BBC Sport

 

South Africa coach Carlos Parreira has named his side to face Mexico and is sticking with the team that beat Guatemala 5-0 and Denmark 1-0 in their final two warm-up matches.

Mexico captain Rafael Marquez is back in training following an injury to his right leg, while West Ham striker Guillermo Franco is fit again after injuring a toe on his right foot in the friendly against England on 24 May.

South Africa (4-5-1): Itumeleng Khune; Siboniso Gaxa, Lucas Thwala, Bongani Khumalo, Aaron Mokoena; Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Kagisho Dikgacoi, Steven Pienaar, Teko Modise, Siphiwe Tshabalala; Katlego Mphela.

MATCH PREVIEW

Six years after winning the right to host the tournament, South Africa kick off the first-ever World Cup on African soil. The nation's hopes are in the hands of veteran coach Carlos Parreira, who led Brazil to glory in 1994. It will be no easy task. Bafana Bafana are the lowest-ranked country ever to host a World Cup and they are desperate to avoid becoming the first hosts to fail at the opening group stage.

Parreira's team haven't played a competitive match in over a year, but confidence is growing following an unbeaten run of 12 matches dating back to October 2009, with Denmark their most recent victims.

Expectations in Mexico are high that the country's 'golden generation' can produce a historic performance in South Africa. The likes of Andres Guardado, Giovani dos Santos and Carlos Vela are the pick of the bunch, while much is expected of Manchester United-bound striker Javier Hernandez.

An enormous amount of preparation has gone into Mexico's World Cup build-up, with Javier Aguirre's men playing 12 friendly matches in 2010 alone. Their final warm-up match was a 2-1 victory over world champions Italy, suggesting El Tri's confidence may not be misplaced.

MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head

-This will be the fourth meeting between these sides. Mexico have won two to South Africa's one. Their most recent meeting was a 2-1 win for Bafana Bafana in Los Angeles at the 2005 Gold Cup.
South Africa

- No home nation has lost in seven previous curtain-raisers. The record stands at five victories (Italy in 1934, Brazil 1950, Sweden 1958, Chile 1962 and Germany 2006) and two 0-0 draws (England against Uruguay in 1966 and Mexico versus the Soviet Union in 1970).

- South Africa are the second-lowest ranked side in the tournament (83) after North Korea (105).

- Parreira is managing at his sixth World Cup after Kuwait (1982), the United Arab Emirates (1990), Saudi Arabia (1998) and Brazil (1994 and 2006).
Mexico

- No other side has played as many curtain-raisers as Mexico. El Tri will be playing in their fifth opener, having lost three and drawn one.

- Mexico are yet to get the better of African opposition at a World Cup in two previous attempts: they lost 3-1 to Tunisia in 1978 and drew 0-0 v Angola in 2006.

- Mexico have been eliminated at the last 16-stage at the past four World Cup finals.

- El Tri have played 12 warm-up matches in 2010, winning eight and losing twice.

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan)

Assistants: Rafael Ilyasov (Uzbekistan) and Bakhadyr Kochkarov (Kyrgyzstan)

Fourth official: Subkhiddin Mohd Salleh (Malaysia)

BBC Sport

 

France coach Raymond Domenech looks set to leave Thierry Henry on the bench, with Nicolas Anelka taking over striker duties and Patrice Evra wearing the captain's armband. Centre back William Gallas has recovered from a knee injury and should start.

Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez has named his side to face France. There are two changes to the side that defeated Israel 4-1 in the team's only World Cup warm-up match on 26 May. Mauricio Victorino replaces Colo Colo's Andres Scotti in defence and midfielder Egidio Arevalo is in for Napoli's Walter Gargano.

Starting XI: Fernando Muslera, Diego Lugano, Diego Godin, Mauricio Victorino, Diego Perez, Alvaro Pereira, Egidio Arevalo Rios, Ignacio Gonzalez, Maximiliano Pereira, Diego Forlan, Luis Suarez.

MATCH PREVIEW

A Frenchman scored the first-ever World Cup goal and Uruguay were the inaugural world champions, but both sides go into this match struggling to live up to their famous histories.

World Cup winners in 1998, France have under-performed since reaching the final of the 2006 World Cup and needed Thierry Henry's now infamous handball to qualify for this one. Unpopular coach Raymond Domenech has failed to get the best out of his talented squad, with a 1-0 defeat to China in their final warm-up match the latest in a run of abject performances since their early exit from Euro 2008.

As if distractions involving high-profile squad members and a prostitution network were not enough, the French have been beset by rumours of internal strife and expectations at home are at an all-time low.

Uruguay had their own troubles in qualifying and were the last team to clinch their place in South Africa after struggling to a play-off victory over Costa Rica, but there is no doubt Oscar Tabarez's side have the potential to be one of the tournament's surprise packages.

The two-time World Cup winners are blessed with a mixture of outstanding strikers, young talent and the old Uruguayan fighting spirit. Strikers Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez hit nearly 80 goals between them this season, and the pair will relish the opportunity to test a France side who appear to be in disarray.

MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head

- These sides have met on five previous occasions. Uruguay have won two to France's one, and there have been two draws. Their most recent meeting was a 0-0 friendly draw in November 2008, and they also shared a goalless draw at the 2002 World Cup.
Uruguay

- It is exactly eight years since La Celeste's last World Cup match, a 3-3 draw with Senegal on 11 June 2002.

- In 14 World Cup matches since reaching the semi-finals in 1970, Uruguay have mustered just one victory, a last-minute win over South Korea in 1990. The man in the dugout that day was current coach Oscar Tabarez.
France

- The last goal Les Bleus conceded against South American opposition at the World Cup came in a 1-1 quarter-final draw with Brazil in 1986. France went on to win the match on penalties and have since picked up three wins and a draw against South American sides.

- Les Bleus are playing in their 13th World Cup and have reached two of the last three finals.

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Yuichi Nishimura (Japan)

Assistants: Toru Sagara (Japan) and Hae Sang Jeong (South Korea)

Fourth official: Joel Aguilar (Slovenia)

Quote:

 

Referee: Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan)

Assistants: Rafael Ilyasov (Uzbekistan) and Bakhadyr Kochkarov (Kyrgyzstan)

Fourth official: Subkhiddin Mohd Salleh (Malaysia)

TGLucario

Jun 11 2010, 04:43 PM

What an opening game and what a goal by Shabalala! South Africa were really unlucky not to get the win in the last few minutes, but still a brilliant game and I hope for more of the same!

For those in the UK, did the sponsor ads remind you of Top Gear's Car Football for years back?

el bandit

Jun 11 2010, 08:05 PM

Domenech does not know how to do subs.....

Would have changed the formation to a 4-4-2 had anelka and henry up top with diaby and govou off and malouda on the wing.....

crappy subs by domenech