levels among the yellow-and-green-clad crowd soaring to fever pitch as they took the lead 10 minutes into the second half through a stunning goal from Siphiwe Tshabalala.

But South Africa were pegged back when Rafael Marquez equalised with just over 10 minutes to go.

The host nation thought they had won it in the closing stages but Katlego Mphela saw a shot come off the post.

The teams earlier emerged to an unceasing wall of noise from thousands of vuvuzela horns which intensified as the match wore on with the passionate fans undaunted by a strong first half from Mexico.

President Zuma, opening the first World Cup on African soil, paid tribute to grief-stricken Nelson Mandela, missing from the historic occasion following the death of his great granddaughter in a car crash.

With a wait of more than six years since the nation was awarded the World Cup finally over, Zuma said: "The time for Africa has come. It has arrived."

South Africa were up against it from the start as Mexico, appearing in their 14th World Cup made a bright start, dominating possession and creating the better chances.

The second half was another story as Bafana Bafana drew energy from the crowd, who refused to countenance defeat.

Earlier, fans wept as five planes swept over the stadium at the start of a lavish opening ceremony before 1,500 performers took to the pitch for a dance routine which saw them create a map of the continent.

The 91-year-old Mandela, still the nation's moral inspiration more than a decade after he stood down, did appear on a giant screen with his words interspersed in a song that implored fans to "overcome all adversity".

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Africa's first World Cup kicks off

Friday, June 11, 2010

JOHANNESBURG: Africa's first World Cup kicked off on Friday with unfancied hosts South Africa taking on Mexico in front of 95,000 spectators in a packed Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg.

Before the kick-off, hundreds of dancers filled the stadium with the colours of the African continent and the air was filled with the sound of thousands of the vuvuzela trumpets which are set to be a feature of the tournament.

One heartbroken absentee from the crowd was Nelson Mandela, who decided he could not join the festivities following the death of his great granddaughter in a car crash.

The country's first post-apartheid president pulled out of the festivities as he mourned 13-year-old Zenani Mandela, who died as she was being driven home from a pre-tournament concert.

The tragedy throws a shadow over an event which is about far more than just football.

South Africa's pride in making history as the first African hosts has shone through as the Rainbow Nation rides a wave of euphoria not seen since the collapse of apartheid and Mandela's subsequent election.

What the organisers fear now is that the South African team - ranked just 83rd by FIFA - will become the first World Cup host nation in history to fail to progress through the group stages.

Bafana Bafana (The Boys) face a tough task in a group including 1998 winners and 2006 runners-up France, and World Cup old hands Mexico and Uruguay.

Steven Pienaar, one of South Africa's few recognised stars, said the players will be as excited as the fans when the match starts at 1400 GMT.

"We have waited so long for this moment," said the midfielder who plays for Everton in the English Premier League.

"As children we dreamt of the day South Africa would play in the World Cup."

The captain, Aaron Mokoena, said: "Some South Africans do not give us a chance at this level and we are desperate to prove them wrong and hold our own.

"I believe we can surprise some people by qualifying for the second round."

Africa's first World Cup kicks off

[A1Kaid]

Well Uruguay is ranked by FIFA in 16th place, there a tough competitor and no walk in the park even for France which is ranked by FIFA in 9th place. Uruguay played a strong defensive game and manage to maintain a draw with France.

[A1Kaid]

Look out for Spain and Portugal there going to be dominating teams. Expect some great plays from those two. The athletes those two teams have are high-caliber and superior to other teams talent-skill wise...