BY Carl Askew
SORRY South Africa are on the brink of being turfed out of their own World Cup party after gatecrasher Diego Forlan ran amok in Pretoria.
The hosts were convincingly humbled as Forlan thumped home a first-half thunderbolt then added a penalty after keeper Itumeleng Khune had been sent off.
Alvaro Pereira's injury-time strike rubbed salt in the wounds for Carlos Alberto Parreira's men who are in deep trouble with just one point from two Group A games and France looming next.
In contrast, Uruguay's deserved victory puts them within touching distance of a place in the last 16.
The South Americans looked in the mood from the start and had four shots at goal in the opening 10 minutes.
The first effort to force a save came in 23 minutes when Luis Suarez's angled drive brought an awkward stop out of Khune.
Two minutes after that Uruguay were celebrating the lead when Forlan rifled a 25-yard shot that took a slight deflection off South Africa captain Aaron Mokoena before dipping in off the bar.
South Africa briefly threatened just before the break when Katlego Mphela sent a header just wide.
But Uruguay continued to boss the game in the second period and Edinson Cavani put a chance past the post before unmarked captain Diego Lugano made a mess of trying to turn a Forlan free-kick goalwards. Then, from nowhere, Bafana Bafana almost snatched a leveller in 66 minutes.
Uruguay keeper Fernando Muslera came for Siboniso Gaxa's cross but it was Mphela who got to the ball first and the striker watched in agony as his glancing header flew past.
And South Africa's hopes were crushed in 76 minutes when they conceded a penalty.
Forlan's mishit shot found the wide-open Suarez inside the area and, as he looked to round Khune, his foot was clipped and the Ajax forward went tumbling. Ref Massimo Busacca pointed to the spot and gave the shot-stopper his marching orders.
After a lengthy delay while sub keeper Moeneeb Josephs replaced Steven Pienaar, Forlan fired the spot-kick into the top corner.
As the home fans deserted in their droves they at least missed the final insult when Pereira bundled home Suarez's cross.
South Africa coach Carlos Alberto Parreira blasted the Swiss ref but insisted his team could still qualify.
He said: "I haven't seen the penalty properly because there were players in front of me.
"But the players are annoyed. Everyone said it was the worst referee so far.
"He was giving yellow cards that were never bookings. He doesn't deserve to be here.
"Everything will be decided now in the last game."
Article source: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/world-cup-2010/news/2010/06/17/world-cup-group-a-south-africa-0-uruguay-3-86908-22339279/
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