Image it: June 11, 2010. The FIFA World Cup is kicking off, and for the primary time in its historical past, it is kicking off on African soil. South African soil, to be precise.
The bafana bafana, South Africa’s beloved nationwide workforce, is warming up below the lights of the Soccer Metropolis stadium in Johannesburg. The air is thick with humidity and pulsing with the electrical hum of 1000’s of vuvuzelas. Tv viewers the world over will develop bored with their limitless drone over the course of the event, however tonight, through the opening recreation of the event, their thrum is international and intoxicating.
South Africa’s first opponent is Mexico, a perennial knockout-round contender recognized for bringing a home-field benefit wherever it travels. And certainly, there’s a sizable Mexican contingent current on this stadium, doing its greatest to drown out the South African vuvuzelas with its personal noise. It is combating a shedding battle, but it surely’s combating all the identical.
The sport will get underway. South Africa struggles to deal with Mexico’s intense strain. It is not anticipated to win this recreation, and it passes the primary half in a state of panic. Minutes tick by, and harmful Mexican pictures tick up.
However then, 10 minutes into the second half, there is a second of calm. South Africa finds a little bit rhythm within the heart of the park, and Teko Modise finds midfielder Siphiwe Tshabalala with an inch-perfect move. Tshabalala takes a beat, goals and fires.
It is a ravishing volley, top-of-the-line he’ll ever strike, and it sails into the Mexican internet to open the scoring in South Africa’s favor. The gang goes wild; the vuvuzelas double in quantity. The English commentators scream to be heard over the din. Purpose for South Africa. Purpose for all of Africa.
