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Parreira fumes at ref

Johannesburg - South Africa coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has blasted referee Massimo Busacca after his side's 3-0 defeat to Uruguay on Wednesday.

The host nation's dreams of making it through Group A to the last 16 of the tournament are hanging in the balance following the loss in Pretoria, and they will need to beat France in their final game to have any chance of progressing.

The Bafana Bafana were undone by a virtuoso performance from Diego Forlan, who scored two and played a major part in the third for Uruguay in a game that saw goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune sent off for bringing down Luis Suarez to concede a penalty.

Parreira will also be without midfielder Kagisho Dikgacoi, who was booked for the second game in succession, for the final group clash against Les Bleus.

The Brazilian coach was furious with the Swiss official, who he felt was not up to the standard of the tournament, despite TV replays showing he made the correct call to award a penalty and dismiss Khune.

"I haven't seen it properly because there were players in front of me," Parreira said.

"But the players are annoyed, very disappointed. Everyone said it was the worst referee so far. He was giving yellow cards that weren't yellow cards.

"He doesn't deserve to be here."

Despite the defeat, which will come as a crushing blow to the hopes of the hosts, Parreira insisted that his side still had a chance of qualifying for the second round.

"Uruguay are a good team with good players, like Forlan," he added.

"Their experience told at important moments.

"Our hopes are not over. We need to beat France, but we will have to be more aggressive." 
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