The football World Cup's kicked off in Johannesburg with an entertaining one-all draw between the hosts South Africa and Mexico, with almost 85,000 mainly home fans going wild - while the following Group A match was a much grittier affair but also ended in a draw.
While the hosts played out an enthralling one-all encounter with Mexico in Johannesburg, marked by two stunning second-half goals, Uruguay were desperate in their nil-all draw with France in Cape Town, the tackles flying in and the South American subsitute Lodeiro sent off for a second yellow card.
The first FIFA showpiece to ever be held in Africa was launched to the sounds of tens of thousands of vuvuzela trumpets before the South Africans, affectionately known as Bafana Bafana or "the boys", held out against relentless pressure in a scoreless first half.
The raucous crowd was then sent into ecstacy - and the decibel levels into the stratosphere - with a 55th minute goal to the forward Siphiwe Tshabalala with an exquisite finish.
The Mexicans equalised in the 79th minute when Rafael Marquez finished off a probing cross in the area, following wave after wave of attacks by the North Americans.
But it wasn't all Mexico, with two clear chances falling South Africa's way in the second half, including a 90th minute breakaway effort that culminated in striker Katlego Mphela hitting the post.
Former South African Nelson Mandela did not attend the opening match after his great grand-daughter was killed in a car crash just hours before kickoff.
