World Cup fever means big bus business for Mercedes-Benz South Africa after its parent company secured a contract to deliver 460 buses to be used in the tournament next year.
According to a report in East London’s Daily Dispatch, Germany’s Daimler yesterday announced that the contract was signed with Autopax, a subsidiary of the PRASA (Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa).
A total of 570 new buses will be added to the Autopax fleet at a total cost of R1.4 billion to the Department of Transport.
The 460 buses awarded to Daimler are divided into 168 inter-city coaches and 292 semi-luxury coaches, and will be delivered by April next year to Autopax in Johannesburg.
Parts of the buses are to be manufactured in Brazil, with final assembly at MBSA’s East London plant.
In 2008, the capacity of the dedicated bus line at the EL plant received an R11 million boost from Daimler. Once the World Cup is over, the buses will form part of Autopax’s Translux and City-to-City fleet.
MBSA president and CEO Dr Hansgeorg Niefer said, "The increased fleet will create at least 300 new jobs," according to Kickoff.com.
Both the inter-city and semi-luxury coaches – which seat 61 and 52 people respectively – are fitted with seat-belts, air-conditioning, entertainment equipment including DVD and MP3 players and monitors, and microphone facilities.
Source: Goal.com
World Cup 2010: 460 New Buses For South Africa
Labels: FIFA World Cup 2010, FIFA World Cup 2010 Live, FIFA World Cup 2010 South Africa
Durban Stadium
| Name: | Durban Stadium |
| City: | Durban |
| Construction: | new |
| Completion: | 2009 |
| Gross Capacity: | 70 000 |
This newly-built Moses Mabhida Stadium located at Durban will host one of the semi-finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. This world-class and multifunctional arena is designed as a multi-purpose venue and an amphitheatre complete with a cable car which ascends to a viewing platform at the top of the expansive 350m arch, a staggering 106m above the pitch.
Capello Dreamed Italy-England in World Cup Finals
Fabio Capello has revealed that he is dreaming of an England-Italy final in 2010 FIFA World Cup.
The Italian is confident his England team have the quality to go all the way in South Africa and admits his home nation would be his dream opponents in the final in Johannesburg on 11 July. Speaking to French television station Canal Plus, he said: "I would love a final between England and Italy. For Italy, for me and for all of us.
"The strangest moment would be during the national anthems. But, I am wearing a different shirt now and I must work for the England shirt."
Capello, whose side have been drawn to face USA, Algeria and Slovenia in the group phase, added: "My team is strong. The fans are proud of what we've done, as are we. There's a World Cup to play for and our goal is to reach the final."
The former AC Milan, Real Madrid and Roma coach reiterated his no-nonsense stance towards discipline and will demand respect be shown for everyone at all times by his players. "I don't accept lack of respect. That means be on time, respect the dressing room code and table manners," he added.
"They are necessary rules to create a group. Functioning in this manner at clubs that I managed has always given results. You must have respect for the people you work with - even those with more modest jobs, the guy who brings the papers, the guy who washes the kit."
Source: FIFA.com
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FIFA World Cup 2010 Live,
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The Italian is confident his England team have the quality to go all the way in South Africa and admits his home nation would be his dream opponents in the final in Johannesburg on 11 July. Speaking to French television station Canal Plus, he said: "I would love a final between England and Italy. For Italy, for me and for all of us.
"The strangest moment would be during the national anthems. But, I am wearing a different shirt now and I must work for the England shirt."
Capello, whose side have been drawn to face USA, Algeria and Slovenia in the group phase, added: "My team is strong. The fans are proud of what we've done, as are we. There's a World Cup to play for and our goal is to reach the final."
The former AC Milan, Real Madrid and Roma coach reiterated his no-nonsense stance towards discipline and will demand respect be shown for everyone at all times by his players. "I don't accept lack of respect. That means be on time, respect the dressing room code and table manners," he added.
"They are necessary rules to create a group. Functioning in this manner at clubs that I managed has always given results. You must have respect for the people you work with - even those with more modest jobs, the guy who brings the papers, the guy who washes the kit."
Source: FIFA.com
Green Point stadium ready for 2010 FIFA World Cup
Keys to the brand new Cape Town Stadium will be handed over to the city’s Executive Mayor Alderman Dan Plato ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup today.
“Just over a week after the successful hosting of the Final Draw for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Cape Town will witness another momentous event – the handing over of the brand new Cape Town Stadium (Green Point stadium) to the City of Cape Town.
“At a special ceremony to mark the completion of one of the world’s most spectacular stadiums, the ‘keys’ will be handed by the main contractors, Murray and Roberts and WBHO, to Cape Town’s Executive Mayor, Alderman Dan Plato,” the city said in a statement on Monday.
Construction of the 68 000-seater stadium started on 26 March 2007, and the project has been completed on deadline two years and nine months later.
In just 33 months, joint contractors Murray and Roberts and WBHO completed the massive project at a cost of 4.4 billion rand (about 600 million dollars).
The project architects were an association between GMP Architects of Germany and two local firms, Louis Karol and Associates and Point Architects.
Green Point stadium
The design: The sweeping silhouette of the Green Point stadium has forever changed the face of the surrounding Green Point Common.
Enwrapped by a façade of woven fibreglass, coated with Teflon, it will resemble a rose-coloured bowl floating on a base, when lit up at night. The architects have dubbed the stadium “the Diva of Cape Town”, reflecting the constantly changing moods of the city in varying weather conditions.
The roof: The design and construction of the roof is unique. Its basic structure resembled a bicycle wheel, open in the middle with 72 cables linking the outer and inner rings of the circle were slowly tightened to raise the roof from ground level to its present height.
Another first for the roof is the use of 16mm thick panels of glass to cover and protect the spectators from strong winds and rain. This will let in the light while the ceiling panels underneath – made of woven PVC fabric - will soften the noise from within.
The stadium bowl: For the eight World Cup matches to be played at the venue, the stadium will have a seating capacity of 68,000, including 13,000 temporary seats which will be removed afterwards. Features of the stadium are that it can be evacuated in 15 minutes and that all the spectators are close to the game.
Safety: Spectators will be protected by a state-of-the-art camera surveillance system which is monitored by police in the Venue Operations Centre inside the stadium, while pitch invasions are discouraged by a wide moat around the circumference. There is also a police station inside the building to deal with hooligans and other criminals.
Quick facts:
* 96,000 cubic metres of concrete were used
* The roof has a total weight of 4,700 tons
* Some 9,000 glass panels were used to cover 37,000 square metres of roof
* 500 toilets and 360 urinals
* 115 entry turnstiles
* 16 lifts
* More than 2,500 workers were employed on site during construction, and almost 1,200 artisans received training from the contractors
Source: FIFA.com
Labels:
FIFA World Cup 2010,
FIFA World Cup 2010 Live,
FIFA World Cup 2010 South Africa
“Just over a week after the successful hosting of the Final Draw for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Cape Town will witness another momentous event – the handing over of the brand new Cape Town Stadium (Green Point stadium) to the City of Cape Town.
“At a special ceremony to mark the completion of one of the world’s most spectacular stadiums, the ‘keys’ will be handed by the main contractors, Murray and Roberts and WBHO, to Cape Town’s Executive Mayor, Alderman Dan Plato,” the city said in a statement on Monday.
Construction of the 68 000-seater stadium started on 26 March 2007, and the project has been completed on deadline two years and nine months later.
In just 33 months, joint contractors Murray and Roberts and WBHO completed the massive project at a cost of 4.4 billion rand (about 600 million dollars).
The project architects were an association between GMP Architects of Germany and two local firms, Louis Karol and Associates and Point Architects.
Green Point stadium
The design: The sweeping silhouette of the Green Point stadium has forever changed the face of the surrounding Green Point Common.
Enwrapped by a façade of woven fibreglass, coated with Teflon, it will resemble a rose-coloured bowl floating on a base, when lit up at night. The architects have dubbed the stadium “the Diva of Cape Town”, reflecting the constantly changing moods of the city in varying weather conditions.
The roof: The design and construction of the roof is unique. Its basic structure resembled a bicycle wheel, open in the middle with 72 cables linking the outer and inner rings of the circle were slowly tightened to raise the roof from ground level to its present height.
Another first for the roof is the use of 16mm thick panels of glass to cover and protect the spectators from strong winds and rain. This will let in the light while the ceiling panels underneath – made of woven PVC fabric - will soften the noise from within.
The stadium bowl: For the eight World Cup matches to be played at the venue, the stadium will have a seating capacity of 68,000, including 13,000 temporary seats which will be removed afterwards. Features of the stadium are that it can be evacuated in 15 minutes and that all the spectators are close to the game.
Safety: Spectators will be protected by a state-of-the-art camera surveillance system which is monitored by police in the Venue Operations Centre inside the stadium, while pitch invasions are discouraged by a wide moat around the circumference. There is also a police station inside the building to deal with hooligans and other criminals.
Quick facts:
* 96,000 cubic metres of concrete were used
* The roof has a total weight of 4,700 tons
* Some 9,000 glass panels were used to cover 37,000 square metres of roof
* 500 toilets and 360 urinals
* 115 entry turnstiles
* 16 lifts
* More than 2,500 workers were employed on site during construction, and almost 1,200 artisans received training from the contractors
Source: FIFA.com
Owen can make South Africa in World Cup
Sir Alex Ferguson has told Michael Owen not to give up on his 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa dream. The striker hoping to retain his starting spot for Manchester United's Premier League encounter with Aston Villa tomorrow, following his memorable hat-trick for the Red Devils in Tuesday's UEFA Champions League win over Wolfsburg.
Although it has shot the 29-year-old back to prominence, the general view is that his efforts have come too late to get him on the plane to the world finals next summer. Fabio Capello has overlooked Owen completely since the friendly defeat in France, which will be two years ago by the time England are next in action - probably against Egypt - on 3 March.
In that time, Jermain Defoe has established himself as the back-up to Wayne Rooney, who is certain to be in Capello's 23-man squad, while Owen hardly fits the bill of a bulldozing attacker, such as Emile Heskey or Carlton Cole. Nevertheless, Ferguson thinks his No7 could still force his way in.
"Fabio has said himself, performance is the only thing that matters," said Ferguson. "If Michael is going to get to the World Cup it will be through his performance and I think Wednesday helps him.
"There is a view that he will not have played enough games. But he will play a sufficient number to be considered. That is the best chance he has got. That is all he can hope for."
While England's FIFA World Cup fate is clearly not Ferguson's concern, he does understand that if Owen scores enough goals to reach his fourth trip to the greatest tournament on the planet, United will have been the beneficiaries. The former Liverpool, Real Madrid and Newcastle United player has scored so often down the years that his first hat-trick for the Red Devils will not have provided a particular confidence boost.
However, with his third goal in particular, when Owen collected Gabriel Obertan's short pass and raced towards the Wolfsburg goal from halfway before expertly chipping home, Ferguson saw the killer instinct that was evident so early in his career.
"It was vintage Michael Owen," said the Scot. "He had the cleverness to cut across the defender, forcing him to think about whether to bring him down, which would have meant a penalty and a red card.
"The guy could not afford to tackle him because at that point, Wolfsburg were still in the Champions League. The goalkeeper came out but Michael waited and chipped him when he went down. It was brilliant."
Source: FIFA.com
Labels:
FIFA World Cup 2010,
FIFA World Cup 2010 Live,
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Although it has shot the 29-year-old back to prominence, the general view is that his efforts have come too late to get him on the plane to the world finals next summer. Fabio Capello has overlooked Owen completely since the friendly defeat in France, which will be two years ago by the time England are next in action - probably against Egypt - on 3 March.
In that time, Jermain Defoe has established himself as the back-up to Wayne Rooney, who is certain to be in Capello's 23-man squad, while Owen hardly fits the bill of a bulldozing attacker, such as Emile Heskey or Carlton Cole. Nevertheless, Ferguson thinks his No7 could still force his way in.
"Fabio has said himself, performance is the only thing that matters," said Ferguson. "If Michael is going to get to the World Cup it will be through his performance and I think Wednesday helps him.
"There is a view that he will not have played enough games. But he will play a sufficient number to be considered. That is the best chance he has got. That is all he can hope for."
While England's FIFA World Cup fate is clearly not Ferguson's concern, he does understand that if Owen scores enough goals to reach his fourth trip to the greatest tournament on the planet, United will have been the beneficiaries. The former Liverpool, Real Madrid and Newcastle United player has scored so often down the years that his first hat-trick for the Red Devils will not have provided a particular confidence boost.
However, with his third goal in particular, when Owen collected Gabriel Obertan's short pass and raced towards the Wolfsburg goal from halfway before expertly chipping home, Ferguson saw the killer instinct that was evident so early in his career.
"It was vintage Michael Owen," said the Scot. "He had the cleverness to cut across the defender, forcing him to think about whether to bring him down, which would have meant a penalty and a red card.
"The guy could not afford to tackle him because at that point, Wolfsburg were still in the Champions League. The goalkeeper came out but Michael waited and chipped him when he went down. It was brilliant."
Source: FIFA.com
500,000 Tickets Requested So Far in FIFA World Cup
The third ticketing sales phase for the 2010 FIFA World Cup has seen the number of tickets applied for hit the 500,000 mark within the first ten days. 386,300 of those tickets were requested by South African residents (77 per cent of the total applications), while 114,237 tickets applied for came from the rest of the world.
At the moment, USA leads the list of foreign countries for this sales phase with 22,942 tickets, followed by the UK (20,232), Mexico (7,981), Germany (7,697) , Australia (6,277) and Brazil (4,760). In total, applications from 166 countries have been received (the figures do not include the participating member associations allocated ticket sales).
“In comparison with the previous editions of the FIFA World Cups, the latest ticket applications figures are impressive,” commented Horst R. Schmidt, Chairman of the FIFA Ticketing Sub-Committee. “The number of domestic applications have increased significantly. By buying a ticket, South Africans buy not only a seat to watch a match, but also their spot in South African history”, added Danny Jordaan, Chief Executive Officer of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa.
Applications for individual match tickets or Team-Specific Series can be made via the link on the right. South African residents have an option to apply for tickets at FNB branches across the country. The current third Ticket Sales Phase will run until 22 January 2010. In total, around one million tickets for all 64 matches and categories are made available in the third sales phase – including a limited number for the opening match and the final. Please note, all applications within the sales phase will be treated equally. In an event of over-subscribed matches or (price) categories, there will be an electronic random selection draw on 1 February 2010.
The prices for group matches range from USD 20 to USD 160 (opening match: USD 70 - USD 450; final: USD 150 – USD 900) or ZAR 140 to ZAR 1,120 (opening match: ZAR 490 – ZAR 3,150; final: ZAR 1,050 – ZAR 6,300). The category 4 tickets, the most affordable, have been exclusively set aside for South African residents.
Moreover, all 32 participating member associations have started to sell their allocated Team-Specific Tickets (12 per cent of all purchasable tickets in the stadiums for the three group games of the respective team). These tickets are made available through specified websites operated by the respective federations. For this specific ticket sales process, applications close on 13 January 2010. For more detailed information, go to https://pmatickets.fifa.com.
Source: FIFA.com
Labels:
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FIFA World Cup 2010 Live,
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At the moment, USA leads the list of foreign countries for this sales phase with 22,942 tickets, followed by the UK (20,232), Mexico (7,981), Germany (7,697) , Australia (6,277) and Brazil (4,760). In total, applications from 166 countries have been received (the figures do not include the participating member associations allocated ticket sales).
“In comparison with the previous editions of the FIFA World Cups, the latest ticket applications figures are impressive,” commented Horst R. Schmidt, Chairman of the FIFA Ticketing Sub-Committee. “The number of domestic applications have increased significantly. By buying a ticket, South Africans buy not only a seat to watch a match, but also their spot in South African history”, added Danny Jordaan, Chief Executive Officer of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa.
Applications for individual match tickets or Team-Specific Series can be made via the link on the right. South African residents have an option to apply for tickets at FNB branches across the country. The current third Ticket Sales Phase will run until 22 January 2010. In total, around one million tickets for all 64 matches and categories are made available in the third sales phase – including a limited number for the opening match and the final. Please note, all applications within the sales phase will be treated equally. In an event of over-subscribed matches or (price) categories, there will be an electronic random selection draw on 1 February 2010.
The prices for group matches range from USD 20 to USD 160 (opening match: USD 70 - USD 450; final: USD 150 – USD 900) or ZAR 140 to ZAR 1,120 (opening match: ZAR 490 – ZAR 3,150; final: ZAR 1,050 – ZAR 6,300). The category 4 tickets, the most affordable, have been exclusively set aside for South African residents.
Moreover, all 32 participating member associations have started to sell their allocated Team-Specific Tickets (12 per cent of all purchasable tickets in the stadiums for the three group games of the respective team). These tickets are made available through specified websites operated by the respective federations. For this specific ticket sales process, applications close on 13 January 2010. For more detailed information, go to https://pmatickets.fifa.com.
Source: FIFA.com
David Beckham Want To Play In The 2014 FIFA World Cup
Former England captain David Beckham is targeting not one more World Cup appearance, but two.
The 34-year-old is keen for an inclusion in the national squad for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and also the following tournament in Brazil four years later.
Beckham will be 39 when the 2014 World Cup roles around but that doesn't faze him.
He told Italian magazine Sportsweek: "The 2014 FIFA World Cup? We'll see.
"I'd like to play until I'm 40 and take part in another World Cup, but at this age you have to evaluate things year after year.
"I've always said I'll always be available for England. If they didn't call me up, I'd do everything to put myself in the condition to be recalled."
The LA Galaxy midfielder is heading for his second loan spell at Milan as he looks to make a strong case for inclusion in Fabio Capello's 2010 World Cup squad.
"The squad is full of very good players and those who want to be part of it are just as good," added Beckham. "The competition for places will be very fierce and that's why we have to give our all every time we play.
"We all know what Capello is like and how he reacts if you are playing well or badly. In the first case, you have opportunities, in the second you don't have a chance.
"That's why it is very important for me to return to Milan and put myself in the spotlight. Capello always said I had to return to Europe after December if I wanted to be at the World Cup."
Labels:
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The 34-year-old is keen for an inclusion in the national squad for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and also the following tournament in Brazil four years later.
Beckham will be 39 when the 2014 World Cup roles around but that doesn't faze him.
He told Italian magazine Sportsweek: "The 2014 FIFA World Cup? We'll see.
"I'd like to play until I'm 40 and take part in another World Cup, but at this age you have to evaluate things year after year.
"I've always said I'll always be available for England. If they didn't call me up, I'd do everything to put myself in the condition to be recalled."
The LA Galaxy midfielder is heading for his second loan spell at Milan as he looks to make a strong case for inclusion in Fabio Capello's 2010 World Cup squad.
"The squad is full of very good players and those who want to be part of it are just as good," added Beckham. "The competition for places will be very fierce and that's why we have to give our all every time we play.
"We all know what Capello is like and how he reacts if you are playing well or badly. In the first case, you have opportunities, in the second you don't have a chance.
"That's why it is very important for me to return to Milan and put myself in the spotlight. Capello always said I had to return to Europe after December if I wanted to be at the World Cup."
Users name Group G as 2010's toughest
The final phase of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa took shape last Friday in Cape Town with the draw to decide the eight first-round groups. As expected, several fancied nations were dealt tricky ties - not least Côte d'Ivoire. Just as at Germany 2006, the side many feel represents Africa's best chance of glory find themselves in a very difficult section.
Drawn along with five-time world champions Brazil, Germany 2006 semi-finalists Portugal and surprise package in qualifying Korea DPR, Didier Drogba and Co look to have their work cut out. FIFA.com users agreed, with 53.1 per cent voting for Group G as the strongest of all the FIFA World Cup groups. "I think I must have been followed by a black cat to Cape Town," joked Côte d'Ivoire coach Vahid Halihodzic.
Three and a half years ago, the Elephants were drawn in a group with Argentina, the Netherlands and Serbia and Montenegro. Despite some promising performances, including a victory over the Serbians, the Africans were unable to progress to the second round. However, with the team now four years older and wiser, Brazil and Portugal can expect a real battle for the top spots. "Côte d'Ivoire are going to be a tough proposition. Most of their players ply their trades in the big European leagues and Drogba is one of the best strikers in the world," confirmed Brazil coach Dunga.
A good draw for Italy?
Group G was voted the toughest group in all language versions of the FIFA.com website. Second was Group A, in which hosts South Africa take on Germany 2006 finalists France, two-time winners Uruguay and the ambitious Mexico for a place in the knockout stages. 19.22 per cent believed this was the toughest draw, while the other groups received between two and seven per cent of the vote - a good indication that overall the draw was a balanced one.
Group G was voted the toughest group in all language versions of the FIFA.com website. Second was Group A, in which hosts South Africa take on Germany 2006 finalists France, two-time winners Uruguay and the ambitious Mexico for a place in the knockout stages. 19.22 per cent believed this was the toughest draw, while the other groups received between two and seven per cent of the vote - a good indication that overall the draw was a balanced one.
Judging by the survey, Group F would appear to be the 'easiest', with only 2.82 per cent of the vote. Reigning champions Italy are hot favourites in the section which also contains Paraguay, New Zealand and Slovakia. However, it is an assertion that Azzurri coach Marcelo Lippi was quick to dismiss in the aftermath of the Final Draw, saying: "In my opinion there's no such thing as an easy or difficult group - Italy are just out to win whoever we play against."
Source: FIFA.com
Final Draw Videos From Cape Town
The Final Draw for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa in Cape Town captivated football fans around the world. A TV audience of millions followed every moment of the glamorous event, enthralled and delighted as the teams were sorted into the eight first-stage groups.
FIFA.com video crews took up station in Cape Town several days beforehand, capturing all the news and goings-on for posterity.
Among the many highlights filmed by our team, we have interviews with Australia boss Pim Verbeek, coaching legend Bora Milutinovic, South Africa national rugby team captain Jon Smit, and fans' favourite Matthew Booth.
'Greetings from Cape Town' provides a glimpse of South Africa’s stunning and diverse beauty, and our coverage of the FIFA Executive Committee’s visit to Robben Island movingly illustrated the deep and close relationship between FIFA and the Makana Football Association.
Naturally, our crews were at their busiest on the evening of the Final Draw itself. 'On the red carpet' provides ample evidence of the vast crowd of celebrities drawn to this global event.
Afterwards, coaches from the national teams involved answered questions from FIFA.com, offering a wealth of views and opinions on the make-up of the groups and their own first-stage rivals.
Why not review all our video reports from Cape Town and relive the special atmosphere of the Final Draw for yourself – all free of charge, of course. Simply choose from the menus to the right of the screen.
Source: FIFA.com
Labels:
FIFA World Cup 2010,
FIFA World Cup 2010 Live,
FIFA World Cup 2010 South Africa
FIFA.com video crews took up station in Cape Town several days beforehand, capturing all the news and goings-on for posterity.
Among the many highlights filmed by our team, we have interviews with Australia boss Pim Verbeek, coaching legend Bora Milutinovic, South Africa national rugby team captain Jon Smit, and fans' favourite Matthew Booth.
'Greetings from Cape Town' provides a glimpse of South Africa’s stunning and diverse beauty, and our coverage of the FIFA Executive Committee’s visit to Robben Island movingly illustrated the deep and close relationship between FIFA and the Makana Football Association.
Naturally, our crews were at their busiest on the evening of the Final Draw itself. 'On the red carpet' provides ample evidence of the vast crowd of celebrities drawn to this global event.
Afterwards, coaches from the national teams involved answered questions from FIFA.com, offering a wealth of views and opinions on the make-up of the groups and their own first-stage rivals.
Why not review all our video reports from Cape Town and relive the special atmosphere of the Final Draw for yourself – all free of charge, of course. Simply choose from the menus to the right of the screen.
Source: FIFA.com
World's Press React TO Final Draw Of FIFA World Cup 2010
In the immediate aftermath of Friday’s Final Draw, diplomacy reigned in Cape Town. The coaches were the first to speak, after all, and dutifully avoided handing their opponents motivational nuggets by relying on well-worn phrases about “respect” and “not underestimating anyone”.
The journalists from these same countries had no need for such careful, tactful language, however, and would go on to reflect the national moods in the days that followed.
The Sun sets the tone
"We talked ourselves up too much. Never again. In future tournaments we must learn to be humble. Be calm." These the words of Steven Gerrard, reflecting on Germany 2006 and England’s legendary propensity for over-hyping their national team. So, what was the reaction to the draw for 2010? Humble? Calm? The front page of the top-selling Sun newspaper offered a clue, spelling out the group in a headline that summed up the English view on Group C:
England
Algeria
Slovenia
Yanks
This assessment did not go unnoticed, especially across the Atlantic, where the Los Angeles Times described the offending English newspaper as “scurrilous”. But it wasn’t all indignation. The Washington Times, for example, reflected on “a very favorable draw for the US - certainly not the feared group of death.”
Nearly everyone in Group C appeared bullish about their chances, in fact. Algerian newspaper Al Khabar wrote of Les Fennecs having “a huge chance” to advance, “maybe even at the top of the group”. There was confidence elsewhere in Africa too, with Nigeria’s Vanguard quoting Kashimawo Laloko, a former national technical director, describing Group A as “easy”.
The section’s top seeds, Argentina, shared this optimism. Diario Deportivo Olé encapsulated the sense of satisfaction, pointing out that, instead of landing in "El grupo de la muerte" (the group of death) - as they had in 2002 and 2006 - La Albiceleste had been handed "El grupo de la suerte" (the group of luck). Reaction in Greece was more muted, with Greeksoccer.com reflecting on the “uncanny irony” of being reunited with Argentina and Nigeria, two of the teams who ensured a miserable FIFA World Cup debut for their side at USA 1994. In Korea Republic, United News also looked to the past, recalling in the article “Huh Jung-Moo resumes rivalry with Maradona” that their national coach performed a brutal man-marking job on his Argentina counterpart in the teams’ Mexico 1986 opener.
Delight and defiance
Historic factors also added intrigue to, arguably, South Africa 2010’s toughest section: Group G. Dunga bucked the diplomatic trend by describing his side’s meeting with Portugal as “Brazil versus Brazil B”, while drawing Korea DPR naturally evoked memories of England 1966, Eusebio and that famous 5-3 win for the Portuguese press. Côte d’Ivoire’s media generally shared their coach’s assessment that the draw had been “terrible”, but expressed belief in Les Elephants’ ability to upset the odds.
The reaction in Brazil was generally cautious, but O Globo still looked forward to “a new experience” against teams “with barely any World Cup history", while Placar suggested Dunga’s side “are not in the position to feel like it’s extremely difficult to go through”. There was also a note of defiance sounded by Choson Sinbo, a pro-Korea DPR newspaper based in Japan. Citing the memory of 1966, it wrote: "Nothing is impossible for those who have strong will. The stage is set for [North] Korean football to create another legend."
Group D, the other main candidate for the ‘Group of Death’ tag, also provoked some mixed reactions. GhanaWeb conceded that the Black Stars “face a difficult first round”, while Serbian newspaper Alo made a bold prediction: "Ghana and Serbia ahead of the Germans". Australia’s press were more measured, with the Sydney Morning Herald describing the section as “a severe test, but not impossible”, while The Age reflected that the Socceroos “had been done few favours”.
Germany, meanwhile, seems to have no idea what to make of the draw. Typifying the divided opinion were the differing views of two leading newspapers, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Frankfurter Rundschau, on their coach’s demeanour, with the former describing Joachim Low as “not looking happy” and the latter painting him as “extremely relaxed”.
Spain wary, hosts praised
There was a mixed reaction in Spain too, but for very different reasons. Nearly everyone was happy with a group that included Switzerland, Chile and Honduras, but Marca, the nation’s top sports newspaper, described as “diabolical” the prospect of facing Brazil, Portugal or Côte d’Ivoire in the last 16. Catalonia-based Sport elaborated on this sense of unease: “Just remember the easy way through the group phase in 2006 before Spain sank in round of 16 against France... Reason to tremble, or at least be cautious.”
Elsewhere, Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport used its main headline to repeat Marcello Lippi’s plea: “Don’t say it’s easy, please.” The Italian press have not, however, been as downbeat as their coach, and were clear on the fact that Gli Azzurri will have no excuses for not topping Group F ahead of Paraguay, Slovakia and New Zealand. The Kiwis, South Africa 2010’s great underdogs, were far from unhappy themselves, with the New Zealand Herald leading with the headline: “All Whites’ dream draw.”
Media representatives from the Netherlands, Denmark, Cameroon and Japan, meanwhile, were left to look ahead to one of the tournament’s most evenly-balanced sections. Understandably, the Dutch were most confident, while the Japanese appeared most pessimistic, the Daily Yomiuri suggesting Takeshi Okada’s side “will have their work cut out” qualifying from Group E.
Last but far from least, hosts South Africa faced up to another unpredictable section, one described as “the draw from Hell” by Pretoria News and “a monster draw” by the Saturday Argus. Their opponents, by contrast, seemed encouraged, with L’Equipe suggesting France had been dealt a “lucky hand” and Mexico’s Record newspaper enthusing about the “joy” of competing in the opening match.
The Final Draw itself also drew plaudits from the press. South Africa’s Sunday Times led with the headline “SA dazzles the World”, while Britain's Times heaped praise on “an organised draw”, “a huge street party” and “a great night in South Africa's history”. Everyone will be looking forward to plenty more of those nights in 2010.
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The journalists from these same countries had no need for such careful, tactful language, however, and would go on to reflect the national moods in the days that followed.
The Sun sets the tone
"We talked ourselves up too much. Never again. In future tournaments we must learn to be humble. Be calm." These the words of Steven Gerrard, reflecting on Germany 2006 and England’s legendary propensity for over-hyping their national team. So, what was the reaction to the draw for 2010? Humble? Calm? The front page of the top-selling Sun newspaper offered a clue, spelling out the group in a headline that summed up the English view on Group C:
England
Algeria
Slovenia
Yanks
This assessment did not go unnoticed, especially across the Atlantic, where the Los Angeles Times described the offending English newspaper as “scurrilous”. But it wasn’t all indignation. The Washington Times, for example, reflected on “a very favorable draw for the US - certainly not the feared group of death.”
Nearly everyone in Group C appeared bullish about their chances, in fact. Algerian newspaper Al Khabar wrote of Les Fennecs having “a huge chance” to advance, “maybe even at the top of the group”. There was confidence elsewhere in Africa too, with Nigeria’s Vanguard quoting Kashimawo Laloko, a former national technical director, describing Group A as “easy”.
The section’s top seeds, Argentina, shared this optimism. Diario Deportivo Olé encapsulated the sense of satisfaction, pointing out that, instead of landing in "El grupo de la muerte" (the group of death) - as they had in 2002 and 2006 - La Albiceleste had been handed "El grupo de la suerte" (the group of luck). Reaction in Greece was more muted, with Greeksoccer.com reflecting on the “uncanny irony” of being reunited with Argentina and Nigeria, two of the teams who ensured a miserable FIFA World Cup debut for their side at USA 1994. In Korea Republic, United News also looked to the past, recalling in the article “Huh Jung-Moo resumes rivalry with Maradona” that their national coach performed a brutal man-marking job on his Argentina counterpart in the teams’ Mexico 1986 opener.
Delight and defiance
Historic factors also added intrigue to, arguably, South Africa 2010’s toughest section: Group G. Dunga bucked the diplomatic trend by describing his side’s meeting with Portugal as “Brazil versus Brazil B”, while drawing Korea DPR naturally evoked memories of England 1966, Eusebio and that famous 5-3 win for the Portuguese press. Côte d’Ivoire’s media generally shared their coach’s assessment that the draw had been “terrible”, but expressed belief in Les Elephants’ ability to upset the odds.
The reaction in Brazil was generally cautious, but O Globo still looked forward to “a new experience” against teams “with barely any World Cup history", while Placar suggested Dunga’s side “are not in the position to feel like it’s extremely difficult to go through”. There was also a note of defiance sounded by Choson Sinbo, a pro-Korea DPR newspaper based in Japan. Citing the memory of 1966, it wrote: "Nothing is impossible for those who have strong will. The stage is set for [North] Korean football to create another legend."
Group D, the other main candidate for the ‘Group of Death’ tag, also provoked some mixed reactions. GhanaWeb conceded that the Black Stars “face a difficult first round”, while Serbian newspaper Alo made a bold prediction: "Ghana and Serbia ahead of the Germans". Australia’s press were more measured, with the Sydney Morning Herald describing the section as “a severe test, but not impossible”, while The Age reflected that the Socceroos “had been done few favours”.
Germany, meanwhile, seems to have no idea what to make of the draw. Typifying the divided opinion were the differing views of two leading newspapers, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Frankfurter Rundschau, on their coach’s demeanour, with the former describing Joachim Low as “not looking happy” and the latter painting him as “extremely relaxed”.
Spain wary, hosts praised
There was a mixed reaction in Spain too, but for very different reasons. Nearly everyone was happy with a group that included Switzerland, Chile and Honduras, but Marca, the nation’s top sports newspaper, described as “diabolical” the prospect of facing Brazil, Portugal or Côte d’Ivoire in the last 16. Catalonia-based Sport elaborated on this sense of unease: “Just remember the easy way through the group phase in 2006 before Spain sank in round of 16 against France... Reason to tremble, or at least be cautious.”
Elsewhere, Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport used its main headline to repeat Marcello Lippi’s plea: “Don’t say it’s easy, please.” The Italian press have not, however, been as downbeat as their coach, and were clear on the fact that Gli Azzurri will have no excuses for not topping Group F ahead of Paraguay, Slovakia and New Zealand. The Kiwis, South Africa 2010’s great underdogs, were far from unhappy themselves, with the New Zealand Herald leading with the headline: “All Whites’ dream draw.”
Media representatives from the Netherlands, Denmark, Cameroon and Japan, meanwhile, were left to look ahead to one of the tournament’s most evenly-balanced sections. Understandably, the Dutch were most confident, while the Japanese appeared most pessimistic, the Daily Yomiuri suggesting Takeshi Okada’s side “will have their work cut out” qualifying from Group E.
Last but far from least, hosts South Africa faced up to another unpredictable section, one described as “the draw from Hell” by Pretoria News and “a monster draw” by the Saturday Argus. Their opponents, by contrast, seemed encouraged, with L’Equipe suggesting France had been dealt a “lucky hand” and Mexico’s Record newspaper enthusing about the “joy” of competing in the opening match.
The Final Draw itself also drew plaudits from the press. South Africa’s Sunday Times led with the headline “SA dazzles the World”, while Britain's Times heaped praise on “an organised draw”, “a huge street party” and “a great night in South Africa's history”. Everyone will be looking forward to plenty more of those nights in 2010.
Elephants clash is key by Ronaldo of Brazil
Cristiano Ronaldo has emphasised the importance of hitting the ground running at next summer's FIFA World Cup 2010 after Portugal were handed one of the toughest possible draws for the group stages.
Portugal, who reached the finals courtesy of a play-off win over Bosnia-Herzegovina, must battle against Brazil, Côte d'Ivoire and Korea DPR for a place in the last 16 of the competition. Five-time winners Brazil are the favourites for the tournament while African powerhouses Côte d'Ivoire boast players of the calibre of Didier Drogba, Yaya and Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Eboue and Salomon Kalou.
And it is Portugal's clash with the Ivorians that Ronaldo believes could be crucial, with the two nations starting their Group G against each other in Port Elizabeth. "Winning the first match will be very important," said Ronaldo, who could come up against Real Madrid team-mates Kaka and Marcelo as well as former Manchester United companion Anderson in the Brazil side. Catch FIFA World Cup 2010.
Source: FIFA.com
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Portugal, who reached the finals courtesy of a play-off win over Bosnia-Herzegovina, must battle against Brazil, Côte d'Ivoire and Korea DPR for a place in the last 16 of the competition. Five-time winners Brazil are the favourites for the tournament while African powerhouses Côte d'Ivoire boast players of the calibre of Didier Drogba, Yaya and Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Eboue and Salomon Kalou.
And it is Portugal's clash with the Ivorians that Ronaldo believes could be crucial, with the two nations starting their Group G against each other in Port Elizabeth. "Winning the first match will be very important," said Ronaldo, who could come up against Real Madrid team-mates Kaka and Marcelo as well as former Manchester United companion Anderson in the Brazil side. Catch FIFA World Cup 2010.
Source: FIFA.com
English newspapers put US in lead over England
Watch FIFA World Cup 2010 that will takes place on 11 June and 11 July 2010 in South Africa.
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LONDON (AP) -- With six months to go before the World Cup, Tim Howard has already put the fear in England.
The United States goalkeeper saved a late penalty kick by England forward Jermain Defoe in Everton's 2-2 draw with Tottenham on Sunday in the Premier League, and some British newspapers reacted as if the World Cup were already under way.
"It's US 1 England 0 as Everton's American keeper saves Defoe penalty and denies Tottenham victory," the Daily Telegraph wrote on the front page of Monday's sports section.
The United States and England were put in the same World Cup group at Friday's draw in South Africa. They will face each other June 12 in Rustenburg in the opening Group C match.
"America 1 England 0," the Daily Mirror wrote in a banner headline in its sports section. Underneath, the paper wrote: "USA keeper wins spot-kick duel with England hot-shot Defoe (let's hope and pray there's no repeat on June 12)."
The Metro, a free daily targeting commuters, headlined: "USA 1 England 0: Defoe blows chance."
It will be the second time the United States and England will meet at soccer'ss biggest tournament, and the Americans will be protecting a perfect record against their former colonial ruler after pulling off a 1-0 shocker at the 1950 tournament in Brazil.
The Guardian newspaper appears to believe that Howard's penalty stop at Goodison Park will give the American team a boost in its quest for another victory.
"Howard saves and takes heart for World Cup clash," the newspaper wrote in a lower headline.
In reality, though, Howard's save won't mean anything when the tournament starts June 11 in Johannesburg. But it is still on the minds of many English fans who feel next year is their chance to reclaim the title they won at home in 1966.
The Sun, however, didn't want to heap all the praise on Howard, instead giving Defoe equal credit for a goal scored earlier in the match.
"England ... 1 USA ... 1," the tabloid headlined over a picture of Howard falling to his right and with the ball about to hit him in the legs.
To even have a chance of winning the tournament, both countries will have to advance from a four-team group that also includes Algeria and Slovenia. After three games each, only the top two in each of the eight World Cup groups reach the second round.
Traditionally, the English have looked down on U.S. soccer, but there have been solid American players on several Premier League teams over the years. This season, a handful of Americans are playing in the Premier League and lower divisions, including Clint Dempsey and Eddie Johnson at Fulham, Jozy Altidore at Hull, Jonathan Spector at West Ham and Brad Guzan and Brad Friedel at Aston Villa.
Of them all, Howard is surely the best-known American playing in England right now -- at least if you read the papers.
Source: Yahoo Sports
The United States goalkeeper saved a late penalty kick by England forward Jermain Defoe in Everton's 2-2 draw with Tottenham on Sunday in the Premier League, and some British newspapers reacted as if the World Cup were already under way.
"It's US 1 England 0 as Everton's American keeper saves Defoe penalty and denies Tottenham victory," the Daily Telegraph wrote on the front page of Monday's sports section.
The United States and England were put in the same World Cup group at Friday's draw in South Africa. They will face each other June 12 in Rustenburg in the opening Group C match.
"America 1 England 0," the Daily Mirror wrote in a banner headline in its sports section. Underneath, the paper wrote: "USA keeper wins spot-kick duel with England hot-shot Defoe (let's hope and pray there's no repeat on June 12)."
The Metro, a free daily targeting commuters, headlined: "USA 1 England 0: Defoe blows chance."
It will be the second time the United States and England will meet at soccer'ss biggest tournament, and the Americans will be protecting a perfect record against their former colonial ruler after pulling off a 1-0 shocker at the 1950 tournament in Brazil.
The Guardian newspaper appears to believe that Howard's penalty stop at Goodison Park will give the American team a boost in its quest for another victory.
"Howard saves and takes heart for World Cup clash," the newspaper wrote in a lower headline.
In reality, though, Howard's save won't mean anything when the tournament starts June 11 in Johannesburg. But it is still on the minds of many English fans who feel next year is their chance to reclaim the title they won at home in 1966.
The Sun, however, didn't want to heap all the praise on Howard, instead giving Defoe equal credit for a goal scored earlier in the match.
"England ... 1 USA ... 1," the tabloid headlined over a picture of Howard falling to his right and with the ball about to hit him in the legs.
To even have a chance of winning the tournament, both countries will have to advance from a four-team group that also includes Algeria and Slovenia. After three games each, only the top two in each of the eight World Cup groups reach the second round.
Traditionally, the English have looked down on U.S. soccer, but there have been solid American players on several Premier League teams over the years. This season, a handful of Americans are playing in the Premier League and lower divisions, including Clint Dempsey and Eddie Johnson at Fulham, Jozy Altidore at Hull, Jonathan Spector at West Ham and Brad Guzan and Brad Friedel at Aston Villa.
Of them all, Howard is surely the best-known American playing in England right now -- at least if you read the papers.
Source: Yahoo Sports
Are you happy with the Draw?
The die is cast. The fates are sealed. The game is on. The 32 teams participating at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ now know exactly where, when and who they will face in the group stage of football's showpiece event.
Just as with every previous FIFA World Cup, there is a group which will immediately be dubbed the 'group of death'. Is your team in it? Or, perhaps more positively, you have already begun plotting your side's route to the Final on 11 July. If so, how will they make it?
You might also want to comment on the Draw ceremony itself. The lavish production with Charlize Theron and David Beckham as assistants was certainly impressive. How did the Final Draw whet your appetite?
The teams are daring to dream – and so are the fans. Tell us what you think of the Draw, but please remember to keep your comments clean, respectful, on-topic and in English.
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Just as with every previous FIFA World Cup, there is a group which will immediately be dubbed the 'group of death'. Is your team in it? Or, perhaps more positively, you have already begun plotting your side's route to the Final on 11 July. If so, how will they make it?
You might also want to comment on the Draw ceremony itself. The lavish production with Charlize Theron and David Beckham as assistants was certainly impressive. How did the Final Draw whet your appetite?
The teams are daring to dream – and so are the fans. Tell us what you think of the Draw, but please remember to keep your comments clean, respectful, on-topic and in English.
FIFA World Cup 2010 World Leagues Review
Titles were decided in a number of the world’s leagues, with Brazil, Ecuador, Japan and Korea Republic all crowning new champions over the weekend. Elsewhere, the contests in Argentina, Chile and Mexico are all building towards exciting finales, while FIFA.com also reviews the action in Australia and Nigeria.
Brasileirao: Fla end long wait
Flamengo went into the final day of the season with their fate in their own hands in the knowledge that a win would seal the championship after a 17-year wait. Fla supporters at a packed Maracana were forced to endure further anxiety, with the match against Gremio tied at 1-1 until the Rio club secured a winner 20 minutes from time. Internacional had made Flamengo sweat right until the end by winning 4-1 over Santo Andre, sealing second on goal difference ahead of Sao Paulo, who overpowered Sport Recife 4-0.
Big game: Cruzeiro sneaked into fourth position and with it the final Copa Libertadores berth thanks to a hard-fought 2-1 win at Santos.
Headline-grabber: Ronaldo Angelim guaranteed a place in O Mengão folklore, the veteran centre-half scoring a rare and precious goal as teh title was secured.
Argentinian Apertura: Shock for leaders
The title hopes of in-form Newell's Old Boys were dealt a major blow after they suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat at home to Arsenal. With two rounds remaining, Banfield returned to the summit having bounced back from their first loss of the campaign a week earlier to edge past Huracan 1-0. In arguably the weekend's standout fixture, Independiente beat the struggling Boca Juniors 2-1 to claim their first victory at the Bombonera in 13 years.
Big game: Champions Velez Sarsfield stayed within five points of the frontrunners with a 3-1 home triumph over traditional heavyweights River Plate.
Headline-grabber: The league’s leading scorer Santiago Silva netted his 14th of the campaign, a goal that was enough to see leaders Banfield edge out Huracan.
Australian A-League: Victory denied a win
Reigning champions Melbourne Victory had their lead cut to three points after becoming the latest side to falter against New Zealand’s Wellington Phoenix at their home fortress. All Whites midfielder Tim Brown opened the scoring, and although the Victory’s Rody Vargas equalised late on, the Phoenix were still able to extend their unbeaten home run to 14 matches. Sydney FC took advantage of the Victory’s slip with a comprehensive 4-1 win over Robbie Fowler’s North Queensland Fury to narrow the gap on the leaders.
Big game: Gold Coast United stayed in touch with the leading pack after scored a 2-1 comeback win against Central Coast Mariners, with the competition's leading marksman, Shane Smeltz, again on the scoresheet.
Headline-grabber: Sydney FC striker Alex Brosque helped himself to a double in his team’s home win against the Fury to further his claims for a South Africa 2010 berth following a recent Socceroos call-up.
Elsewhere
Deportivo Quito claimed the Ecuadorian Serie A crown in dramatic circumstances with a winner three minutes from time from Michael Arroyo against Deportivo Cuenca. The goal ensured a 4-3 aggregate win for Quito after Cuenca had scored two goals in quick succession to draw level at 2-2 on the night prior to Arroyo grabbing the winner.
Colo Colo and Universidad Catolica clashed in the first leg of the Chilean Clausura, with a late goal from Hans Martinez ensuring a 2-2 draw for the visiting Catolica.
Kashima Antlers became the first club to secured a third consecutive J.League crown thanks to a 1-0 win over Urawa Red Diamonds. Shinzo Koroki’s second-half goal proved crucial as the Antlers maintained a two-point margin ahead of Kawasaki Frontale who won 3-2 at Kashiwa Reysol.
The title was also decided in the Korean K-League, where Jeonbuk Motors scored an emphatic 3-1 aggregate win over Seongnam Chunma following a scoreless first leg. Edinho scored a first-half double, with the league’s leading scorer Lee Dong-Gook adding a third from the penalty spot before the visitors earned a late consolation.
Enyimba took control at the top of the Nigerian Premier League thanks to a comfortable 4-0 home win against Ranchers Bees, in a round featuring six draws across the ten matches. Newly-promoted Kwara United sit one point off the pace after their 1-1 draw at Ocean Boys, while Kano Pillars are two points behind the leaders but with a match in hand.
The participants in the Mexican Apertura final have been determined with Monterrey, who had beaten Toluca 2-0 in the first leg, securing a 1-1 draw away from home. Following a scoreless first-leg, Cruz Azul came from behind against Monarcas to earn their third final appearance in the last four seasons.
Source: FIFA.com
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Brasileirao: Fla end long wait
Flamengo went into the final day of the season with their fate in their own hands in the knowledge that a win would seal the championship after a 17-year wait. Fla supporters at a packed Maracana were forced to endure further anxiety, with the match against Gremio tied at 1-1 until the Rio club secured a winner 20 minutes from time. Internacional had made Flamengo sweat right until the end by winning 4-1 over Santo Andre, sealing second on goal difference ahead of Sao Paulo, who overpowered Sport Recife 4-0.
Big game: Cruzeiro sneaked into fourth position and with it the final Copa Libertadores berth thanks to a hard-fought 2-1 win at Santos.
Headline-grabber: Ronaldo Angelim guaranteed a place in O Mengão folklore, the veteran centre-half scoring a rare and precious goal as teh title was secured.
Argentinian Apertura: Shock for leaders
The title hopes of in-form Newell's Old Boys were dealt a major blow after they suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat at home to Arsenal. With two rounds remaining, Banfield returned to the summit having bounced back from their first loss of the campaign a week earlier to edge past Huracan 1-0. In arguably the weekend's standout fixture, Independiente beat the struggling Boca Juniors 2-1 to claim their first victory at the Bombonera in 13 years.
Big game: Champions Velez Sarsfield stayed within five points of the frontrunners with a 3-1 home triumph over traditional heavyweights River Plate.
Headline-grabber: The league’s leading scorer Santiago Silva netted his 14th of the campaign, a goal that was enough to see leaders Banfield edge out Huracan.
Australian A-League: Victory denied a win
Reigning champions Melbourne Victory had their lead cut to three points after becoming the latest side to falter against New Zealand’s Wellington Phoenix at their home fortress. All Whites midfielder Tim Brown opened the scoring, and although the Victory’s Rody Vargas equalised late on, the Phoenix were still able to extend their unbeaten home run to 14 matches. Sydney FC took advantage of the Victory’s slip with a comprehensive 4-1 win over Robbie Fowler’s North Queensland Fury to narrow the gap on the leaders.
Big game: Gold Coast United stayed in touch with the leading pack after scored a 2-1 comeback win against Central Coast Mariners, with the competition's leading marksman, Shane Smeltz, again on the scoresheet.
Headline-grabber: Sydney FC striker Alex Brosque helped himself to a double in his team’s home win against the Fury to further his claims for a South Africa 2010 berth following a recent Socceroos call-up.
Elsewhere
Deportivo Quito claimed the Ecuadorian Serie A crown in dramatic circumstances with a winner three minutes from time from Michael Arroyo against Deportivo Cuenca. The goal ensured a 4-3 aggregate win for Quito after Cuenca had scored two goals in quick succession to draw level at 2-2 on the night prior to Arroyo grabbing the winner.
Colo Colo and Universidad Catolica clashed in the first leg of the Chilean Clausura, with a late goal from Hans Martinez ensuring a 2-2 draw for the visiting Catolica.
Kashima Antlers became the first club to secured a third consecutive J.League crown thanks to a 1-0 win over Urawa Red Diamonds. Shinzo Koroki’s second-half goal proved crucial as the Antlers maintained a two-point margin ahead of Kawasaki Frontale who won 3-2 at Kashiwa Reysol.
The title was also decided in the Korean K-League, where Jeonbuk Motors scored an emphatic 3-1 aggregate win over Seongnam Chunma following a scoreless first leg. Edinho scored a first-half double, with the league’s leading scorer Lee Dong-Gook adding a third from the penalty spot before the visitors earned a late consolation.
Enyimba took control at the top of the Nigerian Premier League thanks to a comfortable 4-0 home win against Ranchers Bees, in a round featuring six draws across the ten matches. Newly-promoted Kwara United sit one point off the pace after their 1-1 draw at Ocean Boys, while Kano Pillars are two points behind the leaders but with a match in hand.
The participants in the Mexican Apertura final have been determined with Monterrey, who had beaten Toluca 2-0 in the first leg, securing a 1-1 draw away from home. Following a scoreless first-leg, Cruz Azul came from behind against Monarcas to earn their third final appearance in the last four seasons.
Source: FIFA.com
FIFA Names World Player Gala 2009 Nominees
The contenders for this year’s FIFA World Player of the Year and FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year awards, which will be presented at the Kongresshaus in Zurich, FIFA’s home city, on 21 December 2009, were announced on Monday. In alphabetical order, the male nominees are Andres Iniesta (Spain), Kaka (Brazil), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) and Xavi (Spain), while Cristiane (Brazil), Inka Grings (Germany), Marta (Brazil), Birgit Prinz (Germany) and Kelly Smith (England) will contest the women’s award.
These nominees were confirmed after a poll in which the coaches and captains of men’s and women’s national teams from around the world voted for candidates from a list drawn up by football experts from the FIFA Football Committee and the FIFA Committee for Women’s Football.
The FIFA World Player Gala 2009 will have a number of exciting new features, including two new awards:
• The FIFA/FIFPro World XI, which will honour the best 11 players of the year as chosen by over 50,000 professional football players from all over the world.
• The FIFA Puskás Award, created in honour and in memory of Ferenc Puskás, the captain and star of the Hungarian national team during the 1950s, will be presented to the player – man or woman – who has scored the “most beautiful goal” during the past year.
For more information about the FIFA World Player Gala, including a list of previous winners, please visit www.FIFA.com.
Source: FIFA.com
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These nominees were confirmed after a poll in which the coaches and captains of men’s and women’s national teams from around the world voted for candidates from a list drawn up by football experts from the FIFA Football Committee and the FIFA Committee for Women’s Football.
The FIFA World Player Gala 2009 will have a number of exciting new features, including two new awards:
• The FIFA/FIFPro World XI, which will honour the best 11 players of the year as chosen by over 50,000 professional football players from all over the world.
• The FIFA Puskás Award, created in honour and in memory of Ferenc Puskás, the captain and star of the Hungarian national team during the 1950s, will be presented to the player – man or woman – who has scored the “most beautiful goal” during the past year.
For more information about the FIFA World Player Gala, including a list of previous winners, please visit www.FIFA.com.
Source: FIFA.com
FIFA World Cup 2010 Battle of the Best
This year’s FIFA Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi, which will kick off on Wednesday, is the sixth edition of the prestigious global tournament since its inception in 2000. The inaugural event took place in Brazil, with Japan doing duty as hosts for the last four years. Now, though, the tournament is paying a first visit to the United Arab Emirates, where the top teams from each of FIFA’s member confederations will contest the title of best club in the world.
European teams on the rise
Brazilian sides Corinthians, Sao Paulo and Internacional were the first three winners of the FIFA Club World Cup, but the South American monopoly on the trophy ended in 2007, when AC Milan defeated Boca Juniors in the final, before Manchester United overcame Ecuadorian hopefuls Liga de Quito to keep the trophy in European hands last year.
The UEFA representatives are widely regarded as favourites this time round, too. Barcelona not only ran away with the Spanish league title, but Pep Guardiola’s men also won friends and admirers with a series of scintillating displays in the UEFA Champions League, ultimately claiming the continental crown with a 2-0 victory over holders Manchester United in the final.
The famous Catalan club has won almost everything there is to win in an illustrious history stretching back over a century, with one glaring omission: the FIFA Club World Cup. Lionel Messi and Co will be even more determined to repair that oversight, no doubt motivated by their club’s defeat by Inter in the 2006 decider.
Argentinian heavyweights Estudiantes, the lead candidates to meet Barcelona in this year's final, have no intention of letting the Spaniards have things all their own way. The South Americans contested the Intercontinental Cup, the forerunner of the FIFA Club World Cup, on three occasions. They beat Manchester United to claim the honours in 1968, but AC Milan and Rotterdam giants Feyenoord proved too strong in the succeeding finals.
After a 39-year gap, Juan Sebastian Veron led his men to renewed Copa Libertadores glory. A two-legged triumph over Belo Horizonte side Cruzeiro earned the powerful Argentinian outfit a tilt at the world title.
Mexicans and Koreans keen to impress
The fact that the favourites come from Europe and South America surprises no-one, but many experts feel Atlante and Pohang Steelers are as well-placed as any previous underdogs to shake up the established order this year. The Potros de Hierro (Iron Colts) from Mexico are determined to cause a stir both in the stands and on the field at the twin venues for the tournament, the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium and Zayed Sports City Stadium.
Pohang Steelers, who claimed AFC Champions League glory at the expense of Saudi Arabian challengers Al Ittihad, are in equally upbeat mood ahead of the global match-up. Coach Sergio Farias has been at the South Koreans’ helm for more than five years, and is keen to make a dash in the UAE after hitting the headlines at continental level.
But before Pohang Steelers can pursue their dream of becoming the first Asian side to contest the FIFA Club World Cup Final, Farias and his team will have to deal with the threat posed by DR Congo challengers TP Mazembe-Englebert. The men representing the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ host continent, fresh from winning their first African Cup of Champion Clubs/CAF Champions League in more than four decades, are sure to push the Koreans all the way.
The seven-strong starting field is completed by New Zealand side FC Auckland and host club Al Ahli, reigning UAE champions. The pair clash on 9 December in the opening match, with the winners meeting Atlante to determine who will face Estudiantes in the semi-finals. In the other half of the draw, Mazembe and Pohang contest the right to take on Barcelona in the last four.
Source: Fifa.com
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European teams on the rise
Brazilian sides Corinthians, Sao Paulo and Internacional were the first three winners of the FIFA Club World Cup, but the South American monopoly on the trophy ended in 2007, when AC Milan defeated Boca Juniors in the final, before Manchester United overcame Ecuadorian hopefuls Liga de Quito to keep the trophy in European hands last year.
The UEFA representatives are widely regarded as favourites this time round, too. Barcelona not only ran away with the Spanish league title, but Pep Guardiola’s men also won friends and admirers with a series of scintillating displays in the UEFA Champions League, ultimately claiming the continental crown with a 2-0 victory over holders Manchester United in the final.
The famous Catalan club has won almost everything there is to win in an illustrious history stretching back over a century, with one glaring omission: the FIFA Club World Cup. Lionel Messi and Co will be even more determined to repair that oversight, no doubt motivated by their club’s defeat by Inter in the 2006 decider.
Argentinian heavyweights Estudiantes, the lead candidates to meet Barcelona in this year's final, have no intention of letting the Spaniards have things all their own way. The South Americans contested the Intercontinental Cup, the forerunner of the FIFA Club World Cup, on three occasions. They beat Manchester United to claim the honours in 1968, but AC Milan and Rotterdam giants Feyenoord proved too strong in the succeeding finals.
After a 39-year gap, Juan Sebastian Veron led his men to renewed Copa Libertadores glory. A two-legged triumph over Belo Horizonte side Cruzeiro earned the powerful Argentinian outfit a tilt at the world title.
Mexicans and Koreans keen to impress
The fact that the favourites come from Europe and South America surprises no-one, but many experts feel Atlante and Pohang Steelers are as well-placed as any previous underdogs to shake up the established order this year. The Potros de Hierro (Iron Colts) from Mexico are determined to cause a stir both in the stands and on the field at the twin venues for the tournament, the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium and Zayed Sports City Stadium.
Pohang Steelers, who claimed AFC Champions League glory at the expense of Saudi Arabian challengers Al Ittihad, are in equally upbeat mood ahead of the global match-up. Coach Sergio Farias has been at the South Koreans’ helm for more than five years, and is keen to make a dash in the UAE after hitting the headlines at continental level.
But before Pohang Steelers can pursue their dream of becoming the first Asian side to contest the FIFA Club World Cup Final, Farias and his team will have to deal with the threat posed by DR Congo challengers TP Mazembe-Englebert. The men representing the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ host continent, fresh from winning their first African Cup of Champion Clubs/CAF Champions League in more than four decades, are sure to push the Koreans all the way.
The seven-strong starting field is completed by New Zealand side FC Auckland and host club Al Ahli, reigning UAE champions. The pair clash on 9 December in the opening match, with the winners meeting Atlante to determine who will face Estudiantes in the semi-finals. In the other half of the draw, Mazembe and Pohang contest the right to take on Barcelona in the last four.
Source: Fifa.com
FIFA World Cup 2010 Group Matches
FIFA World Cup 2010 Group Stage matches
Labels:
FIFA World Cup 2010,
FIFA World Cup 2010 Live,
FIFA World Cup 2010 Live Online,
FIFA World Cup 2010 South Africa,
Stage Matches
Group A
| Match | Date - Time | Venue | Teams | ||||
| 1 | 11/06 22:00 | Johannesburg - JSC |  | South Africa | vs | Mexico |  |
| 2 | 12/06 02:30 | Cape Town |  | Uruguay | vs | France |  |
| 17 | 17/06 02:30 | Tshwane/Pretoria | | South Africa | vs | Uruguay | |
| 18 | 18/06 02:30 | Polokwane | | France | vs | exico | |
| 33 | 22/06 22:00 | Rustenburg | | Mexico | vs | Uruguay | |
| 34 | 22/06 22:00 | Mangaung / Bloemfontein | | France | vs | South Africa | |
Group B
| Match | Date - Time | Venue | Teams | ||||
| 3 | 12/06 22:00 | Johannesburg - JEP |  | Argentina | vs | Nigeria |  |
| 4 | 12/06 19:30 | Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth |  | Korea Republic | vs | Greece |  |
| 19 | 17/06 22:00 | Mangaung / Bloemfontein | | Greece | vs | Nigeria | |
| 20 | 17/06 19:30 | Johannesburg - JSC | | Argentina | vs | Korea Republic | |
| 35 | 23/06 02:30 | Durban | | Nigeria | vs | Korea Republic | |
| 36 | 23/06 02:30 | Polokwane | | Greece | vs | Argentina | |
Group C
| Match | Date - Time | Venue | Teams | ||||
| 5 | 13/06 02:30 | Rustenburg |  | England | vs | USA |  |
| 6 | 13/06 19:30 | Polokwane |  | Algeria | vs | Slovenia |  |
| 22 | 18/06 22:00 | Johannesburg - JEP | | Slovenia | vs | USA | |
| 23 | 19/06 02:30 | Cape Town | | England | vs | Algeria | |
| 37 | 23/06 22:00 | Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth | | Slovenia | vs | England | |
| 38 | 23/06 22:00 | Tshwane/Pretoria | | USA | vs | Algeria | |
Group D
| Match | Date - Time | Venue | Teams | ||||
| 7 | 14/06 02:30 | Durban |  | Germany | vs | Australia |  |
| 8 | 13/06 22:00 | Tshwane/Pretoria |  | Serbia | vs | Ghana |  |
| 21 | 18/06 19:30 | Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth | | Germany | vs | Serbia | |
| 24 | 19/06 22:00 | Rustenburg | | Ghana | vs | Australia | |
| 39 | 24/06 02:30 | Johannesburg - JSC | | Ghana | vs | Germany | |
| 40 | 24/06 02:30 | Nelspruit | | Australia | vs | Serbia | |
Group E
| Match | Date - Time | Venue | Teams | ||||
| 9 | 14/06 19:30 | Johannesburg - JSC |  | Netherlands | vs | Denmark |  |
| 10 | 14/06 22:00 | Mangaung / Bloemfontein |  | Japan | vs | Cameroon |  |
| 25 | 19/06 19:30 | Durban | | Netherlands | vs | Japan | |
| 26 | 20/06 02:30 | Tshwane/Pretoria | | Cameroon | vs | Denmark | |
| 43 | 25/06 02:30 | Rustenburg | | Denmark | vs | Japan | |
| 44 | 25/06 02:30 | Cape Town | | Cameroon | vs | Netherlands | |
Group F
| Match | Date - Time | Venue | Teams | ||||
| 11 | 15/06 02:30 | Cape Town |  | Italy | vs | Paraguay |  |
| 12 | 15/06 19:30 | Rustenburg |  | New Zealand | vs | Slovakia |  |
| 27 | 20/06 19:30 | Mangaung / Bloemfontein | | Slovakia | vs | Paraguay | |
| 28 | 20/06 22:00 | Nelspruit | | Italy | vs | New Zealand | |
| 41 | 24/06 22:00 | Johannesburg - JEP | | Slovakia | vs | Italy | |
| 42 | 24/06 22:00 | Polokwane | | Paraguay | vs | New Zealand | |
Group G
| Match | Date - Time | Venue | Teams | ||||
| 13 | 15/06 22:00 | Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth |  | Côte d'Ivoire | vs | Portugal |  |
| 14 | 16/06 02:30 | Johannesburg - JEP |  | Brazil | vs | Korea DPR |  |
| 29 | 21/06 02:30 | Johannesburg - JSC | | Brazil | vs | Côte d'Ivoire | |
| 30 | 21/06 19:30 | Cape Town | | Portugal | vs | Korea DPR | |
| 45 | 25/06 22:00 | Durban | | Portugal | vs | Brazil | |
| 46 | 25/06 22:00 | Nelspruit | | Korea DPR | vs | Côte d'Ivoire | |
Group H
| Match | Date - Time | Venue | Teams | ||||
| 15 | 16/06 19:30 | Nelspruit |  | Honduras | vs | Chile |  |
| 16 | 16/06 22:00 | Durban |  | Spain | vs | Switzerland |  |
| 31 | 21/06 22:00 | Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth | | Chile | vs | Switzerland | |
| 32 | 22/06 02:30 | Johannesburg - JEP | | Spain | vs | Honduras | |
| 47 | 26/06 02:30 | Tshwane/Pretoria | | Chile | vs | Spain | |
| 48 | 26/06 02:30 | Mangaung / Bloemfontein | | Switzerland | vs | Honduras | |
