The first half ended goalless, but the warning signs were flashing. In the locker room, Del Bosque was uncharacteristically stern, his calm demeanor replaced by a furrowed brow of concern. "They want it more than we do," he stated simply. "This is not a parade. This is a football match. Wake up."
The team returned for the second half with renewed purpose, but the damage to their mindset was already done. They had allowed South Africa to believe, and a believing underdog is the most dangerous opponent in football.
The moment of reckoning arrived in the 56th minute. It started with a sloppy pass in midfield, a symptom of the team's lethargy
. South Africa pounced, launching a swift counter-attack. The ball was worked wide to Bernard Parker. From the right side of the box, he looked up and saw Iker Casillas, the sainted goalkeeper of 2010, slightly off his line.
