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2010 World Cup - South Africa / WC 2010 - Match 58 - Quarter-finals: Uruguay vs Ghana

« on: June 27, 2010, 02:50:23 PM »

Match 58 - Quarter-finals - 02 July
Johannesburg - Soccer City Stadium

(no head2head history)

Uruguay-Ghana preview

Although Uruguay have a rich FIFA World Cup™ history, they have not advanced as far as the quarter-finals since their run to the last four in 1970. Ghana, their opponents on Friday night, have never gone this far in the tournament before, having reached the second round four years ago on their FIFA World Cup debut.

In both 2006 and in South Africa, the Black Stars were Africa's only representatives in the knock-out rounds, and they can also become the first ever side from the continent to advance to a semi-final with a win. Standing in the way of Africa's hopes is an in-form La Celeste led by one of the most dynamic front-lines at the tournament.

The match
Uruguay-Ghana, Johannesburg (Soccer City), 2 July, 20.30

For a team that struggled to qualify for the finals, Uruguay emerged as one of the dark horses of the opening stage after finishing top of Group A. After opening the event with a scoreless draw with France, they have secured three consecutive wins, largely thanks to the form of strikers Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez. Forlan scored a brace in the 3-0 dismantling of the hosts, while Suarez scored the trio of Uruguay's goals in the 1-0 win over Mexico and 2-1 victory over Korea Republic. Edinson Cavani is the most unheralded of the attacking triumvirate, but the Palermo forward can also be lethal if unchecked. However, Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac has earned a reputation for his tactical acumen, and the Serb has built one of Africa's finest defences.

With so much history on the line, Ghana could be forgiven for being overawed with the occasion, but the Black Stars are seemingly unflappable despite being the youngest team in the tournament. A side boasting several players who won the FIFA U-20 World Cup last year, they finished runners-up at January's CAF Africa Cup of Nations on the back of three consecutive 1-0 wins. They also held their nerve in a dramatic 2-1 extra-time victory over South Africa 2010's comeback kings, USA, in the second round. Asamoah Gyan has scored three of the side's four goals, and despite being hampered by an ankle injury, should be the fulcrum of the Ghana attack. Kevin-Prince Boateng also appears likely to win his fitness race, though the loss of starlet Andre Ayew to suspension will be painful. The door might now be open for the comeback of little-used Inter Milan midfielder Sulley Muntari, and the possible return of previously injured centre-half Isaac Vorsah could also be a major boost.

Players to watch
Luis Suarez v John Mensah

A veteran anchor at the back for Ghana, John Mensah will need to call on all of his experience to stop the speed and creativity of the Uruguay attack. The 23-year-old Ajax striker Suarez is technically adept and capable of scoring from anywhere around the box. Although the powerful Mensah should have the advantage in the air, he could well be challenged for pace on the counter-attack, though the potential return of Vorsah could provide him with significant assistance.

The stat
7 – Asamoah Gyan has scored seven goals for Ghana out of the 11 they have tallied in full international matches in 2010. Ayew, Boateng, Muntari and Quincy Owusu-Abeyie have claimed the others.

What they said
"They are fast, strong, and they have done well in other games, even against Germany," Diego Forlan, Uruguay forward.

"They have a great team, especially in attack. This is what we have to watch out for because they have players like Forlan and Suarez," Asamoah Gyan, Ghana striker.

Voice of the fans
"Both teams have impressed me. Ghana has shown speed and a great ability to pass. Their defence is not the best but their ability to fire an attack has shown. I think that the first side to score will win. In this case, Ghana will pull through," FIFA.com user OnTarget06.

The question
Can Ghana eclipse Cameroon's exploits in 1990 and Senegal's in 2002 to become the first African side in the last four? Or will the two-time champions Uruguayans keep their good run going in a tournament where the South American teams have been immensely difficult to beat?

92

2010 World Cup - South Africa / WC 2010 - Match 56 - Round of 16: Spain vs Portugal

« on: June 27, 2010, 02:48:31 PM »

Match 56 - Round of 16 - 29 June
Referee Hector BALDASSI (ARG)
Cape Town - Green Point Stadium

Head-to-Head

ESP:POR

wins 15:5
draws 12
goals 71:37

Spain-Portugal preview

Set to take centre stage in Cape Town on 29 June is a glittering Round of 16 clash between two neighbours and contenders for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ crown: Spain and Portugal. Standing second and third respectively in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, the eagerly anticipated encounter between the Iberian duo at the Green Point Stadium is the sides’ first meeting at world football’s top table.

The match
Spain-Portugal, Round of 16, Cape Town, Tuesday 29 June 2010, 20.30 (local time)

Expectations are extremely high ahead of the last-16 meeting between two teams considered among the pre-tournament contenders for the coveted Trophy. And with La Roja and A Selecção das Quinas both having had to come through a gruelling group phase, one of the fancied pair will be heading home much earlier than expected.

European champions Spain arrived at South Africa 2010 as firm favourites for the world title along with Brazil, though Vicente del Bosque’s team were given a harsh wake-up call in an opening 1-0 defeat against Switzerland. Showing their mettle, La Selección gritted their teeth and won their next two Group H games against Honduras and Chile to qualify in top spot in their section and avoid a last-16 meeting with Dunga’s charges.

Portugal, for their part, safely negotiated a fiercely competitive Group G also containing Côte d’Ivoire, Korea DPR and Brazil. Carlos Queiroz’s solid side played out a goalless opening draw with Didier Drogba and Co before cutting loose in a 7-0 success over the North Koreans. Following that goalfest, another scoreless draw in their final game against the five-time world champions was enough to secure second spot and a place in the knockout stages.

Both coaches have near-to-full-strength squads from which to choose, though former Real Madrid boss Del Bosque will be without key midfielder Xabi Alonso and defender Raul Albiol. Opposite number Queiroz, who also once held the reins at Los Merengues, welcomes back midfield schemer Deco though cannot call upon the versatile Ruben Amorim.

Players to watch

David Villa v Cristiano Ronaldo
The Spanish striker’s three-goal haul so far at South Africa 2010 has taken his tally at FIFA World Cups to six in total, making Barcelona’s new signing his country’s highest ever scorer in the competition. The flying Portuguese winger, for his part, has struck just once to date in South Africa despite claiming the Budweiser Man of the Match award in each of his side’s three matches. The Real Madrid forward needed a total of 17 shots to score his solitary goal, which came in the demolition of Korea DPR, though Ronaldo can count himself unfortunate to have been denied by the woodwork on two occasions already.

The stat
33 – The Cape Town clash will be the two teams’ first meeting at a FIFA World Cup, but the pair share a lengthy footballing history featuring no fewer than 32 previous matches. Spain have the edge with 15 wins to just five victories for Portugal, though the latter are unbeaten in the duo’s matches at continental finals: drawing 1-1 at the 1984 UEFA European Championship and winning 1-0 at the 2004 edition of the same competition.

What they said
"Portugal are a great team and they’re about more than just Cristiano Ronaldo. Yes it’s true that Cristiano is one of their best players, but we mustn’t forget that the Portuguese are the only team that still haven’t conceded a goal at this World Cup. That proves that they’re a solid unit and not just a collection of individuals. Their game is based around defensive solidity, pace and counter-attacking, as well as having very skilful players. I foresee a very difficult game, like they all will be for the rest of the competition. Only the best teams are left in it now," Vicente del Bosque, Spain coach.

"We’re ready to take on anybody. We’ve already played in critical games during qualifying and now we have another all-or-nothing match at a World Cup. That’s why we’re ready to give everything we’ve got on the pitch with only one aim in mind: staying in the World Cup. Portugal’s best is still to come," Carlos Queiroz, Portugal coach.

Voice of the fans
"Congratulations to Spain, who are the reigning European champions and difficult opponents for anybody! We’ve just played against one brother in Brazil and now we’re up against another. Spain have got a comfortably better historical record, though things have been more even recently! I’m very proud to be Portuguese and I have a lot of regard and respect for Spain. Let the best team win. Come on Os Navegadores! We’ll support you to the end!" Canhirix, FIFA.com user (Portugal).

Have your say
Will Fernando Torres finally get off the mark here at South Africa 2010? Or, come the final whistle, will Eduardo still be the only No1 yet to have conceded a goal at the tournament?

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2010 World Cup - South Africa / WC 2010 - Match 55 - Round of 16: Paraguay vs Japan

« on: June 27, 2010, 02:46:46 PM »

Match 55 - Round of 16 - 29 June
Referee Frank DE BLEECKERE (BEL)
Tshwane/Pretoria - Loftus Versfeld Stadium

Head-to-Head

PAR:JAP
wins 2:1
draws 3
goals 7:4

Paraguay-Japan preview

History will be made whatever the outcome when Paraguay meet Japan in the Round of 16 – for whoever prevails in Pretoria will advance to the FIFA World Cup™ quarter-finals for the first time. Having gone beyond the group stage on three of their past seven finals appearances, Gerardo Martino's Paraguay will be determined to build on their success in finishing top of Group F against a Japan side through to the knockout phase for the first time on foreign soil.

The match
Paraguay-Japan, Tshwane/Pretoria (Loftus Versfeld Stadium), 29 June, 16.00

Previously famed for their tenacious rearguard, Paraguay are not just about defence, their 4-3-3 formation including the vastly-experienced Roque Santa Cruz in attack alongside Borussia Dortmund duo Lucas Barrios and Nelson Valdez. Yet they also carry a scoring threat from midfield as Enrique Vera and Cristian Riveros showed when each scored in their 2-0 win over Slovakia. Opponents Japan have shaken off the lacklustre form they showed in the build-up to this tournament to defeat Cameroon and Denmark en route to the last 16.

Coach Takeshi Okada's tactical gamble has paid off in style, with Keisuke Honda thriving in a new attacking role. Behind him, Yasuhito Endo and Kakoto Hasebe have bossed the midfield and Japan showed against Denmark that their armoury includes a distinct set-piece threat – two of their three goals coming direct from free-kicks. Of course their tireless approach also gives them a seeming edge in fitness over some of their rivals. While there is likely to be no change in the Japan lineup, Paraguay have to make do without defensive midfielder Victor Caceres through suspension although centre-back Antolin Alcaraz could return after sitting out the last game through an ankle injury. It is the two sides' first match-up at the FIFA World Cup but they are by no means strangers having met six times previously. The South Americans have recorded two wins to Japan’s one, though the Asians prevailed in the most recent friendly in 2003.

Players to watch
Justo Villar v Keisuke Honda

Injured in the opening minutes of Paraguay's Germany 2006 campaign, Villar has been seeking to make amends this time and conceded just one goal during the group campaign. The 32-year-old Paraguay captain, however, will have to be wary of Japan's danger man Honda, the midfielder-turned striker who has scored twice so far. The 25-year-old CSKA Moscow man has quickly become Japan's new talisman over the past months, scoring six goals which led to six wins.

The stat
4 –South Africa 2010 marks the fourth FIFA World Cup for the 35-year-old Denis Caniza, who made his tenth finals appearance for Paraguay in the 0-0 draw with New Zealand. Hot on his heels are Roque Santa Cruz and Julio Cesar Caceres, who each made seven appearances during the past two FIFA World Cups.

What they said
"With their pace and agility, Japan are a team hard to play against. They have players who can change the direction of a game so we have to come out very focused and keep running throughout the game," Roque Santa Cruz, Paraguay forward.

'Paraguay's defence is compactly organised. They have physical strength but are also good on the ball. I think they will be difficult opponents," Yuki Abe, Japan midfielder.

Voice of the fans
"Paraguay has the players to advance and has experience especially playing with the likes of the Brazil and Argentina. But Japan also has a lot of talent – it will be a good match," FIFA.com user Vinnie-ECU.

The question
Having managed their first FIFA World Cup wins on foreign soil, can Japan continue their history-making run?

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2010 World Cup - South Africa / WC 2010 - Match 53 - Round of 16: Holland vs Slovakia

« on: June 27, 2010, 11:09:21 AM »

Netherlands-Slovakia preview

The Round of 16 game between the Netherlands and Slovakia pits one of the tournament favourites against a nation making its first FIFA World Cup™ appearance in its own right. Despite the obvious contrast between the star-studded Oranje and their lesser-known but close-knit rivals, it promises to be a fascinating duel.

The match
Netherlands-Slovakia, Round of 16, Durban Stadium, Durban, 16:00 (local time)

In contrast to a number of Europe’s other big guns, the Oranje managed to assert their authority in their section, Group E, in which they were never seriously troubled. After beating Denmark 2-0 in their opener, they defeated Japan 1-0 to secure their berth in the Round of 16 before taking on an already-eliminated Cameroon in their first-phase fixture. Coach Bert van Marwijk used the occasion to run the rule over some of some of his squad players, and still came out 2-1 winners.  The Netherlands’ strength in depth, along with the return to fitness of stand-out winger Arjen Robben, suggests the team are strong title contenders, though they will not be underestimating opponents that have already created one of the biggest shocks of the tournament so far by undoing Italy.

For their part, Slovakia took some time to find top gear, but when they did it proved too much for the reigning world champions. The central Europeans showed their inexperience at this level in allowing New Zealand to secure a late equaliser in their opening fixture, and then were outplayed in a 2-0 reverse by Paraguay. However, they upset the form book with a gritty and skilled display to secure a memorable 3-2 win that put Italy out of the FIFA World Cup.

Players to watch
Miroslav Stoch v Gregory van der Wiel

Expect sparks to fly when the pair renew aquaintances here in the Round of 16. Miroslav Stoch, an attacking midfielder who spent last year on loan from Chelsea with Dutch champions Twente, will find himself facing Gregory van der Wiel, right-back of Ajax. A fascinating duel awaits between these two fine prospects.

The stat
1 – The meeting between the Netherlands and Slovakia is the first since the central European nation became an independent country. However, the Oranje faced the former Czechoslovakia once before at a FIFA World Cup, losing 3-0 after extra time at France 1938.

What they said
“We expect a difficult game against Slovakia. They showed a lot of character against the Italians and were rewarded with a famous victory. Everything’s fine from our point of view, but there are a just a few things here and there that we need to put right,” Robin van Persie, Netherlands forward.

“I hope we're capable of producing another performance like the one against Italy. I believe we can give any team something to think about. But obviously the Dutch are favourites, not just for this game but for the whole tournament,” Robert Vittek, Slovakia forward.

The voice of the fans
“The Dutch are already thinking about Brazil. which could play into the hands of Slovakia, who are very comfortable in the role of underdogs. If this game is anything like Slovakia-Italy, get ready for plenty of excitement,” Jaaanosik, FIFA.com user.

The question
Are Slovakia capable of creating another upset?

95

2010 World Cup - South Africa / WC 2010 - Match 54 - Round of 16: Brazil vs Chile

« on: June 27, 2010, 11:04:49 AM »

Brazil-Chile preview

Brazil will be vying to beat Chile for the third time in three FIFA World Cup™ meetings, when the prize on offer will be a place in the quarter-finals. Whoever they are facing, the five-time champions come under pressure to win every match with unrivalled swagger. That is the price they pay for starting each tournament as favourites, the burden of their success down the years, yet they can expect stiff opposition from South American rivals who have been in fine form since Marcelo Bielsa took over at the helm.

Add in the carrot of a coveted berth in the last eight and all the ingredients are present for an open yet fiery encounter, not least since Chile lost 4-2 and 3-0 to Dunga’s charges in qualifying and will be desperate to turn the tables.

The match
Brazil-Chile, Round of 16, Ellis Park, Johannesburg, 28 June, 20.30 (local time)

A Seleção found life difficult against group-stage opponents Korea DPR and Portugal, struggling to find a way through a sturdy defensive barrier on both occasions. Despite dominating possession, Brazil had trouble picking out their forwards in dangerous positions and endured plenty of frustration. That is not a problem they are likely to find repeated against Chile, however, as Bielsa’s flamboyant side are unlikely to settle for cautious counter-attacking football.

Still, La Roja will need to keep things tight at the back. With the likes of Robinho, Kaka and Luis Fabiano sniffing out openings, Chile will require levels of commitment and organisation similar to those they displayed against Spain, when even down to ten men they managed to keep the European champions at bay – save for the two mistakes that cost them goals. They will nonetheless have to cope without Marco Estrada, sent off against Spain, and suspended duo Waldo Ponce and Gary Medel, while Brazil could be deprived the services of injured pair Felipe Melo and Julio Baptista.

Players to watch
Kaka (BRA) v Jorge Valdivia (CHI)

The Brazil playmaker remains an idol at Sao Paulo, where he first rose to prominence before setting sail for AC Milan, while his Chilean counterpart was an iconic figure for O Tricolor Paulista's regional rivals Palmeiras, firing 24 goals in 93 appearances between 2006 and 2008. Despite those contrasting club allegiances, the two players perform a similar function on the pitch and how they fare could well prove key to this game. Their vision, the quality of their passing and their set-piece pedigree could all potentially make the difference at either end, with neither defence noted for being porous or naive.

The stat
2 – Brazil and Chile have crossed paths on two previous occasions at this level, in the semi-finals at Chile 1962 and in the Round of 16 at France 1998. A Canarinho prevailed in both games, scoring four goals each time to triumph 4-2 and 4-1 – an omen, perhaps, for a feast of attacking football at Ellis Park Stadium.

What they said
"We’re going to need to learn to play against defensive sides as I think very few teams will want to play Brazil at our own game. A Seleção must start finding solutions to get around this problem, because from now on every match will be decisive,” Luis Fabiano, Brazil forward.

"Brazil have proved down the years that they’re a team to be feared, but in this World Cup they’ve also shown that in addition to their usual creative style they now boast combativeness and strength,” Marcelo Bielsa, Chile coach.

Voice of the fans
"It will be very difficult and we won’t have our two defenders Medel and Ponce (listed as the two best players at the World Cup by the Castrol Index). There ought to be a change with Suazo back in the side and he scored two goals against Brazil in qualifying. But Brazil will always be Brazil. May the best team win,” FIFA.com user Darilx (France).

The question
Chile have not overcome Brazil since a friendly in 1993, failing to carve out victory in their last 13 meetings. Will La Roja finally be able to end that run on the grandest stage of all?

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2010 World Cup - South Africa / WC 2010 - Match 20 - Group B: Argentina vs South Korea

« on: June 16, 2010, 11:03:10 AM »

Argentina-Korea Republic preview

Group B's early pacesetters meet at Ellis Park knowing that a second victory could potentially seal their progress to the last 16. Argentina and Korea Republic won their respective opening games against Nigeria and Greece although both have different goals for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, with the South Americans' sights fixed firmly on a third title and the South Koreans chasing qualification for the knockout rounds for the first time beyond their own shores.

The match
Argentina-Korea Republic, Group B, Johannesburg (Ellis Park), Thursday 17 June, 13.30 (local time)

The two coaches are no strangers to each other having featured in their teams' meeting at Mexico 1986, where La Albiceleste ran out 3-1 winners. South Korean coach Hun Jung-Moo had the unenviable job of man-marking Diego Maradona that day – a thankless task for anybody in a tournament where today's Argentina coach inspired his country to their second FIFA World Cup triumph.

Twenty-four years on, they cross swords again with Huh hoping for a different outcome as he bids to become the first homegrown coach to lead Korea Republic into the last 16. Argentina are 41 places higher in the FIFA/Coca Cola World Ranking but Korea Republic have proved in the past they are more than capable of springing surprises, a fact borne out when they beat Italy and Spain to storm into last four on home soil in 2002.

Their 2-0 victory over Greece on Saturday should ensure confidence is high in the Korea Republic camp although betterin an Argentina side including the likes of Lionel Messi, Javier Mascherano and Juan Sebastian Veron is evidently a more awkward proposition. Although Maradona's men beat Nigeria by just a single goal, the victory margin would have been greater had it not been for Super Eagles goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama's brilliant Man of the Match performance.

Players to watch
Lionel Messi v Park Ji-Sung

After doing everything but score against Nigeria, Messi will hope for better luck in front of goal in his team's second outing at Ellis Park. If Messi is pivotal to Argentina's hopes, the same can be said of Park Ji-Sung, who underlined his talismanic status against Greece by sealing Korea Republic's victory with a wonderful solo strike of which Messi himself would have been proud.

The stat
4 –Argentina have reached four FIFA World Cup Finals, beating the Netherlands in 1978 and West Germany in 1986 but losing out to Uruguay in 1930 and the Germans in 1990. Korea Republic finished fourth on home soil eight years ago which remains the best-ever result by an Asian team on the world stage.

What they say
"Comparing ourselves with other teams, we have played some of the best football in the competition and created more chances than anybody else so far. Now we need to take the games as they come. We are still one of the favourites and that is why we are here – to win this World Cup," Gonzalo Higuain, Argentina forward.

"To be honest we are a little nervous heading into the match-up with Argentina as they have some of the world's best players. But we are not intimidated by their qualities and we have unwavering confidence in ourselves. They may boast Messi, but we can count on captain Park Ji-Sung to lead us to a good result," Kim Nam-Il, Korea Republic midfielder.

Voice of the fans
"Argentina is an incredibly strong team for Korea Republic. However, the game of soccer is full of possibilities and Korea is notorious for pulling magic out of thin air. This will be a fantastic game to watch," FIFA.com user Jook Yuh.

The question
Can Messi open his scoring account in South Africa? Can Korea Republic build on the promise of their opening win and create a surprise against the fancied Argentines?

97

2010 World Cup - South Africa / WC 2010 - Match 14 - Group G: Brazil vs North Korea

« on: June 14, 2010, 09:04:58 AM »

Match 14 - Group G - 15 June - 20:30
Referee Viktor KASSAI (HUN)
Johannesburg - Ellis Park Stadium

98

2010 World Cup - South Africa / WC 2010 - Match 13 - Group G: Ivory Coast vs Portugal

« on: June 14, 2010, 09:03:07 AM »

Match 13 - Group G - 15 June - 16:00
Referee Jorge LARRIONDA (URU)
Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth - Port Elizabeth Stadium

99

2010 World Cup - South Africa / WC 2010 - Match 12 - Group F: New Zealand vs Slovakia

« on: June 14, 2010, 09:01:55 AM »

Match 12 - Group F - 15 June - 13:30
Referee Jerome DAMON (RSA)
Rustenburg - Royal Bafokeng Stadium

100

2010 World Cup - South Africa / WC 2010 - Match 11 - Group F: Italy vs Paraguay

« on: June 13, 2010, 01:28:42 PM »

Italy-Paraguay preview

The defending world champions make their 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ debut against Paraguay in a match that ought to have a major bearing on who tops Group F. And not for the first time in their history, the men in blue will be heading into their opening match with several questions to answer.

The match
Italy-Paraguay, Group F, Cape Town, Monday 14 June, 20:30 (local time)

Those doubts are largely founded on Marcello Lippi’s decision to keep faith with nine of the players who tasted glory in Germany, a policy of continuity that has not met with the unanimous support of Squadra Azzurra fans. “It’s only a month and there’s no problem,” said the silver-haired coach, responding to criticism that his side is too old. “And in any case, the best broths are cooked in the oldest pans.”

The experienced Italians should face a stiff test from Los Guaraníes, who finished third in the CONMEBOL qualifying zone, just behind Chile on goal difference. Traditionally hard to break down, the South Americans have acquired a deserved reputation as one of the best-drilled sides on the continent.

The two previous meetings between the sides both went Italy’s way, La Nazionale securing a 2-0 win at Brazil 1950 and a 3-1 victory in a 1998 friendly. La Albirroja have been impressive in the build-up to the world finals, however, losing only to Republic of Ireland and beating Korea DPR and Greece and earning a creditable draw with Côte d’Ivoire.

Players to watch
Lucas Barrios vs Fabio Cannavaro

Representing the country of his mother’s birth, the Argentina-born Borussia Dortmund forward, only obtained Paraguayan nationality a few months ago. Coach Gerardo Martino had little hesitation in calling him up to the squad to fill the void caused by the tragic shooting of star striker Salvador Cabanas. Barrios certainly looks the part, scoring 19 goals for the Bundesliga club in 33 games last season, his first in the German top flight.

One of the men attempting to shackle him on Monday will be the Italian stalwart, who is appearing in his fourth and last FIFA World Cup. Cannavaro has not enjoyed the best of seasons with Juventus, although few players have his ability to hit peak form at major tournaments. The 2006 FIFA World Player of the Year may be in the twilight of his career, but there is little question he still presents a formidable obstacle for opposing forwards.

The stat
1-1: Italy failed to win either of their warm-up games for South Africa 2010, losing 2-1 to Mexico and drawing 1-1 with Switzerland, not that too much should ever be read into Azzurri form on the eve of the competitions that matter. In fact, that stalemate with the Swiss is an encouraging omen for the Italians, who recorded exactly the same score against their northern neighbours in their final matches before Spain 1982 and Germany 2006, competitions that they went on to win.

What they said
“We don’t have a star like Cristiano Ronaldo, Leo Messi or Wayne Rooney, and we can’t play like Brazil, Spain or the Portuguese. But when it comes to defending there’s no one that can match us,” Fabio Cannavaro, Italy defender.

“This is going to be a midfield battle, without question, and it’s sure to be competitive. We’ll be working hard on playing the ball around and having some possession, though. That’s the way to hurt Italy,” Enrique Vera, Paraguay midfielder.

Voice of the fans
“Come Monday the whole world will stop underestimating us and they’ll see that we’re serious candidates for the title. People don’t put Paraguay in the same category as Spain, Brazil, England, Netherlands and Argentina because we don’t have the star names, but we have more than enough quality and I know we can show that,” FIFA.com user bnjalbirrojo.

The question
Who will come out on top in Group F?

101

2010 World Cup - South Africa / WC 2010 - Match 10 - Group E: Japan vs Cameroon

« on: June 13, 2010, 01:26:54 PM »

Japan-Cameroon preview

Mangaung/Bloemfontein hosts its first game of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ on Monday, a Group E contest pitting Cameroon against a Japan team who managed to win just one of their four warm-up matches, scoring a solitary goal. But the Indomitable Lions have not enjoyed the best of results recently either, drawing two and losing two of their own preparatory friendlies. This encounter between two teams potentially short on confidence already has a decisive air about it as, with group rivals Denmark and the highly-fancied Netherlands waiting around the corner, neither side will favour starting their second match on the back foot.

The match
Japan-Cameroon, Mangaung/Bloemfontein, Monday 14 June, 16.00 (local time)

Paul Le Guen's Cameroon players may claim a psychological edge from the fact the west African side have never lost their opening FIFA World Cup match in five previous appearances. For their part, Japan can take comfort from the fact that they have never lost to Cameroon, nor have they even let in a goal. This game will be the first time that the countries have faced each other outside of Asia, their previous matches coming at the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2001 and in two later friendlies in Oita.

Both sides took relatively trouble-free routes to the global showpiece. While the four-time African champions finished top of their group in both qualifying rounds, Takeshi Okada's Japan claimed second place behind Australia, thereby avoiding the dreaded Asian Zone play-offs. Indeed, were it not for their propensity to draw matches, they may well have finished ahead of the Socceroos. They will want to kick their newly-acquired habit of gifting goals to the opposition: three of the last four goals they have conceded were self-inflicted, with two of these own goals coming in a 2-1 friendly defeat by England.

That said, Cameroon may not need any extra help from the Japanese defence, since they are able to count on the services of a certain Samuel Eto'o. As well as providing his team with some much-needed firepower, the Inter Milan striker will be out to show that he is worthy of the celebrity status accorded to him in Africa, especially in the absence of some of the continent's other star names, such as Michael Essien and John Obi Mikel. The first-ever FIFA World Cup on African soil gives Eto'o the perfect opportunity to showcase his not insignificant skills.

Key duel
Marcus Tulio Tanaka v Samuel Eto'o

The tricky task of marking Cameroon's fearsome front man will fall upon the sizeable shoulders of Marcus Tulio Tanaka. The Sao Paulo-born Japanese international defender will have a five-centimetre height advantage over Eto'o and should be primed for the physical challenge. He proved in a recent friendly with Côte d'Ivoire, in which he accidentally injured Didier Drogba, that he is not one to shirk a tackle. The only black mark against his name is a tendency to put the ball into his own net – he was responsible for two of the three aforementioned own goals and Japan could do without him completing an unwanted hat-trick against Eto'o and Co.

The stat
23 - The number of goals scored by each side during their respective qualifying campaigns. The Africans attained the total in 12 matches, while the Japanese did it in 14.

What they say
"I'm expecting it to be just like an away match, but we'll make the best of it. We'll just need to concentrate on our game and show that we have a solid team," Keisuke Honda, Japan midfielder.

"We've worked very hard and we feel ready. We'll be playing against a team with a pacy front line, but we've come up against that before and will deal with it. It'll be difficult but we'll manage," Sebastien Bassong, Cameroon defender.

Voice of the fans
"My dear, beautiful country. My Indomitable Lions, strong and brave. Your warm-up results did not augur well, but knowing that you are all 'lionhearts', I'm very optimistic. We'll definitely get past the first round," hugo2010-89 (Cameroon).

The question
The Japanese have never won a FIFA World Cup match beyond their own borders. Will they manage to put an end to this run against Cameroon? Or will the African side's defence perform better than it did in the run-up to the competition, when shipping seven goals in four matches?

102

2010 World Cup - South Africa / WC 2010 - Match 9 - Group E: Netherlands vs Denmark

« on: June 13, 2010, 08:51:45 AM »

Netherlands-Denmark preview

Not for the first time at a major tournament, the Netherlands go into the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ among the favourites, though the Oranje have to kick off their Group E campaign against a tough-looking Denmark side on 14 June. Having so often boasted a world-class squad, only to fail to fulfil their potential due to internal squabbles or over-confidence, will the Dutch contingent get it right this time?

The match
Netherlands-Denmark, Group E, Johannesburg, Monday 14 June, 13:30 (local time)

The Netherlands may have the edge on Denmark in terms of big-name performers, but the two sides’ head-to-head record makes for interesting reading. The pair boast two wins apiece from five competitive matches, the Dutch scoring ten goals to the Danes’ nine, while each tasted success in the 1988 and 1992 editions of the UEFA European Championship respectively.

The teams also share a lengthy list of injury concerns, with Danish Dynamite boss Morten Olsen, himself has laid low by flu for several days, having to do without key striker Nicklas Bendtner (groin strain) and facing doubts over keeper Thomas Sorensen (elbow) and defenders Simon Kjaer (knee) and Patrick Mtiliga (thigh). His Dutch opposite number Bert van Marwijk will be unable to call on Bayern winger Arjen Robben, who has a hamstring injury, although he does have a top-class replacement available in Real Madrid midfielder Rafael van der Vaart.

On top of his walking wounded, Danish coach Olsen will also be concerned about 1-0 warm-up defeats by Australia and host nation South Africa on June 1 and June 4 respectively, though the Danes did sink Senegal 2-0 on May 27. The Dutch, for their part, have not been beaten since a September 2008 friendly reverse against the Socceroos, though should hold few surprises for their opponents. Indeed, five Denmark players ply their trade in the Netherlands’ Eredivisie and another four share a dressing room with Dutch players at their Premier League clubs.

Players to watch
Daniel Agger v Robin van Persie

The two players experienced mixed fortunes in English football this campaign, with Daniel Agger a solid presence for Liverpool despite the Reds ending a disappointing season down in seventh spot. Meanwhile, Van Persie’s lengthy injury absence was undoubtedly a key factor in Arsenal’s inability to finish higher than third.

It was the Gunners who won the clubs’ head-to-head meetings in 2009/10, 2-1 at Anfield and 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium, though Van Persie missed both of those games. More relevant, therefore, is the fact that the quicksilver Dutch striker scored the last time the two players faced off, in a 1-1 draw in December 2008.

The stat
19 – Van Marwijk’s side come into South Africa 2010 on the back of a record unbeaten run of 19 games, beating their previous mark of 17 set between 2001 and 2003.

What they said
“We have a special kind of arrogance that is one of our strengths. But we shouldn’t let it go too far, otherwise it can become a handicap and we become careless. And when arrogance leads you try to humiliate the opposition, they’ll definitely kick back against it. Right from day one I’ve been trying to get that through to the players,” Bert van Marwijk, Netherlands coach.

“I don’t regard the Netherlands as among the World Cup favourites. They often start off strongly and then suddenly lose a crucial game and crash out. That can always happen when they play a well-organised side, which this time could be Denmark. They are missing their most in-form player, Arjen Robben, and they’re not as strong at the back (as they are going forward),” Dennis Rommedahl, Denmark winger.

Voice of the fans
“The Elftal will finally win the World Cup I have been longing for since 1978, when at the age of 14 I was mesmerised by the Dutch and their dazzling football. Since then every tournament in which the Oranje played has been an emotional rollercoaster of beautiful football and fatal arrogance. But this time it will be different. Come on the Netherlands and win the cup!” FIFA.com User oranjepiet.

The question
Can the outsiders rediscover the spirit of Danish Dynamite and bring the Netherlands’ lengthy unbeaten run to an end? Or will Rommedahl’s dismissal of the Dutch’s chances come back to haunt him?

103

2010 World Cup - South Africa / WC 2010 - Match 8 - Group D: Serbia vs Ghana

« on: June 12, 2010, 10:42:55 AM »

Serbia-Ghana preview

Group D rivals Serbia and Ghana will take to the pitch at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Tshwane/Pretoria knowing their qualification hopes for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™'s Round of 16 could well hinge on this encounter. The venue will be filled to the rafters and there is likely to be heavy support for Ghana in the African side's second consecutive appearance at the global showcase. As for Serbia, they will look to replicate the performances of their venerated predecessors who lit up the world stage under the flag of the former Yugoslavia.

The match
Serbia-Ghana, Group D, Pretoria, Sunday 13 June, 16.00 (local time)

Ghana will not need reminding of their FIFA World Cup debut four years ago, when a loss to Italy left them with an uphill struggle to advance. The Black Stars did that with two subsequent wins but they will hope for a brighter start this time. The side coached by Serbian tactician Milovan Rajevac had a brief preparation phase ahead of the main event that included just two friendlies. The first yielded a 4-1 defeat by the Netherlands, but Ghana bounced back to down Latvia 1-0 in their second dress rehearsal. They look to be blessed above all with a fine team ethic, particularly since Rajevac opted to integrate a number of players from the U-20 side that won last year's world title. That decision quickly paid off as they reached the final of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year.

Despite the notable absence of injured midfielder Michael Essien, the west Africans can count on several gifted individuals capable of filling the void. Up front, Asamoah Gyan will be eager to impress, while midfield trio Sulley Muntari, Kwadwo Asamoah and Andre Ayew can provide support in numbers going forward. Serbia will nonetheless start the game as favourites and desperate to justify that billing, given the famous names sprinkled through their line-up and their impressive showing in qualifying when they topped a group that featured France, Austria and Romania.

From the sidelines, coach Radomir Antic will be expecting big things from a side populated by players who have emerged as first-team stalwarts at some major clubs. Heading that list is Manchester United centre-back Nemanja Vidic, who will line up alongside Chelsea right-back Branislav Ivanovic, while their midfield includes Inter Milan's Dejan Stankovic and Stuttgart's Zdravko Kuzmanovic. Further forward, striker Nikola Zigic will look to wreak havoc using his height, just as he will for Birmingham City next term after joining from Valencia.

Key duel
Asamoah Gyan v Nemanja Vidic

Ghana will forever be grateful to Asamoah for registering their first ever goal at a FIFA World Cup finals. His star continues to shine brightly and he found the net on several occasions during this year's CAN to help his side finish runners-up. Four years on from his history-making strike against the Czech Republic, much is expected of the 24-year-old on South African soil yet he will doubtless need to be at his very best to get anything out of Vidic, the man charged with stifling any Ghanaian attacks. Vidic's extraordinary mastery of the defensive arts has really come to the fore in the last two seasons, allowing him to triumph in the UEFA Champions League with United while earning him respect and admiration throughout the game.

The stat
1 - As part of Yugoslavia, Serbian players met Ghana once, for a 1997 friendly that the Balkan side won 3-1.

What they said
"We have players in our side who took part in the 2006 World Cup. I think we'll need to prepare better this time. There won't be any easy opponents as each team has good players and everyone wants to appear in this event. The task won't be easy, but we're confident and think we can do ourselves justice," Nemanja Vidic, Serbia defender.

"I'm confident and full of hope. I hope the players will give the best of themselves. We want to do great things with this team. We're going to concentrate on the next game and we hope to leave the World Cup having achieved some good results," Milovan Rajevac, Ghana coach.

The question
Can Ghana spring a surprise or will Serbia live up to their standing as favourites?

104

2010 World Cup - South Africa / WC 2010 - Match 7 - Group D: Germany vs Australia

« on: June 12, 2010, 10:34:47 AM »

Germany-Australia preview

In a curious twist of fate typical of the FIFA World Cup™, Australia's opening opponents in a fierce-looking Group D here on South African soil are none other than Germany, host nation for the Socceroos' previous two finals trips in 1974 and 2006. Having reached the Round of 16 four years ago, the Aussies will be keen to repeat that feat, yet a group containing the three-time world champions – taking part in their 17th finals – as well as Serbia and Ghana leaves little margin for error.

The match
Germany-Australia, Group D, Durban, Sunday 13 June, 20.30 (local time)

Neutrals would doubtless enjoy a match along the lines of the countries' spectacular clash at the FIFA Confederations Cup Germany 2005, a game which ended 4-3 to the hosts. Four survivors from that Germany side, in the shape of Arne Friedrich, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Per Mertesacker and Lukas Podolski, are likely to start on Sunday, as well as Australia trio Mark Schwarzer, Tim Cahill and Craig Moore. The two nations' only previous FIFA World Cup contest came 36 years ago, when eventual winners West Germany sank Australia 3-0 in the first round. The Socceroos were making their debut at the global showpiece and ended up going home clutching a solitary point and without scoring a single goal.

Key duel
Mark Schwarzer v Manuel Neuer

The contrast between the two goalkeepers could hardly be starker, with Australia No1 Schwarzer bristling with the experience of nearly 700 professional games, 75 international caps and the aforementioned Germany 2006 campaign. The veteran shotstopper also holds the record for most appearances by a foreign player in England's Premier League, spanning spells at Middlesbrough and current club Fulham, with whom he appeared in last month's UEFA Europa League final defeat by Atletico Madrid – his second big European final. Adding extra spice is the fact that Schwarzer's parents emigrated from Germany to Australia in 1968, and the keeper also boasts Bundesliga experience from early in his career.

Guarding the opposite goal is imposing custodian Manuel Neuer, who at 24 will be making his finals debut for Die Nationalelf. Expected to be the second-choice keeper at South Africa 2010, the Schalke man has found himself elevated to a starting role after Rene Adler dropped out through injury. He does have five senior caps for Germany to his name, however, and was between the sticks when his country’s U-21 squad claimed the continental title last year. One thing seems for certain, with the scoring nous of Australia's Tim Cahill and Josh Kennedy and the likes of Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski gunning for goal for Germany, Neuer and Schwarzer should be busy.

The stat
76 – Coach Joachim Low has assembled Germany's youngest FIFA World Cup squad for 76 years, with his 23-man group having an average age of less than 26. You have to go back to 1934 to find a younger squad, and Germany went on to finish third on that occasion.

What they say
"Our aim is to win, we plan to take the initiative and put pressure on the Australian goal. But they are an extremely well-organised side and their defence is particularly solid. They'll fight for every ball and they're really hard to play against, let alone beat," Joachim Low, Germany coach.

"The Germans are better than us. If they offered us a draw now, we'd bite their hand off. They are probably the most consistent team in the world, they defend like a machine. It'll be really difficult to get a result," Lucas Neill, Australia captain.

Voice of the fans
"Germany have to be favourites, but whether we'll win or not is another matter. In a World Cup match like this Jogi's youngsters have to be careful, because the Aussies have nothing to lose and they'll give it everything they've got," Hölzenbein91 (Germany).

The question
After losing a host of players to injury in the build-up to South Africa 2010, can Germany dig deep and kick off their campaign with a win?

105

2010 World Cup - South Africa / Fans injured in stampede at warm-up match

« on: June 08, 2010, 04:28:56 PM »

Security fears on eve of World Cup as fans injured in stampede at warm-up match
By Christian Gysin (Daily Mail)



Fears over how South Africa will deal with 350,000 visiting supporters to the World Cup were highlighted after a terrifying stampede at a pre-tournament friendly.

Ten people were taken to hospital - with one police officer suffering serious injuries - after 1,000 spectators rushed to get into the friendly match yesterday between Nigeria and North Korea at the Makhulong Stadium in Johannesburg.

Disturbing scenes showed children being taken away with blood pouring from their faces.
Stampede: Police attempt to restrain fans as they burst through the gates ahead of a warm-up match between North Korea and Nigeria in Johannesburg

Stampede: Police attempt to restrain fans as they burst through the gates ahead of a warm-up match between North Korea and Nigeria in Johannesburg
Bloodied: An injured supporter in Johannesburg where thousands of fans caused a stampede

Bloodied: An injured supporter walks away from the stampede in Johannesburg

The images will unnerve the game's governing body FIFA which has resisted claims that South Africa does not have the infrastructure and organisation to stage the tournament.

Fans had tried to break down the gates at the ground after police had closed them after the 4pm kick-off as earlier spectators tried to get into the ground.

The problem of dealing with a relatively small crowd came as England prepare to play at a similar ground tomorrw in a pre-tournament friendly  in front of sell out crowd of 12,000.

 
More...

    * The 'princess' and the tat: Waity Katie's family 'cashing in' with England World Cup merchandise

The game against South African side the Platinum All Stars takes place near their Rustenburg training camp and the crowd has been reduced to 12,000 although the ground has a 20,000 capacity.

Last night the South African authorities made a plea for football fans to turn up early for tournament games to prevent a repeat of yesterday's scenes.

However, while fans from many other countries like to enter grounds more than an hour before kick-off thousands the tradition for English supporters has been to make their way to their seats less than 15 minutes before the games start.

Problems occurred for the South African police and authorities yesterday when hundreds of fans attempted to enter the ground carrying photocopies of free tickets which had been distributed before the match.
football fans

Fans show their tickets to police prior to the warm-up match between North Korea and Nigeria in Johannesburg, South Africa today
Stampede: Fans try to break through gates at the match between Nigeria and North Korea in Johannesburg

Security concerns: Police hold the gates shut, above, but were powerless to stop the rush of people, below

Most of those involved in both an initial stampede and then an attempt to rush the gates of the stadium appeared to be wearing Nigerian jerseys.

Of equal concern to the South African World Cup organisers was a problem inside the ground shortly after the second half began.

The match referee was forced to halt the game for ten minutes after a railing attached to a grandstand broke loose and left hundreds of fans just feet from a dangerous fall from the terracing.
Rush: Fans could be seen falling over as people attempted to get into stadium

Rush: Fans could be seen falling over as people attempted to get into stadium

Last night an FA spokesman said that the South African tournament organisers had made assurances that security for the England friendly today would be 'intensified.'

The Makhulong Stadium has a 15,000 capacity and last year was the subject of a £3.8 million refit as one of four practice stadiums to be used in and around the city during the World Cup.

The ground has been cleared by both the South African Premier Soccer League and FIFA and boasts floodlights, a 200 square metre media facility and both VIP and V-VIP areas.

child football

A child clutches a plastic trumpet as he wanders through police officers

Yesterday fans caught up in the stampede told how they were crushed on the ground shortly before kick-off.

'The crowd just overpowered me and I went down,' said Japhta Mombelo who suffered cuts to his head.

'I fell down and people just fell over me.The crowd was overpowering.'

The first rush came when the gates opened to allow fans into the stadium. Police soon closed the gates, but when they were reopened, a second rush occurred, with more people being pushed over.

A total of six ambulances were sent to the scene .

The Nigeria and North Korean football teams were lining up for the national anthems when the second surge happened and had no idea about the scenes outside the ground.

Last year, FIFA fined Ivory Coast's football federation more than £30,000 after 22 people died in a stampede at a World Cup qualifying match.
nigeria football fans

Nigeria's fans cheer their team on

Official World Cup security was not in place at the match because it was a only classed as a 'friendly' but one police officer blamed FIFA for the trouble.

'FIFA made the tickets free and now look what happened. This was not our problem but FIFA's problem because so many people heard they could watch a match for nothing.'

England's warm-up game today (Mon) at the Moruleng Stadium will see all supporters produce their tickets for the match which is eagerly anticipated by local soccer enthusiasts.

Last night an FA spokesman said: ' We were always insistent that there should only be 12,000 tickets for this game even though the stadium is capable of holding 20,000.The distribution of the tickets was also very carefully controlled.

'But after the incident at the Nigeria-North Korea game we called the organisers to highlight the need for measures to prevent any such rush or stampede at our game and have been assured security in and around the ground will be intensified.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1284442/Thousands-football-fans-stampede-gates-ahead-World-Cup-warmup-match.html#ixzz0qIrRo1Jg

106

2010 World Cup - South Africa / Leave the man alone already, Sepp.

« on: June 05, 2010, 05:18:53 PM »

Just This Once, The World Shares Blatters' Dream
by Bill Archer (bigsoccer.com)

As I wrote yesterday, they're not exactly wild about Sepp Blatter down the in the RSA.

But then, pretty much nobody else outside of the tightly knit circle of collaborators which runs World Football thinks much of the old sleazeball either, so they're in good company.

Which, in an odd kind of a way, may be part of the reason for his latest problem, one which seems to be causing him more anxiety than anything else related to this tournament, ie:

Whither Nelson Mandela Soccer News Topics?



You may recall that Blatter was roundly booed by the crowds in South Korea, an event which was duplicated four years later in Germany.

And for a man who feels his legacy is to be a universally beloved symbol of humanity and the purity of sport (pause for gagging) and whose main motivation for seeking a fourth term later this year almost certainly stems from his current lack of a Nobel Peace Prize Soccer News Topics, having 80,000 people giving him the raspberries on a TV broadcast beamed to every corner of the globe, this is - to say the least - an embarrassment.

Blatter has been publicly fussing and fretting over whether Mandela will be at the opening and closing ceremonies for months now. He says, and rightly so, that to a large extent this is Madibas' tournament and it would be a shame if he were unable to be there.

But for as long as Blatter has been saying this, the great mans' family has been telling anyone who will listen that the ex-President is almost 92 years old and is very frail and in poor health and there is NO CHANCE that he'll be able to be at Soccer City in Joburg next Friday.

As his grandson put it: "he can barely walk".


Of course there's also something of a payback involved here by Mandelas' family. They felt that FIFA Soccer News Topics trotted him around like a party pony for months prior to the vote which gave SA the tournament.

Indeed, one of the more contemptible acts of the utterly contemptible Jack Warner (the man Sunil Gulati wholeheartedly supports) was when, on the eve of the vote, the Serial Kleptomaniac announced - sitting in a five star hotel in Switzerland - that he needed "more convincing" and that the only person who could do it was Mandela himself, a ludicrous contention if ever there was one.

Problem was, Madiba was at home having a health crisis and his physicians ordered him not to fly. But getting the tournament for his country was so important to him that he got on a plane somehow, flew to Zurich, kissed Warners' ass and all was well again.

Except that his family was furious and they've never forgiven FIFA for risking the life of Nelson Mandela so they could have another photo op.

(Warner got a partial payback a couple of years ago when, during a heated T&T election campaign, he suddenly jetted off to SA to "consult" with Mandela as a political stunt. Jack showed up at the door and the Mandela family refused to even open it, instead sending out a note via a servant that Madiba was not accepting visitors).


Some people suggest that Blatter feels that if he's standing there next to one of the greatest men of our time and a man utterly beloved by his countrymen that people aren't going to bother booing him.

Which might indeed be true because, frankly, if Nelson Mandela appears in that stadium - which could quite possibly be his last public appearance ever - the place will go quite literally insane.

And stay there.

Not only will nobody notice Blatter but, more than likely, not much of anyone will notice the game, either. Instead, we'll see a 90 minute outpouring of love the likes of which we may never see again on this Earth.

Which is, of course, exactly what Blatter is hoping for. To hell with soccer, he wants history.


So it was huge news on Wednesday when the SA Minister of Sport announced that the Mandela family had "demanded" tickets so that Madiba could attend the opening ceremony.

It came as a bolt from the blue as everyone had pretty much given up on it happening. The ruling ANC (Mandelas' party) followed with an announcement of their own, reiterating that Mandela would be there.

I only have one question about that tale, and it can be stated in one word followed by a punctuation mark:

Tickets?

As in, "Boy, I hope they were able to still get the old fellow some decent seats. Maybe on an aisle, not too far from the Men's Room. You know old men and their bladders. Plus if it's not too much of a hike to a beer stand that would be cool too. I'm sure the old boy would love getting in the queue for a cold one."?

As in "Why no, Mr. Mandela, we don't seem to see your name on the Will Call list. Could you spell that again please?"

To paraphrase the Federales: He don't need no stinking ticket.

(There's also a persistent rumor that Barack Obama Soccer News Topics will show up. I doubt if that's going to happen either, but anything is possible. However that may be there's not much chance of him having to turn to Shelly and say "Gosh, Hunny Buns, I guess I didn't call soon enough and they say they're all sold out. Hope the kids aren't too disappointed")

Point being, some people really, really don't need to worry about tickets. Nelson Mandela in South Africa - or anywhere else on the face of the Earth - would be extremely high up on that list.

So while it's entirely possible that some people from the Mandela clan asked for some ducats I don't think they'd be for Madiba any more than for Sepp Blatter or President Zuma.


Late yesterday, more stories hit the wires carrying headlines like: "Blatter says Mandela will attend opening ceremony". It seems incredible that so few copy editors actually read the quotes, which say that during a brief visit with the great man a day or two ago, Mandela told Sepp that he "wants to go".

I don't think there's much doubt of that. He's give anything to be able to attend. Nobody doubts that.

But being physically caable is something else entirely.


Yesterday, Mandela received the entire Bafana Bafana team in his home. He was wearing a team shirt with the captains' number 4. Strong, proud men openly wept.

But his foundation refused comment on the media reports about his possible attendance, SAYING THAT "The Nelson Mandela Foundation does not disclose Mr Mandela's schedule in public for security reasons".

Then today HIS GRANDSON AND FAMILY SPOKESMAN Mandla Mandela responded to the press and seemed unequivocal if not a little annoyed:

“I, as a member of the family, together with the family, have taken the decision that my grandfather is 92 years, it would be really a challenge to take him out in a cold winter day to go and watch a game of football. We, as South Africans and the international community need to start considering his health. I really know that he’ll not be at the opening match.”

Which would seem to put an end to the questions, except that almost immediately afterward Blatter told some reporters:

It is fantastic that Madiba will be there at Soccer City in person to witness what he set out to achieve

Asked for comment Mandla Mandela said, in a statement which just oozes with all the warm feelings they have for FIFA:

“I don’t know where they take that from.”

“We, as a family, are independent. We don’t have any member serving at Fifa or having any position at Fifa.... We have no role in their tournament as far as being obliged to be there.”

So is the Mandela family simply being realistic, or are they waiting until the last minute to see if Madiba is up to it that day? Impossible to say.

Offhand, you'd have to guess that Mandela won't be there. All of us are eventually forced to succumb to the ravages of time and age. Even the greatest among us.

But - just for a second - we can have at least one thought, one dream, in common with Sepp Blatter, the entire nation of South Africa and, indeed, virtually everyone else on the planet:

Wouldn't it be grand to see him there?

107

2010 World Cup - South Africa / Sepp and Jerome's Excellent Adventure

« on: June 03, 2010, 04:23:41 PM »

Sepp and Jerome's Excellent Adventure
 by Bill Archer (bigsoccer.com)

The World Cup Soccer News Topics tournament hasn't even begun yet and already South Africa is sick to death of Sepp Blatter

The fog began to lift earlier this year when the nations' media were informed that FIFA Soccer News Topics intended to closely monitor their work product and if any of them were to print or broadcast any material which they felt cast FIFA "in a bad light" their credentials would be canceled.

As it happens, RSA has a tradition of press freedom which they take very seriously and they were outraged that FIFA intends to hold a figurative gun to their heads and will pull the trigger on anyone who doesn't toe the line.


Then something called the Institute of Security Studies published a report which described in detail how Sepp Blatter had personally arranged for the SA bid committee to propose building an enormously expensive white elephant stadium in Capetown.

The initial proposal included an upgrade to the existing Athlone rugby stadium which is located in an economically depressed area of the Cape Flats, in the hope that it would spur further development and jobs in locale which desperately needs both.

Upgrading Athlone stadium would have cost R1.7 billion, according to the estimates. The new Green Point stadium, built because Blatter got former president Mbeki to intervene and change the bid, cost a staggering R4.5 billion.

And it's in a nicely prosperous area since FIFA feels it's better for business. Nobody wants to go watch a game in a depressed section of town, do they? And the visuals aren't nearly as pretty.

Poor folk just aren't as photogenic.


They had barely had time to digest this piece of blatant hypocrisy when a SA media Freedom of Information suit finally forced the disclosure of some of the details of the agreement they signed with FIFA.

Blatter demanded and is currently receiving Head of State status and is due the same protocol and consideration that a head of state would receive.

As such, he was ushered into the country last Thursday through the "protocol lounge" of O.M. Tambo airport, from whence he was driven to his hotel via the highway lane that FIFA demanded be reserved (throughout the length of the tournament) for their exclusive use.

He insisted on staying in the finest suite in the finest hotel in Johannesburg, the five-star all-suites Michelangelo Towers. Free of charge. Along with the other 24 members of FIFA's Executive Committee.

(The remainder of the 200-strong FIFA delegation will stay next door at the Michelangelo Hotel).

At his request, Blatter's personal fridge will be stocked with selected wines and ice cubes made from Evian water.

And while anyone coming anywhere near a World Cup venue with anything other than one of the officially sponsored products would be instantly wrestled to the ground and beaten to death by a horde of FIFA lawyers wielding hand tooled briefcases of the finest leathers, the officially allowed "Bonaqua" bottled water products have been replaced in his personal suite with San Pellegrino flown in from Italy.

While there, he'll have a plush office built just for him, with a private red carpeted entrance, five personal bodyguards and a private bathroom which he demanded be designed with "an African theme"

The latter has created rather a chuckle amongst the populace:


Courtesy, Transparency in Sport

(I'm reliably informed that the tabloid which first published this photo is what one might describe as "low brow". Put another way, The Voice makes The National Enquirer Soccer News Topics look like the Wall Street Journal Soccer News Topics. But they do have a keen sense of the absurd.)


Over the last day or two Blatter has been crisscrossing the country in what local media have been dutifully describing as "visits" to various stadiums. Kind of like a tourist, only with his own personal lane on the highway.

In actuality, what's going on is the official "handing over" ceremonies, at which local officials quite literally "hand over" the stadiums to FIFA, lock, stock and VVIP lounges.

For the duration of the tournament, every last broom pusher, ticket ripper and toilet scrubber in the place will be employed directly by FIFA, or rather, by the French company that bribes Blatter to give them the contract to do so.

Here's the Sepster picking up the keys at three venues just yesterday:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/ibmL1DjAh4A" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/ibmL1DjAh4A</a>
YouTube- FIFA President Sepp Blatter visits last FWC 2010 stadiums

The dancers in Peter Mokaba stadium look like they just hauled some people off the street about ten minutes beforehand, but Sepp is to gentlemanly to notice. Or maybe he just thinks they're related to the decor in his bathroom.

108

Football / The fight for the future

« on: June 02, 2010, 12:14:21 PM »

The fight for the future
By: Garth Wattley (T&T Express).

Little Nequan Caruth didn’t look to be more than 13 years old. But his ball control would have been the envy of some of the big men watching him do his thing at the Hasely Crawford Stadium last ’Super Friday’.

The youngest of the four competitors in the skills competition during the half-time break in the Caledonia AIA vs FC South End match, he emerged the clear winner and crowd favourite for the way he moved the ball from instep to chest and points in between.

The boy had style man. He did his South East Port of Spain school proud.

Nuru Abdullah-Mohammad and Jimmeal Hugghue, however, did not do the same for their teams and the Pro League.

In the second half of the match, the AIA stopper and his South End counterpart traded cuffs, while, as a vicious lagniappe, Hugghue received some kicks to the ribs while flat on the ground. The violence was sudden, startling.

It brought unexpected, ugly drama to what was otherwise a quiet, ordinary game.

I did not see Pro League CEO Dexter Skeene. But if he was there, those two scenarios would surely have prompted some seriously contrasting emotions.

I just didn’t see the fight coming. It was off-the-ball and was not the end product of a physical or spiteful contest. And to the credit of the other players on and off the field and their technical teams, the incident did not spark further sad scenes.

The outburst brought back to April’s brawl between Pro League representatives San Juan Jabloteh and Puerto Rican outfit River Plate in the Caribbean Club Champions qualifiers.

I hope these battles are not becoming a once a month thing. Don’t think so. And it would be unfair, I think, to define the Pro League by such occurrences.

What those displays surely are, though, are signs of these times of ours.

You see, you can’t separate what is happening in society as a whole from what is taking place in the playing fields and stadiums. Just can’t do it.

When one man can kill another because of a mash foot in a fete, why a player can’t leggo a right hand because of some ’disrespec’?

In young Nequan, skill and creativity was just bubbling forth--pure, unadulterated. But the fight among his elders was an example of what often happens in this place to youthful promise. The lack of discipline and self-control that overcame Mohammad and Hugghue--for whatever reason--was not confined to that moment.

All three goals in the game could be blamed on a loss of concentration, an inability to maintain defensive shape. Certainly that was the case with the AIA giveaway at the back that let substitute Troy Moses in for the South End winner.

This same indiscipline is making the cricket suffer up and down the Caribbean.

I was therefore intrigued to read the recent comments of West Indies Cricket Board CEO Dr Ernest Hilaire on the state of the game.

Hear Dr Ernie: ’People ask me, ’What will you do about this team? They are an embarrassment’! I tell them you have about three more years of embarrassment still to witness...

’Until the High Performance Centre, as a structure of support that has been created now to prepare the next generation, we will suffer a lot of embarrassments and a lot of awfulness, because our present cricketers are not prepared...

’We as a region have some real issues and problems that are producing young men, in particular, that cannot dream of excellence...

’Sometimes when you speak to the players, you feel a sense of emptiness. The whole notion of being a West Indian, and for what they are playing, has no meaning at all.

’They have not been brought up with a clear understanding of what it means, and its importance. But do we blame them?...

’Our cricketers are products of the failure of our Caribbean society, where money and instant gratification are paramount...

’Somebody said to me, ’Bring in the Under-19s. They came third at the Youth World Cup’. And I whispered that almost half of the Under-19 team could barely read or write.

’The simple fact is that we are producing cricketers who are not capable of being world-beaters in cricket. It’s just a simple fact.’

Here was an honest and very true assessment of where the problems lie.

Nevertheless, I thought it took long for the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) to issue their predictable indignant response.

But despite their tiresome protestations about the content and timing of the statements, the West Indies team can hardly do worse than currently.

What are the CEO’s comments going to do? Ensure that South Africa win the ODI series 5-0 instead of 4-1?

And why for balance sake did WIPA not also make noise when coach Ottis Gibson said the batsmen did not play with common sense in the third ODI?

West Indies cricket, as it now is, is just beyond words, meaningful ones anyway.

The wider point is, though, that Dr Hilaire could have been speaking about football and most other sports in the region. Jamaica track and field is the outstanding exception.

It is useless to talk about turnarounds when the issues that have caused the decline have not been adequately addressed.

West Indies have paid dearly for fiddling while the cricket crashed. T&T football has also been marking time, propped up by the Special Adviser’s cash.

The one thing I disagree with Doc Hilare on is the time-frame for more suffering. He says three years, I say he ain’t start to count yet.

Why?

Because even if it works to perfection, a High Performance Centre will only reach so many cricketers, for so long a time. Aggressive programmes are needed in each island at various levels for there to be a real culture change.

The same goes for local football.

I’m sure the Pro League are doing their best. But the Football Federation need to do more. Much more.

Nequan’s playing future is in your hands gentlemen.

Don’t let him down.

109

Football / Japan proposes holographic 3D broadcasts for 2022 World Cup

« on: May 20, 2010, 12:28:24 PM »

Japan proposes holographic 3D broadcasts for 2022 World Cup
By Richard Lawler (Engadget.com)

While we're limited to merely 3DTV depictions of the 2010 World Cup, Japan is letting its freak flag fly in a proposal to host the 2022 matches with a concept envisioning matches captured by 200 HD cameras, then projected as fully 3D images onto real fields in other countries. Just in case technology hasn't advanced that far in the next decade plus, there's also the possibility of positioning mics underneath the playing surface to catch every sound, with all of this powered by solar panels plus the kinetic energy created by a stadium full of fans. Even committee director of technology Jun Murai admits the proposal "smacks of science fiction" but seriously, this is Japan we're talking about -- if the beautiful game is still being played by non-augmented human beings and not a squad  of robots we'll be surprised. Either way, someone should put Wolf Blitzer and Will.I.Am on standby just in case.


RoboCup Japan Open underway in Osaka, mechanical soccer still pretty boring
By Joseph L. Flatley (Engadget.com)

They can be adapted to a wide range of human activities -- spying, killing, and assembling automobiles, to name but a few -- but as the various RoboCup competitions remind us time and again, our soccer fields are safe from robot encroachment for the time being. The above specimen, a joint venture by researchers at Osaka University and the Osaka Institute of Technology, is in the Adult Size Class, competing against robots between 130 and 160 centimeters (4.25 and 5.25 feet) tall. The goal of the RoboCup organization is to develop an autonomous soccer robot that will defeat a human team by 2050 -- and it sure looks like it will take forty years at least to reach that goal. See the robot take a slow, measured goal kick for yourself after the break.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/mXJY-wibgzA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/mXJY-wibgzA</a>

110

2010 World Cup - South Africa / International FIFA Fan Fests

« on: May 14, 2010, 11:09:11 AM »

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/organisation/fanfest/index.html



If you're in any of those cities.

111

General Discussion / teacher gone mad

« on: May 13, 2010, 11:16:01 AM »

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1277996/YouTube-film-teacher-Sheri-Davis-attack-pupil-posted-online.html

Teacher attacks 13-year-old student in front of class
Daily Mail

A schoolteacher has been fired after she brutally attacked a 13-year-old pupil in front of a classroom full of students, according to US reports.

Shocking video footage appears to show Sheri Davis dragging, kicking and slapping sixth grader Isaiah Johnson after squaring up to him as he cowered in a corner.

The alleged beating is thought to have lasted almost a minute and was filmed on a mobile phone by another pupils before being posted on YouTube.

Scroll down to watch the video
Schoolteacher Sheri Davis has been fired after attacking 13-year-old pupil Isaiah Johnson in front of a his class

Shocking: Schoolteacher Sheri Davis has been fired after attacking 13-year-old pupil Isaiah Johnson in front of a his class

Unprofessional: Sheri Davis grabs hold of the pupil's T-shirt after she heard him and a girl in confrontation

Officials at Jamie's House Charter School, a centre for children with disciplinary issues in Houston, Texas, are reportedly 'horrified'.

The 40-year-old teacher has been sacked and bosses have apologised to the youngster and his furious mother, Alesha Johnson.

Police have been called in to investigate amid public outcry, which came after the video was obtained by Ms Johnson and aired on Houston's Fox News channel.

Some children can be heard laughing on the tape as Isaiah struggles to defend himself against the teacher.

'I was on the wall like this trying to get away from her and she started hitting me, banging my head to the wall and kicking me,' Isaiah said.

'The teachers piled up and they were looking over each others shoulders just watching.'

Cowering: The teacher approaches the 13-year-old before the attack

Dragging him across the floor: The teach attempts to pick Isaiah up with his trousers before smacking him around the head

Ms Johnson said her son had returned home with bruises on his face and a black eye that day.

'He said to me "Mum what would happen to a teacher that was beating on a kid?"' she said.

'I was like "why, what happened?" and he told me that a teacher jumped on him today.

'I immediately called the school to find out what was going on.

'After it happened, he had wanted to call me and they would not let him call me.'

Ms Johnson added: 'Most of the students had been taking a test and then they put them in an empty room.

'They were all dancing around, playing and they had music going and they were dancing.

'One of the girls told my son "Shut up, stop laughing at me or I'll punch you in the face".

'My son was jumping around saying "come on hit me then".

'The teacher saw him through the window and that's when she came in saying "You want to beat on little girls?" saying she should teach him a lesson.


Slapping attack: The alleged beating lasted almost a minute and was filmed on a mobile phone by another student before being posted on Youtube

Disgust: Officials at Jamie's House Charter School, a centre for children with disciplinary issues in Houston, Texas, have sacked the teacher and apologised to the youngster

'My son never touched the girl', she told Fox News. 'She just went in there straight after him.'

Teachers who attack are now being quizzed by school officials and could face disciplinary action.

Davis had reportedly worked at the school for three years and had no prior complaints against her.

Ms Johnson filed a complaint with Houston Police Department, but added that she was not satisfied with the school's response.

'The teacher who beat on my son has apologised,' she said.

'But I'm not satisfied. They (the school) have cameras in every room, they told me to come back in a couple of hours because they had to rewind the tapes to get back to that day.

'When they called me back they asked me to come to the school. I asked them if they saw what was going on in the classroom and they said that they couldn't see anything and they wanted me to come in. I never went.'

Harris County Sheriff's Office confirmed to Fox News that an investigation was under way, although no charges have been filed.

A statement school Principal David Jones said: 'Now that officials at Jamie's House Charter School have been able to review the video on Fox News, we are horrified at the actions of the teacher.

'There is no excuse for a teacher to behave in this way with a child. Although we had already removed the teacher from the classroom and put her on administrative duty, we now plan to terminate the teacher and make an apology to the student and his mother.

'In addition, the school will investigate whether other teachers witnessed this terrible incident and did not come forward to report it. Those teachers could be facing disciplinary action, as well.

'Educators are entrusted by parents with their children every day and we have a responsibility to see that they are not only taught but treated with respect.

'This incident violates every principle by which we operate Jamie's House Charter School.'



(the youtube video was removed, but I'm sure it's on some news site)


edit: here's a video: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/teacher-beating-video-highlights-school-violence/story?id=10634450

112

2010 World Cup - South Africa / But what if our test is to prove, once and for all, that Fifa is a sham?

« on: May 06, 2010, 10:21:34 PM »

Sepp Blatter: a life less publicised
By Kevin Bloom (Daily Maverick)

There’s a lot you won’t find in the official biographies of Fifa president Sepp Blatter. You won’t find, for example, anything about the numerous corruption scandals he’s been implicated in. What you will find, though, is a long list of his awards, knighthoods and honorary doctorates.

Like the story of the organisation that he runs, there are two versions of the life of Joseph S. Blatter. The first version you can find in the “Who We Are” section of the sparkling Fifa website, which in turn is a subsection of the “About” section. For context, then, let’s start at the top.

Officially, and according to the facts on the biography page – which, when it comes to this organisation, is apparently all the “official” you need – Blatter was born in the Swiss town of Visp, near the Matterhorn, in March 1936. After leaving school, he gained a Bachelor in Business Administration and Economics from the Faculty of Law at Lausanne University. He played football between 1948 and 1971, peaking in the top division of the Swiss amateur league. His other sports activities have included a board membership of Xamax Neuchatel FC between 1970 and 1975, membership of the Panathlon Club (society of sports managers), membership since 1956 of the Swiss Association of Sportswriters, and membership since 1999 of the International Olympic Committee.

Photo: Fifa President Joao Havelange, FIFA General Secretay Joseph Blatter, and Lennart Johansson (L-R), chief of Europe's governing body UEFA and a FIFA vice-president, at the press conference in Zurich, May 31, 1996.

In June 1998, the facts on the Fifa website continue, Blatter was elected as successor to Joao Havelange of Brazil as the eighth president of Fifa. He had already served the world football governing body for 23 years, and his ultimate victory came at the 51st Fifa Ordinary Congress in Paris, France. According to Fifa lore, it was “tdirect support and the interest manifested by numerous national associations from all the confederations” that prompted him to stand for election in 1998. He was re-elected to a second and third term of office, the website visitor is lead to believe, for the same set of reasons.

What the Fifa website doesn’t mention, doesn’t even allude to, is the other reading of Blatter’s 1998 victory over UEFA president Lennart Johannson. This is the reading that suggests an amount of US$1-million was spent on “fixing” the 1998 Fifa poll; that a Middle Eastern leader jetted in around twenty US$50,000 cash gifts to tilt the presidency in Blatter’s favour.

There is no link on the Fifa website, for example, to an article in the UK Observer from March 1999 that reflects on the allegations of bribery. If there was, interested parties might have been able to read the following:

“Envelopes stuffed with cash, it is claimed, were [the] reward [of twenty leading figures in world football] for ensuring Blatter beat Lennart Johansson, the 'honesty' candidate, to become the soccer world's most powerful leader.

“Johansson last night demanded that Fifa investigate the claims, which threaten to plunge soccer's governing body into a corruption scandal like that enveloping the Olympic movement.

“Johansson, the Swedish president of European football's ruling body, urged Fifa to follow the International Olympic Committee's example by holding an internal probe. 'When things go wrong like this, sort it out. Let's have an investigation for the good of the game', he told The Observer.”

Instead, as far as the IOC is concerned, all that Fifa has to say on the matter in their Blatter biography is this:

“Joseph S. Blatter is one of the most versatile and experienced exponents of international sports diplomacy and is totally committed to serving football, Fifa and the youth of the world. The International Olympic Committee acknowledged Mr Blatter's achievements by electing him as a new committee member (the 104th) at the 109th session in Seoul on 20 June.”

Photo: Fifa President Sepp Blatter and then Fifa General Secretary Michel Zen-Ruffinen attend a press conference following a meeting of the FIFA Executive Committee in Seoul, South Korea, on May 26, 2002. Blatter was re-elected FIFA president for a second four-year term, despite facing criminal charges of corruption in the Swiss courts and allegations of financial mismanagement during his first four years as president. REUTERS/Shaun Best

Neither is there any mention made on the Fifa website that Blatter’s 2002 candidacy was likewise marred by financial irregularities and backroom dealings. Back then, Blatter’s own colleague, former general secretary of Fifa Michel Zen-Ruffinen, leaked a 21-page dossier to Reuters that alleged the president had been involved in illegal payments, violating Fifa’s statutes, and rampant cronyism since 1998. Around the same time (February 2002), CNN reported that Farah Addo, a senior official with the African Football Association (CAF), had allegedly been offered US$100,000 to vote for Blatter – although he’d refused the offer, Addo claimed, “eighteen African voters accepted bribes…”

There are, too, reports to be found in the archives of most of the world’s leading media brands that will remind the interested reader of the time in early 2002 when Fifa sued Blatter. Following the publication of Zen-Ruffinen’s dossier, legal proceedings and a criminal investigation had been instituted against the president by senior Fifa officials – but by the end of May he’d won his second term anyway, and by December Zurich prosecutors had dropped all charges.

As for Zen-Ruffinen, as soon as Blatter had been re-elected, he set about getting rid of the man who he once said was “like a son to him”. Even Blatter’s critics had been surprised by the size of his victory over contender Issa Hayatou (Blatter took 139 votes, against Hayatou’s 56). So before ousting Zen-Ruffinen, Blatter was confident enough to make his intentions clear: “On Friday the executive committee will deal with our Mr Clean,” he told the press. “This is it. The latest negative comments from Zen-Ruffinen after my election put the nail in the coffin.” In the corridors of world soccer, Zen-Ruffinen has not been heard from since.

Photo: FIFA President Sepp Blatter embraces rival Issa Hayatou from Cameroon moments after Blatter won the FIFA Presidential vote in Seoul May 29, 2002. REUTERS/Jason Reed

The official Fifa biography of their president does not mention this period. In all good faith, it prefers to draw your attention to Blatter’s many attributes, one of which is his commitment to female football:

“The Fifa president's many years of service in various domains of world football have given him the know-how and vision which are the prerequisites for steering football into the new millennium and for mastering the array of challenges in modern-day football. By setting up a permanent communications network based on state-of-the-art technology, Blatter aims to integrate not only the principal male protagonists into world football's decision-making process but increasingly also their female counterparts – women players, coaches and referees. He also aims at closer cooperation with the confederations, national associations, leagues and clubs and a more open dialogue with Fifa's economic, political, social and cultural partners.”

Bizarrely, no mention is made here of the time in 2004 when Blatter incurred the wrath of female footballers the world over by suggesting they “wear tighter shorts and low-cut shirts…to create a more female aesthetic.” As surprisingly, the Fifa website is mum on the many allegations of vote-rigging regarding the venues for World Cup 2006 and 2010. It also prefers to remain silent on French player Thierry Henry’s handling of the ball in a critical qualifying match against Ireland, an incident that led to a goal which knocked out Ireland and secured France’s place in the World Cup Final in South Africa. (Blatter, it seems, is a big supporter of France; it was claimed that the reason he didn’t attend the prize-podium event in 2006 was because France lost to Italy).

Watch: Investigative reporter Andrew Jennings doorsteps the FIFA president Sepp Blatter to ask if he can be allowed to attend a FIFA press conference in Zurich.

Still, the Fifa website makes up for these numerous oversights by providing a comprehensive record of the honours Blatter has amassed during his full and illustrious career. They are too many to list, so The Daily Maverick will name but a few: Knight of the French Legion of Honour; Order of the National Olympic Committee; Bahrain Medal of the First Degree; Japan’s “Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun”; South Africa’s “Order of Good Hope”; Honorary Doctorate in Philosophy from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth.

It’s incredibly formidable stuff, enough to impress anyone, and we invite our readers to check out the complete list at the link below. We’ll end, though, with an excerpt from the book of a man whose groundbreaking investigative reporting on Fifa was highlighted in an article we published on Wednesday. The man’s name is Andrew Jennings, and the book is Foul!: The Secret World of Fifa: Bribes, Vote Rigging and Ticket Scandals (a longer excerpt of this section of the book was published in the Mail & Guardian in 2006, under the header “How Mandela was strong-armed in World Cup bid” [see link below to read]):

“Ten of Fifa's committee attended the inauguration of President Thabo Mbeki's second term of office in late April (2004). Jack (Warner) and his party got better seats than some world leaders and they even wangled a tour of Mbeki's private residence. There's a happy snap of the occasion: Warner, gold bangles jangling, pumps Mbeki's hand, reluctant to let go. You can almost read the thought bubble above a grinning Mbeki's head. ‘I can just about keep smiling if this guy brings us the World Cup.’

“Jack spent a night in the Presidential Suite that had been Mandela's. Sleeping in Mandela's bed! What more did the South Africans have to do? Much more. Warner demanded an hour of Mandela's time and promptly invited him and fellow Nobel Peace laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu to visit Trinidad. ‘Just as I was received here, he can expect a most hearty welcome by the people of Trinidad & Tobago,’ Warner told a reporter.

“Did Jack now presume to be Mandela's equal? Mandela was 85 years old and his doctors wanted him to cut back on his international travelling. Desmond Tutu (72) was having treatment for cancer. If Mandela and Tutu really, really wanted South Africa to host the World Cup, Jack's invitation was one they literally could not refuse...”

The relationship between Warner and Blatter? The former is Fifa’s vice-president, and like his boss he’s survived numerous scandals. Charges of black market ticket sales and requests for personal payments have affected him about as much as they’ve affected the suave Swiss capo – which is to say, not at all. The only difference between the two men is that Warner’s honours list is a little shorter.

Photo: South African soccer fans cheer as the winning bid for the 2010 World Cup is announced, Cape Town May 15, 2004. Thousands of fans packed into Cape Town's Good Hope Centre to watch a live broadcast as FIFA President Sepp Blatter declared South Africa the winning bid to host the showpiece event. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings

On the eve of World Cup 2010, Blatter’s domination of world soccer is close to complete. By all indications, he has bent the South African government to his will. We’re allowing it, perhaps, because we think the World Cup will deliver us another chance to prove our mettle as a nation. But what if our test is to prove, once and for all, that Fifa is a sham?

By Kevin Bloom

Read Bloom's previous story: Is Fifa an organised crime group? Meet the man who's out to prove it

Read more: The Observer on US$1-million “fixing” allegations, CNN on bribery allegations over 2002 Fifa poll, SwissInfo: Blatter cleared of criminal charges, List of Blatter’s honours on the Fifa website, Excerpt from Foul! in Mail & Guardian, 2006

113

Football / The Cololnel has skills!

« on: May 06, 2010, 05:22:27 PM »

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/XAVkzD7CXuE" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/XAVkzD7CXuE</a>

114

Football / Women's U-17 WC Draw Results

« on: May 06, 2010, 05:14:22 PM »

Group A: Trinidad and Tobago, Chile, Nigeria, Korea DPR

Group B: UEFA 3, Mexico, CAF 3 (Tunisia or South Africa), Korea Republic

Group C: New Zealand, Venezuela, UEFA 1, Japan

Group D: UEFA 2, Brazil, Canada, Ghana

Matches

1 - 05 Sep - 18:00 Hasely Crawford - Trinidad and Tobago v Chile
9 - 08 Sep - 19:00 Mannie Rahmjohn - Trinidad and Tobago v Nigeria   
17 - 12 Sep - 18:00 Ato Boldon - Korea DPR v Trinidad and Tobago

115

Football / Sealy, Glen play full 90 in reserve match vs Stanford U.

« on: May 05, 2010, 06:25:00 PM »

Quakes Reserves Top Stanford, 1-0
SJ Earthquakes Press Release

Justin Morrow sent a scorching 40-yard strike into the net to lead San Jose

Justin Morrow took home Man of the Match honors in a scrimmage against Stanford University Tuesday afternoon from the Nutrilite Training Facility after blasting a 40-yard strike top shelf to lead the Quakes to a 1-0 result.

Morrow stepped into a shot that caught Stanford's keeper off his line, a strike that could give Chris Wondolowski competition for MLS Goal of the Week (if not for lack of video and an MLS opponent).

The Quakes held a majority of the possession while fielding a group of second-teamers and Youth Academy Coach Steven Wondolowski. Brother of Quakes forward Chris, Steven played a full 90 at center and right back.

Starting for the Quakes were (right to left, 4-4-2): Jon Busch, Chris Leitch, Steven Wondolowski, Bobby Burling, Justin Morrow, Javier Robles, Brad Ring, Scott Sealy, Ramon Sanchez, Eduardo, Cornell Glen.

In the 62nd minute, Chris Wondolowski and Joey Gjertsen subbed on for Leitch and Burling. Ring slid into center back with Morrow to his left and Steven Wondolowski to his right, the Quakes taking a 3-5-2 shape.

Busch split time in the frame with Andrew Weber. Stanford didn't manage much offense, but the shots they took made San Jose's keepers work. Busch stopped a pair of 1-on-1 breakouts and Weber made a diving save to keep the sides level in the 53rd minute.

Playing a full 90 were Glen, Eduardo, Morrow, Robles, Ring, Sealy and Sanchez.

San Jose returns to MLS action on Saturday as the Quakes host the New York Red Bulls at 7 p.m.

Earthquakes defeat Stanford 1-0 in scrimmage
By Robert Jonas (centerlinesoccer.com)

The Earthquakes convened for a light practice on Tuesday afternoon, followed by a scrimmage against the Stanford University Men’s Soccer team, at their new Nutrilite Training Facility in San Jose. A squad of mostly reserves, including the younger brother of last weekend’s MOTM Chris Wondolowski, staved off a feisty and focused Stanford team for a 1-0 win on a Justin Morrow 40 yard strike.

The line-up was as follows:

Eduardo — Cornell Glen
Ramon Sanchez — Scott Sealy — Brad Ring — Javier Robles
Justin Morrow — Bobby Burling — Stephen Wondolowski — Chris Leitch
Jon Busch

The game started out well for the Earthquakes, as the midfield four formed more of a diamond shape with Sealy joining Eduardo and Glen in a striking triumvirate. Eduardo looked especially sharp in the early minutes, as Stanford could do little to counter his size and strength as a post-up forward. Nice interplay with Sanchez and Robles from the wings resulted in some early possession in the attacking third, and a few corner kick set pieces.

Stanford was closest to scoring first, when Wondolowski was victimized by a nice through ball that left the Cardinal forward one-on-one with Busch. A chip-shot attempt went wide of goal, and then Busch knocked into the forward injuring his opponent’s shoulder. Unfortunately the injury forced him from the game.

In the 25th minute, with the Earthquakes finding space inside the Stanford penalty area hard to come from, Glen took a fine shot from 25 yards out that forced a palm save by the ‘keeper. Robles pounced on the rebound from just outside the area, but the ‘keeper again made a nice reaction save.

Five minutes later, the Cardinal had their second one-on-one chance with Busch, on a similar through ball that caught the defenders flat footed. This time Busch was forced to lay out his body and directed the ball away with his foot. The San Jose Sharks Evgeni Nabokov would have been proud of the effort.

With the halftime whistle, the game remained scoreless. The Quakes carried a slight edge in possession, but the striking tandem of Eduardo and Glen were unable to test the goalkeeper. Sealy, playing more as a withdrawn forward, was neutralized by a congested Stanford midfield.

The second half began with Andrew Weber replacing Busch in goal, and he was tested in the first ten minutes as Stanford played with more attacking verve. In the 53rd minute, Weber made a nice save to push away a close range header at his near post. On the ensuing corner kick, the Cardinal narrowly missed taking the lead on a well struck volley that traveled just high of the crossbar.

In the 55th minute, a teasing shot from the right flank beat Weber to the far post, but caromed of the woodwork and into the path of a Cardinal forward. His follow-up attempt was slightly scuffed, giving Weber the chance to make a comfortable save.

At the 60 minute mark, the Quakes made two changes to the line-up, as Joey Gjertsen and Chris Wondolowski came in for Burling and Leitch. Some shuffling of positions left the team in a 3-5-2 formation that looked as follows:

Eduardo — Cornell Glen
Chris Wondolowski — Ramon Sanchez — Scott Sealy — Javier Robles — Joey Gjertsen
Justin Morrow — Brad Ring — Stephen Wondolowski
Andrew Weber

The new look formation immediately paid dividends, as the three central midfielders asserted more control of possession in the front of the Stanford defenders. The Quakes were able to keep Stanford on their heels, and earned a free kick from 40 yards out in the 62nd minute.

Instead of looking to drive the ball into the Stanford penalty area, Robles passed the ball across the field to Sealy, who sent the ball along to Morrow. With the Cardinal defense pushing their line forward, Morrow saw the goalkeeper off his line and fired a knuckling ball over his head and into the goal. It seemed everyone was caught by surprise, even an sheepish looking Morrow. However, this was no accident, with the quality of the strike worthy of mention along side Wondolowski’s game winner against the Rapids last Saturday.

Neither team really threatened in the attacking third as the game wore on, and both sides seemed content to let the game end at 1-0. The Cardinal proved to be a good opponent for the Quakes, and deserve credit for their determined performance. For San Jose, the scrimmage afforded the reserves and players looking to make their way back from injury a chance to get in some proper match action. Seeing Eduardo and Glen work well up top was encouraging, as was the play of Brad Ring and Justin Morrow in their defensive roles. Lastly, the goalkeeping play was excellent when required — a nice sign that there is no drop off in quality after Joe Cannon on the depth chart.

116

Football / Beckenbauer in T&T for U-17 World Cup draw

« on: May 05, 2010, 04:15:03 PM »

Beckenbauer in T&T for U-17 World Cup draw
T&T Express

CONSIDERED one of the greatest to have played the game, former German captain Franz Beckenbauer is in Trinidad for the draw ceremony for the 2010 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup, which takes place from seven o’clock tonight (May 5th) at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Wrightson Road, Port of Spain.

Beckenbauer is here in his capacity as chairman of the FIFA Organising Committees of the FIFA U-20 and U-17  Women’s World Cups, along with Steffi Jones, president of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) Germany’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.

Also in attendance will be several top local sporting personalities, including former West Indies captain Brian Lara, boxer Ria Ramnarine and hockey star Stacey Siu-Butt.

A spectacular cultural show will form part of the proceedings and prior to the draw, Beckenbauer and FIFA vice-president Jack Warner will speak to local and international media at a press conference to be held at 6 p.m. at the Hyatt.

Trinidad and Tobago will host the Under-17 Women’s World Cup from September 5- 25 and the draw will determine the fixtures for the group stage of the competition, which will be played at five venues in T&T: Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain; Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella; Larry Gomes Stadium, Arima; Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva; and Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet.

Ten of the 16 teams participating in the tournament are already known. They are: Trinidad and Tobago, who have qualified automatically as the host country; Japan, Korea DPR and Korea Republic (Asian zone); Canada and Mexico (North, Central America and Caribbean zone); Brazil, Chile and Venezuela (South American zone) and New Zealand (Oceania zone).

The African zone will not complete their qualifiers  until later this month, while the European zone will be contested from June 22-26. 

117

Football / UEFA CL Semifinal • Bayern v Lyon • 21 Apr 2010

« on: April 21, 2010, 12:49:50 PM »

http://atdhe.net/17851/watch-bayern-munchen-vs-olympique-lyon

http://www.atdhe.net/17833/watch-bayern-munchen-vs-olympique-lyon

http://www.atdhe.net/17830/watch-bayern-munchen-vs-olympique-lyon

118

Technical Support / New forum feature: Lineup button - Post your favorite lineups

« on: April 14, 2010, 01:34:00 PM »

Thanks to some clever coding by Tallman we now have a 'lineup' button, located on far right end of the middle row above the 

It currently supports the following formations: 4-4-2 (the default), 4-5-1, 4-3-3, 3-5-2, and the classic 2-3-5.

Names get listed between the tags separated by comas starting from the keeper and go left to right from defense on forward.

e.g.

Jack

A. John

Sancho

Andrews

Spann

Birchall

Latapy

Whitley

Edwards

S. John

Yorke

Ince

A. Edwards

Lawrence

Thomas

Power

Daniel

Birchall

Yorke

Latas

C. Edwards

K. Jones

Ince

Smith

Hislop

Lawrence

Telesford

Whitley

Daniel

Hyland

Carlos

Stern

Scotland

Give it a try and post your favorite all time lineups.

119

Other Sports / Texas Stadium imploded

« on: April 11, 2010, 08:41:41 PM »

Texas Stadium: Dallas Cowboys former home gets imploded (see video)


<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/b5TbVjMx3mQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/b5TbVjMx3mQ</a>

120

Football / Barbados Cup: T&T's U-15 Step by Step victors

« on: April 06, 2010, 11:36:05 AM »

Shared glory at end of Barbados Cup
By Michael Phillips (barbadosadvocate.com)

Barbados - 06 04 2010 - The 23rd annual Barbados Cup came to an end this Good Friday with a presentation ceremony at the National Stadium. The tournament ended with the spoils of battle, the category titles, being shared among some of our Caribbean neighbours and host Barbados.

In Finals matches that were played at various venues, Pro Shottas had the ‘lions share’ of caps with teams in the Under-13, 15 and 17 categories. They also had the largest number of awards copping six in total.

The Under-13 final saw Pro Shottas facing St. Kitts in a goal-less match which came down to penalties. At the end of it all St. Kitts was victorious with 3-1 at Banks Breweries.

Pro Shottas were in a final match again, this time vying for supremacy over Trinidad and Tobago’s Step by Step in the Under-15 group. They would eventually be cut short as the Trinis would come out on top with a one-nil victory.

However, perseverance paid off and Pro Shottas got their revenge against Step by Step when they met up in the Under-17 category. They’d topple our neighbours to the South with a brilliant three-nil victory.

The only all-local game to be played was between Pinelands and Parish Land at the Under-19 level which ended 0-0. This was a third place match which resulted in the teams sharing the position. This category was played in a league format as they were only six teams at this level, as opposed to a knock-out system for the other age-groups. The first place and second place went to Kick Start and Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic respectively.

At the end of the knock-out tournaments the Under-13 standings had St. Kitts at number one with Pro Shottas in second place while Gall Hill and Haynesville tied for third.

Step by Step won the Under-15 with Pro Shottas taking second place again while Notre Dame and Haynesville shared third place honours.

Pro Shottas stood at the top of the table in the Under-17 leaving Step by Step to settle for second ahead of Kick Start and Parish Land.

This year’s competition saw 50 teams coming from Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Vincent, St. Kitts and as far as St Maarten.

Five new teams also emerged from our very own land including Rising Suns and Eastern, both from St. John, Church Bottom from St. George and Checker Hall in St. Lucy. The fifth new team Daryll’s Road is one of ten hailing from the parish of Christ Church which Tournament Director George Las Caris has described as a ‘hotbed’ for youth football in Barbados.

Awards for Barbados Cup

Under-13

Best Goal Keeper: Damon Leacock – Haynesville
Best Defender: Albert Collymore – Pro Shottas
Best Midfielder: Tahir Hanley – St. Kitts
Best Striker: Ryan Forde – Pro Shottas
Most Valuable Player: Tahir Hanley – St Kitts

Under-15

Best Goal Keeper: Johnathan Rodgers – Step by Step
Best Defender: Reynaldo Bailey – Pro Shottas
Best Midfielder: Kerwin Trim – Step by Step
Best Striker: Tafari Williams – Step by Step
Most Valuable Player: Tafari Williams – Step by Step

Under-17

Best Goal Keeper: Shaquille Bradshaw – Parish Land
Best Defender: Dayo Ward – Pro Shottas
Best Midfielder: Shamari Stevenson – Pro Shottas
Best Striker: Renako Nurse – Barbados Soccer Academy
Most Valuable Player: Kemar Headley – Pro Shottas

Under-19

Best Goal Keeper: Tavere Marshall – Pinelands
Best Defender: Ricardo Morris – Kick Start
Best Midfielder: Raheem Sargeant – Kick Start
Best Striker: Chai Lloyd – Kick Start
Most Valuable Player: Kyle Gibson – Parish Land


http://thebarbadoscup.com/