Group A

It was always going to take something special for South Africa to go through today and they tried, even Uruguay did what they had to do to help, but South Africa just didn't do enough, despite beating France and finishing on the same points as Mexico who do go through.

All the tools were given to them, France were even reduced to ten men when Yoan Gourcuff was sent off in the 26th minute for a dangerous challenge on MacBeth Sibaya and while they managed to score against ten men, they also let one in too.

Read more: France 1 South Africa 2: Hold your heads up boys

French footballing legend and World Cup winner Zinedine Zidane laid into the French team yesterday for refusing to train after striker Nicolas Anelka was thrown out of the camp for insulting the coach.

"Concerning the players, I don't agree with the fact that they refused to go to the training pitch," Zidane told reporters in Johannesburg.

Read more: Zinedine Zidane not happy with French team

Words can get you into trouble. Not if your name is Wayne Rooney and you are valuable to the money men, but if your name is Nicolas Anelka and the money men from your country have real values - you are on a plane home.

Read more: Anelka sent home because of something he said

The World Cup has woken up and it is getting quite good isn't. That game was very enjoyable to watch and I'd watch it again. Nothing has really changed for South Africa - they must beat France on June 22nd and hope there is a winner in the match between Uruguay and Mexico - and I fancy there will be.

But and this is the important thing if you are a South African and you are going to be in Bloemfontein; you must sing for South Africa - and throw away your vuvuzela. Sing for your team and let blow those vuvuzela at the French. You must create an advantage.

Read more: France 0 Mexico 2: Poor French can have no complaints

Chances are that if either Mexico or France win tonight that they won't go top of the group but the will be a step closer to the last sixteen and both teams could do it.

But we really want a draw. We want a draw because our second team is South Africa and we want South Africa to have the best opportunity possible and if there is a draw, that is it.

Read more: France v Mexico, World Cup Group A, Match 20

That wasn't nice but not really a surprise either. South Africa just didn't have enough, despite passages of play when they were passing the ball around like a team from South America. There was something missing.

South Africa really did need to win tonight and while it isn't over yet - it is going to be hard work and they are going to need quite a bit of luck after a night with little.

Read more: Sing for South Africa, it is the last hope

I've read and heard a lot of complaining about the quality of football and lack of goals the last couple of days and I've even read and heard that people are not going to watch any more matches on TV if they have to hear the vuvuzela.

Are these people football fans? You don't watch football for the sound and if the vuvuzela annoys you that much - lower the volume or mute the TV. You watch football for the football and you support your country because it is your country - not because they are playing without the vuvuzela.

Read more: South Africa v Uruguay, World Cup Group A, Match 17

French defender and third choice keeper Cedric Carrasso pulled out of training yesterday - both with muscle worries.

Training was taking place in Knysna and half way through Gallas walked off with the problem. "It's a muscle problem, nothing serious," a team spokesman said without elaborating.

Read more: Galls and Carrasso pull out of World Cup training

We had fun in that last game over on Twitter and we think we will have fun again with the game about to kick-off. Uruguay are one of only seven clubs to have won the World Cup and they have won it twice, so seeing as France have strutted around since 1998 as if they invented the game - Uruguay can if they want to too.

Now, if this game is as good as the one we have just watched it will also be a lot of fun. We saw two different types of football in the first World Cup game today and I suspect, mostly because of the continents these two teams come from, we will see two different types again and hopefully another good one.

Read more: Uruguay v France: World Cup Group A, Match 2