SOUTH Africa midfielder Teko Modise admitted his side suffered from early nerves on Friday but was satisfied overall with the 1-1 draw against Mexico in the 2010 World Cup opener.

The clash in Johannesburg saw the hosts struggle initially, before they managed to come away with a point.

Modise said: “We didn’t start well. Many of us don’t know what it’s like to play in a World Cup.

“Now we know what it’s all about, so I believe against Uruguay we will start much better and be a lot more relaxed.”

The Orlando Pirates star was guilty of a crucial miss shortly after Siphiwe Tshabalala’s opener that could have killed off the game.

In the end it was not to be as a Rafael Marquez effort 11 minutes from time helped the Mexicans snatch a draw.

Modise added: “I needed to take that chance to help me personally.

“ But right now it’s all about the team and I think against Mexico I worked hard for the team and I’m proud of that.

“We had some chances late in the match as our confidence grew so as long as we keep creating chances then we’ll have a chance of winning.”

Mexico defender Hector Moreno compared the atmosphere inside Soccer City to that of the Estadio Azteca, saying it definitely played a role in the result.

“I think so (they were nervous),” he said. “But it’s something that applies to both teams.

“It’s normal to be nervous in such a game because everybody is watching you and everybody is expecting a lot of you.

“The atmosphere was just like Azteca, but only the colour was yellow, not green,” he added.

“I think they (South Africa) did a good job in those circumstances.”