World Cup: Fans prepare for 2010 World Cup opener
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After a week of gorgeous whether, the day of the World Cup opener dawned chilly and overcast. It is, after all, the start of winter in the southern hemisphere
That figures to dampen the enthusiasm of the sell-out crowd expected to pack Soccer City Stadium later today -- but not by much. Fans, clad in the team colors of the home-town Bafana Bafana were in the streets blowing on vuvuzelas before the sun even came up
On Thursday, the lines at the stadium for fans waiting to claim tickets were several thousand people long, leading to three-hour waits. Some of the South African players, acting as rude hosts, have been calling out the Mexicans ahead of Friday’s opener, calling them slow and overrated. Mexico hasn’t responded in kind, but they are confident, predicting a strong performance.
-- Kevin Baxter, reporting from Johannesburg