Pretoria — South Africa's 2010 FIFA World Cup dream was dealt a blow on Wednesday when they were beaten 3-0 by Uruguay in their Group A encounter at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.
The draw with Mexico in their opening match on Friday had infused the team and their supporters with confidence, but they were brought back down to earth by a clinical performance from the South Americans, who were inspired by a brace from striker Diego Forlan.
Alvaro Pereira scored a late third, but even before that the game was up for South Africa. Uruguay can now look towards a place in the second round, while Bafana Bafana know that nothing short of a win against France in their remaining fixture on June 22 will be good enough.
Uruguay had an early free-kick chance but Forlan put the ball into the wall. Shortly afterwards Luis Suarez shot wide when well placed.
After Siphiwe Tshabalala put two long-range efforts over the bar, South Africa almost profited from a scramble in the Uruguayan penalty area. A free kick from the Kaizer Chiefs man was swung into the six-yard box, but the South Americans were able to clear.
Suarez did brilliantly to turn into space and fire a shot on goal from an angle, but Itumeleng Khune was right behind it and made the save comfortably.
But that was just the warm-up. On 24 minutes, Forlan netted a brilliant opener that was not without its good fortune. The ball deflected off Bafana skipper Aaron Mokoena on the way to goal, and then clipped in off the underside of the crossbar.
Later Suarez was again allowed too much space in the box and fired a shot into the side-netting, while Katlego Mphela headed wide from 15 yards.
Kagisho Dikgacoi received a yellow card for a foul three minutes before halftime. It being his second, he misses the next game through suspension.
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Great work down the left from Suarez saw him cross for Edinson Cavani, whose goal-bound effort was blocked by a last-ditch Tsepo Masilela tackle.
Lugano was left with acres of space from a free kick into the box, but the ball came off his back rather than his head and the danger was averted.
Mphela had a headed opportunity after good build-up play down the right, but he was unable to steer it goalwards, while Cavani should have done better with a Forlan pass, but mis-kicked horribly and the chance was gone.
Disaster for South Africa followed 15 minutes from time when their failure to clear the ball resulted in it falling lose to Suarez. Khune was adjudged to have fouled the Uruguay striker, but although there was contact, the forward made the most of it. Replays showed that Suarez was offside, adding to the frustration of the home team.
The Chiefs' stopper was handed a red card and sent to the stands, to be replaced by Moeneeb Josephs. Although he went the right way, he could not stop Forlan's penalty.
And it was 3-0 for the South Americans in injury time when Suarez found space again on the right. His lofted cross beat Josephs and the unmarked Parreira bundled the ball into the net at the back post.
