Hope springs eternal for South Africa

Barely three months ago, the average South African was contemplating the prospect of watching their beloved Bafana Bafana exiting the World Cup at the earliest stage.

Such was the slump in form of the country's national team, even the most optimistic fan was convinced that Carlos Alberto Parreira's side would be the less than proud owners of a World Cup first.

No host nation has ever failed to make it beyond the group stages of the World Cup since the competition's inauguration back in 1930, with even unfancied nations such as the United States advancing back in 1994.

Now, with mere hours to go to the biggest game in the history of African football, the South Africans are floating forward on a wave of unbridled optimism.

Benni McCarthy may have been deemed surplus to requirements by Parreira - South Africans were less surprised by the exclusion than those outside given his current portly demeanour - but even without the country's long-term poster boy, fans across the nation are confident of success.

A run of 12 games without defeat is the principal reason behind the upturn in mood in the host nation and the most recent, a 1-0 win over Denmark, has prompted some to be unrealistic in their enthusiasm.

There are those who believe South Africa can actually win the tournament; others have talked of a place in the semi-finals.

While such ambitions might be unrealistic aims for a nation that is only making its third appearance at the tournament, the reality is that few would have dared to dream of such goals earlier in the year.

The first priority for the South Africans will be to make sure they progress to the second round and, in doing so, ensuring that the record of World Cup hosts qualifying for the knockout phase remains intact.

And one of the key reasons the South African fans are convinced the Bafana Bafana can make it into the second round for the first time in their history comes from China.

The metre-long moulded plastic trumpet known as the vuvuzela will be the country's not-so-secret weapon when they take on the Mexicans in the opening match of the World Cup at Soccer City on Friday.

Bringing with it an aural assault unlike anything heard at football stadiums elsewhere, the majority among the 95,000 crowd are expected to be heralding their team with the brightly coloured trumpet that is sure to become the over-riding symbol of this World Cup.

"The other teams will have great players but the Mexicans have never heard anything like the vuvuzela," says Jacob, one of the thousands of volunteers working at the World Cup.

"They have never been under its influence. The vuvuzela will push South Africa to a 3-0 win because it's not just our 12^th man, it's our 13^th man as well."

The Mexican fans, a rowdy bunch themselves who are always well represented at the World Cup, have turned out in large numbers but they're unlikely to put up much resistance - in the stands at least - to the aural assault the South Africans will inflict upon them.

Whether their team can put up more of a fight - and in the process spoil the party for Bafana Bafana - could have a telling impact on the host nation's hopes for the tournament.