To see Mexico fans celebrate in Sydney...

Uruguay got past Mexico 1-0 with a 43rd minute goal from Suarez while South Africa registered a 2-1 win to ensure France finished in last place after a dismal tournament for Raymond Domenech's side.

The results mean Uruguay qualify top of Group A, ahead of Mexico who will now face Argentina in the Round of 16. Argentina maintained their perfect start to the World Cup with a 2-0 win over Greece to top Group B.

Uruguay will face South Korea in the Round of 16 after the Asians drew 2-2 with Nigeria to safeguard their second spot in the group.

South Africa are the first nation not to make it out of the group stage while hosting the World Cup, while France - riven by squad disharmony - go home without a single win to their name.

The only goal between Mexico and Uruguay came two minutes before half-time when Edinson Cavani's superbly floated cross allowed the Ajax striker to head in at the back post.

With hosts South Africa unable to alter the goal difference too much in their 2-1 win over France, the result in Rustenburg also put the nervous Mexicans through.

Their coach Javier Aguirre made two changes to his line-up, bringing in veteran Cuauhtemoc Blanco for his first start in place of the injured Carlos Vela up front, while Andres Guardado was in for the suspended Efrain Juarez.

Uruguay also made one surprise change, with Diego Godin dropping to bench in place of Mauricio Victorino.

There was a buzz in the Royal Bafokeng Stadium at the start, with most of the noise coming from the fans in green, who outnumbered those in blue.

But the Mexicans and their supporters were almost silenced early on.

First Maxi Pereira saw his rising 30-yard free-kick fly over, and then an error from Hector Moreno allowed Suarez in but the striker only managed to send his shot across the face of goal.

El Tri had a good chance moments later when Giovani dos Santos crossed for Blanco, but the 37-year-old headed over.

After 15 minutes Victorino managed to find space from a corner but nodded his free header over, before Alvaro Pereira drilled his shot wide after racing down the left - much to the fury of the unmarked Diego Forlan in the box.

Midway through the half, Guardado almost stunned Oscar Tabarez's side with a wicked 30-yard effort that beat Fernando Muslera, but not the underside of the crossbar.

At the other end, Oscar Perez punched weakly at a Forlan cross, but there was no one following up at the back post.

The chances seemed to dry up 15 minutes before the break, but then Suarez broke the deadlock.

Aguirre decided to make a change at the break, bringing Pablo Barrera for Guardado.

And his side had the first chance of the half courtesy of a Blanco free-kick 25-yards out that was curled into the arms of Muslera.

Uruguay then almost doubled the advantage when Forlan swung over a free-kick from the right, but Diego Lugano's powerful header drew an excellent low save from Perez.

In another attacking move, Israel Castro and Javier Hernandez were thrown in, but it was a defender, Francisco Rodriguez, that had a golden opportunity to equalise from Barrera's cross, which was a glanced header that ended up wide.

Hernandez was next to have a chance, but it was only a half one as he found little room to try and get away a shot in the six-yard box, with the ball deflected for a corner.

The Mexicans again had their goalkeeper Perez to thank in the 87th minute when he parried away and awkward 30-yard Cavani strike for a corner.

It proved the last chance for either side as La Celeste held on.

Meanwhile France exited the World Cup at the first round stage with barely a whimper after this humbling 2-1 defeat by host nation South Africa at the Free State Stadium.

On a day of drama Raymond Domenech stripped Patrice Evra of the captaincy and handed the armband to Alou Diarra instead.

Then the coach, set to be replaced by Laurent Blanc, saw his side reduced to 10 men after 26 minutes of this Group A game when Yoann Gourcuff was sent off.

South Africa took advantage with Bongani Khumalo and Katlego Mphela both finding the target.

Although Florent Malouda stepped off the bench to pull a goal back France are heading home early.

Evra was dropped after the squad boycotted a training session after striker Nicolas Anelka was expelled following a row with Domenech.

The Manchester United full-back cut a lonely figure on the bench on another dreadful day for France.

Yet they could have opened the scoring in the third minute when Gourcuff released Andre-Pierre Gignac. He had a clear sight of goal but only succeeded in drilling a shot into the arms of Moneeb Josephs.

France were rocked in the 20th minute when South Africa made the breakthrough, which led to pandemonium in the stadium.

Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris failed to cut out a corner from Siphiwe Tshabalala and Khumalo took advantage to score with a header at the back post.

It might have been worse for the former world champions five minutes later but Mphela dragged a shot narrowly wide of the post.

France's troubles increased, however in the 26th minute when they were reduced to 10 men with Gourcuff sent off by Colombian referee Oscar Ruiz for an aerial challenge on Macbeth Sibaya.

Domenech could not believe what was happening and held his head in frustration at seeing his side down on numbers.

South Africa were growing in confidence and Tshabalala whipped a free-kick over the bar in the 34th minute before they extended their lead three minutes later.

Mphela clipped the ball home after being sent up by Bernard Parker with France in disarray at the back.

Steven Pienaar then found the net for South Africa but his effort was disallowed and Mphela saw his shot turned around the post by Lloris.

Malouda was introduced at the start of the second half but France were soon pegged back. Parker sent his shot into arms of Lloris and Mphela's effort clipped the outside of the post.

France could not contain Mphela and the goalkeeper did well to push away his powerful drive in the 58th minute.

However South Africa were caught napping in the 70th minute and failed to track Malouda, who pulled a goal back following a cross from Franck Ribery.

That was as good as it got for France, whose only point in the group came against Uruguay.

It was a bitter sweet win for South Africa as they have become the first host nation to be eliminated at the first round stage of the finals.

To see Mexico fans celebrate in Sydney...