I didn't get to see the Mexico match, as I was waiting in line (for two hours) to get my new driver's license. It doesn't sound as if it were a great match, and ended with a 1-1 draw. South Africa started off with an amazing goal. Mexico answered. I had predicted a 2-1 win for Mexico and quite frankly am surprised that I wasn't correct. Sure Bafana Bafana had the home crowd advantage, but el Tri are a better team.
FRANCE vs URUGUAY
I did get to watch this match en complète. Les Bleus shot out of the blocks and stayed in their final third for the first ten minutes. Uruguay found their legs and pressured some after that, but the midfield was firmly in control, thanks to Yoann Gourcuff.
Gourcuff had a chance to put his team ahead when a freekick curled dangerously to the top left corner, only to be parried by the keeper. Honestly...that was France's best chance to score.
Uruguay, whose strike force of Forlan and Suarez combined for 77 league goals for their respective clubs this year, couldn't muster anything past the midfield. They had a few chances (one from Forlan that was brilliantly saved by Lloris) but looked happy to take the 0-0 draw.
Raymond Domenech chose a lone striker for France, Nicolas Anelka, who spent more time losing possession than he did attacking the goal. His half-baked header before the half should have been a goal.
France earned two quick yellows in the first half (Evra, Ribery) which signalled that the referee would not tolerate cheap tackles.
The second half played much like the first, with long crosses from France to......nobody in particular. Domenech took off Gourcuff in the 75th and replaced him with a winger (Malouda). The midfield bogged down after that and only showed a brief respite when Thierry Henry came on.
With 10 to go, Uruguayan Ladeiro made a cheap tackle on Bacary Sagna (studs to the ankle) and received his second yellow and marching orders. Could France show some spark?
No.
They had a few corners (taken by Malouda) which were disasters...a mistake by Domenech to take off Gourcuff who does a nice job of it.
The lack of creativity in the final third for France ultimately did them in, but they can at least take solace in the fact that the other two teams in the group also drew...now it's back to square one.
Diego Forlan (Uruguay) slides over William Gallas
Ladeiro makes the walk of shame for his crude challenge on Sagna
Lugano (L) and Toulalan squared off with noggins
On a sad note, the great-granddaughter of former president Nelson Mandela was killed in a one car accident on the day of the first match. The 13-yr-old was killed by what was ultimately deemed a drunk driver. Very sad.
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