The French are going home!
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WORLD CUP 2010: France 1 South Africa 2: Hosts sign off with a win as French farce comes to a miserable end
France exited the World Cup at the first round stage with barely a whimper after this humbling defeat by the host nation at the Free State Stadium.
Neither team will play a part in the business end of the World Cup as Uruguay and Mexico took the top two places in Group A - the Mexicans finishing above South Africa on goal difference.
On a day of drama Raymond Domenech stripped Patrice Evra of the captaincy and handed the armband to Alou Diarra instead.
Then the coach, set to be replaced by Laurent Blanc, also saw his side reduced to 10 men after 26 minutes of this Group A game when Yoann Gourcuff was sent off.
Heads up: Khumalo (left) rises above the French defence to nod home the opener
Evra was dropped after the squad boycotted a training session after striker Nicolas Anelka was expelled following a row with Domenech.
The Manchester United full-back cut a lonely figure on the bench on another dreadful day for France.
They all count: Mphela doubles South Africa's lead from close range
Yet they could have opened the scoring in the third minute when Gourcuff released Andre-Pierre Gignac. He had a clear sight of goal but only succeeded in drilling a shot into the arms of Moneeb Josephs.
France were rocked in the 20th minute when South Africa made the breakthrough, which led to pandemonium in the stadium.
Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris failed to cut out a corner from Siphiwe Tshabalala and Bongani Khumalo took advantage to score with a header at the back post.
It might have been worse for the former world champions five minutes later but Katlego Mphela dragged a shot narrowly wide of the post.
France's troubles increased, however in the 26th minute when they were reduced to 10 men with Gourcuff sent off by Colombian referee Oscar Ruiz for an aerial challenge on Macbeth Sibaya.
Domenech could not believe what was happening and held his head in frustration at seeing his side down on numbers.
Bad to worse: Gourcuff receives his marching orders as Sibaya lies flat out
South Africa were growing in confidence and Tshabalala whipped a free-kick over the bar in the 34th minute before they extended their lead three minutes later.
Mphela clipped the ball home after being sent up by Bernard Parker with France in disarray at the back.
Steven Pienaar then found the net for South Africa but his effort was disallowed and Mphela saw his shot turned around the post by Lloris.
Malouda was introduced at the start of the second half but France were soon pegged back. Parker sent his shot into arms of Lloris and Mphela's effort clipped the outside of the post.
Too little too late: Malouda can't mis
s as he
taps home France's only goalFrance could not contain Mphela and the goalkeeper did well to push away his powerful drive in the 58th minute.
However South Africa were caught napping in the 70th minute and failed to track Malouda, who pulled a goal back following a cross from Franck Ribery.
That was as good as it got for France, whose only point in the group came against Uruguay.
It was a bitter sweet win for South Africa as they have become the first host nation to be eliminated at the first round stage of the finals.
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The Gourcuff red card was a joke.
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good for them to avoid further humilation
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funny how that guy stand up so quickly after gorcuff went off the field.
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why was domenach appointed in the first place?
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Haha
wad if France is IrelandNaybe Ireland do better than them
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Originally posted by Bus&Soccer l0v3r (VO3x 1):
Haha
wad if France is IrelandNaybe Ireland do better than them
YEAH! O'Shea would have opened cans of woop ass!
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Thanks for the money singapore pools
One of the easiest upsets to predict in this world cup. I guess everything started when they lost to senegal few years back. After that more and more problems started to emerge -
Originally posted by Y_Shun:
The Gourcuff red card was a joke.
domenech shld have been red carded -
I got South Africa win @ $3.65. Haha... Anybody bought at $3.85? LOL.... It was Sunday. Monday odds went to $2.50. LOL...
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*points and laughs at the frogs*
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Originally posted by the Bear:
*points and laughs at the frogs*
came to WC in first class A380 and go back in cargo section fit for cattles in 737 -
Ireland will be a better team compared to France. The French worked so hard, even Handball to get into the World Stage only to self destruct.
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wasted ah ! the Sth African guy hit the post, otherwise 3-0 and then the French might just self-destruct even more and lose 0-4 !
alamak ! they gonna fire Domenech ???
they should make him coach for life !!!!
if Laurent Blanc still select so many black players, he should change his name to Laurent Noir !!!
when is France playing in the African Nations Cup and then WC Qualifiers against African teams ?
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in 1998 when the french won the world cup, gct at that time was still pm & in his national day rally he said france won due the ft they have in the team. in the subsequent world cup gct was asked why france didn't win, he said not enough new ft....lol...i wonder what he has to say with the decline in french football now....if there's a parallel sg can draw from here is that while talents are good, they can be very destructive without loyalty...
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lol...no more football for france.. my godness.
not like their group are very strong... 1 point. LOL.
tonight is england ! hmm hmm.
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Originally posted by SevenEleven:
came to WC in first class A380 and go back in cargo section fit for cattles in 737 They didn't even go back to the hotel!
They boarded the coach which went straight to the airport. I guess before the match started, they already knew that they were screwed.
Ah, how the mighty have fallen. From grand finalists in 2006 to a mutinous rabble in 2010. The commentator was not far off the mark when he said that mobs would storm the Bastille over this utterly pathetic attitude they displayed.
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Trend for now?
1998: Finals
2002: Group Stage
2006: Finals
2010: Group Stage4 years later, going into grand finals again?