Rafael Marquez’s late equaliser for Mexico denied South Africa a dream start to their World Cup in an entertaining World Cup curtain-raiser in Johannesburg’s Soccer City stadium.

After a very nervous start, the hosts gradually gained confidence and took a deserved lead with a goal of the tournament contender from Siphiwe Tshabalala.

And they were the width of a post from a last-minute winner.

The visitors, however, should have been ahead at half-time. Giovanni Dos Santos brought a terrific block from captain Aaron Mokoena in the second minute.

And keeper Itumeleng Khune saved Guillermo Franco’s close-range effort on 32 minutes.

Tshabalala applied a stunning left-foot finish to a sweeping pitch-length break to give South Africa dreams of victory, until an unmarked Marquez fired home the equaliser from Andres Guardado’s cross.

But Katlego Mphela was denied a late winner for Bafana Bafana when his 90^th minute left-foot shot hit the post.