Stuart Dye: World Cup will be poorer for hosts' loss

Barring a miracle, South Africa are out of the World Cup.

Bafana Bafana's capitulation against Uruguay leaves the home nation needing to beat France by several goals and hope other results in the group go in their favour.

It is the slimmest of chances.

And South Africa's loss is the tournament's loss.

This is a football-mad nation at the moment and one that has welcomed the international football community with open arms.

South African fans have turned out to every game and lent their support to teams other than their own.

The atmosphere has been electric and no matter your position on the vuvuzelas, they are Africa's and they have been blown in support with a joyful abandon.

Off-field and the people could not have been more friendly. Doubtless, we here are shielded from the worst of the crime and deprivation, but every South African we meet wants to say "hello" and wish us and our team well

Since the Uruguay result, there has been a subtle shift.

The hosts will set an unenviable record in becoming the first to fail to get to the second round.

"For once the vuvuzelas were silenced," said a report in The Star. "Anger, disappointment, despair for the Rainbow Nation, who had enjoyed their World Cup Journey."

Another Johannesburg newspaper blamed African naivety and the "play-acting" of the Uruguayans.

"(South Africa) came up against the cynical reality of world football at the top level."

Other commentators looked for a ray of hope for the future.

"Perhaps the World Cup will be the start of South Africa becoming a proper football nation."

The post-mortems are taking place and the country is in mourning.

And a part of us visitors mourns with the South Africans.