Bloemfontein, June 22 (DPA) South Africa defeated 10-man France 2-1 Tuesday but that still made them the first World Cup hosts to go out in the group stage and also sent home the shambolic Europeans.

Bongani Khumalo headed a corner-kick home 20 minutes into the game and Katlego Mphela made it 2-0 in the 37th as the hosts hoped for a miracle to make the round of 16 after all but failed to get the required bigger win.

Substitute Florent Malouda tapped home with 20 minutes left to silence the Free State Stadium crowd. France earlier had playmaker Yoann Gourcuff sent off in the 26th for elbowing in an aerial duel.

Uruguay defeated Mexico 1-0 in the other game, which saw the South Americans first, and Mexico second in the group by two goals over South Africa, with France last without a win as in their 2002 exit in what was the last match of their controversial coach Raymond Domenech.