Danny Jordaan, chief executive of South Africa's 2010 World Cup organising committee, said Thursday he was worried about the general atmosphere of the tournament following South Africa's 3-0 beating at the hands of Uruguay on Wednesday, according to dpa. "How well the hosts do is always crucial to the success of an event," Jordaan told reporters in Johannesburg. "It was a painful night. It was the first night when the vuvuzelas were silent," he said, referring to the ubiquitous plastic trumpets blown by South African fans. Bafana Bafana, as South Africa's national football team is known, now has only a slight chance of advancing from the World Cup's group stage. Jordaan said the team's disappointing performance so far stood in contrast to the tournament as a whole, which he described as a big success. "And so it's a day with joy and pain for us," he remarked. Jordaan expressed hope that his countrymen would quickly get over an early exit by their team should it occur. "South Africans' special spirit will re-emerge," he said. South Africa must win their final Group A match against France on Tuesday to remain in the tournament. No World Cup host nation has ever been knocked out in the first round.
