Confederations Cup Opens in Earnest

If the opening match of the 2009 Confederations Cup is any indication, hosts South Africa best hope it's only indeed a dress rehearsal for next year's World Cup.

Sunday, in the opening match of the competition from Johannesburg, the hosts played out to a limp 0-0 draw against Asian champion Iraq. Perhaps the only noteworthy occurrence to come out of the game was an utterly bizarre block of a sure goal from Kagiso Dikgacoi by his own teammate inside the final 10 minutes.

If there were any positives to come from Ellis Park Sunday, it was probably the unwavering enthusiasm of the home fans, many decked out in elaborate costumes, to support the Bafana Bafana. The incessant noise from those long plastic horns, well, that's another story. The same could be said about the field itself, which was a bit torn up from rugby matches earlier in the month.

After what seemed likes hours of the two teams feeling each other out, South Africa finally got some shots going toward the final 15 minutes of the match. Two minutes after coming on in the 78th minute, South Africa's Katlego Mashego broke in on Iraq keeper Mohammed Kassid 1-on-1. The Iraqi charged off his pluck and plucked it right off the subs toe to deny him the goal.

A little later Kassid came up big again, blocking a shot from inside the box.

However, the one time Kassid was beaten, he got a little luck from the soccer gods.

In the 83rd, South Africa whipped in a cross at the far post, catching Gassid off his line. Dikgacoi sprung up and dove to head it into the empty goal. The only problem, teammate Bernard Parker had gone for the initial cross, too, and his run left him running onto the goal line, thus blocking the sure-fire tally.

Sometimes that's the way she goes, as it was probably the only memorable incident from an otherwise dull affair.

Both teams will probably be kicking themselves that they didn't get the three points for the win, since in Group A one of the three other teams beside Spain, which plays New Zealand a little later Sunday, is going to have to advance by default.