Matchday 1

Here it is finally the start to SA2010. I've been so excited about this. The opening game is always a interesting affair, the home nation kick off, generally their first competitive game in 2 years (though not so this time with the African Cup of Nations). Soccer City looks incredible and the noise in the stadium must be deafening with the vuvuzelas going. The atmosphere seems electric and Sepp Blatter doesn't need to be there, surely the opening ceremony on the Thursday night is the time to declare the games open, today should just be for the football. Added interest for me in this game is having a South African brother-in-law, so here goes Bafana-Bafana.

The first 20 minutes looked desperate for the South Africans they looked nervous, disorganized and totally over-awed by the occasion, though Tshabalala looked like the player most likely to influence the game from the start. It would have been very easy for them to have conceded from the 3rd minute onwards, some poor headers from Franco, abject decision making from Carlos Vela - who twice should have taken a shot but tried to play in a team-mate - and a superb offside call from the linesman after the keeper came flying out like a salmon swimming up stream. South Africa were lucky to go into the break all square. Though they did grow into the game for the last 15 minutes of the first half.

Whilst expecting maybe more of the same in the second half Bafana-Bafana came out looking more assured, increasingly comfortable on the ball and decidedly more organized at the back. Mexico, whose most influential player was the indefatigable Giovanni Dos Santos, seemed to come out playing more of the same. Franco continued to be wasteful and it was a beautiful move from the South Africans that opened to scoring, the Mexican keeper, who looked uncomfortable from the off committed himself early, but the shot from Tshabalala was absolutely incredible, a wonder strike. The through ball for Tshabalala was absolutely delicious, sliced the defense open like a hot knife through butter. Mexico didn't seem to have much of an answer until the introduction of Blanco the 37 yr old national treasure, he may have looked knackered from the his 1st minute o the pitch but his dropping deep and time on the ball allowed him to prod and probe balls into the other attacking players. Mexico didn't seem to miss Vela too much and the replacement of Franco with Hernandez looked a last roll of the dice. The Mexican goal came from a set piece and a minute after my proclaiming 'SA are looking a lot more composed at the back' the defense left 3 on 1 in the 18 yard box and Khune had no chance as Barcelona's Marquez controls and converts the cross. The final ten mintues was pretty end to end, some good exciting football from both teams and South Afica came within the width of the post to winning in the 90th minute, Mphela came so close to giving the host nation the precious 3 points no-one expected them to collect. From a tight angle he beat the definitely flappable Perez and clipped the post.

All told a good opening game, and certainly a sight better than the France - Uruguay offering later that day. I would've liked to have seen more from Steven Pienaar for the hosts and a change of tempo from Mexico in the fist 70 minutes wouldn't have gone amiss.