World Cup: South Africa vs. Mexico: it’s 0-0 after 30 minutes, with El Tri on top

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One-third of the way through the opening game, and it’s still all even at 0-0.

Mexico has been applying almost all of the offense, keeping South African goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune on his toes.

Khune has cut out dangerous crosses by Paul Aguilar from the right flank, but the main danger has come from livewire Giovani dos Santos and from Guillermo Franco attacking from deep. Both players fired off-target shots, however, with Franco’s header sailing over the crossbar and Dos Santos’ shot curling wide left.

The first yellow card of the tournament went to Mexico’s Efrain Juarez, who was cautioned for handling the ball. He had gone down in an attempt to cradle the ball with his chest, but the ball struck the inside of his left arm.

South Africa has not had a shot on target. Its one chance came when Steven Pienaar took a free kick from 30 yards, but the Everton player sent his effort over the bar after a foul by Carlos Salcido on Katlego Mphela.

-- Grahame L. Jones, reporting from Johannesburg, South Africa