South Africa started the day in shock but ended the first day of the World Cup with a smile after the Bafana Bafana earned the respect of the footballing world. The metropolis of Johannesburg was nearly bursting with excitement as the nation awoke to the biggestsporting event in Africa's history, but suffered a major reality check when the news filtered through of the death of Nelson Mandela's great grand-daughter in a Soweto car crash.
South Africa paused to share the grief of the Mandela family, but the millions who had been given the afternoon off work and brought city to a standstill, soon refocused on Soccer City. On approach, the massive calabash-shaped stadium sounded like the world's largest beehive as the thousands of vuvuzela horns produced the noise of a billion bees.
Just when you thought the racket could not get any louder, three fighter jets from the South African Air Force blasted over the top of the stadium to signal the start of the opening ceremony, temporary drowning out the deafening sound of the country's favourite instrument.
African rhythms from the nation's big-name artists filled the arena with Archbishop Desmond Tutu dancing in the stands.
With billions watching at home, the mammoth danced act on the pitch revealed the flags of the 32 nations and predictably, the vuvuzelas nearly raised the roof on of the brand-new stands when the rainbow flag appeared.
The acrobatic Silver Falcons squadron concluded the musical part of the proceedings with a final fly-over, seemingly just metres above the rooftop, before it was time for the real actors, the footballers of South Africa and Mexico.
Fifa president Sepp Blatter and South Africa president Jacob Zuma appeared on the field to official open the tournament, but Blatter first took a moment to redirect everyone's thoughts to the Mandela tragedy.
A nerve-tangling hush fell over the 84,490 spectators as the Swiss supremo told the world that "even if he is not here tonight, the spirit of Mandela is in Soccer City''. Grief and excitement all rolled into one colossal vuvuzela blast which the great man would have heard in his house in Houghton, some kilometres up the road.
Interestingly, the racket nearly died down when the referee from Uzbekistan blew the whistle to start the match.
Nerves seemed to get the better of the home team and its fans, while the Mexicans who are used to playing in the cauldron of the Azteca Stadium or Pasadena's Rose Bowl, took control of the match.
The No.17 in the world ran the No.83-ranked South Africans from pillar to post but wasted half a dozen gift-wrapped chances to put the game away.
Those misses came back to haunt them just after the break when South African winger Siphiwe Tshabalala finished a flowing counter attack by smashing the ball into the top corner.
The stadium erupted and the superior, almost arrogant Mexicans, who should be used the altitude, suddenly seemed to be grasping for air.
Wave after wave of yellow shirts streamed down on the goal of Oscar Perez and Teko Modise will be kicking himself for not clinching the match. The Mexicans regathered and brought on some fresh lungs before Barcelona player Rafael Marquez broke South African hearts by tapping home the equaliser.
Both teams refused to settled for a draw in this enthralling encounter and continued to go on the attack and only the post prevented Katlego Mphela from grabbing a late South African winner. As Rashan Irmatov blew the final whistle, however, both teams and their fans knew that they had had a lucky escape and were happy to start their campaigns without a defeat.