Tournament News
Bookies: Mexico to beat Bafana
2010-06-10 09:30
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Cape Town - Bookmakers have installed Mexico as favourites to beat Bafana Bafana in the opening game of the 2010 Soccer World Cup at Soccer City in Johannesburg on Friday.
Kick-off is at 16:00.
Leading SA bookmakers, GreatOdds, have Mexico as 6/4 favourites to open the tournament with a victory.
Bafana can be backed at 7/4 with a draw on offer at 43/20.
In the overall betting stakes, Bafana are 150/1 to win the tournament.
Mexico, who are appearing at their 14th SWC, are currently 17th in latest FIFA rankings.
Hosts Bafana, appearing at just their third SWC, occupy 81st position in the FIFA rankings.
In the second match on day one of the tournament between Uruguay and France at the Cape Town Stadium (kick-off 20:30), France are 1/1 favourites with Uruguay 27/10 and the draw on offer at 11/5.
Squads for the South Africa v Mexico opening match:
South Africa
Goalkeepers: Moeneeb Josephs (Orlando Pirates), Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs), Shuaib Walters (Maritzburg Utd)
Defenders: Matthew Booth and Siboniso Gaxa (Mamelodi Sundowns), Bongani Khumalo (SuperSport Utd), Tsepo Masilela (Maccabi Haifa/ISR), Aaron Mokoena (Portsmouth/ENG, capt), Anele Ngcongca (Racing Genk/BEL), Siyabonga Sangweni (Lamontville Golden Arrows), Lucas Thwala (Pirates)
Midfielders: Reneilwe Letsholonyane and Siphiwe Tshabalala (Chiefs), Lance Davids (Ajax Cape Town), Kagisho Dikgacoi (Fulham/ENG), Thanduyise Khuboni (Arrows), Teko Modise (Pirates), Surprise Moriri (Sundowns), Steven Pienaar (Everton/ENG), Macbeth Sibaya (Rubin Kazan/RUS)
Strikers: Katlego Mphela (Sundowns), Siyabonga Nomvete (Moroka Swallows), Bernard Parker (Twente/NED)
Mexico
Goalkeepers: Memo Ochoa (America), Luis Ernesto Michel (Chivas/USA), Oscar Perez (Chiapas)
Defenders: Rafael Marquez (Barcelona/ESP), Ricardo Osorio (Stuttgart/GER), Hector Moreno (AZ Alkmmar/NED), Francisco Rodriguez (PSV Eindhoven/NED), Carlos Salcido (PSV Eindhoven/NED), Paul Aguilar (Pachuca), Efrain Juarez (Pumas UNAM)
Midfielders: Jonny Magallon (Guadalajara), Jorge Torres Nilo (Atlas), Gerardo Torrado (Cruz Azul), Israel Castro (Pumas UNAM), Andres Guardado (Deportivo La Coruna/ESP)
Strikers: Pablo Barrera (Pumas UNAM), Adolfo Bautista (Guadalajara), Alberto Medina (Guadalajara), Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Veracruz), Javier Hernandez (Guadalajara), Giovani dos Santos (Galatasaray/TUR), Guillermo Franco (West Ham/ENG), Carlos Vela (Arsenal/ENG)