SA, France hope for a miracle
Monday, 21 June 2010
BLOEMFONTEIN, June 20 (AFP): Host nation South Africa will face a French side in disarray in their final group match Tuesday with both sides knowing their fate is out of their hands but hoping for a miracle.
The Bafana Bafana crashed to a 3-0 defeat against Uruguay in their second group game following an opening day draw with Mexico, leaving them rooted at the bottom of Group A with a single point and a minus-three goal difference.
France, finalists in 2006, have flopped in South Africa, suffering a miserable 2-0 reverse against Mexico following a goalless draw with Uruguay, with French coach Raymond Domenech admitting: "We need a miracle now."
French woes deepened Saturday when they kicked star striker Nicolas Anelka out of the World Cup after a foul-mouthed tirade aimed at Domenech.
There is sure to be fervent support for the host nation at Bloemfontein's Free State stadium but even if the Bafana Bafana win, it could prove to be irrelevant.
That is because if Mexico and Uruguay play out a draw in their match in Rustenburg, which takes place at the same time as the France-South Africa clash, the Latin American sides would progress.
But France and South Africa will take hope from the fact that Mexico and Uruguay will be keen to avoid facing the impressive Argentinians in the last 16 - the likely fate for the runners-up in group A.
The Bafana Bafana crashed to a 3-0 defeat against Uruguay in their second group game following an opening day draw with Mexico, leaving them rooted at the bottom of Group A with a single point and a minus-three goal difference.
France, finalists in 2006, have flopped in South Africa, suffering a miserable 2-0 reverse against Mexico following a goalless draw with Uruguay, with French coach Raymond Domenech admitting: "We need a miracle now."
French woes deepened Saturday when they kicked star striker Nicolas Anelka out of the World Cup after a foul-mouthed tirade aimed at Domenech.
There is sure to be fervent support for the host nation at Bloemfontein's Free State stadium but even if the Bafana Bafana win, it could prove to be irrelevant.
That is because if Mexico and Uruguay play out a draw in their match in Rustenburg, which takes place at the same time as the France-South Africa clash, the Latin American sides would progress.
But France and South Africa will take hope from the fact that Mexico and Uruguay will be keen to avoid facing the impressive Argentinians in the last 16 - the likely fate for the runners-up in group A.