Away day: Diego Forlan celebrates Uruguay's opener against hosts South AfricaThe name by which the South Africa team are known at home is Bafana Bafana - The Boys. Sadly for the World Cup hosts, they were last night confronted by the disciplined men of Uruguay and as the cliche tells us, men against boys has but one outcome.
Long before the game's controversial minute, the 76th, Uruguay were offering the sort of lesson in strength and movement that South Africa manager Carlos Alberto Parreira will have feared.
And once the serial diver from Ajax, Luis Suarez, left his foot in to be touched by Itumeleng Khune, and referee Massimo Busacca pointed to the spot, then dismissed the goalkeeper, the night was all over.
There was a long, dramatic wait as substitute keeper Moneeb Josephs came off the bench but when he did, his first job was to pick the ball out of the net. Diego Forlan was the scorer for the second time on the night.
He and Suarez had been a smooth, dangerous combination all game and deep into injury time it was a cross from Suarez that Alvaro Pereira bundled over the line from close range. Suarez will have won many admirers but there would be more if he stood up.Even Forlan called the penalty 'fairly doubtful'.
No entry: Uruguay's Uruguay's Alvaro Pereira foils an attack from South Africa's Siboniso GaxaThat third meant perhaps an unfair score. Not since beating Scotland 7-0 in 1954 had Uruguay got three in a World Cup finals.
They are goals that could have implications for South Africa, who play France in their final game next Tuesday in Bloemfontein. Parreira did his best to sound upbeat about that match, speaking of a 'moral obligation to fight until the very end'.
But the Bafana coach also conceded that he was 'sad' and that his players were 'irritated' by referee Busacca. 'He's the worst in the competition,' said Parreira. 'He discovered the penalty. His was the weakest performance.'
Falling down: Sportsmail World Cup columnist Steven Pienaar puts a mean challenge in on Egidio ArevaloRegrouping is South Africa's task now. But their morale will have suffered because this was a match in which they never really participated in an attacking sense.
Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera made casual stops and caught the odd cross but nothing more. The line-ups showed Uruguay with 10 players overseas, mainly at prosperous European clubs.Bafana's showed seven players drawn from the domestic league.
With Uruguay dominant from the beginning, that felt an important distinction. Riding a wave of noise and support, Bafana had managed to draw against Mexico in last Friday's tournament opener in Soccer City. But once Forlan had scored here, it was a reminder of those first-half chances Mexico had missed.
Had even one of those been taken, South Africa might have had the same sense of anti-climax as last night.
Turning point: Uruguay's Luis Suarez successfully appeals for a penalty after he was tripped by South Africa goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune
Although effusive in his praise for Forlan, Parreira must have been annoyed by the manner of the striker's first on 24 minutes. A daft mistake by left back Tsepo Masilela conceded possession on the left and within 30 seconds Forlan was approaching the hosts' box closer to the right.The Atletico Madrid star's shot was true but there was a nick off the shoulder of Aaron Mokoena that may have caused the ball to dip more steeply than it would have. It clipped the underside of the bar and gave Khune no hope.
South Africa were struggling to find any rhythm. It was 16 minutes before they stitched a move together but they never convinced us that there was another level.
Steven Pienaar is the most influential player but he was unable to establish himself.
Red rage: Keeper Khune pleads in vain after he suffers the shame of being sent off for the host nationWhen South Africa did come forward they were snuffed out with too much ease. Egidio Alvaro had a forthright 90 minutes patrolling in front of a sharp back four. The failure to find any momentum affected the atmosphere in the stadium.
The vuvuzelas were still blown but with nothing like previous fervour. Players who might make a difference such as Friday's scorer Siphiwe Tshabalala simply failed to get involved.
Spot on: Atletico Madrid striker Forlan doubles his tally to score the second for the South AmericansThe home disappointment was all the more because yesterday, June 16th, is one of the most evocative in the black South African calendar. It was on that date in 1976 that Soweto's students rose up against apartheid. June 16th has since become Youth Day, and yesterday was a public holiday.
The mood in the country was expectant and the urge was for Bafana to take 'the spirit of 76' to Pretoria.
Magnanimous Uruguay manager Oscar Tabarez clearly understood the anticipation. That is why he said: 'I told my players, the history of this game is not written beforehand.'
Three and easy: Alvaro Pereira latches onto a delightful Suarez cross to score past substitute goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs to celebrate Uruguay's thirdsource: dailymail