South Africa Stands Up for Mandela

JOHANNESBURG -- For a brief moment Friday before South Africa's best soccer players kicked off the World Cup against Mexico in the massive Soccer City, the vuvuzelas that came in recent days to define a World Cup that was only about to start fell silent. You could hear your heart.

South Africa president Jacob Zuma was on the field at the microphone and all 84,490 looking at him from the stands knew what he was about to address. It was the man who inspired this nation the last half century with a defiant hope the world had rarely seen. He was the man everyone in South Africa hoped to see show up at the global event it was hosting mostly because of him, but everyone had just learned he was not going to able to join them.

Instead, Nelson Mandela, or Mandiba as he's called fondly here by his clan name, was grieving. The nation's godfather lost his 13-year-old great granddaughter Zenani before the sun came up on his country Friday for the entire world to see. She was killed in a car accident on her way home from the World Cup concert on the eve of the game.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter acknowledged the absence of Mandela in a brief address before bequeathing the microphone to Zuma.

"The spirit of Mandela is in Soccer City," Blatter told Zuma's countrymen and the watching world somberly.

When he finished, Zuma took over ever so briefly.

"You must enjoy the game," the president said. 'The game must start. We must enjoy the game."

The vuvuzelas, the long plastic horns invented by soccer fans in the ghettoized town called Soweto that rests in the shadow of Soccer City, erupted in a joyous scream once more.

South African president Jacob Zuma urged the emotional crowd to enjoy the game.

The horn in African culture represents many things – maybe a call to arms, or hope at the dawning of a new day. Friday it was both. And no South African walked away without feeling those messages, which were Mandela's lifelong messages, fulfilled.

Indeed, Bafana Bafana (The Boys, The Boys), as the country's World Cup team is nicknamed, struck both chords in its showing against Mexico. They did so in the same manner their country has in the six years since winning the gift of being the first African country to host such an event.

For no one gave Bafana much more chance of garnering a win, or a point by draw, against a stronger Mexico team than they gave South Africa much of a chance of pulling off this World Cup without a host of hitches. But Bafana did in 90 minutes on Friday in a raucous round stadium what its country has proven since World Cup officials, teams, fans and media started showing up here the past few weeks. Bafana showed it could stand with the best.

Bafana like its country was up against formidable odds. Mexico featured three players from the English Premiership, two from the Spanish league and one from Germany's Bundesliga. South Africa put out three players from England while the rest it relied on played in lesser leagues like that in South Africa.

They didn't play in awe or deterred, however. They played like Mandela would have hoped after all his years fighting against the foe of apartheid that brutally oppressed the indigenous black majority in this country for so long. They played as if Mandela's spirit was on the field and with them.

Bafana chased the ball a lot early rather than control it. It dodged a few early bullets from Mexico, most notably a corner kick in the 38th minute from Gerardo Torrado that found Carlos Vela alone near the back post. Vela trapped the ball off his chest and booted it home, but a whistle called it off. Offside, said the referee, sending Mexico's coach Javier Aguirre into a tirade. (Upon further review, it appeared the proper call and by just a hair.)

The call kept things even at the half. Bafana stood its ground. And after the teams returned from their respite, in the 58th minute Bafana sent Soccer City into a frenzy. Siphiwe Tshabalala raced down the left side past the nearest defender by a step and caught a great pass from midfield. A touch. A boot. He ripped the shot across the face of the goal past a diving Oscar Perez and into the top corner on the other side.
Blackistone in S.A.

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National Columnist Kevin Blackistone is on the scene in the home of World Cup 2010.
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Bafana was on the board first. South Africa was atop the world, just like its been all week as the rest of the world arrived to find a world-class airport, sparkling five-star hotels, 10 new soccer stadiums ready to go and as friendly and accommodating a people as could be found anywhere.

Alas, South Africa's upset bid didn't last. In the 79th minute, Efrain Juarez's boot from the corner found Rafa Marquez, who appeared to one of three Mexico players who got behind the defense. Marquez planted the ball on the turf and kicked it past Itumeleng Khune for an easy score. (Khune said afterward his team couldn't hear the vuvuzelas and said the fans let them down. I think his hearing must be the first casualty of these games.)

And in the 90th minute, Katlego Mphela beat a defender for what looked like a one-on-one against the keeper but couldn't beat the nearest post for the upset.

"We showed we are not going to be anybody's whipping boys in this tournament," Teko Modise told South Africa's The Independent afterward. "We have plans not just to make it through to the second round but there is a huge self-belief among the players we can do even better.

"We came so close to beating Mexico it was frightening. We struggled in the first half because of the pressure and nerves. But in the second half we came right and at the end of the day could have won. Now the pressure is off us after getting over this big hurdle."

It was the same hurdle in front of the country: could they do it. They did.

Somewhere the godfather of the nation was proud, though the great-grandfather of Zenani undoubtedly remained heartbroken.