WORLD CUP DAY 7


The 16th June of every year is flagged as a historic and momentous day in the recent history of South Africa. In 1976 the scholars of Soweto arose in protest against the education system that was implemented in African schools under the apartheid government and more specifically against the tutoring of Afrikaans as a compulsory language. The 16th June is associated with the Soweto Township and its contribution to the eventual liberation of South Africa from the apartheid government. It heralds the role that scholars played in the liberation of South Africa. It is against this historic backdrop that South Africa awoke on the 16th June 2010.
The South African soccer team was due to engage the team from Uruguay in its second match of the 2010 soccer world cup. Six days ago, the team had played to a 1-1 draw with Mexico in the opening match of the 2010 soccer world cup. The expectations of the South African public were high, perhaps too high for the soccer team to accomplish. We lost 3 nil to Uruguay soccer team and observed glumly as our chances of proceeding to the second round of the tournament vanished.
The game itself was marred by the sending off of the South African team’s goalkeeper Kuhne after he was considered to have tripped the Uruguay striker about to make a shot for goal. The penalty that followed put us 2 nil down.  We were fortunate that the losing margin was not larger given the threatening runs that the Uruguay players had made into the South African team’s half. A sense of despondency engulfed the whole nation as this day came to an end.
It was also a day of the biggest surprise that this world cup has thrown thus far with Switzerland beating Spain 1 nil in Durban. In the other match Chile beat the Honduras 1 nil. South Africa was to awake the next day morose and dejected.  

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