France are staring World Cup elimination in the face after going down 2-0 to Mexico in their second Group A game in Polokwane.

France, only in South Africa because of Thierry Henry's infamous handball against Ireland, suffered a disappointing 0-0 draw with Uruguay in their opening game last Friday and things got a whole lot worse at the Peter Mokaba Stadium.

Mexico may have thought their chance had been and gone after failing to score in a first half they bossed but France never improved after the break and got exactly what they deserved, nothing.

Mexico's first goal came in the 64th minute when Manchester United new boy Javier Hernandez played a neat one-two with Rafael Marquez and beat the offside trap to round Hugo Lloris and tap home.

Their second came 15 minutes later when Pablo Barrera was brought down in the box by Eric Abidal after an explosive run into French territory. 37-year-old Cuauhtemoc Blanco fired the resulting spot-kick low into the bottom corner and France will now go out if Mexico and Uruguay draw their final game.

Everything about the team's demeanour spoke volumes: from the substitutes with what appeared to be tartan picnic rugs over their legs like a geriatrics' outing to Raymond Domenech's return to the dug-out a good minute before his players came out of the tunnel for the second half.

Most of the fluid, attacking football was played by Mexico, particularly before the interval.

Uruguay's win over South Africa last night to go top of the group had increased the pressure on both sides but they responded with some refreshingly open, if not decisive, play.

Early on Franck Ribery's 35-yard free-kick bounced in front of Oscar Perez but, unlike Algeria's Faouzi Chaouchi who blundered on this semi-artificial pitch on Sunday, the Mexico goalkeeper collected easily.

But whereas France were restricted to set-pieces, Mexico looked dangerous from open play.

Marquez's ball over the top saw three team-mates set off in pursuit; Arsenal's Carlos Vela reached it first but could not keep his 12-yard volley down.

Former West Ham striker Guillermo Franco was no closer when he all-too-easily turned William Gallas on the edge of the penalty area.

Mexico left-back Carlos Salcido twice went close, drilling wide of Lloris' left-hand post and then shooting straight at the goalkeeper.

Even the loss of Vela, being watched by Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, to injury just after the half-hour did not interrupt the North Americans' fluency as Barrera was straight into the action when Lloris punched Salcido's cross against him and was fortunate to see the ball bounce wide.

Giovani dos Santos flashed a shot wide before Jeremy Toulalan was booked in added time, ruling him out of France's final group match against South Africa.

The second half began with Andre Pierre Gignac coming on for Nicolas Anelka and Chelsea team-mate Florent Malouda, restored to the starting line-up at the expense of Yoann Gourcuff, having a shot tipped over by Perez.

But the introduction of Hernandez for Efrain Juarez soon after had an almost immediate impact.

His pace took him clear of the defence and his talent did the rest.

Then when Abidal brought down Barrera, Blanco side-footed home from the spot to spark wild Mexican celebrations.