The home side’s players were booed off the pitch at the full-time whistle after they failed to break down a resolute South African defence in their opening Group A encounter.  

Not even the dismissal of South Africa's Mothobi Mvala for a second bookable offence on the hour mark could help Brazil’s cause.

They should and could have taken advantage of their numerical advantage with 69 minutes gone but forward Gabriel Jesus hit the post from a tight angle with the goal gaping.

Earlier in Group A, Denmark and Iraq opened the tournament with an entertaining goalless draw at the same venue. 

It wasn't until the last five minutes of the match when Iraq really threatened the Danish goal with Jeppe Hojbjerg being forced to save two Ali Adnan free-kicks and Saad Abdul-Amir's close-range header going just wide. 

In Group D, Honduras edged Algeria 3-2 at the Estádio Olímpico João Havelange in Rio de Janeiro.

Goals from Romell Quioto and Marcelo Pereira put the Central American nation into a 2-0 lead at half-time before Sofiane Bendebka pulled one back for Algeria.

Anthony Lozano restored Honduras' two-goal advantage in the 79th minute and although Baghdad Bounedjah reduced the deficit six minutes later, it ultimately proved to be in vain.

Joining them at the top of Group D are Portugal, who overcame Argentina 2-0 thanks to goals from Gonçalo Paciência and substitute Pité after the break. 

Argentina goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli had a moment to forget after somehow letting Pité's speculative strike in the 84th minute squirm through his legs and trickle over the line.

As for Group C, defending Olympic champions Mexico were twice pegged back by Germany in a 2-2 draw at the Fonte Nova Arena in Salvador. 

Oribe Peralta gave Mexico the lead early in the second-half only for Serge Gnabry to swiftly bring Germany back onto level terms.

Rodolfo Pizarro put the Mexicans back in front, however, Germany showed their resilience once more and equalised through Matthias Ginter's well-guided header. 

Both teams trail South Korea in the early standings after the London 2012 bronze medallists thumped Fiji 8-0.

Ryu Seungwoo scored a hat-trick, while Kwon Changhoon and Suk Hyunjun each bagged a brace and Son Heungmin chipped in with a successfully converted 72nd-minute penalty. 

In Group D, Nigeria beat Japan 5-4 at the Amazônia Arena in Manaus just hours after landing in Brazil. 

The team was stranded in Atlanta for days amid a series of cancelled flights because of missed payments, and was further delayed due to the plane they were set to fly being too small.

Sweden and Colombia earlier played out a 2-2 draw.