Slovenia's World Cup is over and wht a shame that a side who were so spirited and attacking in Euro 2000 and did so well to qualify bowed out in such a lame manner.

The Bafana Bafana now have four points and are in pole position to qualify for the last 16 - even if they could be the worst side in the knock-out stages.

Balajic loses the ball to Buckley, but the final whistle goes. A blessed relief for all who witnessed it but South Africa have won.

Rudonja's got the ball! He loses it to Nzama.

Slovenia threaten to counter and Arendse shields it out for a goal kick.

... but Sibaya takes it, straight into the wall.

Free kick in a dangerous position here for South Africa. Zuma's behind it...

Arendse claims easily as Rudonja briefly threatens to get near the ball to cap his perfomance of spectacular anonymity.

Another poor pass by Buckley - not an impressive performance by the South African substitute.

Pule takes and Milinovic volleys it away ahead of Koumantarakis

Zunma earns another corner - he's the South African drag-back king

Buckley finds Koumantarakis in the box but his chest control lets him down. South Africa continue to pressure, but the move ends when Sibaya puts his shot over - as he seems to do every time he shoots.

It's a corner, but but that's headed over. South Africa didn't commit many men to attack there.

And South Africa counter. Buckley has a great chance as Simuenovic comes out.... but that's a woeful finish, well wide

Arednse punched unconvincingly and Mokeana cleared...

Novak and Osterc combine to win a corner.

South African change - Fortune departs and Jabu Pule is his replacement.

More Sotuh African possession and the game's till being played at quite a gentle pace.

Ten minutes left for Slovenia to save their World Cup - can they do it?

... but they give it away to Karic who lets fly from 25 yards - just over the bar.

And Rudonja;s in space on the counter attack. He finds Ceh and then Osterc and Sibaya made an excellent tackle..

And Fortune finds Koumantarakis. His first cross is blocked and Slovenia clear.

McCarthy's being substituted. On comes Koumantarakis, who impressed in the friendlies before the world.

McCarthy's still down and looking in some pain as the stretcher comes on.

McCarthy still can't get his goal. Buckley chips in a fine pass and Milinovic makes a really good last-ditch tackle.

Not now - Arendse claims comfortably.

Ales Ceh wins Slovenia a corner. Can they still snatch the point to keep them in the World Cup?

McCarthy has a go again, but it's a tame effort from 25 yards.

Buckley makes a little run, but he gifts possession away with another poor pass.

Booking. It's Pavlin... diving, dissent or a foul? He's been guilty of all three....

Strong tackle from Sibaya on Ceh and South Africa counter... but McCarthy's offside again.

McCarthy lays the ball off to Buckley but his first touch is poor and McCarthy is offside when the return ball comes.

Will Ceh's chance inspire South Africa to push on for a second.

Change for South Africa - Delron Buckley on for the goalscorer Nomvete.

The corner goes behind but Slovenia have finally managed an effort on target.

And Osterc crosses and Nastja Ceh gets in a really powerful header, which Arendse does well to save.

Nastja Ceh's through ball is almost deflected into Ales Ceh's path. Arendse gathers, but Nastja Ceh has been one of the few bright spots in a dismal Slovenian display.

Ceh crosses from near the by-line. Radebe heads away but it's disappointing to see how few Slovenians were in the box.

But Radebe can wallop it clear. Slovenia still don't seem likely to score.

The corner's delayed as Zuma limps off for treatment

And Osterc wins a corner at the other end. This could almost get interesting

Fortune on the right finds McCarthy now. He swivels and shoots - but it's striaght at Simuenovic. He didn't know much about it, but it's still 1-0.

... and the unnmarked McCarthy rises well to head against the side of the post and wide. He should have scored.

Quinton Fortune counter attacks - he gets to the byline and flicks in the cross...

Nastja Ceh on the ball now - but Slovenia can't break South Africa down.

Novak intercepts and beats a man. he does well to find Osterc - something of a one-man battle here for Novak.

Another booking - Ales Ceh will be cauioned and Pavlin is protesting furiously.

Will Katanec's double substitution change the course of this uneventful game?

Double change for the Slovenians - Nastja Ceh on for Acimovic in midfielder and Bulajic replaces the defender Knavs.

Pavlin's wirhting around on the ground again. Tebuho Mokeana is cautioned for the foul.

Novak wins a free kick - at least he ran with the ball which few Slovenians are showing much inclination to do.

Rudonja gets the ball. Not often you can say that.

Fortune to take, but that's easy to clear

Nomvete wins a corner - he's working the channels well here.

Zuma and Mokeane combine well - South Africa are looking more lively, but can they find a second goal to finish off the pace the Slovenians?

Fortune goes on a solo run to the left corner flag, puts in perhaps the best cross of the game and Simuenovic does really well to palm it away.

Rudonja gets near the ball - that's a rarity.

Yet another blow for the beleauguered Slovenians - is there any way back for them now?

Yellow card. It's Milinovic for a tackle on Cardell in the build-up.

The lively Nomvete makes a run down the left, but skews his cross behind.

And Katanec has got his marching orders. He's been sent off, the star player is thousands of miles away and Slovenia are heading for defeat.

Vugdalic clears the corner, but that was the closest we have come to a second goal.

But Sibaya finds McCarthy, who shoots on the turn from 25 yards. Good save from Simuenovic. Corner.

Nomvete has a chance to run at Slovenia - he goes down theatrically..

Katanec could be in trouble here - he 's been arguing with the fourth official all game.

... but even when they had a man advantage the South Africans passed it straight to the opposition.

No early signs of greater ambition from the Slovenians. South Africa look the more confident.

Fortune makes a break for South Africa and it looked as though ti might be three-on-three there, but he lost the ball.

Simuneovic fails to claim a free kick - he punches it against his own player but Slovenia survive.

South Africa have the ball - will they push for a second?

Cna Slovenia score? Can South Africa qualify for the second round? Can the second half be any worse?

Half time. Nomvete's goal gives the South Africans the lead in a poor game. Slovenia need to attack more, South Africa could try looking for a second.

Sibaya wins the ball. He's been one of the more effective players for South Africa.

Nomvete tries to twist and turn his way through, without any success. Only one minute of injury time, thankfully.

Zuma plays a neat ball to Fortune, but a poor touch enabled Slovenia to intervene. McCarthy shoots but it's well over

Sibaya shoots from 25 yards, but that's deflected wide.

Fortune wins a corner - they could wrap up the win with a second here.

Poor cross from Karic. he was looking for the new man, Osterc, but only found Arendse.

Another free kick - this has been a scrappy contest.

It looked a tactical change - perhaps a disappointment that a striker went off. Slovenia really need to attack more

Osterc comes on for another striker, Cimirotic. He doesn's look best pleased. Will the change inspire the lacklustre Slovenians?

Change for Slovenia soon - the centre forward Milan Osterc looks like he'll be coming on.

Zuma does superbly there to rob a defender, whot theough the ball would go out for a goal kick. He turns another and finds McCarthy... but hsi shot is blocked.

Fortune to take, he passes it short to Mokeana, whose cross just eludes Radebe

Zuma on the right - he's as lively as anyone, and wins his side a corner

Drilled in and Mokeana heads behind for a corner

Slovenia free kick on the right - Acimovic to take...

Was it a shot? Was it a cross? It's a goal kick anyway.

After Zuma's poor effort, Fortune comes over to take.

McCarthy robs Vugdalic and the defender tugs him back. Free kick and a booking - sloppy play by Vugdalic, and he's paid the penalty.

Another free kick for South Africa. Zuma will take it from the right, but it's really poor, way over everyone.

But Novak tries again with a cross which Arendse came out quickly to plug.

He shoots... but it's just wide. Better at least from Slovenia and a decent attempt from Acimovic but Novak had little support there.

Acimovic flicks it through for Novak but he delays and delays and goes back to Acimovic

Poor passing from both teams so far - this one isn't a festival of free-flowing football.

Nzama pumps in a long ball which is easy for Simuenovic.

Besides the goal, it's hard to think of a clear-cut chance for either side.

Nomvete had room to cross on the right, but he put it behind the goal.

South Africa have a free kick on the right wing which Fortune takes, but Slovenia clear

Katanec is looking unhappy on the bencha, and well he might with his first half hour.

... But Milinovic goes for the shot from 40 yards. It misses by quite some distance.

Another free kick - Tebuho Mokeana lunged in there on Novak.

But Vugdalic couldn't win the header and Carnell could volley clear.

But Slovenia do have a free kick in a great crossing position as Fortune brings down Ceh. Acimovic will take...

South Africa are very well organised in defence, wtih two blocks of four. They're not committing many men forward, but then they don't need to.

Novak crosses but it's comfortable for Arendse. Slovenia haven't had a shot on target yet.

A bit of wrestling between Karic and Zuma near the corner flag. Slovenia's free kick.

Pavlin's down after a clash of heads with Radebe - the Leeds man doesn't look too well either.

Radebe switches play well to Carnell and the left back makes a determined burst into the box. His shot is blocked, however.

The referee is lecturing Pavlin, amongst others, as South Africa have a free kick.

McCarthy and Fortune involved again - the South Africans will be pleased at getting two of their better players into the game more.

Fortune and McCarthy combine well and the Man United winger finds the Porto striker in the inside left position. His first touch takes him too wide and the shot is easy for Simuenovic.

Zuma finds Nomvete in room on the right, but a poor cross is easy for Simuenovic.

Slovenia really need someone to create a chance - the name Zahovic springs to mind - because so far they've been more notable for a willingness to go to ground lightly.

A better long ball there and McCarthy thought he was past the last man before the linesman's flag went up.

Poor distribution from the back again from the South Africans, and that gives Slovenia the ball back, but there's little evidence of any threat from them.

South Africa pass it round at the back before a dreadful long ball from Mokoena.

Nomvete skips past his man but is crowded out by two Slovenian defenders.

... and the referee's booked Lucas Radebe for an earlier foul, also on the Slovenian striker.

Cimirotic has a chance to break. He's gone down in an off the ball incident...

Another little run from Zuma - he's very keen to run at the Slovenian defence.

A spectacular tumble from Acimovic - there should be high drama at White Hart Lane next year. He wins the free kick but it comes to nothing

Milinovic wins the Swedes a free kick. Novak thinks he's won a corner but the referee penalises him for shirt-pulling.

The goalscorer Nomvete's off the pitch now - he's had a lively first 8 minutes of his World Cup.

Rumour has it the South Africans have already booked their plane hhome but if scores stay the same, they'll be in pole position to reach the last 16.

Can Slovenia respond? They've lost their best player and now they're a goal down already.

He actually went for a header and only succeeded in thighing it in, but they all count (as they cliche goes).

GOAL! Nomvete comes in unmarked to finish from six yards.

Fortune wins a free kick at the other end, which he takes himself...

Ceh takes and Milinovic rises highest to head over. Definitely a chance for the big centre back.

Fortune concedes a free kick near the corner flag for Slovenia.

MacBeth Sibaya takes, but that really was tragic.

Zuma makes an early run and is brought down for the first free kick.

South Africa kick off and both sides concede possession early on

One change for the Southe Africans - Nomvete in for the injured Issa. Slovenia, or course, have now Zahovic so Acimovic comes in.

A must-win game for two sides competing for the second qualification place - with Spain already through - but can South Africa or Slovenia take advantage of one of their easier games?