RUSTENBURG, South Africa — Maybe Uruguay is the best example of how strong South American nations have been in the first round of the World Cup.
The last team to qualify for the tournament, Uruguay needed to beat Costa Rica in a playoff to get to South Africa. The Uruguayans have looked like anything but an outsider, though, and on Tuesday beat Mexico 1-0 to win Group A.
“We knew we had two results that benefited us,” said Luis Suarez, who scored the only goal. “But before the match our goal was to get the three points and be group leaders. Luckily, we reached our first goal, which was to advance from the first round.”
South American teams have won nine of their 11 matches thus far. Mexico earned four points in Group A and advanced because it has a better goal differential than South Africa (plus-1 to minus-2).
Suarez scored the winner in the 43rd minute after running unmarked to the back post and heading in Edinson Cavani’s brilliant cross for his first goal of the tournament.
Mexico’s best chance came in the 22nd minute when Andres Guardado, in for suspended midfielder Efrain Juarez, fired a left-footed shot from 30 yards that bounced off the underside of the crossbar.
“It leaves a bitter taste,” Mexican midfielder Rafael Marquez said of the outcome. “We’re all unhappy with this result and with today’s performance. We’ll have to improve now.”
Indeed, Mexico gets mighty Argentina next.
South Africa 2, France 1
BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa — With each team needing a big win to have any chance of moving on from Group A, both stuck to character. South Africa played eager and aggressive soccer. France imploded.
In the end, neither survived the group stage. But Bafana Bafana players left with their heads held high.
“The fighting spirit was there,” said Katlego Mphela, who scored one of South Africa’s goals. “It’s a bit unfortunate, but we beat France in the World Cup.”
Bongani Khumalo scored in the 20th minute when he outjumped France midfielder Abou Diaby to knock a cross from Siphiwe Tshabalala into the net with his shoulder. Mphela doubled the lead 17 minutes later, outmuscling defender Gael Clichy to reach a low cross from Tsepo Masilela and knock the ball across the line.
Substitute Florent Malouda scored for France in the 70th.
France, which was forced to play with 10 men after Yoann Gourcuff was ejected for elbowing MacBeth Sibaya in the 25th minute, leaves the tournament with a single point, from a 0-0 draw with Uruguay, and a single goal.
Argentina 2, Greece 0
POLOKWANE, South Africa — Martin Demichelis and Martin Palermo scored second-half goals, and Argentina improved to 3-0.
“We’re showing ourselves that many of the things you (journalists) said were wrong,” coach Maradona said, referring to predictions that his team, which struggled in South American qualifying, would do the same in South Africa.
South Korea 2, Nigeria 2
DURBAN, South Africa — Lee Jung-Soo and Park Chu-Young scored for South Korea after Kalu Uche had given Nigeria the lead in the 12th minute. Yakubu Aiyegbeni netted a 69th-minute penalty kick to draw Nigeria level again — moments after Yakubu missed a wide-open net.
The Associated Press
