2010 World Cup Thread

[Black Widow]

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[Black Widow]

Day 1:



Result: South Africa (Tshabalala, 55) 1 - 1 Mexico (Marquez, 79)



Bafana Bafana held in opener
Marquez cancels out Tshabalala strike in Jo'burg


South Africa were denied a dream start to the 2010 World Cup after their opening Group A encounter with Mexico ended 1-1.

A sublime finish from Siphiwe Tshabalala had put Bafana Bafana within 11 minutes of victory, however Rafael Marquez levelled matters to ensure an absorbing contest finished all square.

Mexico, who dominated the first half, were made to pay for missing numerous chances when Tshabalala expertly latched on to Teko Modise's through ball and calmly lashed the ball past Oscar Perez 10 minutes into the second half.

The celebration which followed was something special, however the majority of the 90,000 fans inside Soccer City were to be denied a famous win.

After offering little in the way of attacking threat during the second period, defensive midfielder Marquez neatly controlled Andres Guardado's cross and fired home to level the scores.

Both sides pressed for a winner, and Katlego Mphela almost won it for the hosts but his last minute effort bounced back off a post.

Pressure

Mexico kicked off the first Finals to be held in Africa, and so nearly got off to a dream start with just two minutes on the clock.

Full-back Paul Aguillar's low teasing cross caused panic in the penalty area and, with goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune stranded on the floor, Aaron Mokoena dived in to deny Giovani dos Santos a certain goal.

Mexico continued to dominate possession and territory in the opening exchanges as the occasion appeared to be getting the better of the hosts.

El Tri should have made their pressure tell on 15 minutes, Giovani's pinpoint corner was inch-perfect, but the arriving Guillermo Franco headed over from six yards.

Efrain Juarez was the first man to be cautioned on 18 minutes when he prevented a quick free-kick taking place.

Giovani, who spent much of last season on loan at Galatasaray from parent club Tottenham Hotspur, continued to wreak havoc through the middle and his fizzing drive nearly saw the deadlock broken in spectacular fashion minutes later.

Reneilwe Letsholonyane joined Juarez in the book on 27 minutes when he cynically ended another menacing run through the middle from Giovani.

The wave of Mexican pressure continued and only an instinctive stop from Khune prevented Franco putting Javier Aguirre's men into a deserved lead.

Carlos Vela then saw a cross-cum-shot flash wide and Giovani had a shot deflected over as the hosts failed to deal with the movement and trickery of their opponents.

The ball did hit the South African net from the resulting corner, however Mexican celebrations were cut short by the linesman's flag after he correctly flagged Vela offside.

Bafana Bafana put together their first meaningful attack three minutes before the break, quick interchange in the midfield eventually ending with Mexico nervously putting the ball behind for a corner.

Fierce drive

That gave the hosts some new-found belief and a dangerous cross from Modise was inches away from finding the head of the onrushing Tshabalala.

After ending the first half strongly, South Africa continued to press forward after the break as Everton playmaker Pienaar saw more of the ball.

And on 55 minutes the stadium erupted as Bafana Bafana went ahead courtesy of a stunning left-footed finish from Tshabalala.

With the Mexico backline caught square, Modise slipped the rampaging left-winger away and his fierce drive from just inside the area sailed past Perez and into the far top corner.

Mexico responded well, Giovani skipping inside and unleashing a rasping effort of his own which brought the best out of Khune.

The home side were content to play on the counter-attack thereafter and Modise nearly doubled Bafana Bafana's lead on 70 minutes but Perez was out quickly to block with his legs.

Mexico coach Aguirre rung the changes in search of a route back into the game, Vela and Franco both making way for Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Javier Hernandez respectively.

And, without threatening at all in the second period, Mexico grabbed a lifeline 11 minutes from time when Barcelona's Marquez sidefooted home after poor defending from the hosts.

A short corner was played in towards the back post by Guardado, and Marquez was allowed all the time in the world to control and take aim past the helpless Khune.

Mexico had the momentum in the final stages, but it was South Africa who could, and perhaps should, have won it when Mphela struck a post late on.


Man of the match: Siphiwe Tshabalala. Thunderbolt capped lively display.
Moment of the match: Mphela striking the post late on - so, so close to a late winner.
Attempt of the match: Tshabalala's goal - a quite brilliant strike.
Save of the match: Khune flung out an arm to save well from Franco.
Talking Point: Can South Africa improve defensively enough to get out of their group? They certainly need to.
Goal of the match: Tshabalala.





Result: Uruguay 0 - 0 France



Goalless for limp Les Bleus
Uruguay end Group A clash with 10 men as France fail to convince


France's opening game of the 2010 World Cup ended in a largely uninspiring 0-0 stalemate against Group A opponents Uruguay, who will undoubtedly be the happier with the result after finishing the game with 10 men.

In an encounter that failed to live up to the drama earlier in the day in Johannesburg, the French and Uruguayans joined South Africa and Mexico on a point apiece.

Sidney Govou spurned the match's best chance during the early exchanges before their South American counterparts grew in confidence only to later see Nicolas Lodeiro receive the tournament's first red card.

Abou Diaby was the surprise inclusion in France's starting XI with the Arsenal player slotting into a three-man midfield - Florent Malouda losing out following reports of a dispute with manager Raymond Domenech. Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez, meanwhile, named his side on Thursday.

Seven minutes into the game came the first real chance. Diaby did well to turn and lose his man centrally and then feed Franck Ribery, who got a tad fortunate with his dribbling before firing low across goal only for Govou to squirt an arguable sitter wide of the far post.

Forlan factor

Forlan continued the confidence of his fine season at club level for Atletico Madrid when on 16 minutes he attempted a right-footed drive at goal which drew a parried save from French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who earlier unconvincingly dealt with a bouncing ball.

Les Bleus then responded with a chance of their own as Yoann Gourcuff ambitiously shot a free-kick at goal from a very tight angle, forcing keeper Fernando Muslera into an acrobatic right-wristed save. Moments later, Ribery was shown the second yellow card of the game after Patrice Evra had previously been cautioned for a similar pulling-back offence.

Diaby continued his impressive showing on 31 minutes when he galloped past a succession of challenges before threading in Govou. But an offside Nicolas Anelka nipped in ahead of the Lyon winger, bringing an end to a chance of a clean run in on goal, much to the disdain of Domenech.

The first half ended with a damp squib. Forlan huffed and puffed from deep while his attacking counterpart Suarez struggled to remain onside. For France, who were marginally the better side in the first 45 minutes, Anelka saw a header flash harmlessly wide before Japanese referee Yuici Nishimura called an end to a goalless period.

Uruguay began the second period the brighter as Arevalo Rios' first-time pop from outside of the area lacked a pure connection and skimmed wide. Then just a minute later, Forlan threatened but was forced wide by William Gallas as the former's hit zoomed high and wide.

Domenech decisions

After a slow start after the interval from France, Domenech's men steadily upped their tempo. In the 56th minute, Toulalan tried a hugely ambitious effort from around 40 yards out which was comfortably dealt with by Muslera, before Cesareo Victorino went into the book for a challenge on the advanced Evra.

Tabarez moved to alter the pattern of the game when he brought on Lodeiro in the 63rd minute, but the playmaker's first taste of action resulted in a booking. Nonetheless, Uruguay continued to pose a half-threat to Lloris' goal, with Forlan firing a free-kick down the throat of the keeper before Suarez was penalised for a barging the Lyon shot-stopper.

Then it was Domenech's turn to make a change, an arguably overdue one, when Thierry Henry replaced Anelka on 72 minutes. Yet it were Uruguay who again went the closest, this time Forlan lashing wide when he should have done better after a loose ball fell to his feet.

France then opted to bring on the out-of-favour Malouda, who wasted no time in smashing a strike, seemingly out of frustration, wide of the goal. And the French were handed greater momentum when Lodeiro received his marching orders after being handed a second yellow card for a crude tackle on Bacary Sagna.

The dismissal forced Domenech's last throw of the dice as Andre-Pierre Gignac entered the fray. Les Bleus' numerical advantage saw them dominate possession but with little penetration, and their hopes of a late victory evaporated when referee Nishimura confidently waved away appeals for a penalty as Henry's shot appeared to clip Victorino's hand.


Man of the Match: Diego Godin helped to repel the few meaningful attacks that France managed to muster.

Moment of the Match: Substitute Nicolas Lodeiro receiving the first red card of the tournament, having earned two yellow cards in the 18 minutes he was on the pitch.

Attempt of the Match: Sidney Govou fluffed the best chance of the match in only the seventh minute as he failed to get a significant touch on Franck Ribery's cross.

Save of the Match: There were not really too many to remember, but Hugo Lloris' diving stop to block a Diego Forlan effort was easy on the eye.

Talking Point: What is the matter with France? Will reported in-house squabbling and Domenech's impending departure lead to an early ticket home?

[Black Widow]

Day 2:



England v USA preview
Capello's men kick-off against Bradley's side


England will carry the hopes of an expectant nation on their shoulders when they open their World Cup campaign against USA.

The waiting is almost over and at 7.30pm on Saturday evening Fabio Capello's side will take to the field in Rustenburg for the first clash of their Group C campaign against Bob Bradley's men.

Capello has kept the public, the media and, to a certain extent, his players in the dark over who will be named in his starting XI.

But the Italian admitted on Thursday that he already knew his side - injuries permitting - and is sure to have used the closed training session on the same day to put his plans into place.

Debate

Questions remain over every aspect of the England side, but much of the debate has focused on who will be handed the goalkeeping duties, with David James, Rob Green and Joe Hart all in contention.

In defence, Capello must select a new central defensive partner for John Terry after captain Rio Ferdinand's tournament was ended by injury, with Ledley King, Matthew Upson, Jamie Carragher and Michael Dawson available.

Gareth Barry is unlikely to be fit enough to adopt the midfield holding role, although his recovery from an ankle injury has been encouraging, so new skipper Steven Gerrard is expected to partner Frank Lampard at the heart of the pitch.

Wayne Rooney's troublesome temperament has also generated plenty of column inches, but the Manchester United striker is certain to be England's focal point in attack.

Peter Crouch, Emile Heskey and Jermain Defoe are options to partner Rooney, unless Capello adopts a five-man midfield with the 24-year-old operating in a lone role up front.

Exploits

USA may be 6/1 outsiders for success at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium, but Bradley's men must not be underestimated following their exploits at the Confederations Cup last summer, where they beat Spain en route to a narrow final defeat to Brazil.

There will be a host of familiar faces in the USA side as a number of their party have Premier League experience, including the likes of Tim Howard, Jonathan Spector, Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey.

Striker Jozy Altidore, who spent last season on loan at Hull City, is expected to be fit to face England after recovering from the ankle problem which kept him out of the 3-1 warm-up victory over Australia.

Bradley is also confident that defender Oguchi Onyewu will be able to complete the full 90 minutes having only recently returned to action from a lengthy lay-off after suffering a patella tendon injury seven months ago.





South Korea v Greece preview
Park and Lee boost for South Koreans; Moras out for Greece


South Korea and Greece will kick off Group B of the World Cup in Port Elizabeth on Saturday as both teams look to start their campaigns on a high note.

As Asia's most successful team in the World Cup, South Korea will be hoping to emulate their 2002 display when they reached the semi-finals of the tournament co-hosted by themselves and Japan.

The Taeguk Warriors, who have featured in the showpiece event since 1986, were less successful four years ago as they failed to advance past the group stages.

But after drawing against Argentina and Nigeria as well as Greece, Huh Jung-moo's side will have their sights set on at least the runners-up spot in their group.

Greece, meanwhile, have not featured in the World Cup finals since their debut appearance in 1994, when they endured a disastrous campaign in the USA.

The Greeks lost all three of their group matches that year, conceding a massive 10 goals and not once finding the back of the net.

Of all the European teams to have played at the tournament, Otto Rehhagel's men are the only side without a single goal.

Greece enter the competition on the back of a dispiriting 2-0 loss to Paraguay in their final warm-up match, but they were crowned European Champions under Rehhagel in 2004 and could be looking to spring another surprise.

South Korea news

The South Koreans will be boosted by the recovery of two of their star players, captain Park Ji-sung and striker Lee Dong-gook.

Former Middlesbrough forward Lee suffered a hamstring injury last month but is expected to play some part on Saturday after returning to fitness, and could even start for the Warriors.

Talismanic skipper Park, meanwhile, will play a crucial role in midfield after also recovering from a hamstring problem that forced him to miss the side's final friendly against Spain.

Veteran Lee Woon-jae is likely to retain his spot between the posts as Huh's No.1 goalkeeper.

Greece news

Defender Vangelis Moras is ruled out of the opener for Greece due to an ankle injury, with midfielder Kostantinos Katsouranis likely to drop into his position.

However, Rehhagel could choose to keep Katsouranis in midfield and consider other options for his central defence.

Vasilis Torosidis and Giourkas Seitaridis are both expected to start after overcoming their own injury problems.

Goalkeeper Alexandros Tzorvas could start ahead of the more experienced Kostas Chalkias after being first-choice for the majority of the Greek friendlies.





Argentina v Nigeria preview
Tricky opening test for Maradona's men


Argentina kick off their Group B campaign in Johannesburg on Saturday against an ambitious Nigeria outfit.

Despite only just scraping through the South American qualifying section, Argentina arrive at the World Cup as one of the favourites to win the tournament.

They have always produced players that excel on the international stage, none more so than their current manager Diego Maradona, but success in South Africa may depend on whether this legendary figure can get the best out of the talent at his disposal.

Maradona has been unpredictable with his team selections since taking charge, having called up over 100 players in his first 18 months, and is still searching for a system that allows all his top men to play together.

With an embarrassment of riches up front, Argentina are likely to line up with a three-man attack that includes World Player of the Year Lionel Messi.

Fears over the Barcelona superstar's fitness after a gruelling season have been dismissed and he will be looking to turn in the sort of dazzling display that has become commonplace at club level over the past few years.

Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez appears to have played himself into the starting XI, meaning that either Gonzalo Higuain of Real Madrid or treble-winning Inter Milan hero Diego Milito will have to miss out.

Newcastle's Jonas Gutierrez is set to fill in at right wing-back alongside three more recognised defenders in Walter Samuel, Martin Demichelis and Gabriel Heinze.

Javier Mascherano of Liverpool will add steel to midfield, where he could be supported by veteran playmaker Juan Sebastian Veron and rising star Angel di Maria.

Nigeria news

Nigeria may rue the fact that they have been drawn to face the group favourites in their opening match, but will believe they can claim at least a point and build from there against Greece and South Korea.

The Super Eagles have made it clear they expect to make an impact in the tournament, with striker Kanu setting his sights on a semi-final place at least.

Lars Lagerback has not had long to get to know his troops, having only been appointed as manager in February, and has had to deal with the withdrawal from the squad of Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel due to a knee problem.

Mikel's place in the starting XI against Argentina could go to Monaco youngster Lukman Haruna, who has impressed in warm-up games.

There are a host of faces still in the squad that will be familiar to Premier League audiences, with Bolton's Danny Shittu, Fulham midfielder Dickson Etuhu and Everton duo Joseph Yobo and Yakubu Aiyegbeni among those pushing for starts.

[Black Widow]

Day 2:




Result: Argentina (Heinze, 6) 1 - 0 Nigeria


Argentina make winning start
Maradona's men make hard work of victory


Argentina secured victory over Nigeria in what was a scrappy affair at Ellis Park in Johannesburg with a 1-0 victory.

Gabriel Heinze headed the early winner from a corner for Diego Maradona's side in an open game full of chances, but worryingly for Argentina their key players failed to hit the back of the net.

Lionel Messi created and missed several chances to kill the match off, denied on many occasions by keeper Vincent Enyeama, who was outstanding throughout.

Maradona was just as animated throughout the game, with constant passionate gestures and barking orders at his team from the touchline to try and organise his side who were, at times, sloppy in possession.

The Super Eagles had some significant openings themselves, with Kalu Uche coming closest for his side late into the game but striking a half volley over the bar after a clever cross from Yakubu.

Argentina made their way through the game with constant clever passes and creating several opportunities, however they lacked a killer instinct that could come back to haunt them against sides with more clinical quality.

Messi made a lively start and one mesmerising run from deep saw him ghost past three Nigeria defenders and pick out Gonzalo Higuain with a low cross, but the Real Madrid striker sidefooted an easy chance wide from close range.

The Barcelona forward then had a goalbound curling shot tipped over by Enyeama.

But from the resulting corner Argentina went ahead, with five minutes played. Juan Sebastian Veron swung the ball in from the right and Marseille defender Heinze, running towards the penalty spot, sent a powerful diving header into the top left corner.

Messi was then allowed to cut in from the right, leaving Chinedu Obasi on his backside and his curling left-footed shot was destined for goal until Enyeama at full stretch parried it away.

Confusion

Messi and Carlos Tevez were causing confusion for the Nigerians by taking turns to drop deep and move forward, and when the Manchester City man received the ball in a deeper position after 20 minutes his through-ball found Higuain bursting into the box but Enyeama dashed out to make the block.

Sani Kaita miscued an attempted volley wide for the Africans who stepped up the pressure for a short period. Neat passing from Dickson Etuhu and Yakubu created an opening for Obasi but his low cross was just too far ahead of Yakubu as the Everton man tried to slot it home.

Messi again tested Enyeama to the limit with another curling effort destined for the right-hand corner of the goal but the goalkeeper stretched out his left hand to claw the ball away.

Walter Samuel headed a presentable chance over the top from a Veron corner six minutes into the second half and the Inter Milan defender almost released Angel Di Maria with a long ball but the Benfica man could not bring it under control.

Messi won a corner after a pacy dribble took him away from the Nigeria defence, with Chidi Odiah blocking his effort.

A swift break at the other end saw substitute Obafemi Martins square the ball to Kaita, but his 30-yard shot was far too ambitious and sailed over.

Stretched

The game was becoming more stretched and Tevez strode forward before picking out Messi, whose low left-footed shot was just wide and the Barca man then teed up Higuain, whose shot was again blocked by the ever-alert Enyeama.

Argentina's failure to kill the game off almost cost them as Peter Odemwingie played the ball inside to left-back Taye Taiwo, and his thunderous low effort had the beating of Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero but just skidded wide of the right post.

Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero then had to punch clear a shot from Martins as the 'Jabulani' World Cup ball threatened to make a mug of him with its changes of movement in the air.

It was clearly not going to be Messi's afternoon to score as Enyeama spread himself to block after a wonderful interchange with Di Maria as the game entered its final 10 minutes.

Nigeria could have levelled seconds later when Yakubu's cross from the right found substitute Uche, but the Almeria midfielder struggled to get over the ball and could not keep his left-footed shot down, and Yakubu drilled another shot over the top from long range with three minutes left.

But it was Argentina's day as the early Heinze effort proved the difference.


Man of the Match: Vincent Enyeama. Constantly thwarted the brilliant Lionel Messi, who was a thorn in Nigeria's side for 90 minutes.

Moment of the Match: Messi bursting through the defence in the first half as he set up Higuain for a sitter which he missed.

Attempt of the Match: Kalu Uche clearing the bar from Yakubu's right-wing cross towards the end of the game.

Save of the Match: Enyeama's 37th minute save to deny a curling left-footed shot from Messi.

Talking Point: Although there is no doubting Argentina's attacking prowess, do they have the defensive capabilities to win the World Cup?





Result: South Korea (Lee, 7 Park, 52) 2 - 0 Greece


Koreans too slick for Greece
Early Jung-soo goal and Ji-sung effort secure Group B success

South Korea kicked off their World Cup campaign in Group B with a confident performance in beating Greece 2-0 in Port Elizabeth.

Lee Jung-soo gave the Koreans the perfect platform with an early goal before Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-sung finished coolly in the second half to seal the three points against a limited Greece side.

The 2002 semi-finalists enjoyed a dream start at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium by taking the lead after just seven minutes when Jung-soo stole in at the far post to side-foot home a free-kick from the left.

Korea should have been two goals to the good before the half-hour mark when Park Chu-yong was sent clear of the defence, but the Monaco forward's shot was diverted over by Greece keeper Alexandros Tzorvas' leg.

Greece struggled to create any chances, but were almost gifted an equaliser before half-time when Korean keeper Jung Sung-ryong struggled to deal with a ball into the box with Theofanis Gekas lurking close by.

And within seven minutes of the restart, Greece fell further behind after being the victims of their own downfall when Loukas Vyntra's poor control was seized upon by Ji-sung, who galloped into the box before neatly sliding the ball past Tzorvas.

Chu-yong headed another good opportunity off target before a late rally from Greece saw Gekas forced a smart reaction stop out of Sung-ryong.

Only a sprawling save from Tzorvas denied Lee Chung-yong a third goal as Korea put themselves in a strong position to progress from the group phase.

Relieved

Greece coach Otto Rehhagel had warned his players in advance to beware South Korea's panther-like qualities, and by the time he got them back into the dressing room at the break, he will have been relieved they had not been mauled further.

It took Korea just seven minutes to get their noses in front in the encounter when Jung-soo met Celtic midfielder Ki Sung-yueng's swinging free-kick unopposed and volleyed it gleefully into the back of the net.

Greece's woes might have increased further with Bolton's Lee Chung-yong astonished not to be awarded a 15th-minute penalty for a clumsy challenge from behind by full-back Vasilis Torosidis as referee Michael Hester waved play on.

But it would have been 2-0 with 28 minutes gone had defender Avraam Papadopoulos not got in a last-ditch challenge on striker Chu-young as he shot to allow keeper Tzorvas to make a vital block.

Greece had started the game brightly, Torosidis firing wide when he met skipper Georgios Karagounis' second-minute corner with an instinctive half-volley, but it was largely downhill from there.

The anticipated aerial onslaught never materialised as central defenders Jung-soo and Cho Yong-Hyung coped admirably with front two Gekas and Angelos Charisteas.

Enterprising

By contrast, Korea were enterprising in their movement and strikers Chu-young and Yeom Ki-hun, with support from a fluid midfield quartet, kept the Greek defence at full stretch.

They increased their lead within seven minutes of the restart when Ji-sung made the most of Vyntra's woeful control in the middle of the park to race in on goal, leaving the central defender and partner Papadopoulos for dead before sliding a shot across Tzorvas and into the bottom corner.

Rehhagel, who had replaced Karagounis with Christos Patsatzoglou at the break, withdrew Charisteas and Georgios Samaras in quick succession and asked Dimitrios Salpingidis and Pantelis Kapetanos to find a way back into the game.

But Chu-young headed just over from full-back Cha Du-ri's 63rd-minute cross as the Koreans threatened to run riot.

Gekas acrobatically fired high over after controlling a long ball well on his chest with 68 minutes gone and Salpingidis headed weakly at the keeper two minutes later with time fast running out for Greece.

The Hertha Berlin frontman forced a fine one-handed save from Jung with a left-foot shot on the turn with nine minutes remaining, but Yeom, Chung-yong and Kim Jung-woo all went close at the other end as time ran down.


Man of the Match: Park Ji-sung. The Manchester United midfield star provided a vital link between the Korean midfield and lone striker, and capped off a mercurial display with a superbly taken goal.
Shot of the Match: Theofanis Gekas was lively all afternoon for Greece and his swivel and hit on the volley was nearly rewarded with a scarcely deserved consolation late on.
Save of the Match: Alexandros Tzorvas made a crucial stop to keep his Greece team in the match, standing up big and tall to thwart Park Chu-yong as bore down on goal.
Moment of the Match: The rapturous celebrations of the South Korea supporters and players as they greeted Ji-sung's expertly taken goal.
Talking point: Can South Korea qualify for the knockout phase after this win? And are Greece facing an early exit from South Africa after this awful display?

[Black Widow]

Day 2:




Result: England (Gerrard, 4) 1 - 1 USA (Dempsey, 40)


Green gift spares States
Gerrard on target but England unable to hold on in opening fixture


A terrible error by Robert Green cost England two points in their World Cup opener, as they were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw with the United States of America.

Steven Gerrard had the Three Lions in front early on, with the new skipper leading by example throughout.

However, the USA were level shortly before half-time when a tame effort from Clint Dempsey slipped through Green's grasp and into the back of the net.

The air of expectation around the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg was almost tangible prior to kick-off, while the omnipresent vuvuzelas added to the atmosphere once more.

England were the first to find their feet and they needed just four minutes to break the deadlock, with captain Gerrard handing them the perfect start when he burst onto a pass from Emile Heskey and steered low into the bottom corner.

Fabio Capello's side were well on top early on, with Frank Lampard fizzing in a driven free-kick which only needed a touch to double their lead.

America's biggest threat was coming from set-pieces, with AC Milan's domineering centre-half Oguchi Onyewu proving to be a handful as he attacked a couple of deliveries from Landon Donovan.

Former Hull City frontman Jozy Altidore also came close with a header, and he will feel he should have done better after meeting a pinpoint cross unchallenged.

England soon clicked back into gear, though, and were incisive and crisp in their passing.

Aaron Lennon sprang clear at one stage, with plenty of space to move into, but he opted to square rather than go for goal and America were able to bundle the ball clear.

James Milner, selected on the left, was then cautioned after putting in one too many rash tackles, before Howard dived bravely at the feet of Heskey to prevent the big striker from poking home a second for England.

Rather surprisingly, on the half-hour mark, Capello then opted to haul off Milner and send on Shaun Wright-Phillips.

The Aston Villa man had missed training on a few occasions in the build-up to the game through illness and appeared to be struggling with the pace.

Ambitious

A couple of ambitious efforts from Altidore and Donovan helped to perk the Americans up as the half wore on, but England were rarely rattled and looked comfortable - even freeing the buccaneering Ashley Cole down the left as they sought to put the game to bed.

They were, however, forced to enter the interval all square after a catastrophic mistake from Green.

Dempsey prodded a speculative shot goalwards, with little power or pace behind it, and was ready to turn away in disgust.

All of a sudden the ball was over the line as Green fumbled and allowed the much-maligned Jabulani to slip through his grasp.

England responded well, as Glen Johnson went close after a typically sprightly break inside from the right, but they were unable to re-establish a deserved lead.

Capello faced another dilemma at the break and was forced to make his second substitution of the night as Ledley King, whose fitness had been questioned throughout the build-up, made way for Jamie Carragher.

The Three Lions refused to dwell on the events of the first half, though, as they again burst out of the blocks in the second 45.

Jay DeMerit saw yellow trying to keep them out, as Lennon and Johnson did their utmost down the right flank to carve open a gilt-edged chance for those waiting in the middle.

Rooney thought he had ghosted in behind on 50 minutes, but was pulled back for Heskey straying offside - and was unable to find a way past Howard anyway.

A few moments later it was Heskey's turn to bear down on goal, but the goal-shy Villa ace lashed straight at Howard when faced with a one-on-one with the Everton shot-stopper.

The USA were only offering fleeting glimpses of attacking intent at this stage, with Carragher's experience helping to keep Capello's side watertight at the back.

The Liverpool man was cautioned, though, just before the hour mark when he caught Robbie Findley with a wild tackle.

His Anfield team-mate Gerrard also went into the referee's notebook shortly after, with his protestations to the award of a free-kick falling on unsympathetic ears.

Testing

America almost benefitted from the resulting set-piece, but Carlos Bocanegra took his eye off the ball at the vital moment and diverted a close-range effort well wide off his shoulder.

All of sudden the game opened up, with Lampard testing Howard from range, but it was the United States who went agonisingly close to forcing a further goal on 65 minutes.

Altidore, after a bustling burst down the left, thought he had beaten Green at his near post, but the West Ham goalkeeper redeemed himself as he produced a fantastic fingertip save to push the ball onto the woodwork.

With 20 minutes remaining Wayne Rooney finally found the kind of space he craves, as he ghosted in the at the back post, but he could not grow enough to meet a swinging delivery from Gerrard.

Moments later Carragher's heart was in his mouth for a moment as he cut across Findley, but the referee gave nothing, and the American striker was booked shortly after for a clumsy challenge.

Rooney was now seeing more of the ball in dangerous errors and he had Howard clutching at thin air on 75 minutes when he crashed a 25-yard drive inches past the post.

The American goal was now under siege, with Wright-Phillips shooting at Howard from a tight angle, Rooney twice foiled from close range and Heskey nodding a towering header over the bar.

Capello played his last card with 12 minutes left on the clock, throwing on Peter Crouch in place of the industrious Heskey.

Crouch's first touch was not what his manager had hoped for, though, with a difficult header looped into the arms of Howard.

Stray passes started to infiltrate the English game thereafter, with the pursuit of a winner becoming increasingly desperate.

Their final opportunity came with America sleeping, but four white shirts, including the outstretched toe of Lampard, could not force the ball home with time running out.

Altidore was hauled off with less than five minutes remaining, giving Bolton Wanderers' Stuart Holden, who is still working his way back to full match sharpness, an opportunity to grace the biggest stage in sport.

Donovan fired high into the stands as clear-cut chances dried up, but both teams will take positives from the night and will be pleased to have got points on the board from what looks like being their toughest test in Group C.



Man of the match: Landon Donovan - Composed on the ball and always a threat.

Goal of the game: Gerrard's finish in the first five minutes was calmness personified and handed England a dream start.

Moment of the match: Rob Green inexplicably allowing Clint Dempsey's low shot to slip through his fingers for the equaliser.

Attempt of the match: Glen Johnson's great run and shot just after Dempsey's equaliser which resulted in a good save from Tim Howard.

Save of the match: Rob Green pushing Jozy Altidore's shot from a tight angle against the post to prevent the USA from taking a 2-1 lead.

Talking point: Should Fabio Capello drop Green for the next game and replace him with either David James or Joe Hart?

[lɐuǝɯo⊥ǝɥԀ]

1-1 was a fair result and I think the Americans arent given enough credit...they were very lucky with their goal but Altidore shoulda scored later on it was a good game and result for both teams who will probably win their next 2 games against Slovenia and Algeria

[Black Widow]

it was a fair match but green really should have done better with the ball lol

[Black Widow]

Day 3:




Algeria v Slovenia Preview
Victory vital for both nations


Algeria and Slovenia go into their opening World Cup Group C encounter at the newly built 45,000-seat Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Sunday aiming for three vital points.

After reaching South Africa 2010 via continental play-offs, both sides are underdogs in a group which also contains England and the United States.

Slovenia had to overcome European heavyweights Russia to earn a spot in the World Cup for the second time and have recently beaten Qatar 4-1 and New Zealand 3-1 in international friendlies in the run-up to the tournament in South Africa.

Slovenia's only previous experience in football's marquee event was in 2002, when they lost all three matches against Spain, South Africa and Paraguay.

Head coach Matjaz Kek is expected to stick with his more favoured starting line-up. Striker Milivoje Novakovic has overcome an abdominal injury to score a brace in the recent match against New Zealand. The Cologne hitman has scored 16 goals in 28 matches for the national team.

However, Kek does have a slight worry over fellow forward Zlatan Ljubijankic, who is suffering from an ankle problem, but is expected to start.

The Slovenians will rely on the goalscoring threat of Bochum striker Zlatko Dedic and influence of captain and former West Brom midfielder Robert Koren.

Algeria call on spirit of '82

The Algerians won every match at home during qualifying but had to beat Egypt in a play-off to secure the last of the African spots at the first World Cup ever staged on their continent.

The North Africans will be making their first appearance at the showpiece event since 1986. They also appeared at the 1982 tournament defeating West Germany and Chile, but controversially still failed to progress.

Head coach Rabah Saadane has dropped captain Yazid Mansouri for the first time following some below par performances.

The team's most experienced player with 67 caps will be replaced in midfield by Medhi Lacen, while defender Anther Yahia will wear the captain's armband.

It will be the first ever World Cup match to be played on a surface partly consisting of artificial grass.

The Polokwane venue has millions of threads of synthetic grass fibres woven in between and beneath the natural grass.





Serbia v Ghana preview
Muntari boost for Ghana, Vidic fit for Serbia


Ghana and Serbia kick off their World Cup campaigns with their Group D opener in Pretoria on Sunday.

In a tough looking group, with Germany and Australia making up the rest of the pool, both sides will be keen to get off to a winning start at the Loftus Versefeld Stadium.

This is Ghana's second World Cup finals following their debut in Germany four years ago, while for Serbia it is the first finals as a single nation.

Ghana are coached by Serbian boss Milovan Rajevic, but he insists there will be no divided loyalties on Sunday.

Ghana lost their most influential player prior to the finals when Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien was ruled out of the tournament with a knee injury.

Inter Milan star Sulley Muntari has handed Ghana a boost after recovering from a thigh problem which forced him to miss his side's final warm-up game.

Stephen Appiah will captain the Black Stars, while Fulham defender John Pantsil will start in defence.

Portsmouth midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng could start in midfield after pledging his international allegiance to the Africans ahead of Germany.

Serbia news

Serbia expect Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic to be fit after illness ruled him out of the recent friendlies against Poland and Cameroon.

Serbia coach Radomir Antic has no other injury worries to contend with as they look to get off to a flying start in South Africa.

Birmingham new boy Nikola Zigic is expected to lead the attack, while highly-rated duo Milos Krasic and Milan Jovanovic will provide the ammunition from the wings.





Germany v Australia preview
Experienced Aussies look for shock start


Three-time World Cup winners Germany head into their 15th consecutive finals competition looking to draw level with Italy as the second most successful side in the history of the tournament.

Their opening game of Group D in Durban will be a sufficient test as Pim Verbeek's Australia look to cause a major upset, the Germans however have not lost a group game since 1994, winning their last five opening games.

Despite manager Joachim Low selecting the youngest German squad in 76 years to travel to South Africa, their reputation as a side always there or thereabouts at the latter stages of the tournament means they will be one of the teams to fear.

There is also a vast difference in experience, with an average age of 25 in Low's squad, whereas Verbeek's team have a more experienced look about them, with an average age of 30.

The game will come as a stern test for new captain Philipp Lahm following talisman Michael Ballack's withdrawal after being injured in Chelsea's FA Cup final in May.

The Bayern Munich full-back leads his side out at a major tournament for the first time as one of their most experienced players with 65 caps to his name at the age of 26.

Germany team news

Low has no injury worries ahead of the game, leaving his selection down to personal choice, with Manuel Neuer expected to play in goal despite some picking him out as a weak link.

He is also expected to stick with out of form Miroslav Klose ahead of Cacau in the lone striker's role, as well as partnering Manchester City new boy Jerome Boateng with Per Mertesacker at centre-back. Sami Khedira looks set to take Ballack's place in midfield.

Australia team news

Australia are likely to bring back Brett Emerton into midfield, with Jason Culina, who is set to win his 50th cap, moving from the right wing into the centre of the park.

Verbeek's biggest doubt comes over the fitness of key man Tim Cahill, with the Everton midfielder suffering from a neck problem that has seen him train alone during the week.

Injury-prone Harry Kewell has won his battle for fitness however and is likely to spearhead the Australian attack in what is likely to be a 4-5-1 formation.

[Black Widow]

Day 3:




Result: Algeria (Ghezzal s/o, 73) 0 - 1 Slovenia (Koren, 79)


Slovenia bag first finals win
Chaouchi blunder gifts Slovenia priceless win


Slovenia have moved top of Group C in South Africa courtesy of a late 1-0 success over 10-man Algeria.

The victory, Slovenia's first-ever success in a World Cup, came following yet another goalkeeping blunder after Faouzi Chaouchi spilled Robert Koren's hopeful shot.

The game offered little in terms of entertainment before second-half substitute Abdelkader Ghezzal's moment of madness which saw him collect two quick-fire yellow cards.

With England being held by USA in Saturday's group opener Slovenia now lead the way on three points while Algeria are bottom without a point.

Little separated the teams in the opening exchanges with Nadir Belhadj's free-kick just three minutes into the contest the only early chance of note for either side.

The Portsmouth full-back struck his 20-yard effort well enough, but it was straight at keeper Samir Handanovic who made little mistake helping the ball over for a corner.

Slovenia attempted to cause problems of their own, although Koren's speculative effort from distance was comfortably blocked with 15 minutes on the clock.

Possession

Any quality shown in the early exchanges soon disappeared as both teams became guilty of surrendering possession far too easily, especially when well placed.

In the 29th minute Foued Kadir's cross was over-hit for lone striker Rafik Djebbour while at the other end Zlatko Dedic wasted an opportunity to test Faouzi Chaouchi.

Then came the first flashpoint as Aleksander Radosavljevic was rightly booked for hauling down the marauding Nadir Belhadj down Algeria's left-hand side.

The action did improve as half time approached with Rafik Halliche heading wide at the back post from an inswinging corner.

Valter Birsa twice tried his luck before the interval with one left-footed effort forcing Chaouchi to palm over while his second soon after was well wide.

Although Slovenia began the second half on the front foot the first sight of goal fell to Djebbour, but poor control allowed Matjaz Kek's side to clear.

Kek then made his first substitution with Zlatan Ljubijankic replacing Dedic with 52 minutes on the clock.

Lively

Algeria continued to look lively from set-pieces and Samir Handanovic had to be en guard to collect Belhadj's delivery with Halliche sniffing a chance at the back post.

Rabah Saadane then brought on a fresh face up front with Ghezzal replacing work horse Djebbour.

However, Saadane would not have been pleased to see Ghezzal booked within minutes of his introduction for a needless shirt-pull on Marko Suler.

Ghezzal was made to pay for his early indiscretion when his blatant handball saw Guatemalan referee Carlos Alberto Batres unsurprisingly produce a red card.

Slovenia then dodged a bullet when Suler was not awake to Samir Handanovic's short pass and Ziani very nearly gave the 10-men a shock lead.

The game's decisive moment arrived on 79 minutes when Koren's speculative shot embarrassed Chaouchi who made a hash of a simple save.

Algeria attempted to push numbers forward late on in search of a last-gasp leveller, but it was not to be as Slovenia held on for a priceless success.


Man of the match: Karim Matmour. In a game lacking in attacking endeavour, Matmour at least tried to get Algeria moving forward.

Save of the match: Faouzi Chaouchi displayed commendable agility to tip a stinging drive from Valter Birsa over the bar shortly before half-time.

Gaffe of the match: Chaouchi really should have dealt with Robert Koren's hopeful effort from the edge of the box, but somehow allowed the ball to squeeze past him.

Moment of the match: Abdelkader Ghezzal had been on the field just 15 minutes when he picked up a needless red card. Slovenia went on to make their numerical advantage count.

Talking point: Should England and the USA have anything to fear from Slovenia and Algeria in the race for a top-two finish in Group C?





Result: Serbia (Lukovic s/o 74) 0 - 1 Ghana (Gyan 84,pen)


Ghana beat 10-man Serbia
Black Stars earn vital win after penalty in last 10 minutes


Ghana snatched a late 1-0 win over 10-man Serbia in Pretoria after Asamoah Gyan scored from the penalty spot in the closing stages.

Group D's opening game was on the whole a dour spectacle at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium and had looked to be petering out to a goalless draw.

However, things spiced up in the 74th minute when Aleksandar Lukovic was sent off for a second yellow card.

Serbia seemed to respond well to the loss, but disaster struck for the Europeans when substitute Zdravko Kuzmanovic handled in the area.

Gyan stepped up to slam the ball home and give Ghana a crucial win, while Serbia will have to regroup for their next match.

The game nearly started with a bang when Marko Pantelic hit a stinging long-range shot that went narrowly wide.

Response

Ghana then responded and Anthony Annan struck a volley at the other end, which also was not too far away from finding the net.

However, despite both sides looking threatening when coming forward, neither had a clinical edge in the final third and both goalkeepers had little to deal with before half-time.

Portsmouth midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng nearly provided a telling ball into the box from the left in the 21st minute, but Asamoah Gyan could not quite get enough on his header and it flashed wide.

And despite a curling free-kick from Aleksandar Kolarov that whipped narrowly wide, it was Ghana who were asking the most questions on the counter-attack, although the final ball into the box was often left wanting.

However, it was African goalkeeper Richard Kingson who had the first effort to save in the 39th minute, and he was almost the third keeper in the tournament to make a blunder as he spilled a Dejan Stankovic effort, but claimed it on the second attempt.

After the break it was Serbia who created the first half-chance, but Milan Jovanovic sliced his shot wide from inside the box on the left after a good jinking run.

But Ghana created an excellent opportunity when Prince Tagoe chipped in a pin-point cross to the back post only for Ayew to head wide when he should have hit the target in the 54th minute.

Chance

Ayew then drove forward and hit a shot over the bar, before Pantelic pulled a ball back from the by-line at the other end that could not find a team-mate.

Minutes later Pantelic put a great cross into the back post but Zigic, who has signed for Birmingham for a reported £6million, could not get decisive contact on it

Asamoah Gyan came closest though, when a header from a long throw clipped the outside of the post and went wide, before Tagoe fluffed a chance from another cross.

Things spiced up when Lukovic picked up a second booking but Serbia responded and Kingson had to palm away a Milos Krasic effort.

Ghana took the lead when Gyan slammed his penalty home after a needless handball from substitute Kuzmanovic.

The final minutes were frantic and while Serbia pressed for an equaliser, the Black Stars held on for a crucial three points and Gyan hit the post in the dying seconds.


Man of the match: Asamoah Gyan. Capped fine display with the winner from the penalty spot and hit the post moments later.

Moment of the match: Zdravko Kuzmanovic's inexplicable handball five minutes from time which gave Ghana a penalty.

Attempt of the match: Gyan hitting the post moments after he had put Ghana in front.

Save of the match: Richard Kingson tipping over Milos Krasic's fierce shot from 12 yards in the second half.

Talking point: Will Serbia miss out on the last 16 having been tipped to come through the group stages?

[Black Widow]

Day: 3




Result: Germany (Podolski, 8, Klose, 27, Muller, 68, Cacau, 70) 4 - 0 Australia (Cahill s/o, 56)


Germans tear Aussies apart
Low's silky side produce tournament's best performance yet


The new-look Germany made light work of 10-man Australia to kick-off their World Cup campaign with an impressive 4-0 win in Durban.

Joachim Low's youthful outfit dismantled their ageing Group D opponents to top the table alongside Ghana, who beat Serbia 1-0 earlier in the day, after becoming the first side in the South Africa finals to score more than two goals.

Lukas Podolski put the Germans in front within eight minutes with an unstoppable drive after latching onto Thomas Muller's centre.

Miroslav Klose extended his World Cup scoring spree as he took advantage of some lax Australia defending to head home his 11th finals goal from Philipp Lahm's searching cross.

Tim Cahill became the fourth player to see red in this year's tournament after the Socceroos midfielder's clumsy challenge on Bastian Schweinsteiger before Muller scored his first goal in national colours in the 68th minute.

And there was time for Cacau to come off the bench and add a fourth two minutes later, as Low's side rubber-stamped their World Cup credentials with an emphatic win at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.

Wise move

Low, whose side had not lost a group game since 1994, handed out-of-form Klose the lone striker's role and it proved a wise move.

The men from Down Under had the better of the opening stages and came close to taking the lead in the third minute.

During a scramble in the area, Richard Garcia's close-range shot was blocked by Lahm.

The Germans responded shortly after, with an unmarked Klose surging inside the area and hitting a right-footed strike towards the centre of goal which Australia goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer parried away.

Podolski made no mistake seconds later. He got behind Muller's pull back from the right and drove the ball in from 15 yards. Schwarzer managed to get a fist on the ball but it was too hot for the Fulham shot-stopper to handle.

Jason Culina could have restored parity in the 17th minute but he nodded high from Brett Emerton's cross.

Midway through the first half, Klose missed a glorious chance to make it 2-0. The veteran got behind Podolski's cross and struck the ball wide from the heart of the area.

Sloppy defending

Klose made amends shortly after as he extended his team's lead in the 26th minute after sloppy defending by Australia.

Schwarzer came off his line and got to Klose just as the striker headed home from Lahm's cross from the right.

On the half-hour mark, captain Lucas Neill managed to clear Mesut Ozil's goalbound shot with Schwarzer already beaten.

Germany's Sami Khedira headed high over the crossbar as Germany went into the break after a near-perfect first half.

Australia coach Pim Verbeek brought on Brett Holman at half-time in the hope of sparking his team into life.

Holman tried to make an immediate impact but his diagonal shot went wide of Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer's far post.

Australia's hopes then nose-dived when Cahill was shown a straight red card for a tackle from behind on Schweinsteiger.

With one man short, Australia struggled to stop Germany's advances and conceded shortly after the hour mark.

Muller got away from his marker before lashing home a shot in off the post.

Australia had little time to react as Germany struck again two minutes later - Ozil surged down the left and cut it back for Brazilian-born striker Cacau to slot past Schwarzer.


Man of the match: Thomas Muller. Always a danger and deserved his well-taken goal. Narrowly gets the nod over the outstanding Mesut Ozil and Phillip Lahm.

Moment of the match: Ozil, Muller and Lukas Podolski combining to wonderful effect to score the first goal.

Attempt of the match: Ozil's chip over Mark Schwarzer that was cleared off the line by Lucas Neill.

Save of the match: Schwarzer denying Miroslav Klose well from close range.

Talking point: Germany have been by far the most impressive side on show. Can they win this World Cup for a fourth time? Australia need to pick themselves up now, can they do it without Cahill who was sent off?

[Black Widow]

Day 4:




Holland v Denmark preview
Group E hopefuls get South Africa campaign under way


Holland and Denmark kick-off their World Cup campaigns when they face off at Soccer City on Monday, with the Dutch widely expected to produce some glittering performances this summer.

Perennial under-achievers Holland have been tipped by many to go all the way in South Africa, and the 1974 and 1978 runners-up are on a remarkably good run of form.

Bert van Marwijk's side are unbeaten in their last 19 games - a run which stretches back to September 2008.

Denmark, meanwhile, have lost warm-up matches to Australia and South Africa and come into the tournament on the back of some poor performances.

They did finish above Portugal in their qualifying group, though, and could prove a stern test to the Dutch in Johannesburg.

Team news

Holland's squad is littered with star names but they will probably have to do without winger Arjen Robben who is suffering from a hamstring injury.

The Bayern Munich ace suffered the problem while trying a back-heel in a warm-up match and although he has trained, is unlikely to play.

Rafael van der Vaart is set to deputise in his absence, and the Danes will have to be wary of Robin van Persie up front, who has looked sharp since coming back from a long-term injury.

Denmark could be without Van Persie's Arsenal team-mate Nicklas Bendtner, who has a groin problem.

The striker may not be risked against Holland, with manager Morten Olsen perhaps focusing on the games against Japan and Cameroon as the real crucial ties in the group.

Fellow forward Jon Dahl Tomasson is a doubt, as is midfielder Daniel Jensen.

Olsen revealed the pair trained separately from the squad on Sunday and could miss out.

Olsen went down with a fever last week but his illness has not spread to any of his players.

The Danish coach also must decide whether to play Palermo defender Simon Kjaer in the heart of defence, as the centre-back has been carrying a knee problem.

Goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen is set to make his first appearance since dislocating an elbow back in April.





Japan v Cameroon preview
Song set for Lions bench duty; Hasebe fit for Samurai Blue


Japan and Cameroon get their World Cup campaigns under way at Bloemfontein, with the Indomitable Lions tipped as one of the African nations to shine in this year's tournament.

Paul Le Guen's side will hope to recapture the roar that saw Cameroon thrill the world in the 1990 finals as they reached the last eight before losing to England.

The African side have not fared so well in major tournaments since but Le Guen will be hoping his side can kick-off their Group E bid with a maximum points haul over a Japan side, who enter the South Africa finals low on form and confidence.

The Samurai Blue are unbeaten in three meetings with Cameroon, winning twice, but they have never won a World Cup game outside of their home nation, losing five of their six games on foreign soil.

And Takeshi Okada's side have failed to impress in the build-up to Monday's game, losing to Serbia, South Korea, England and Ivory Coast in four straight warm-up friendlies and then battling to an uninspiring 0-0 draw with Zimbabwe in a training match in George on Thursday.

Team news

Le Guen could name a surprise first XI for the Japan clash after hinting to a couple of shock omissions in Saturday's press conference.

The Cameroon coach looks set to name midfielder Alex Song on the bench despite the Arsenal man's impressive form for club and country over the last 12 months.

Le Guen, whose side have only won one of their last 10 matches at World Cup finals, is also tipped to drop regular goalkeeper Carlos Kameni with 36-year-old Hamidou Souleymanou likely to get the nod between the sticks.

Samuel Eto'o, who was the second-top scorer in African World Cup qualifiers with nine goals in 11 appearances, has put aside his differences with Cameroon legend Roger Milla after threatening to pull out of the tournament, and will lead spearhead the Lions' attack at the Free State Stadium.

Japan midfielder Makoto Hasebe has declared himself fully fit and ready to take on Cameroon.

The Wolfsburg schemer was a doubt for the Group E opener after picking up a back injury in the Ivory Coast friendly, but the 26-year-old suffered no reaction to featuring in the Zimbabwe draw.

Okada, who has been criticised for changing his squad's formation, is expected to start Monday's match with fast-rising CSKA Moscow midfielder Keisuke Honda as a lone frontman.





Italy v Paraguay preview
Holders start defence against tricky South American opponents


Reigning champions Italy begin the defence of their World Cup crown against Paraguay in Cape Town on Monday.

The Azzurri took the title four years ago in Germany and will not relinquish their grip on the trophy without a struggle.

The first of the hurdles for them to negotiate comes in the form of Paraguay, who will present a tricky opening test.

Italy's preparations have done little to inspire confidence, with an ageing squad looking worryingly off the pace at times.

Their back four, which is marshalled by 36-year-old skipper Fabio Cannavaro, can struggle to handle pace, which could prove to be their undoing in South Africa.

Paraguay will certainly be looking to give them an early examination, with the South Americans heading into the tournament in buoyant mood.

Victories over Brazil and Argentina in qualifying underlined their quality and they should not be underestimated this summer.

Pre-tournament results have gone well on the whole, while they are able to boast an attacking arsenal which will be the envy of many of their rivals.

They will be looking to make a bright start in their first game, with it widely expected that Italy and Paraguay will be the two nations battling it at the top of Group F.

Team news

Italy's preparations have been hampered by an untimely injury to Andrea Pirlo, which initially cast his participation into doubt.

The AC Milan midfielder has since been given the all clear to push on with his rehabilitation, but he is still likely to sit out the Azzurri's first two games.

On a more positive note for Marcello Lippi's men, Daniele de Rossi is expected to shake off a minor calf problem in time to make Monday's contest and Mauro Camoranesi is back to full fitness following a knee problem.

Paraguay have had to contend with an injury scare of their own ahead of the tournament, with Oscar Cardozo picking up an ankle knock which threatened to end his World Cup dream.

The hot-shot striker is, however, raring to go and will be looking to transfer his prolific club form at Benfica onto the international stage.

Should he be deemed fit for duty, he is likely to line up alongside Manchester City frontman Roque Santa Cruz in a fearsome forward line.

[Black Widow]

Day 4:




Result: Holland (Agger, 46(og), Kuyt, 85) 2 - 0 Denmark


No laughing matter for Danes
Agger's own goal, followed by Kuyt tap-in, earns the Dutch the points


A comical own goal set the Netherlands on their way to victory in the opening game in Group E as the tournament's dark horses beat Denmark 2-0 at Soccer City.

Denmark had matched their European rivals for the first half of a game that had struggled to ignite the imagination in Johannesburg.

But less than a minute into the second period and the Danes orchestrated their own demise as Simon Poulsen's attempted clearance hit the back of team-mate Daniel Agger to gift the Dutch the lead.

Poulsen responded to the mistake with a wistful grin and there was little else for Denmark to smile about as Morten Olsen's side failed to create a meaningful chance after falling behind.

Holland slowly tightened their grip on the game and the pionts were made safe in the closing five minutes when Dirk Kuyt reacted the quickest to tap home after substitute Eljero Elia's shot had struck the post.

Though it was not the most convincing of performances from the Oranje, they grew in stature as the match wore on to show why they are favourites to win the group, while Denmark will be seeking improvement in the games to come against Cameroon and Japan.

The opening 10 minutes saw Wesley Sneijder and Thomas Enevoldsen trade wayward free-kicks from distance, with both players seemingly hoping the Jabulani ball would deceive the goalkeeper.

Fumble

Denmark keeper Thomas Sorensen did fumble a Kuyt shot from the edge of the area, but was never in danger of suffering the humiliation that had caught Robert Green and Faouzi Chaouchi in its net over the weekend.

Rafael van der Vaart failed to find the target with a couple of half-chances from the edge of the area for the Dutch as both teams struggled to lift the tempo above a brisk stroll in the South African sunshine.

The best chance of the first half arrived on 27 minutes when Dennis Rommedahl played in a cross from the right which was nodded wide of the target by the unmarked Nicklas Bendtner.

Holland could have taken the lead in fortunate circumstances on 33 minutes when Kuyt's low cross deflected off a Danish defender and then ricocheted off Johnny Heitinga on its way over the bar.

Rommedahl drilled a fierce attempt at Maarten Stekelenburg before the Dutch shot-stopper was forced to parry away Thomas Kahlenberg's thumping effort for a corner.

Robin van Persie took too long to get his shot away in the 43rd minute before Nigel de Jong, who was fortunate not to be punished for a robust challenge on Martin Jorgensen earlier in the half, was booked for bringing down Bendtner.

The Netherlands were in front inside the opening minute of the second period and luck played a major part in the goal.

Simon Poulsen's laughable attempt to head clear Van Persie's cross merely bounced off the back of Agger before clipping the post on its way past a helpless Sorensen.

Rueful smile

Poulsen had a rueful smile on his lips after the mishap and the Danes could have swiftly found themselves 2-0 down if Van Persie had not produced a terrible first touch following a poor pass by Simon Kjaer.

Van Persie then sought to be the creator once again as his clipped pass into the box was turned towards goal by Van der Vaart, allowing Sorensen to produce an acrobatic save for the cameras.

That proved to be Van der Vaart's last contribution before he was replaced by the lively Elia, while Denmark had earlier brought on Jesper Gronkjaer and Mikkel Beckmann for Enevoldsen and Bendtner.

Holland continued to look the more likely to score, with Sorensen pushing Mark van Bommel's drive wide and Van Persie heading the resultant corner off target when found unmarked.

A second goal for Bert van Marwijk's side almost arrived eight minutes from time when Sneijder's shot deflected off Agger and looped on to the top of Sorensen's crossbar.

The Dutch wrapped up the points with five minutes to go when Kuyt tucked away the loose ball after Elia, who had injected some spark into the game after his introduction from the bench, had seen his delicately clipped shot come back off the post.

Simon Poulsen did at least prevent the score from becoming worse for Denmark when he acrobatically cleared the ball from underneath his own bar after substitute Ibrahim Afellay had beaten Sorensen to a cross, but it was a case of too little, too late.


Man of the match: Dirk Kuyt - lively display rewarded with the second goal

Moment of the match: Simon Poulsen's comical attempt to head the ball clear which struck Daniel Agger on its way into the back of the net 30 sconds after the restart

Attempt of the match: Rafael van der Vaart's attempted one-two with Robin van Persie which turned into a goalbound volley

Save of the match: Maarten Stekelenburg's near-post save to deny Thomas Kahlenberg

Talking point: Do Holland have the class to win the World Cup without Arjen Robben?

Goal of the game: Kuyt's tap-in which finished off a fine flowing move involving Wesley Sneijder and substitute Eljero Elia






Result: Japan (Honda, 38) 1 - 0 Cameroon


Honda gives Japan fast start
Cameroon go down 1-0 in Bloemfontein


Japan caused a minor upset in Group E as Keisuke Honda scored the only goal of a hard-fought game against Cameroon.

Chances were few and far between in the first half but Japan managed to edge in front seven minutes before the interval when Honda netted from a Daisuke Matsui cross.

Cameroon battled hard in the second period in an effort to get back into the game but could find no way past a disciplined Japan back-line.

Stephane Mbia did almost equalise with a ferocious shot against the crossbar late on but Japan held firm to prevail 1-0 and Cameroon now face an uphill struggle to advance from a pool that also includes Holland and Denmark.

Cameroon manager Paul Le Guen stayed true to his word and made a couple of surprising selection decisions, with Schalke teenager Joel Matip starting in place of Arsenal's Alex Song in midfield and Hamidou Souleymanou preferred to Carlos Kameni in goal.

But both sides were slow to settle and relinquished possession far too easily, with most attacks breaking down due to a careless pass rather than a well-timed tackle.

Urgency

Japan's defensive organisation made it difficult for Cameroon to carve out opportunities, but they were reluctant to commit too many men forward themselves in a turgid stalemate early on.

Pierre Webo looked to inject some urgency into proceedings with a forceful run down the right wing, although his low cut-back was just behind Eric Choupo-Moting and the danger fizzled out.

A free-kick appeared to be the most likely source of a goal as both keepers struggled on crosses, with Eiji Kawashima landing painfully on his back after getting into a tangle with one high ball.

The game finally started to open up as half-time approached and Kawashima was forced to make a routine save from Eyong Enoh after good build-up play involving Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Choupo-Moting.

The deadlock was then broken at the other end moments later as CSKA Moscow midfielder Honda, playing in a more advanced role, escaped from his marker to control Matsui's excellent left-wing cross at the back post and finish past Souleymanou.

Cameroon had to regroup at half-time and immediately won the first corner of the match after the restart, while national legend Samuel Eto'o began to get on the ball more and embarked on one dazzling dribble before setting up Choupo-Moting to shoot wide.

Mbia, partly at fault for Honda's goal, gave away a free-kick just outside the area for a clumsy challenge on the skilful Yoshito Okuba, although Cameroon were not punished as Yasuhito Endo's delivery struck the defensive wall.

The Indomitable Lions shrugged off that scare and continued to press forward in pursuit of an equaliser, with the lively Choupo-Moting driving an effort wide from distance after cutting in from the left.

Onslaught

Achille Emana was introduced as an attacking substitute just after the hour mark and Geremi and Mohamadou Idrissou were thrown on 10 minutes later.

Japan dropped deeper and deeper to protect their lead but coped well with the mounting onslaught, restricting Cameroon to long-range strikes and the occasional set-piece.

Takeshi Okada's men almost moved 2-0 in front on a rare venture into the opposition half when Souleymanou made a sprawling save from Makoto Hasebe, although the flag had already been raised for offside by the time Honda followed in on the rebound and hit the post.

The woodwork was then rattled at the other end as Mbia came agonisingly close to salvaging a point for Cameroon with a powerful, swerving piledriver that ricocheted off the bar.

Kawashima then made a stunning save to deny Webo, not knowing the whistle had already gone for a foul in the box in Japan's favour, as his side clung on to claim three vital points.


Man of the Match: Keisuke Honda scored the only goal of the game and his energetic running and tackling back was a constant menace to Cameroon.

Decision of the Match: Cameroon manager Paul Le Guen insisting on playing star player Samuel Eto'o in a role on the wide right. The Inter Milan man occupies that position at club level, but he was wasted for his country.

Save of the Match: After a shaky start, Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima superbly stopped Pierre Webo's injury-time effort. Regardless of an unheard whistle for a foul, it was a great save.

Attempt of the Match: The crossbar will still be rattling in Bloemfontein after Stephane Mbia sent a late, long-range thunderbolt crashing against the frame of the goal.

Talking Point: Why did Cameroon appear so disinterested in the match? Did Le Guen have the correct tactics? Can Japan reach the knockout stages?






Result: Italy De Rossi, 63) 1 - 1 Paraguay (Alcaraz, 39)


Azzurri grab opening draw
Paraguay pegged back after taking the lead


World champions Italy came from behind in their opening match against Paraguay to claim a 1-1 draw in Cape Town.

The South Americans had taken the lead in their Group F encounter just before half-time when new Wigan signing Antolin Alcaraz rose highest to head home a free-kick.

Italy looked much better after the break and they levelled with just over 20-minutes left as Daniele De Rossi poked the ball home after goalkeeper Justo Villar missed his punch.

As expected, Italy coach Marcello Lippi had left Serie A's top goalscorer Antonio Di Natale on the bench, instead selecting Alberto Gilardino with Vincenzo Iaquinta out wide.

Gerardo Martino also opted to leave out his two highest-profile forwards in Benfica's Oscar Cardozo and Manchester City man Roque Santa Cruz. Instead,

Borussia Dortmund team-mates Lucas Barrios and Nelson Valdez were deployed in attack.

Claudio Morel had to be alert to stop Simone Pepe pouncing on a dangerous ball at the back post in the sixth minute as Italy set the early pace.

Their passing and movement was delightful, with Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio central to much of it.

Paraguay did exert some form of pressure midway through the half with two corners, before Riccardo Montolivo broke forward for Italy but could only hit a meek shot at Villar.

In the 22nd minute Aureliano Torres mis-hit a shot which only just bobbled wide of Gianluigi Buffon's goal.

Italy were stunned six minutes before the break when Paraguay went in front from a set-piece.

Torres' launched free-kick from deep was perfectly flighted and with Fabio Cannavaro and De Rossi flailing, Alcaraz headed past Buffon.

Buffon off

Buffon was surprisingly substituted at the break, replaced by Cagliari goalkeeper Federico Marchetti having reportedly suffered a back injury.

Enrique Vera had two sighters for Paraguay while Pepe missed with a spectacular bicycle kick attempt and Montolivo's weak shot was easily saved.

Martino sent on midfielder Jonathan Santana for Torres while Lippi sacrificed Marchisio for Mauro Camoranesi to go 4-4-2 shortly before the hour mark. Victor Caceres was booked for a late slide on Montolivo before Italy finally made the pressure tell to go level.

Villar horribly missed Pepe's corner from the left, allowing a delighted De Rossi to simply stab the ball home and wheel away in delight.

Italy had a penalty shout denied by Mexican Benito Archundia when Montolivo went down under a robust shoulder challenge from Paulo Da Silva before, at the other end, Barrios found Santana who dragged his shot off target.

Santa Cruz was given his chance in the 68th minute when he came on for Valdez before Camoranesi was booked for a foul on Vera.

Di Natale finally got his opportunity in the 72nd minute when he replaced Gilardino while Cardozo also had a taste when he came on for Barrios.

Good work from Di Natale set up Udinese team-mate Pepe for a half-decent shot while, at the opposite end, Cannavaro blocked a Santa Cruz header.

Montolivo did threaten with an 83rd minute long-range effort which brought out the best in Villar, who sprawled low to his right to save, but Italy were unable to complete the turnaround by snatching a winner.


Man of the Match: De Rossi. It would not be a surprise if he was targeted by several clubs this summer such is his ever-growing reputation as a dominating midfielder,

Gaffe of the Match: Villar. Shocking keeping this as the Paraguayan flapped at a corner to allow De Rossi to stab in the leveller.

Goal of the Match: Alcaraz. Not much to choose between the two, but the new Wigan man wins this prize after he planted the opening goal home with his head.

Save of the Match: Villar scrambled across his goalline to get his hands on a stinging drive from Montolivo.

Talking Point: How much of a boost will Andrea Pirlo's availability be for Italy when he returns from Italy, with Azzurri lacking creativity during much of the game?

[Black Widow]

Day 5:




New Zealand v Slovakia preview
Crucial opening game for Group F minnows


Group F minnows New Zealand and Slovakia lock horns in a crucial game in Rustenburg on Tuesday.

Reigning champions Italy are expected to progress to the last 16 along with Paraguay but both New Zealand and Slovakia will harbour hopes of springing a surprise.

Making a strong start is imperative with such difficult games still to come and New Zealand will be determined to show the world what they can do after qualifying for the first time since 1982.

The All Whites' form in friendly matches has not been too impressive since they edged out Bahrain in a two-legged play-off last November, but a recent victory over Serbia shows they cannot be taken lightly.

Manager Ricki Herbert will have captain and key centre-back Ryan Nelsen at his disposal despite the Blackburn player missing the final warm-up game against Chile with an ear infection.

Plymouth striker Rory Fallon and Middlesbrough's Chris Killen will lead the line, with Ipswich's Tommy Smith making it four England-based players in the side.

Tim Brown is struggling with a shoulder problem and experienced defender Ivan Vicelich will be asked to fill the void in midfield.

Slovakia news

Slovakia will be competing at their first finals after finishing top in a competitive qualifying group that also included Slovenia, Poland, Northern Ireland and Czech Republic.

Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel is expected to shrug off an ankle problem he sustained in a warm-up game against Costa Rica.

Miroslav Stoch had also seemed doubtful due to a knee injury that has prevented him from training with the rest of the squad but he is confident of being fit.

All eyes will also be on playmaker Marek Hamsik, who has reportedly attracted interest from several of Europe's top clubs and could leave Napoli later in the summer.





Ivory Coast v Portugal preview
Elephants prepare for Portugal test


Ivory Coast and Portugal will go head-to-head in a highly anticipated World Cup Group G encounter at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday.

The Ivorians are sweating over the fitness of their talismanic striker Didier Drogba, but in all likelihood, the Chelsea frontman will miss out after breaking his arm during a friendly against Japan just before the start of the World Cup.

The 32-year-old was replaced by Seydou Doumbia in that game and the CSKA Moscow striker is likely to start against the much fancied Portuguese.

Drogba has resumed training after having surgery on his arm but Elephants head coach Sven Goran Eriksson might have to draw on his contingency plans if his leading marksman - who scored 37 goals for Chelsea in all competitions last season - is not fully fit.

Kolo Toure will captain the team if Drogba does not play while Salomon Kalou and Doumbia are expected to lead the line. Meanwhile, defender Arthur Boka has a slight thigh problem, but is expected to be fit.

The Ivorians even without Drogba can still boast top class talent like Kolo and his brother Yaya Toure as well Didier Zokora and Emmanuel Eboue.

Eriksson knows Portugal only too well after they eliminated his England side in penalty shoot-outs at the quarter-final stage of Euro 2004 and the last World Cup in Germany.

Portugal worries

Portugal will rely on their talismatic winger Cristiano Ronaldo and hope he will be able to replicate his potent performances with Real Madrid at the tournament.

The Portuguese needed a play-off against Bosnia-Herzegovina to reach South Africa after a qualifying campaign in which Ronaldo failed to score in seven matches before being sidelined by injury.

Head coach Carlos Queiroz has worries over the fitness of winger Simao Sabrosa following a long season at club level with Atletico Madrid and some below par performances in recent friendlies, something that became a bigger cause for alarm when in-form winger Nani was ruled out of the finals due to injury to his collar bone.

Simao faces renewed competition after Danny put himself in contention with an eye-catching display in the 3-0 victory over Mozambique in their final warm-up match.

The Portuguese have a lot to prove after a patchy journey to the finals and doubts remain over whether the influential Pepe is ready to start after a lengthy lay-off with knee ligament damage.

The game could dicate who eventually advances from the 'Group of Death' that also features five-time World Cup winners Brazil and North Korea.





Brazil v North Korea preview
Samba boys at full strength for opener


Brazil kick off their bid for a sixth World Cup success against minnows North Korea on Tuesday evening.

The Samba boys are among the favourites to go all the way in South Africa and North Korea are not expected to produce one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history at Ellis Park in their Group G opener.

It is the first meeting between the two countries, as the highest-ranked team at the World Cup comes up against the lowest-ranked.

The South African World Cup has yet to genuinely come to life this summer and it is unlikely that there will be an upset on Tuesday night, but North Korea coach Kim Jong-hun will have his fingers crossed.

North Korea have not been to a World Cup finals since 1966 when they reached the quarter-finals thanks to a stunning win over Italy, and the nation is dreaming of a performance to match that from 44 years ago.

Kim's men reached South Africa the hard way after coming through five preliminary rounds to enter the Asian qualifying section and eventually book a place at the finals via an organised and defensive approach.

Forward Hong-Yong Jo, of Russian club FC Rostov, is North Korea's captain and leading scorer, while Jong Tae Se is described as the 'Asian Wayne Rooney' and he has been linked with a move to the Premier League.

Confidence

Brazil need no introduction and despite being drawn in this summer's supposed 'Group of Death', they will not be intimidated having not failed to progress since 1966.

Dunga's men will begin their participation in South Africa full of confidence after winning the Confederations Cup last year.

They also go into the game with a fully-fit squad as Dunga looks to put down a marker for the rest of the tournament.

Goalkeeper Julio Cesar is set to play after recovering from a back injury, meaning Tottenham's Heurelho Gomes will start on the bench.

Luis Fabiano is set to lead the attack, with Kaka and Robinho playing a supporting role.

All eyes will be on Kaka after a domestic season at Real Madrid that was severely disrupted by injuries and a lack of form.

North Korea have no injury problems to contend with for the game, with Kim set to favour his preferred defensive formation to cope with Brazil's array of stars.

[Black Widow]

Day 5:




Result: New Zealand (Reid, 90) 1 - 1 Slovakia (Vittek, 50)


Reid rescue act for NZ
Rustenburg drama leaves Group F up for grabs


Winston Reid's name will go down in New Zealand's admittedly brief footballing folklore after his injury-time equaliser grabbed his country their first point at a World Cup finals in a 1-1 draw with Slovakia.

Vladimir Weiss' Slovakia appeared set to grab the initiative in Group F in their debut appearance at the World Cup finals as an independent nation, but Reid earned his side a dramatic point at the death in the Rustenburg sun.

As the clock ticked past 90 minutes, Slovakia were licking their lips at the prospect of a two-point lead over Group F favourites Italy and Paraguay courtesy of Robert Vittek's second-half header.

But Reid had other ideas in injury-time as he climbed above the Slovak defenders to mark New Zealand's World Cup return following a 28-year absence in memorable style.

Neither side turned on the style, as the game followed the generally tepid trend of this summer's competition, however, New Zealand will now prepare for Sunday's meeting with defending champions Italy on the back of one of the best stories of the tournament so far.

That Blackburn's uncompromising centre-back Ryan Nelsen not only captains the All Whites but is also considered to be their star man gave an indication of the approach of Ricki Herbert's team ahead of kick-off.

However, it was the All Whites who made the attack-minded and threatening start to matters, with Middlesbrough striker Chris Killen heading towards goal in the opening five minutes.

Tony Lochhead was proving a menace on the left for New Zealand against a struggling Slovakia side, who topped Group Three in qualifying to leave the likes of Czech Republic, Poland and Northern Ireland at home this summer.

Problems

Plymouth's Rory Fallon and Killen were continuing to cause problems and the former was inches from connecting with a header as Jan Durica nodded for the relative safety of a corner.

If the truth be told, though, the match was following the drab pattern of the majority of matches at the 2010 World Cup and Slovakia could only muster their first effort in the 20th minute when Manchester City's Vladimir Weiss, son of the manager, fired behind from Marek Hamsik's pass.

Slovakia were poor, apparently making no effort to exploit the wide areas left by New Zealand's rigid back three, and Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel did not mix his words when asking his team-mates to improve their performances.

Stanislav Sestak responded and unleashed an effort that had Mark Paston scrambling, shortly before the New Zealand shot-stopper almost added his name to the burgeoning rogues' gallery of goalkeepers that is emerging in South Africa.

When under no pressure, Paston produced a horrible air-kick, from which Slovakia failed to capitalise, and the goalkeeper was then fortunate as he bizarrely allowed a Durica header to bounce across his six-yard line.

At the halfway stage, Herbert's men had done their intended job of containment, but all their hard work was undone only five minutes after the break as Vittek headed Slovakia in front.

Comfortable

Sestak whipped a good, early cross into the penalty area from the right and, with Reid unable to intercept and a hint of offside, Lille's Vittek used his forehead to open the scoring.

The goal settled Slovakia's nerves and they began to dominate, although there was still a drought of quality as Hamsik sent an 18-yard effort high into the stadium, which again included a number of empty seats.

With 20 minutes remaining, Sestak provided another excellent cross into the penalty area, but his team-mates could not convert as Reid superbly intercepted the low pass.

New Zealand responded by taking off Killen and introducing 18-year-old West Brom striker Chris Wood, but the match was losing what little pace had been added from the goal.

Herbert again hoped that a substitution could help his side to an equaliser with 10 minutes to play as Jeremy Christie came on in place of Ivan Vicelich.

But Slovakia, who brought on Chelsea's Miroslav Stoch in place of goalscorer Vittek, were looking comfortable as three minutes of injury-time arrived.

That luxury, though, turned to pain as Shane Smeltz dug out a superb cross from the left that Reid met with aplomb.


Man of the Match: Vladimir Weiss was the only player on the pitch who showed any real quality.

Save of the Match: Jan Mucha displayed commendable agility to tip Shane Smeltz's stinging drive past the post.

Moment of the Match: Winston Reid, quite simply for securing New Zealand's first World Cup point.

Talking Point: Can minnows New Zealand trouble World champions Italy or Paraguay to defy the odds and qualify from Group F?






Result: Ivory Coast 0 - 0 Portugal


Portugal play out dour draw
Ronaldo hits woodwork as Drogba only plays 25 minutes


Portugal and Ivory Coast played out a rather insipid 2010 World Cup Group G opener as the encounter in Port Elizabeth ended in a goalless draw.

The Ivorians were arguably the better side throughout in a game lacking quality and ambition but it was Portugal who came the closest to winning the match when Cristiano Ronaldo hit the woodwork in the first half.

The major team news was that influential Ivorian striker Didier Drogba had to settle for a place on the substitutes' bench with manager Sven Goran Eriksson seemingly reluctant to take a risk on the Chelsea player's recently broken arm, despite a protective cast. Both sides opted for a 4-3-3 system.

The game began with a swifter tempo than onlookers have been subjected to at the 2010 World Cup thus far. Portugal aimed to dance through early on before an athletic Ivory Coast side attempted to impose themselves on the encounter with the majority of their attacking play coming down the right flank.

Excitement increased around the Port Elizabeth Stadium whenever the world's most expensive player Cristiano Ronaldo picked up possession. And the £80million man drew two fouls within the first 10 minutes, the second of which resulted in an arguably harsh yellow card for Didier Zokora, who was penalised for making very little contact with Ronaldo.

Woodwork

The world-class Ronaldo saw the resulting free-kick hammer into a wall, but made amends just moments later when he unleashed a typically thunderous effort from 35 yards. Indeed, the Jabulani ball swerved with vicious pace as it left Ronaldo's boot only to crack back off the post and away, with keeper Boubacar Barry a helpless spectator.

Eriksson's men responded with two pot-shots of their own. First, Siaka Tiene hit a curling yet rather weak free-kick wide of goalkeeper Eduardo's goal. Then, on 17 minutes, Cheik Tiote opened up his body to bend a shot over the crossbar from 20 yards out. Again, though, Ricardo had the strike well covered.

Ronaldo continued to be in the thick of the action when in the 20th minute he and Guy Demel both received bookings after an altercation between the pair. Referee Jorge Larrionda had waved play on following a challenge from the latter on the former, resulting in an aggressive exchange of views and a yellow apiece.

Pedro Mendes was then very fortunate not to be carded for a nasty studs-up rake down the right leg of Emmanuel Eboue, before up the other end Liedson was squeezed out of matters by Tiene, who had just chopped down Ronaldo in a very feisty and often cynical first period.

Drogba was not brought on at the interval despite looking miffed during his time on the bench in the first half. Nonetheless, the Ivorians started the second 45 minutes the brighter, with the impressive Gervinho striking across goal, forcing Eduardo to flick the ball out for a corner.

And the Elephants proceeded to be the most attacking force, although there was hardly much competition from the Portuguese who continued to rely on Ronaldo for inspiration, as Salomon Kalou first almost got his head on a cross before hitting a low and central shot straight at Eduardo.

Drogba

Portugal, who opted to bring on winger Simao for the ineffective Danny, created their first attack since the break when Deco dug out a cross from the right on 58 minutes to pick out Liedson, who had to adjust to divert what was ultimately a tame header into the hands of Barry.

On 65 minutes, the biggest cheer of the night erupted around the stadium as Drogba entered the fray in place of Kalou, but not before Portugal replaced the indifferent Deco with Tiago to not quite the same fanfare.

A flurry of changes then sandwiched a dragged shot wide by Raul Meireles while in injury-time Drogba was finally given some ammunition, but the powerful attacker could only whip an effort across goal, with no team-mate there to tap into an empty net.

Yet there was to be no firework finish to what was a drizzly affair, with both countries, in particular Portugal, as has been the overriding theme in South Africa to date, preferring to settle for a draw in their opening group encounter, rather than risk pushing for three points.


Man of the Match - In what was a desperately disappointing encounter, Yao Gervinho stood out as Ivory Coast's best attacking threat with his runs down the wing and looked the most likely to conjure up a goal.

Attempt of the match - There was really only one shot to excite the crowd and it came from Cristiano Ronaldo in the 11th minute when his rasping long range effort crashed against the post.

Save of the match - Portugal's Carvalho Eduardo wasn't called into action much but he had to be alert to save Salomon Kalou's fierce effort early in the second half, although it was straight at him.

Moment of the match - Didier Drogba's arrival into the game in the 65th minute, having made a recovery from a broken arm to take his place on the subs bench, did at least spark the crowd into life and he so nearly got on the end of a chance deep into stoppage time.

Talking point - Quite simply, this was a dreadful game, underlining why some critics are concerned this could end up being the worst World Cup of all time. The result now means qualification from Group G will probably go down to how many goals Ivory Coast and Portugal beat North Korea by - but on this evidence it won't be many.






Result: Brazil (Maicon, 55 Elano, 72) 2 - 1 Korea DPR (Ji, 89)


Brazil stutter to success
Elano goal proves the difference at chilly Johannesburg


Brazil began their quest for a sixth World Cup title with an unconvincing 2-1 win over North Korea.

In a game that many were tipping to be a rout, the South Americans could find no way past North Korea in the first half of their World Cup Group G encounter at Ellis Park.

The joint tournament favourites found their Asian opponents difficult to break down and had their Samba blushes saved when Maicon and Elano scored two second-half strikes.

Inter Milan full-back Maicon gave the Brazilians the goal their dominance deserved with a 55th minute piledriver that swerved past goalkeeper Ri Myong-Guk from an impossibly tight angle on the right by-line.

Robinho, who was the game's outstanding player, then provided one of the assists of the championship so far as he threaded a delightful ball to Elano in the 72nd minute before the midfielder slotted home a second.

North Korea, who showed lots of endeavour, got their reward when Jong Tae-Se, their best player on the night, played in Ji Yun-Nam to grab an 89th minute consolation but Brazil hung on to top the 'Group of Death' after Portugal and Ivory Coast's goalless draw earlier on Tuesday.

Like so many games in the South Africa finals, it failed to catch the imagination but Dunga will be delighted his side continued their 76-year record of being unbeaten in their opening match.

The North Koreans were the first to have a shot on target after 10 minutes when Japan-born striker Jong Tae-Se bustled past two markers and drilled in a left-footed shot which Julio Cesar was able to gather.

Brazil were dominating possession but struggling to pick the final pass and the Koreans were not purely sitting back as Cha Jong-Hyok got forward to blast a left-footed shot wide after 15 minutes.

The South Americans threatened when Luis Fabiano slotted the ball through to Robinho in the box. The forward, on loan at Santos from Manchester City, was able to make room for a shot but North Korea goalkeeper Ri Myong-Guk got well behind it.

Congested

The lack of genuine width seemed to be causing Brazil problems as North Korea's five-man defence ganged up on Kaka, Luis Fabiano, Robinho and Elano in a congested attacking third and Kim Jong-Hun's team were content to burst forward in small numbers on the break.

Goalkeeper Myong-Guk parried away a Maicon drive at his near post in the 28th minute which was Brazil's best effort up to that point.

The North Koreans were making a fight of it and, following a corner, Pak Chol-Jin cut the ball back from the right to Ri Kwang-Chon but the defender scuffed a presentable shooting chance wide from 25 yards.

Not much was going Brazil's way as Michel Bastos' shot deflected off Pak Chol-Jin and looped over the crossbar with Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai wrongly awarding a goal-kick, and Ri Kwang-Chon made a vital header clear under pressure from Luis Fabiano as the half ended goalless, against all the odds.

The second half started in much the same vein as the first had ended as North Korea, to borrow Jose Mourinho's phrase, "parked the bus" on the edge of the box and Brazil struggled to find a way through.

Michel Bastos blasted a free-kick wide from just outside the box in the 51st minute after Pak Chol-Jin was penalised for a foul on Kaka. The Real Madrid star then chested the ball down for Robinho to shoot from 26 yards but his right-footed effort was again wayward.

Breakthrough

The goal finally came on 55 minutes when Elano played the ball into the box for the overlapping Maicon and his cross-cum-shot beat Myong-Guk at the near post, with the goalkeeper seemingly expecting the Inter Milan full-back to cut the ball back rather than shoot.

Myong-Guk fisted clear another long-range drive from Michel Bastos and, as North Korea committed more men forward, they left gaps. On one counter-attack Robinho found Luis Fabiano, who beat defender Ri Jun-Il in the box but blasted a left-footed shot over.

Brazil added a second in the 72nd minute and it was a thing of beauty as Robinho slipped a perfect through-ball to Elano advancing into the box on the right and the Galatasaray man made no mistake with a cool side-footed finish. The goalscorer was immediately substituted, with Dani Alves coming on.

Villarreal forward Nilmar, on for Kaka, drove in a right-footed shot which Myong-Guk gathered at the second attempt with 12 minutes left and he also had to field a Felipe Melo effort shortly afterwards.

Juan had to make a last-ditch tackle to deny Tae-Se a late chance and Yun-Nam then burst through to score, sparking a wild celebration, although the points remained with Brazil.


Man of the match: Robinho was at the heart of all of Brazil's best moves and allied his repertoire of tricks with purpose, drive and desire.

Goal of the match: Brazil's second takes this award after Robinho's stunning slide-rule pass cut open the North Korea defence, allowing Elano to side-foot home without even breaking stride.

Moment of the match: Ji Yun-Nam's late reply for North Korea as he drove into the Brazil box and fired the ball beyond Julio Cesar.

Talking points: Did Maicon mean it? Can Brazil claim a sixth World Cup this summer? How will Portugal and Ivory Coast fare against the well-organised and hard-working North Korea?

Tears of the match: A close call with Jong Tae-Se overcome with emotion during the national anthems and Maicon following his lead after opening the scoring.

[Black Widow]

Day 6:




Honduras v Chile preview
Honduras doubtful over star duo, Chile enjoy Suazo boost


Honduras' World Cup preparations have been far from ideal ahead of their Group H opener against Chile in Nelspruit on Wednesday.

They have injury doubts over Tottenham midfielder Wilson Palacios and Inter Milan striker David Suazo and have come into the competition on the back of a wretched run of form.

Despite pipping Costa Rica for automatic qualification last October, the Central Americans have struggled to reproduce that form in the build-up to only their second World Cup appearance having previously qualified in 1982.

Reinaldo Rueda's side have failed to win since beating the USA 3-1 in January, losing to Turkey and Venezuela while getting beat 3-0 by Romania in their final warm-up game.

They have also drawn with Azerbaijan and Belarus, scoring only two goals in their last five games, and have been hit by injury blows to Palacios and Suazo.

Both have been suffering from a thigh problem and Rueda has been keen not to rush his star duo back too soon.

Palacios was able to play a full part in the team's final training session before flying east from Johannesburg to the Mpumalanga province and is expected to prove his fitness in time.

However, Suazo's fitness is not as positive and a decision is set to be made on Tuesday on the 30-year-old, who ended the season on loan at Genoa.

Chile news

Chile's form has been much more encouraging as they have won their last three friendlies against Northern Ireland, Israel and New Zealand.

Led by Argentinian coach Marcelo Bielsa, they enjoyed much success with an attacking approach in qualifying, finishing as runners-up to Brazil in the South American group.

And Bielsa, who took Argentina to the 2002 finals, has been handed a fitness boost over talisman Humberto Suazo.

The 29-year-old, who ended the season on loan at Real Zaragoza from Mexican side Monterrey, was top scorer in the South American qualifying group with 10 goals.

Chile's star striker sustained a hamstring injury against Israel but has trained this week and despite not being match fit, looks set to play some part against Honduras.

This will be Chile's eighth appearance in the finals having last qualified in 1998, although they have not won a World Cup game since finishing third as hosts in 1962.

Victory would set either side up for a tussle with Switzerland for second place in Group H, with European champions Spain expected to progress as group winners.





Spain v Switzerland preview
Del Bosque's men aiming to live up to billing as favourites


Spain will be determined to lay down a marker when they take on Switzerland in Group H on Wednesday.

Having triumphed at Euro 2008, Spain finally managed to lose the tag of perennial underachievers who always impress in qualifying but then flatter to deceive in major tournaments.

Vicente del Bosque's squad is also brimming with experience in terms of players who have enjoyed great success at club level, and Spain enter the World Cup as the favourites to claim glory.

Spain will have had the opportunity to assess the form of all their rivals by the time they and Switzerland take to the field in Durban as the last of the 32 teams to get their campaigns under way.

Del Bosque had had to sweat over the fitness of several of his key men in the weeks approaching the World Cup, with Fernando Torres, Cesc Fabregas and Andres Iniesta among those causing the manager a headache.

Liverpool striker Torres has recovered from knee surgery but might not be risked from the start and appears more likely to figure from the substitutes' bench.

Andres Iniesta is also a doubtful starter after being taken off with a minor thigh injury in the thumping 6-0 warm-up win over Poland.

Cesc Fabregas is fit after missing the end of the season with Arsenal due to a broken leg and could be given the nod in a five-man midfield, with Golden Boot hopeful David Villa leading the line.

Switzerland news

Switzerland overcame the odd wobble in qualifying, including a shock defeat to Luxembourg, to book their place in South Africa.

They are outsiders to progress to the last 16 behind Spain and Chile, but will believe they can make it through from a group that also includes Honduras.

Manager Ottmar Hitzfeld has suffered two big setbacks ahead of the game with the news that Alexander Frei and Valon Behrami will play no part.

Captain Frei has an ankle injury and is set to be replaced in attack by Eren Derdiyok, while West Ham midfielder Valon Behrami has a thigh problem.

Hitzfeld is hopeful that both players will recover in time for what could be the decisive second match against Chile next Monday.






South Africa v Uruguay preview
All four teams on one point going into second match


South Africa and Uruguay can seize control of Group A and take a huge step towards qualifying with victory in Pretoria on Wednesday.

Both sides opened their World Cup campaign with draws on Friday leaving the group finely balanced after one match with each team on a point apiece.

A win would change the dynamics of the group massively and pile the pressure on France and Mexico, who collide a day later in Polokwane.

South Africa will have been happier following their curtain raiser after coming within 11 minutes of victory in their 1-1 stalemate against Mexico.

The result came as a surprise to many, with the hosts given little chance of being in contention to make the knockout phase.

Uruguay also came out happier of Friday's fixture in their dour 0-0 draw against France, although their efforts were even more commendable given Nicolas Lodeiro's sending off left them facing a Les Bleus onslaught for the final 10 minutes in Cape Town.

South Africa news

Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira could tinker with his back line for his team's second encounter.

Bafana Bafana let their advantage slip against Mexico after Siphiwe Tshabalala had put them in front 55 minutes in with the classiest of finishes and Parreira will have been concerned by the uncertainty of his defence.

Rafael Marquez levelled late on to hand Mexico a point and defender Lucas Thwala could drop out of the starting line-up.

Thwala was replaced in the second period by experienced left-back Tsepo Masilela and he could be handed a start in the only anticipated change for the hosts.

Star midfielder Steven Pienaar is also expected to continue despite recent complaints of fatigue following a demanding season at club Everton.

Mexico news

Lodeiro will be the obvious omission for Uruguay following his dismissal late on in the France encounter.

The midfielder only entered the fray 63 minutes into the clash as a substitute but promptly picked up two yellow cards, the second of which was for a crude challenge on Bacary Sagna.

Coach Oscar Tabarez is believed to be considering a change of approach to the one offered in their opening game, which offered little in the way of chances.

The Uruguayan chief could opt for three strikers in a more attacking mindset, with Diego Forlan expected to drop deeper and play behind Luis Suarez and Edison Cavani.

[Black Widow]

Day 6:




Result: Honduras 0 - 1 Chile (Beausejour, 34)


Chile too hot for Honduras
Beausejour the hero for South Americans


Chile got their Group H campaign off to a winning start with a deserved 1-0 win over Honduras at Mbombela Stadium.

Jean Beausejour scored the only goal of the game after 38 minutes to give Chile their first World Cup victory since 1962.

Honduras struggled to have any impact on the game with Chile dominating for long proceedings and only poor finishing from the South Americans spared them a heavy defeat.

Chile missed a host of chances to make the game safe with Waldo Ponce somehow missing from just six yards out after he saw his second-half header kept out by Honduras keeper Noel Valladares.

Honduras actually suffered a blow before their first World Cup fixture in 28 years as experienced midfielder Cesar de Leon was ruled out of the tournament with a hamstring injury.

Fortunately for coach Reinaldo Rueda, he still had time to replace him in his squad with Jerry Palacios, brother of Tottenham's Wilson and the defender Johnny.

That made Honduras the first team to feature three brothers in a World Cup squad but Jerry was not present for the opener.

Honduras were without key striker David Suazo due to a leg injury while his namesake Humberto, top scorer in South American qualifiers, similarly failed to make the Chile line-up.

Chile made the running from the outset on the part-natural, part-artificial surface and earned a free-kick after two minutes which Matias Fernandez fired narrowly over.

Honduras goalkeeper Valladares then had difficulty handling a swerving long-range shot from Arturo Vidal and Jorge Valdivia saw a powerful effort deflected for a corner.

With Rueda watching from the stands due to a touchline ban, Honduras did not create a chance of note until 17 minutes when Carlos Pavon dragged a shot wide.

Pressure

Chile continued to attack and pieced together some neat one-touch moves.

Honduras managed to repel a series of raids but were finally caught out when the impressive Alexis Sanchez played in Mauricio Isla and he pulled back across goal for Beausejour to slide in.

Sanchez had another opportunity before the break but Valladares parried while Honduras ended the first half with Ramon Nunez forcing Claudio Bravo to tip over a free-kick.

Chile threatened again straight from the restart with Sanchez playing in Beausejour after a tricky run but Wigan's Maynor Figueroa produced a fine tackle.

Udinese forward Sanchez burst into the box himself after another menacing run but sidefooted wide.

Chile should have doubled their lead after 64 minutes when Vidal headed a Fernandez free-kick into a six-yard box free of defenders but Ponce stooped to head straight at Valladares.

Valdivia did put the ball in the net 15 minutes from time but Sanchez had clearly handled after Valladares beat out a long-range shot.

Chile maintained the pressure up to the final whistle but were unable to find the second goal their enterprising play deserved.


Man of the match: Alexis Sanchez. The Chilean winger showed just why Real Madrid are reported to be interested in him with a dazzling display.

Save of the match: Noel Valladares performed heroics in the second half as he somehow beat away a close-range header from Waldo Ponce.

Moment of the match: Jean Beausejour bundled Chile in front shortly after the half-hour mark, breaking Honduras' spirited resistance.

Talking point: Can Chile make a real impression on the tournament after showcasing the kind of attacking approach rarely seen during the group stages so far?






Result: Spain 0 - 1 Switzerland (Fernandes, 52)


Swiss smash and grab Spain
Fernandes strike stuns European champions in Group H


A valiant performance from Switzerland ensured Ottmar Hitzfeld's team claimed the shock of the World Cup so far against European champions Spain as Gelson Fernandes bundled home a winner in Durban.

The Spaniards dominated possession for the entire game but found themselves up against a resolute and disciplined Swiss side, who refused to lose shape versus their opponents' passing football.

And in the 52nd minute, Spain were left reeling when Fernandes pounced on uncertain defending, with a cut and bloodied Gerard Pique indicative of how Vicente del Bosque's side must have felt come the final whistle.

Such is Spain's frightening strength in depth, head coach Del Bosque had the luxury of leaving Fernando Torres and Cesc Fabregas on the substitutes' bench while Andres Iniesta passed a late fitness test and did make the starting XI. For Switzerland, key striker Alexander Frei did not start after arriving in South Africa with an ankle injury.

Premier League referee Howard Webb's whistle got the game under way, with Spain typically neat in the early exchanges, forcing their opponents to exhaustingly chase shadows. But, for all Spain's possession, goalkeeper Diego Benaglio was only called into action in the 10th minute, diving at the feet of David Villa to smother.

Then five minutes later, new Fulham defender Philippe Senderos, whose father is Spanish, had a heart in mouth moment when he clumsily tackled David Silva in the penalty area, felling the playmaker. But, to the Swiss stopper's relief, Webb waved away some half-hearted appeals for a spot-kick.

Disciplined

Spain continued to tease the disciplined Swiss, who were undone down the left on 17 minutes as Silva drove a shot at Benaglio before, on the other flank, Sergio Ramos collected a searching pass in an advanced position, but dragged his effort harmlessly wide of the goal.

Then, after Iniesta saw a deflected strike comfortably gathered by Benaglio, the Barcelona schemer executed a wonderful disguised pass that found Pique in the area. The centre-back, similar to his goal in the UEFA Champions League semi-final against Inter Milan, demonstrated nimble feet, only to see his finish expertly saved by the spread-eagled Benaglio.

Thereafter followed a tale of two free-kicks. First, former Tottenham player Reto Ziegler saw a skimming shot dealt with easily by Iker Casillas. Then, up the other end, Stephane Grichting went into the book for a foul on Iniesta, with the resulting free-kick slammed into the wall by David Villa.

In the 35th minute, Senderos' outing came to a premature end after he limped off with an injury, the centre-back replaced by Steve von Bergen. But the change altered little to the pattern of the game as a frustrated Spain continued to dominate but failed to land a knock-out punch, despite Villa's best efforts, as another non-event of a first period at this year's World Cup came to an end.

Spain picked up the second half where they left the first as they penned back Switzerland. Alonso saw a bending shot deflect wide for a corner, which was worked cleverly and resulted in Benaglio flicking away a looping header from Sergio Busquets.

However, in the 52nd minute, the unthinkable happened. A long ball down field caused havoc in the centre of Spain's defence as Eren Derdiyok won the flick-on. The European champions crumbled in the box, with bodies hitting the deck, to allow ex-Manchester City midfielder Fernandes to pounce and stab the ball home into an empty net.

Spain's response was to thrown on Torres and Jesus Navas for Busquets and Silva in the 62nd minute, switching to a 4-4-2, but not before Villa was expertly slipped in on goal by Xavi's reverse through ball, only to see his stab at goal blocked away bravely by the onrushing Benaglio.

Torres

And the changes almost had the desired effect after a nuisance caused by both Torres and Navas helped fashion an opportunity for Iniesta, whose bending shot did not curl enough as it whistled past the wrong side of the post, with Benaglio a helpless onlooker.

Spain's switch in system and personnel continued to pay dividends as Torres twice threatened to restore parity. Then on 70 minutes, Real Madrid star Alonso hammered a first-time effort goalwards, the effort cracking back off the bar and out, before Navas danced forward but struggled to generate power on his strike.

Just when it looked to be all Spain, Ottmar Hitzfeld's men came within a whisker of grabbing a second. Towering striker Derdiyok wriggled his way into the box before executing a low shot with the outside of his boot. But the ball bobbled back out off the foot of the post, with Spain almost twice stunned.

Navas proved to be Spain's best outlet, with the winger causing Ziegler untold problems as the left-back went into the book after being skinned far too often. And in the 79th minute, after Pedro was sent on for Iniesta, Navas' arrowed strike skimmed just past the far post.

But the final moments passed by without too much of a fright for Switzerland, who continued to defend stoutly and soak up pressure. And, despite five minutes of stoppage time played, Spain could not find the leveller they craved as the Swiss let outpour their triumphant emotion.


Man of the match: Andres Iniesta. Great touches and vision and did not deserve to be on the losing team

Moment of the match: Eren Derdiyok cutting past a couple of defenders and hitting the post which would have put Switzerland 2-0 up late in the game.

Attempt of the match: Xabi Alonso's thunderous strike from 25 yards out which crashed off the underside of the bar

Save of the match: Diego Benaglio spreading himself to deny Gerard Pique in the first half.

Talking point: Spain were World Cup favourites but are in danger of not getting through the group stages. Will they make changes for the Honduras game and do they have the guile to break down defences?






Result: South Africa (Khune s/o 76) 0 - 3 Uruguay (Forlan 24,80(pen) Pereira, 90)


Forlan leaves hosts flailing
Uruguay turn on the style to blow away Bafana Bafana


A virtuoso display from Diego Forlan left South Africa in danger of becoming the first host nation to be eliminated from the World Cup group stages after Uruguay earned a 3-0 victory in Pretoria.

The Atletico Madrid striker scored the opening goal of the game in the first half and appeared to have the infamous Jabulani on a string as he dictated the Group A encounter to leave his side within touching distance of the knockout round.

To make matters worse for South Africa, goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune became the first shot-stopper of the 2010 World Cup to be sent off after tripping Luis Suarez to allow Forlan to end any doubts about the result from the penalty spot.

Alvaro Pereira even had the opportunity to add gloss to the scoreline with a third goal in injury time as he headed home a cross from Suarez, who had been expertly found by a raking pass from the faultless Forlan.

For Bafana Bafana, the loss leaves their hopes in severe doubt, with a victory now essential against France next week, while defeat spoilt a national public holiday to commemorate of the 34th anniversary of the Soweto uprising.

Unfortunately for the vuvuzelas, which trumpeted at new highs, it cannot be argued that Uruguay did not deserve their three points and Forlan, who continues to represent a transformed man from the one who flopped at Manchester United, was the architect.

The 31-year-old was again partnered in attack by Ajax star Suarez, but Uruguay, apparently intent on adding a cutting edge following their dour stalemate with France, also featured Edinson Cavani in their first XI as part of a three-pronged forward line.

As expected, South Africa manager Carlos Alberto Parreira promoted Tsepo Masilela to his starting left-back over Lucas Thwale, having replaced him in the share of the spoils with Mexico in the competition opener last Friday.

Breakneck fashion

Thankfully, Wednesday had undoubtedly been the day that the World Cup came to life, as Chile's exciting approach to their victory over Honduras preceded Switzerland causing one of the biggest upsets in recent World Cup history against European champions Spain.

South Africa and Uruguay seemed to be chomping at the bit to follow as they began proceedings in breakneck fashion; indeed Steven Pienaar allowed enthusiasm to get the better of him as the Everton man earned a booking for charging down a free-kick after only five minutes.

Oscar Tabarez's Uruguay appeared to have taken a dose of Prozac since their miserable stalemate against the French in Cape Town and Forlan was the man administering the medicine.

South Africa were struggling to contain the Atletico star and Parreira's side were also failing to make their own attacks count, with last week's hero, Siphiwe Tshabalala, going for glory when a pass would have been beneficial after 15 minutes.

Suarez, who spent his time against Les Bleus frequently charging offside, was also demonstrating why he is prolific in the Eredivisie as he evaded the South African defence with quick feet before ruffling goalkeeper Khune's side-netting.

It was entertaining stuff. Both sides were looking to counter-attack at every opportunity, but South Africa were discovering that Uruguay possess a defensive organisation that would be the envy of some of their South American neighbours.

And in the 24th minute Uruguay demonstrated their threat at the other end of the field as they took the lead that their performance deserved.

Pessimistic

Forlan unleashed a 25-yard right-footer that dipped off the underside of the helpless Khune's crossbar.

Bafana Bafana would have liked to have blamed the Jabulani for the shifting trajectory of Forlan's flier, but it was a deflection via the shoulder of captain Aaron Mokoena that applied the neccesary top-spin to strand Khune.

Uruguay continued to enjoy the better of proceedings and Suarez again found the wrong side of the netting, while South Africa's frustration was epitomised in a booking for Kagisho Dikgacoi, which will suspend the Fulham midfielder for next Tuesday's meeting with France.

The game continued to follow the same pattern after half-time, as a Suarez cross almost found Cavani, who had been quiet, while the former was later unsuccessfully claiming for a penalty following a coming together with Bongani Khumalo.

Katlego Mphela was denied a chance to draw the teams level when the glove of Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera deflected his header away from goal, but that was as good as it got for South Africa.

With 15 minutes left to play Khune floored Suarez when the forward was through on goal to leave Swiss referee Massimo Busacca with the simple task of brandishing the red card.

After a break of almost five minutes, as substitute goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs found his kit and laced his boots, Forlan kept his composure to blast his 80th minute spot-kick high into the roof of the net.

There had been little doubt that the excellent striker would leave Josephs, who came on in place of Pienaar, with no chance and the home fans were equally pessimistic about the result as they streamed out of the stadium before Pereira struck.


Man of the match: Diego Forlan. No-one came close to him. He ran the game, dropping deep and confusing defenders, topping it off with two goals. One from the aid of a deflection, the other a well-taken penalty. He was also involved with a fabulous pass to Luis Suarez in the build-up to the third goal.

Moment of the match: Forlan's penalty demonstrated the player's transition from laughing stock at Manchester United in his younger days to one of the world's most dangerous strikers.

Goal of the match: Admittedly it took a deflection, but Forlan's first to open the scoring was the pick of the bunch as his 25-yard right-footer left Itumeleng Khune stranded.

Talking point: Are Uruguay now dark horses to make progress in this tournament? Can Forlan be the standout player of these finals? Is that curtains for South Africa, or can they perform a miracle and make it through by beating France?

[Black Widow]

Day 7:




Argentina v South Korea preview
Two teams in strong position in Group B


Argentina and South Korea lock horns in Group B, with both sides coming into the game on the back of wins.

The Argentinians defeated Nigeria 1-0 thanks to a header from Gabriel Heinze, while Korea saw off the challenge of Greece, goals from Lee Jung-soo and Park Ji-sung sealing a 2-0 triumph.

Both teams are in a strong position to qualify from the pool, and whoever comes out on top in Johannesburg on Thursday is likely to top the group.

Much has been made of Diego Maradona's coaching style but the Argentina legend seems to have created a strong bond within his set of players.

And the controversial boss appears to have finally got the best out of Barcelona man Lionel Messi.

Messi has in the past been criticised for not taking his domestic form onto the international stage, but he was electric against Nigeria and was unlucky not to end up on the scoresheet.

However, South Korea proved against Greece that they are no pushovers and their slick passing style combined with a good work ethic makes them difficult opponents.

Team news

Argentina will be without midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron, who sat out training on Tuesday.

The former Manchester United and Chelsea man strained his right calf against Nigeria and Maradona will rest him - Maxi Rodriguez is the likely man to fill the breach, as he replaced him in the opening game.

Maradona may also decide to shore up his defence against the Koreans, having played more offensively against Nigeria.

Roma's Nicolas Burdisso could come in while Jonas Gutierrez may keep his place in the side.

South Korea manager Huh Jung-Moo, who played against Maradona in the 1986 World Cup, could welcome striker Lee Dong-guk back following his recovery from a thigh injury.

If Dong-guk does return, Korea could go with a more conservative 4-5-1 formation with Park Chu-yong pushing out wide.

Jung Song-ryong is likely to remain in goal after Huh's surprising decision to axe Lee Woon-jae against Greece.

Song-ryong had a solid performance in the opening game but was rarely tested and could have a busy afternoon ahead of him.






Greece v Nigeria preview
Goal-shy sides look to break the cycle


Nigeria take on Greece in a game that both sides will be looking to win to keep their hopes of qualifying from Group B alive.

Both teams were beaten in their opening games, with the Super Eagles going down valiantly 1-0 to group favourites Argentina, whereas the sluggish Greeks were soundly beaten 2-0 by South Korea.

On paper, it would seem that the African side have the edge over their European opponents, having seen none of the form and solidity Greece showed to emerge as shock winners of the 2004 European Championships in Portugal.

Nigeria showed in spells that they were capable of troubling Argentina, creating several good chances they could not convert, but the score was kept down by a combination of poor finishing from the South Americans and magnificent goalkeeping from Vincent Enyeama, who was named man of the match.

Greece are still yet to win a World Cup game in their history after losing all three at the 1994 finals in America, and have not scored a single goal, suggesting their triumph under current manager Otto Rehhagel six years ago was very much a flash in the pan.

Pedigree

The Super Eagles, meanwhile, have a better pedigree, reaching the second round in 1994 and beating Greece on the way in the group stage 2-0.

They also made it through the first stage in 1998 in France, falling to Denmark at the second phase of the tournament.

With Greece registering just two shots on target against South Korea and their goal record at this stage there for all to see, Nigeria have to be considered favourites although they have not scored in their last four games at the tournament.

The record demonstrates that it isn't likely to be a pretty, free-flowing, high scoring game, something that has epitomised the competition so far, but there will be a lot riding on this game for both teams, with victory putting them right back in the mix for qualification and a draw doing little to satisfy either.

Team news

Taye Taiwo is poised to start at left back for Lars Lagerback's side, despite stubbing his toe in Nigeria's opener.

Lagerback may also recall winger Peter Odemwingie to the starting line-up after bringing him on to good effect against Argentina, but he has no further injury worries ahead of a game that will see one side almost certain to make their exit should they be defeated.

Greece boss Rehhagel looks set to recall Liverpool centre back Sotirios Kyrgiakos to the side after he was surprisingly omitted from their defeat to South Korea.

The Greeks' poor defending from set pieces appears to have been a catalyst for the Reds stopper's return, while fellow defender Vangelis Moras is available after recovering from a knock.

Whether the German coach will make any further changes to shake up his lacklustre side following their drab performance is unknown, but Dimitrios Salpingidis could gain a starting berth after impressing in the second half of their opening game.






France v Mexico preview
Les Bleus and El Tri go into the tie level on points in Group A


France will have to up their game against Mexico in Polokwane as the race to qualify from Group A hots up.

Les Bleus played out a dour 0-0 draw with Uruguay in their opening game, while hosts South Africa and Mexico could not be separated after a 1-1 stalemate.

Manager Raymond Domenech received criticism for not changing his tactics early enough in his side's first match, and he will want a result against Mexico so as not to be going into the final group game against South Africa needing a win.

With Laurent Blanc waiting in the wings to take over after the World Cup, Domenech is under pressure to deliver.

The much-maligned longest-serving French coach led his side to the final in 2006, but he could make changes after a poor showing last time out.

Team news

Florent Malouda is reportedly preparing to return to the starting line-up after he was left out against Mexico.

Rumours of a bust-up with Domenech have been played down and the Chelsea winger, who had an excellent campaign in the Premier League, could come in on the left.

However, William Gallas is a doubt after missing training with a muscular problem, potentially leaving France short of options in central defence.

But the 32-year-old, who was reportedly angry at the decision to award Patrice Evra the captain's armband, could pull through and continue his partnership with Eric Abidal.

Meanwhile, reserve goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso has been ruled out of the World Cup with a thigh injury.

Carrasso pulled a left thigh muscle in training on Monday and will miss the remainder of the tournament, but a request to replace him was turned down by Fifa.

Mexico manager Javier Aguirre has vowed to continue his attacking mentality when his side take on the 1998 world champions.

El Tri set out with a 4-3-3 formation against South Africa, and are expected to keep going with their three-pronged attack of Guillermo Franco, Carlos Vela and Giovani Dos Santos.

Mexico stalwart Rafael Marquez picked up a minor calf problem against South Africa but is likely to play in midfield.

He said: "I'm fine now, at 100 per cent. I've had trouble with the calf and against South Africa I even was thinking of being taken off, but I've been able to recover over the past few days."

[Black Widow]

Day 7:




Result: Argentina (Park, 16(og) Higuain 33,76,80) 4 - 1 South Korea (Lee, 45)


Higuain treble lifts Argentina
Argentina make it two wins out of two in South Africa


Gonzalo Higuain helped himself to a hat-trick as Argentina moved to within touching distance of the knock-out stages of the World Cup following a 4-1 win over South Korea.

Park Chu-young's own goal and Higuain's first put Diego Maradona's side in the driving seat, although Lee Chung-yong's goal gave their Group B opponents hope of a second-half comeback.

Those dreams were extinguished once and for all late on as Real Madrid ace Higuain completed a hat-trick (76 and 80) to all but secure Argentina's place in the second round of the competition.

Argentina began the game positively and some neat work between Carlos Tevez and Angel Di Maria resulted in the latter slashing a left-footed effort wide of goal.

The South Americans continued to press and Higuain should have attempted to cross with seven minutes played instead of attempting an audacious effort from the angle.

South Korea's frustrations were beginning to show with Yeom Ki-hun rightly booked by Belgian referee Frank De Bleeckere for a rugby-style tackle on the diminutive Lionel Messi.

Just when it looked like South Korea were beginning to settle disaster struck when Messi's whipped-in free-kick was missed by Martin Demichelis only for Chu-young to inadvertently divert the ball into his own goal.

Argentina nearly doubled their advantage within a minute, but Liverpool winger Maxi Rodriquez flashed his shot from distance wide after good work by Messi.

Full stretch

Ki Sung-yong had Argentina keeper Sergio Romero at full stretch on 19 minutes as he fired in a long-range effort. The ball was well struck, but after beating Romero's outstretched hand the ball drifted over.

Maradona was forced into a change soon after when Walter Samuel was forced from the field of play with a hamstring injury allowing Nicolas Burdisso to come on in his place.

Argentina remained in the ascendancy despite the substitution and shortly after Tevez rocketed a shot just over before Maradona's side doubled their advantage with consummate ease.

Messi rolled a free-kick to Maxi Rodriguez and his floated cross was flicked on by Burdisso in the middle giving Higuain the simple task of heading beyond Jung Sung-ryong at the back post.

It continued to be Argentina's half as Chung-young was shown a yellow card for a late challenge on Burdisso while Sung-ryong needed to be at full stretch to palm over Di Maria's left-footed strike.

Just when it looked like Argentina would go into half-time with a commanding 2-0 lead they shot themselves in the foot as Chung-yong dispossessed Demichelis before slotting home past the onrushing Romero to pull one back.

South Korea head coach Huh Jung-moo made his first change during the half-time interval after introducing Kim Nam-il in place of Ki Sung-yong.

Argentina were not going to let the disappointment of conceding just before the break affect them and picked up where they left off by continuing to attack in the second half.

Tenacious

On 52 minutes Sung-ryong need to be on his guard to save Higuain's snap-shot after excellent build-up play from the likes of the tenacious Tevez and gifted Di Maria.

Indiscipline then cost Argentina as Jonas Gutierrez was booked for protesting against the award of a free-kick and Javier Mascherano joined him in the referee's notebook for an over-zealous challenge on Kim Jung-woo.

South Korea could and should have levelled matters approaching the hour mark when Chu-young fired a shot wide after a great midfield burst from Chung-yong to create the opportunity.

The miss proved costly as Argentina soon reasserted themselves on the Group B contest.

They continued to press and probe, but it was only after the introduction of Sergio Aguero for the hard-working Tevez that the game was secured once and for all.

Argentina hit South Korea with pace on the counter-attack and no sooner had Sung-ryong saved Messi's initial shot had the Barcelona genius struck the post with the rebound, providing Higuain with the simple task of tapping home.

They added the icing on the cake moments later as Higuain wrapped up his hat-trick with a close-range header after Aguero's unselfish cross from Messi's flick carved South Korea's defence to pieces.


Man of the match: Gonzalo Higuain grabbed a hat-trick by applying the finishing touches to a well-worked free-kick and two ruthless counter-attacks. Praise should also go to Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez.

Goal of the match: Argentina's fourth, Higuain's hat-trick, was a stunning goal. Messi and Sergio Aguero combined brilliantly on a swift attack before the latter's cross was met by Higuain.

Gaffe of the match: Martin Demichelis is known for the odd clanger at Bayern Munich and the defender's lapse in concentration to gift Lee Chung-yong for South Korea's goal at the end of the first half will give hope to Argentina's future opponents.

Cameo of the match: Aguero produced a brilliant display after entering the match as a 75th minute replacement for Tevez. The in-demand Atletico Madrid striker displayed his full arsenal of skills as he assisted Higuain in style.

Talking point: Are Argentina the favourites to win the 2010 World Cup? Or will Maradona's team come unstuck against quality opposition? Will South Korea be able to make it through to the knockout phase?






Result: Greece (Salpigidis, 44 Torosidis, 71) 2 - 1 Nigeria (Uche K, 16 Kaita s/o, 33)


Plucky Greece make Nigeria pay
Torosidis makes history for Rehhagel's men


Greece came from behind to achieve history as they beat Nigeria 2-1 in Bloemfontein to give them a chance to qualify for the second round of the World Cup.

It was their first win in five attempts at the finals, having come back from the 1994 tournament without a point or a goal to their name, meaning a point against Argentina in their final game in Group B could be enough to take them through.

Dimitris Salpingidis first sealed a piece of history with the Greeks' first ever goal of the tournament thanks to a deflected shot on the stroke of half-time to cancel out Kalu Uche's early opener.

Nigeria appeared to be in control of proceedings but the game changed as Sani Kaita was dismissed for a kick at Vasilis Torosidis.

But it was former hero Vincent Enyeama who turned villain as the goalkeeper, who was outstanding against Argentina in Nigeria's opener, fumbled a speculative shot out to Torosidis who converted to give the 2004 European champions their first taste of glory on this stage.

The match began in the style of many of the tournament's games so far, with both teams feeling their way into the contest rather than coming out all guns blazing.

Uche gave the Nigerians the lead in the 16th minute with a deep cross into the box from a free-kick which went over everyone's head straight into the net.

Peter Odemwingie looked like he got the final touch, but replays suggested that the winger did not touch the ball as it sailed past a helpless Alexandros Tzorvas in goal.

It was a hammer blow for manager Otto Rehhagel's men, who built their reputation as a tough-to-beat side during their victorious campaign six years ago.

Their defensive nous and expertise at keeping games tight looked to be a thing of the past without talismanic defender Traianos Dellas and goalkeeper Antonios Nikopolidis, who no longer play international football.

Without them Greece looked all at sea at the back, and their lack of attacking ability was becoming apparent as they could not get going in the final third.

Sotirios Kyrgiakos came closest to a response midway through the first half after meeting a header from a Giorgos Karagounis set-piece, but his effort bounced well wide of goalkeeper Enyeama's goal.

The Liverpool centre-back found another chance coming his way from a corner on the half-hour mark but his header sailed way over the bar, posing Greece's only realistic threat.

Despite Nigeria not being the most accomplished of sides they were firmly in control in the first half-hour, keeping Greece at arm's length and restricting them to long, hopeful passes into the box that were leaving strikers Theofanis Gekas and Salpingidis to feed on scraps.

Kaita dismissal

The game changed in controversial circumstances however when Kaita was dismissed for kicking out at Torosidis. The Greek midfielder certainly made the most of it, falling down theatrically from Kaita's kick out at him following a dispute over a throw-in.

Kaita hung his head after the initial surprise of his dismissal, putting his shirt over his head for what was a silly and needless piece of petulance that ended up costing his team.

Greece immediately went on the offensive, bringing on Celtic's Giorgios Samaras for defender Socratis Papaststhopoulos to bolster their attacking options as they went on the hunt for an equaliser.

Shortly after, Salpingidis broke clear but was denied by the legs of Enyeama when he should have hit the net.

Greece were having their best spell of the game shortly before half-time, with Katsouranis volleying wide from a corner and Samaras having a mis-hit shot cleared off the line.

And shortly before the half-time whistle, they got their reward and their first ever goal at a World Cup finals at the fifth attempt.

Katsouranis won the ball in the area to lay it off to Salpingidis, but with his well-struck shot appearing to be going wide, the ball clipped the heel of Lukman Haruna and ballooned over the wrong-footed Enyeama into the top corner.

It was surprisingly becoming an exciting spectacle with both sides attacking as the half-time whistle was blown, setting the tone for the second period.

Greece started the better of the two, knowing a win was essential to keep their hopes of getting through the group stage alive, raining in several crosses, one of which was headed way over from captain Karagounis, who should have done better.

Nigeria however came close after a good cross from Uche in the 48th minute which appeared to be goalbound but the ball was tipped over the bar by Tzorvas.

Backs to the wall

Nigeria had to have their backs to the wall as their opponents exposed the flanks thanks to an injury to Taye Taiwo left them down to nine men temporarily. Kyrgiakos managed to escape his marker for another downward header but it fell disappointingly into the arms of Enyeama.

Soon after, huge drama followed as both sides had brilliant chances to score as the game became stretched shortly before the hour mark.

Greece got the first opportunity thanks to a poor defensive clearance from Super Eagles captain Joseph Yobo fell to Salpingidis, but his shot was well saved from point-blank range by Enyeama.

From that chance Nigeria broke to the other end at pace with Yakubu being put clean through and his shot was well saved by Tzorvas but half-time substitute Chinedu Ogbuke was guilty of the miss of the tournament so far as his follow up bounced wide of an open goal.

The tension surrounding the game began to rise as Samaras saw his header clawed away by a fine save from Enyeama as Greece began to turn the screw, using their man advantage to good effect.

But after the Nigerian keeper's heroics so far in this tournament, things went drastically wrong as Torosidis made him pay for what was another goalkeeping fumble in the competition.

A Karagounis corner was only cleared away to Tziolis, whose speculative shot was not gathered by Enyeama, leaving Torosidis the easiest of finishes as he pounced to give Greece the lead in the 71st minute.

The game carried on at a frantic pace, with both Karagounis and Yakubu going close with long-range shots for both sides in what was proving to be one of the most exciting games of the finals so far.

Enyeama then saved from Karagounis after another long-range effort with the infamous Jabulani matchball causing problems for the Hapoel Tel Aviv shot-stopper.

Nigeria huffed and puffed to try and get back into the game but Greece looked the more likely to finish it off as Kyrgiakos missed another chance to seal victory, making their extra man count and stretching the Africans, but in the end it was not to matter for the Greeks.


Man of the Match: Captain Giorgos Karagounis pulled the strings for Greece in midfield and although he had several near misses, his overall performance inspired his side to a historic three points.

Goal of the Match: None of the three goals were particularly vintage but Kalu Uche's lovely flighted free-kick, although intended to find a team-mate rather than go straight into the net, just about gets the nod.

Moment of the Match: It's sad to highlight Vincent Enyeama's error which allowed Vassilis Torosidis to score the winner, but the goal will be toasted all across Greece as it handed the country their first ever victory at a World Cup finals.

Attempt of the Match: In the 68th minute Georgios Samaras' superb looping header looked destined for the top corner until Enyeama pulled off a stunning save.

Save of the Match: Enyeama made several fine saves throughout the encounter but his best came in the 59th minute when he denied Gekas' fierce shot from point-blank range.

Talking Point: It has to be Sani Kaita's moment of madness, needlessly kicking out at Torosidis after a minor tussle in midfield. It meant Nigeria had to play the best part of an hour with 10 men and they couldn't hold onto their 1-0 lead.





Result: France 0 - 2 Mexico (Hernandez, 64 Blanco, 79(pen))


France are staring at a humiliatingly premature exit from the 2010 World Cup after Mexico inflicted a 2-0 Group A defeat on Les Bleus in Polokwane on Thursday evening.

Manchester United-bound forward Javier Hernandez handed his side the lead in the second period before Cuauhtemoc Blanco, 15 years the former's senior, slotted in from the penalty spot.

The result leaves Mexico on four points, alongside Uruguay, while the increasingly under-fire France coach Raymond Domenech must now hope for a horoscope-inspired miracle when his team meet the hosts South Africa in what is likely to be his last game as national manager next Tuesday.

Domenech's only change to his side which played in their opening game of Group A was the introduction of Chelsea's Florent Malouda in place of Yoann Gourcuff, who struggled to make an impact in the goalless draw with Uruguay. Javier Aguirre, meanwhile, made one alteration, calling up Hector Moreno in place of Paul Aguilar.

The opening exchanges were very lively indeed, with Mexico first to threaten only for Giovani dos Santos to be flagged offside as he burst through and hit the far post. Then, after Guillermo Franco was booked, the pacey Mexicans risked to burst clear once more, but this time Hugo Lloris acted as sweeper.

Mexico continued to pose problems to the French defence, with a deep ball played over the top by Rafael Marquez finding Carlos Vela, whose wild lash of a volley resulted in the ball flashing waywardly off target. Minutes later, Franco wriggled on the edge of the box before curling a strike over.

Flair

France's danger primarily came through Malouda, with the midfielder nipping down the left only to see his cutback cut out. And then a well-worked set-piece from Les Bleus saw Franck Ribery thunder a rasping shot-come-cross beyond the reach of his lurking team-mates in the penalty area.

Carlos Salcido then found himself in the thick of the action twice in the space of nine minutes. First, the left-back drove, and dragged, a shot beyond the far stick as he marauded forward. Then, Salcido darted in from the flank and, following hesitation from William Gallas, toe-poked a shot goalwards which Lloris knocked away.

Aguirre was forced into a change on 31 minutes after Arsenal's Vela sustained a hamstring injury. And his replacement, Pable Barrera, almost made an immediate impact as he looked to steal in on Salcido's in-swinging cross, but was denied by the onrushing Lloris, who just about prevented a goal.

Mexico goalkeeper Oscar Perez was largely a spectator despite possession between the two nations being roughly split, with a very good Jeremy Toulalan cross only half-threatening their opponents' defence. And, as per the pattern of the game, Mexico caused issues, Santos again twisting and turning before squirting a strike off target.

Indeed, a tame effort from Nicolas Anelka which fell into the hands of Perez summarised France's first 45 minutes that lacked sting while Toulalan's cynical foul that resulted in a yellow card and halted a rapid Mexican counter-attack encapsulated the opposition's invention and willingness to get forward, and French's fear of that enthusiasm.

Stunned

Domenech shuffled his pack at the interval, bringing Andre-Pierre Gignac on for the subdued Anelka. Then followed a booking apiece for Efrain Juarez and Hector Moreno, the former carded for a shove on Malouda, who naughtily kicked the ball against the floored Mexican seconds earlier.

The entertainment kept on flowing as Malouda's thumping drive with his weaker right foot was tipped over by Perez. Ribery also witnessed a shot palmed away by the shot-stopper, before Javier Hernandez entered the fray in place of Juarez.

And just nine minutes after his introduction, 22-year-old Hernandez broke the deadlock. The attacker raced clean through onto a searching through ball from Marquez. France's defence was statuesque as they awaited the flag to go up for offside. But it stayed down, and Hernandez rounded Lloris before keeping his cool and rolling home.

Domenech's response was to throw on Mathieu Valbuena for the ever-disappointing Sidney Govou. But their fate was confirmed with 12 minutes remaining as Blanco dispatched from the penalty spot after an absurdly clumsy challenge from Eric Abidal on the speedy Berrara in the box.

The France head coach looked a bemused customer on the sidelines, with his side, seemingly lacking heart to play for their manager and finishing the match with a whimper, particularly compared to the desire and fearlessness of the Mexicans, who were worthy winners.


Man of the match: Carlos Salcido. The Mexico full-back was rarely tested in defence and was able to get forward to great effect, troubling France with his pace and crossing ability.

Goal of the match: Javier Hernandez showed good composure to latch onto a clever pass from Rafael Marquez and, having beaten the offside trap, round Hugo Lloris.

Save of the match: The diminutive Oscar Perez pulled off an athletic save early in the second half to tip a powerful Florent Malouda strike over the crossbar.

Moment of the match: Veteran striker Cuauhtemoc Blanco killed off France's hopes and sealed a well-deserved victory for Mexico with an expertly-taken late penalty.

Talking point: Why do France seem worse than the sum of their parts? Will Mexico and Uruguay play for a draw knowing that such a result will take them both through?

[Black Widow]

Day 8:




Germany v Serbia preview
Serbia could crash out; Germany may progress


Germany and Serbia go into their Group D clash in Port Elizabeth on the back of extremely contrasting results.

The Germans romped home to a 4-0 opening thrashing of Australia, while Serbia were surprisingly beaten 1-0 by Ghana.

It means Joachim Low's men are in the driving seat in the group, while Serbia manager Radomir Antic will be hoping for a response from his team.

Defeat for the Serbs could see them knocked out of the South Africa tournament at the earliest possible opportunity, if Ghana also avoid a loss against Australia.

Many had tipped Antic's side for success before the World Cup kicked off, but a lacklustre performance in their opening game has put doubts over their potential.

Germany, meanwhile, produced the real eye-opening showing in the first round of fixtures as, in a tournament that has yielded few goals, they looked slick in attack and put the Socceroos' defence to the sword.

Miroslav Klose is only four strikes behind Ronaldo's all-time World Cup record of 15 goals and with his eye set on that target, may be tough to handle in the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

Team news

However, Germany have a doubt over midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, who is suffering from a cold.

He is expected to make the starting line-up though, and is likely to partner Sami Khedira in the centre of the park.

Low will most likely keep faith with the side who so easily dispatched of Australia, and only Schweinsteiger's absence would force him into a change.

Serbia, meanwhile, have to make a switch after Alexsandar Lukovic was given his marching orders against Ghana - Neven Subotic is set to fill in.

Coach Antic could turn to Zdravko Kuzmanovic to come into midfield, despite conceding a needless penalty with a handball in the Black Stars clash.

Wolves midfielder Nenad Milijas may be dropped to the bench, while winger Zoran Tosic is in contention for a start.





Slovenia v USA preview
Key encounter awaits two nations at Ellis Park


Slovenia take on the USA in Johannesburg on Friday knowing victory would help them seize control of Group C.

Matjaz Kek's team started their campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Algeria to put them top of the group, while the USA drew with England in their opener.

A further three points would hand the Slovenians a massive advantage over their rivals and could see them secure an unlikely qualification place.

Slovenia - making just their second ever appearance at a World Cup finals - were widely expected to make up the numbers, with England and Bob Bradley's team expected to contest first and second.

Victory over Algeria in Polokwane on Sunday changed that, though, and the opportunity is available for Kek's team to pave the way for a passage into the knockout phase.

A win at Ellis Park would also double their tally of victories in the competition, their taming of the Desert Foxes being the nation's first ever triumph in a finals.

The pressure will be very much on the USA to take home the points on Friday afternoon, then, or their chances of progression appear slim.

Bradley said he is expecting a more methodical battle against Slovenia - in contrast to Saturday's 1-1 stalemate - which will pit the event's largest and smallest nations against each other.

Slovenia news

Kek could name the same starting XI from the one that made history against Algeria.

The 48-year-old has a clean bill of health going into the game and any alterations will be unforced on the manager.

Zlatan Ljubijankic may press for a starting berth after replacing Zlatko Dedic in the second half of their last outing, the latter proving ineffective throughout the match.

Aleksander Radosavljevic and Andrej Komac are walking a suspension tightrope and will miss the final pool game against England if they pick up further bookings.

USA news

Bradley can breathe a sigh of relief as goalkeeper Tim Howard is fit enough to start.

The Everton shot-stopper was on the receiving end of a hefty collision with England striker Emile Heskey in Rustenburg and was left nursing bruised ribs.

The clash was not enough to rule out the States' first choice custodian, with Marcus Hahnemann and Brad Guzan on stand-by.

That means the USA could also be unchanged as Bradley saw his starting XI fight back from falling behind to Steven Gerrard's fourth minute goal.





England v Algeria preview
Three Lions out to raise their game, while Desert Foxes face elimination


England will be looking to put a disappointing opening showing behind them when they face Algeria on Friday.

A 1-1 draw with the United States provided more questions than answers for the Three Lions and they know there is still much work to be done if they are to live up to pre-tournament billing.

Victory over Algeria would go some way to appeasing a demanding public, and give them one foot in the knockout stages, but England have made a habit of doing things the hard way down the years.

If their showing against the USA is anything to go by, the 2010 World Cup could be heading in the same direction, as they allowed two priceless points to slip through their grasp.

Robert Green will have relived the horror of allowing Clint Dempsey's tame shot to trickle over the line a hundred times, while a number of others on show in Rustenburg are likely to have taken a long hard look at themselves and the performance they put in.

A stuttering start, rather than a flying one, suggests changes could be on the cards when England arrive in Cape Town, but Fabio Capello has steadfastly refused to give any indication as to his selection thoughts.

Algeria could also decide to freshen things up for their second outing, with a lacklustre 1-0 defeat to Slovenia in their opener doing little to inspire confidence.

The Africans endured a goalkeeping nightmare of their own in that contest and they too may decide to plump for a different last line of defence this time out.

They certainly need to raise their game considerably if they are to trouble England, while defeat would bring an abrupt end to their World Cup campaign and see them on the first plane home.

Adventure

As mentioned, England face something of a selection dilemma heading into the game, with niggling knocks and a lack of adventure against America giving Capello food for thought.

The Italian is expected to back Green by giving him another opportunity to prove his worth between the sticks, but strong cases can be made for the involvement of either David James or Joe Hart.

In the back four, Ledley King will definitely be missing, having picked up a groin problem, meaning Jamie Carragher, Michael Dawson and Matthew Upson will battle it out for the right to partner John Terry.

Having seen James Milner and Shaun Wright-Phillips offer little down the left last time out, both could be forced to settle for a place on the bench.

With Gareth Barry back to full fitness and set to resume his holding role duties in midfield, Steven Gerrard is likely to be pushed out to the flanks.

Meanwhile, up front, Emile Heskey and Wayne Rooney proved to be a handful last Saturday and should be paired alongside each other once again.

Influence

With Algeria hardly blessed with world-class options in the keeping department, they are tipped to keep faith with Faouzi Chaouchi - despite his glaring error against Slovenia and a knee problem picked up in training.

The main issue for coach Rabah Saadane to address is how to bring the best out of his attacking talents, allowing them to test an England defence lacking in pace and movement.

Much will be expected of Wolfsburg ace Karim Ziani, as playmaker in chief, but he needs support from those around him if he is to influence proceedings.

One of those who will definitely not be offering a helping hand is Abdelkader Ghezzal, following his reckless sending off against Slovenia.

He lasted just 15 minutes of that contest upon entering the game as a second half substitute, with two needless bookings meaning he must serve a suspension.

[Black Widow]

Day 8:




Results: Germany (Klose s/o, 37) 0 - 1 Serbia (Jovanovic 38)


Serbia stun 10-man Germany
Klose off as Jovanovic gives Serbia famous win


Serbia kept alive their World Cup hopes with a dramatic 1-0 win over 10-man Germany at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

Germany striker Miroslav Klose was controversially sent off by Spanish referee Alberto Undiano for two bookable offences after 37 minutes.

A minute later Serbia broke the deadlock with Milan Jovanovic firing home from Nikola Zigic's knockdown.

Germany wasted a great chance to draw level on the hour mark when Lukas Podolski saw his penalty saved by Serbia keeper Vladimir Stojkovic after Nemanja Vidic inexplicably handled the ball inside the box.

Serbia could have added to their lead with Jovanovic and Zigic both hitting the woodwork in the second half as they moved level on points with Germany in Group D.

Germany arrived in Port Elizabeth having established themselves among the favourites to win the tournament once again following a crushing 4-0 defeat of Australia in their first game, but with coach Joachim Low insisting he had not been completely satisfied by their performance in Durban.

Low's mood will have darkened considerably after an opening 45 minutes in Port Elizabeth during which little went right for his team.

Fireworks

Podolski blasted a seventh-minute volley just wide, but in a largely uninspiring first half, the fireworks came in the last nine minutes.

Spanish referee Undiano had issued the first of six yellow cards to Klose for a foul on Branislav Ivanovic with just 12 minutes gone, and it was the Germany striker who also collected the final caution of the opening 45 minutes for a trip on Serbia skipper Dejan Stankovic.

Things were to deteriorate further for the Germans within two minutes when impressive winger Milos Krasic picked out 6ft 6in striker Zigic at the far post and he headed down for Jovanovic to control in front of goal and steer the ball past stranded Germany keeper Manuel Neuer.

Low's men belatedly responded with midfielder Sami Khedira firing against the underside of the crossbar and Thomas Muller forcing a goal-line clearance from Aleksandar Kolarov with his follow-up in injury time, but Serbia held out.

Werder Bremen midfielder Mesut Ozil, who had started the game playing behind Klose, found himself pushed further forward after the break, but it was Podolski who shot across the face of goal within a minute of the restart.

For all they were a man short, it was Germany who made the running during the opening minutes of the second half, and it took a last-ditch challenge by Nemanja Vidic to prevent Bastian Schweinsteiger from collecting Philipp Lahm's superb 54th-minute through ball.

Stojkovic spilled Schweinsteiger's well-struck shot seconds later and was grateful to see Podolski fire wide of the far post under pressure from Ivanovic with the Germans turning the screw.

Penalty

But Stojkovic came to the rescue on the hour when, after Vidic had needlessly handled in the area, he dived to his left to save Podolski's spot-kick.

Serbia might have increased their lead, but Jovanovic's 67th-minute shot came back off the post and Zigic's header clipped the bar seven minutes later with Neuer beaten.

Stojkovic had to turn away substitute Marko Marin's deflected shot with 12 minutes remaining, but there was no way back for the Germans.


Man of the match: Milos Krasic, a constant threat on the right and set up the winner for Jovanovic.

Moment of the match: Miroslav Klose's first-half dismissal, which came just before Serbia's winner.

Attempt of the match: Sami Khedira's volley against the Serbian bar just before the break.

Save of the match: Lukas Podolski's penalty miss. Finished the Germans off after they'd enjoyed a purple patch.

Talking point: Does anybody want to win this World Cup? Another big gun falls in a major shock.






Result: Slovenia (Birsa, 13 Ljubijankic, 42) 2 - 2 USA (Donovan, 48 Bradley, 82)


US fight back to deny Slovenia
Referee disallows American 'winner'


The USA performed a spirited fight-back to draw 2-2 and deny Slovenia two wins out of two and qualification from Group C.

The European minnows stunned the much fancied Americans with two first-half goals from Valter Birsa and Zlatan Ljubijankic as they dominated proceedings in the first half.

However Bob Bradley's side, who did not seem to know when they were beaten, earned themselves a point with goals from Landon Donovan and the coach's son Michael in the second half to keep them in with a shout of qualification.

Indeed, the US should have claimed victory, with Maurice Edu converting from a Donovan free-kick that was mystifyingly ruled out despite pushing from both teams, much to the fury of Bradley's team.

It was a pulsating encounter towards the end, with Jozy Altidore, Donovan and Birsa all putting in strong performances in one of the best games of the competition so far.

The encounter in Johannesburg had barely reached 10 seconds before Slovenian striker Ljubijankic was bloodied in a challenge with Clint Dempsey

The game failed to get started for several minutes following the challenge, with both teams tentative in their approach, but Slovenia had the better of the possession.

The first real chance came for the Slovenians in the form of Milivoje Novakovic, who just could not get his foot on to the end of Birsa's cross in the eighth minute.

Stunned

Slovenia made their positive start count however in the 13th minute with a moment of class from Birsa, who had an outstanding half, that left USA keeper Tim Howard rooted to the spot.

The Auxerre midfielder seized on the ball in the centre of midfield before taking a few steps to sidefoot majestically into Howard's left corner, leaving the Americans stunned after starting the game as apparent favourites.

The Europeans were having none of it however, and carried on pressing their advantage with Birsa putting in a long-range free-kick that beat the Americans all ends up, but Novakovic missed the chance to make it two and the ball was gathered by the grateful Howard.

The US were failing to put any pressure on the opposition, but finally tested goalkeeper Samir Handanovic in the 36th minute with a free-kick from Jose Francisco Torres that was floated in at the Udinese shot-stopper's near post.

Bradley stood stern-faced on the touchline as the Americans began to grow more into the game, but Robbie Findley wasted an opportunity on the break with a poor cutback that was cleared despite Donovan and Altidore lying in wait in the middle.

Donovan then almost found the net after great running from Altidore. He supplied Clint Dempsey to feed in a low cross but as the LA Galaxy star moved to apply the finish at the far post, he was denied by a fine interception from Miso Brecko, who put a stop to so many attacks all evening.

What immediately followed was a mixture of classic counter attacking and poor defending by the Americans - Ljubijankic being put through almost immediately by the lively Birsa after Donovan's miss to slot into the corner of the net with the US all at sea at the back.

It seemed as the half-time whistle was blown that America were shell-shocked, with their encouraging performance against England in the opener undone by a side who came into the tournament completely under the radar.

Findley and Torres were replaced at the break by Edu and Benny Feilhaber, but Slovenia still looked dangerous after the interval as their counter attacking ability almost caught the US out again, but for Jay DeMerit's clearance denying Novakovic a clear run on goal.

However the US were back in it within three minutes after the interval through Donovan, who escaped Bostjan Cesar to move in towards the six-yard box before lashing an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net.

It was Bradley's side in the ascendancy now, revitalised following Donovan's goal and almost grabbing the equaliser two minutes later with the goal scorer's swinging free-kick into the box missed by DeMerit and Onyewu, though the latter was judged to be offside.

The match began to become more and more stretched and mistakes were occurring more regularly as both sides threw caution to the wind to gain the upper hand in what was becoming an exciting contest.

Frustration

The US had the next chance in the 70th minute after Altidore was brought down cynically on the edge of the area by Marko Suler. Donovan launched the free-kick into the box but after a botched clearance by the Slovenian backline, Altidore could only fire a powerful shot straight into the arms of Handanovic.

The US were becoming more frustrated and the Slovenians more physical, but they were not creating clear-cut chances, with Altidore lashing wildly at a shot from outside the area.

The striker, who scored just one goal for Hull City in the Premier League last season, was putting in an admirable shift in the forward areas, chasing every long ball down as America became more desperate.

But the moment came through Michael Bradley thanks to brilliant work by Altidore, who beat the Slovenian defence in the air to nod it on to the Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder to fire past Handanovic with a fine close-range finish in the 82nd minute.

The game was promising a pulsating finish as the US began to build a head of steam, with Altidore again causing all sorts of problems to try and completely turn the game on its head.

They thought they had done when another Donovan free-kick split the defence for Edu to put the ball into the net from inside the six-yard box; however the Malian referee Koman Coulibaly bizarrely disallowed the effort for pushing between both teams.

A tiring Slovenia then began to build pressure, Novakovic winning a header that fell fortunately straight into Howard's grateful arms as the final minute approached. Radosavljevic then had an attempt from long range parried out by the Everton keeper, who was furious with his defenders for neglecting their marking duties.

However the game was to finish honours even, albeit with a heated conclusion as the American players and coach Bradley berated the referee for his decision to disallow Edu's effort upon the final whistle.


Man of the match: A few contenders, but Slovenia's Vater Birsa gets the gong for a stellar performance - including a wonder-strike and a key assist - which will have alerted many clubs to his talented left foot.

Goal of the match: Although Michael Bradley's equaliser capped a great USA move, the game's opener from Birsa was nothing short of sensational.

Moment of the match: The man in the middle, Mail's Koman Coulibaly, denied Maurice Edu a priceless winning goal for the USA late on after somehow spotting a foul against the Americans despite what seemed like three separate offences by Slovenian players.

Talking point: How will both teams view today's clash after the final group game fixtures? Will Slovenia rue a two-goal lead when they take on England next Wednesday or will the USA lament being denied the win from Edu's chance when they take on Algeria?






Result: England 0 - 0 Algeria


Three Lions take pussycat point
Capello's England struggle dearly against Algeria


An unimaginative and nervy performance from England saw Fabio Capello's side pick up just a point against Algeria to leave them third in Group C.

Having drawn their opening game of the 2010 World Cup against the United States of America, the Three Lions were expected to respond versus the Algerians on Friday night in Cape Town.

But Capello's men struggled to impose themselves on allegedly inferior opposition, with a first win of the tournament in their final game against Slovenia a likely must if they are to reach the last 16.

England manager Fabio Capello made the speculated call of dropping goalkeeper Robert Green, infamous for his error versus the United States, in favour of the experienced David James.

In defence, as expected, the injured Ledley King was replaced by Liverpool centre-back Jamie Carragher. Algeria, meanwhile, also opted for a change in shot-stopper, bringing in Rais M'bohli for Faouzi Chaouchi.

After two wasteful long balls aimed at Emile Heskey came to nothing, England's first half-chances came via uncertainty from goalkeeper M'bohli. First, the Algerian made a meal of a Steven Gerrard cross before a very poor kick fell to Wayne Rooney, whose ball to the captain petered to nothing.

Tepid

The Three Lions again threatened on six minutes, Gerrard's ranging pass finding Ashley Cole down the left flank, but the Chelsea full-back was squeezed out of possession. And then England were given a fright when after James unconvincingly punched a cross high, Glen Johnson's sloppy clearance risked danger.

England's passing game continued to desert them in the opening exchanges, with Algeria looking the most accomplished with the ball at their feet. Indeed, the tricky Karim Ziani whipped in two tantalising crosses, the second of which was headed goalwards by Hassan Yebda but was easily dealt with by James.

Then, twice in the space of five minutes, the defensive-minded Barry made two vital clearances following tricky deliveries. Capello looked an angry customer on the touchline, barking out orders. And the Italian's instructions, almost paid dividends as the tempo quickened and Gerrard and Frank Lampard had efforts on goal, the latter well saved by M'bohli.

Ziani was undoubtedly Algeria's best outlet in the first period as he struck a shot wide. England lacked sustained pressure, with their better moments coming in fits and starts. Indeed, just prior to 40 minutes, a Wayne Rooney surge got fans of their feet before a tame Barry shot was routine for the Algerian keeper.

England trudged off at the break to a likely Capello scorning, with the country struggling for a foothold in a game they needed to perform and win, not fade. Their last real say of the final period was a limp, long-range strike from Rooney, such was the frustration of a period that panged a lack of confidence.

Capello made no changes to his side for the second half, despite the frustration of the first. England put together a combination between Heskey, Rooney and Gerrard, but the move was hooked clear. It was, though, a rare flicker of expression from Rooney, who struggled to impose the form that landed him the PFA Player of the Year award.

Troubled

England were gifted a rare surge at the Algerian defence in the 55th minute when Barry intercepted. Gerrard led the charge but his cutback was tepid as Algeria mopped up. At the other end, England appeared troubled by their opponents, while a booking for Carragher ensures he will miss the final game versus Slovenia.

Capello's first shuffle of the pack was to bring on Shaun Wright-Phillips for Aaron Lennon, whose last contribution was a teasing cross that was nipped away by Rafik Halliche as Rooney lurked. And seconds later, England had a heart-in-mouth moment when a short back-pass had to be swept up by James.

Wright-Phillips tried to inject some spark into England, but their next attacking moment came courtesy of Gerrard's through ball to Heskey, who neither shot nor crossed as Halliche got across to block impressively, before Gerrard's header from a corner was straight at M'bohli.

Jermain Defoe entered the fray in place of the workmanlike Heskey in the 74th minute, and he almost made an instant impact when some rare bright combination play from England nearly sent the Tottenham striker clean in on goal.

Capello threw caution to the wind with six minutes remaining when he brought on beanpole striker Peter Crouch in place of holding player Barry. But it affected little for England, who toiled throughout the remainder of the encounter, with Algeria largely, and worryingly for the Three Lions, untroubled.


Man of the match: Madjid Bougherra was commanding throughout the game for Algeria.

Moment of the match: Emile Heskey produced an awful cross when in space during the second half to illustrate England's lack of composure.

Attempt of the match: Never really looked like a goal was coming, but Karim Ziani went close with a long-range effort for Algeria in the first half.

Save of the match: Rais M'Bohli looked shaky, but easily collected Steven Gerrard's header from just inside the Algeria box.

Talking point: Can England now beat Slovenia to reach the last 16 of the World Cup?

[Punisher]

USA was robbed of a win.

[Black Widow]

USA was robbed of a win.

they were robbed im guessing the refs are here to screw good teams from trying to get through to make africa look good

take germanys game that ref went over board with cards 8 yellows and 1 red i think it was and they were all for germany except for 2 or 3 and the tackles were nothing but warnings i dont think the ref hand his hand out of his pocket the whole time

[Black Widow]

Day 9:




Holland v Japan preview
Oranje and Blue Samurai lock horns in Durban


Holland take on Japan in Group E and both sides come into the game on the back of opening victories.

The Blue Samurai and the Oranje are in strong positions in the pool, while Cameroon and Denmark trail them by three points.

Holland have been tipped by many to go all the way in South Africa this summer, and produced an accomplished display to see off the Danes 2-0.

Japan, meanwhile, surprised Cameroon to snatch a 1-0 victory, in a dire spectacle against the African outfit.

It means one of these two could move closer to qualification on Saturday, as a win in Durban would put them top of the group on six points.

Whoever finishes second faces a potential clash with Italy in the next round, while top will play second in Group F.

Team news

Holland have never won the World Cup although they were runners-up in 1974 and 1978, and are expected to turn on the style against Japan, as they never really got going in their opening match.

However, the Japanese may play for a point in the Moses Mabhida Stadium, and showed against Cameroon that they are confident in defence.

In their last encounter together, the Dutch beat Japan 3-0 in a friendly in Enschede in September, but the Blue Samurai dominated early on before conceding three goals in the last 20 minutes.

Arjen Robben is likely to miss out again as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury picked up in a pre-tournament win over Hungary.

Robben could return for the last group game against Cameroon, which means Rafael van der Vaart will continue in midfield.

Japan manager Takeshi Okada is widely expected to use the same first-team against the Dutch, with former Mallorca striker Yoshito Okubo and Grenoble midfielder Daisuke Matsui in support.






Ghana v Australia preview
Black Stars could be unchanged; Kewell fit for Socceroos


Ghana head into their Group D clash with Australia as the only African team to taste success in the World Cup so far.

The Black Stars have lived up to their billing as dark horses in the making at the South Africa finals after a hard-fought 1-0 win over Serbia on Sunday.

Australia saw their hopes of reaching the knock-out stages - and a potential last 16 tie against England - suffer a hammer blow via a highly-impressive German team that tore apart the Socceroos in a 4-0 rout.

With no other nation from the African continent securing three points from their opening fixture, the Ghanaians can put one foot into the next round if they can replicate last weekend's victory against Australia, who can almost kiss goodbye to their tournament if they do not win in Rustenburg.

Match-facts

Saturday's game will be the first time these teams have met in a competitive match, but they have met six times in friendlies, with Australia leading the head-to-head 4-1 and are unbeaten in their last three meetings with Ghana.

A draw appears an unlikely result at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium judging by the Black Stars' World Cup finals record, as they have yet to play out a stalemate in five matches in football's elite international event.

The Socceroos have only won once in eight games at the major tournament and failed to score in six of those fixtures, keeping one clean sheet in the process

The Aussies are known for their feisty reputation after Tim Cahill's red card saw him become the fifth player to be sent off in the last three World Cup matches involving his country.

Ghana, who have been awarded three penalties in just five World Cup finals games, have become the penalty experts considering their last two goals came from the spot.

Team-news

Black Stars coach Milovan Rajevac had a limited time to make a final assessment on his squad after Friday's training session was delayed by two hours due to frozen pitches at their Rustenburg camp.

Despite the hold-up, Rajevac is expected to name an unchanged side from the one that prevailed over Serbia which will include Asamoah Gyan, who has now scored in the opening game of Ghana's last four major tournaments.

Australia's Cahill will be able to play in the final group game against Serbia after Fifa deemed his red card against Germany worthy of a one-game ban and decided not to increase the penalty for his dismissal, but the Everton midfielder will be forced to watch Saturday's clash from the sidelines.

Fellow Socceroos midfielder Vince Grella is out of the game after picking up a knee injury but the Aussies are boosted by the news Harry Kewell has declared himself fit after nursing a groin problem in the defeat to Germany.






Denmark v Cameroon preview
Both teams need victory to have a chance to progress


Group E's bottom two teams face off knowing a win is essential to keep their World Cup dreams alive.

Both Denmark and Cameroon tasted defeat to Holland and Japan respectively in their opening games of the tournament and will be desperate to secure three points if they are to have any chance of overhauling their rivals going into the final game.

Cameroon have much to prove after putting in one of the most dismal performances of the tournament so far, with a complete lack of incision in the final third their downfall against a well-organised Japanese side who ended up 1-0 winners.

Manager Paul Le Guen has been criticised for his insistence on playing captain Samuel Eto'o on the right-hand side, despite the Inter Milan striker's standing as arguably one of the world's best in his position.

The decision to leave out Arsenal midfielder Alex Song, as well as experienced campaigners Rigobert Song and Geremi, also came under fire.

Cameroon arrived at the tournament looking one of the most likely African nations to make the latter stages of the finals, but like South Africa and Nigeria, they have failed to live up to their billing and have not won any of their last eight games.

Danes favourites

Denmark impressed in the first half of their 2-0 defeat to Holland, but also appeared to lack a cutting edge up front, especially after the departure of Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner, who was substituted through injury.

The Danes would appear to be favourites for this encounter in Pretoria, certainly showing more attacking impetus than their counterparts in the opening game and having never lost a match to an African side in the World Cup finals.

However their reliance on old heads such as Martin Jorgensen, Dennis Rommedahl and Jesper Gronkjaer has shown a lack of development in a team that has arguably seen better days.

Both countries certainly enjoyed their finest hours in the 1990s, with Cameroon becoming the first African team to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup in 1990, when they were eventually beaten 3-2 by England.

The Danes enjoyed their best success by reaching the same stage in 1998, when they were beaten 3-2 by Brazil, but they have yet to bring through any players as successful as Michael and Brian Laudrup and Peter Schmeichel, who guided them to success in the 1992 European Championship.

Team news

Despite not having any injury worries before the game, Le Guen is rumoured to be facing a mutiny after his senior players asked him to change his tactics ahead of the match.

Whether Le Guen will change tack to accommodate his more seasoned players and Eto'o in a central role remains to be seen, but after midfielder Achille Emana openly criticised the French boss and appealed for the younger players to make way, he may have no choice.

"They cannot withstand the sort of pressure that comes with playing in big tournaments such as the World Cup," Emana said.

"That is why we are appealing to the coach to review the line-up for Saturday's game against Denmark."

Denmark coach Morten Olsen on the other hand does have some fitness doubts ahead of Saturday's match.

Strikers Jon Dahl Tomasson (thigh) and Mikkel Beckmann (toe) have had to train alone and face late tests to decide whether they can take their place on the substitutes' bench.

Bendtner is still struggling with a groin problem after his withdrawal against the Dutch, but Olsen is still hopeful he can start the 22-year-old as the spearhead to his attack.

Palermo defender Simon Kjaer (knee) and midfielder Daniel Jensen (Achilles) are doubtful despite completing full training sessions this week and they also face a race to be fit.

[Black Widow]

Day 9:




Result: Holland (Sneijder, 53) 1 - 0 Japan


Sneijder stunner sinks Japan
Holland close on qualification with second win


Holland made it two wins out of two in Group E with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Japan in Durban.

Wesley Sneijder's second half goal proved to be enough to give the Dutch all three points against a resolute Japan side.

Inter Milan ace Sneijder broke the deadlock on 53 minutes with a fierce strike from the edge of the box which Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima really should have done better with.

Kawashima redeemed himself with two fine saves to deny Holland substitute Ibrahim Afellay late on.

Japan had their best chance to level the score one minute from time but an unmarked substitute Shinji Okazaki fired over the bar from just 10 yards as Holland held on for victory.

The win leaves Holland top of of the group and well placed to reach the last 16, while Japan remain on three points ahead of their final game with Denmark.

The Oranje, who had a sea of supporters at Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium, dominated possession but had just one shot on goal in the opening half.

Rafael van der Vaart's 25-yard shot towards the near post proved an easy save for Kawashima.

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk fielded the same line-up that beat Denmark 2-0 in their group opener, with Van der Vaart, Sneijder and Dirk Kuyt playing in support of forward Robin Van Persie.

Dominating

Holland dominated the early exchanges and created the first chance after four minutes when Van Persie's teasing cross from the left flashed across the goal and just eluded Liverpool striker Kuyt.

Shortly after, Sneijder's curled free-kick went over the bar.

At the other end, Yuto Nagatomo's right-footed strike from the edge of the area went wide.

On the half-hour mark, Yuji Nakazawa did well to clear Giovanni van Bronckhorst's cross from the right with Van Persie waiting inside the area.

Soon after, Keisuke Honda nodded high from Daisuke Matsui's free-kick. Tulio Nataka then latched onto Yasushito Endo's free-kick and his header went wide as Japan got closer.

Japan first tested Maarten Stekelenburg in the 37th minute, with Matsui's volley forcing a save from the Holland goalkeeper.

Five minutes before the break, Honda wasted a good chance when he fired a 40-yard strike way over the bar.

Holland pressed forward more aggressively after the break and Van Persie twice had the chance to break the deadlock.

His weak header from Van Bronckhorst's cross proved an easy save for Kawashima and seconds later, the Arsenal striker fired wide from 15 yards.

Opener

Holland took the lead soon after. A poor headed clearance from Japan's defence fell to Van Persie who spotted Sneijder and the Inter Milan winger's powerful strike came off Kawashima and into the back of the net.

Japan reacted and Yoshito Okubo forced a good save from Stekelenburg with a stinging drive from 25 yards. Shortly after, Okubo fired over the bar as the Blue Samurai surged for the equaliser.

With 15 minutes remaining, the ever-present Okubo shot wide of the far post as another opportunity went by for Japan.

Substitute Afellay twice had the chance to put the game beyond Japan's reach in the latter stages of the match but his close-range efforts were denied by Kawashima.

With seconds left to play, Okazaki struck wide from close-range, much to the relief of the Dutch fans.


Man of the match: Mark van Bommel - one of the few players to show any signs of quality, with some great long passing from the Bayern star.

Error of the match: Eiji Kawashima's failure to save Wesley Sneijder's goal. It was a great shot, but the keeper almost dived past it - poor.

Save of the match: Kawashima did make some amends late on with two excellent stops from sub Ibrahim Afellay.

Skill of the match: Wonderful skill in the first-half from Yoshito Okobu as he did a Cruyff-style-turn on Gregory van der Wiel - moment of magic.

Miss of the match: Shinji Okazaki missed a great chance in the final minute, but from 12-yards he fired over without even testing Maarten Stekelenburg.

Talking point: Holland haven't played well at all yet, but have two wins - is this fortunate? Or an ominous warning to the rest?






Result: Ghana (Gyan 25(pen)) 1 - 1 Australia (Holman, 11 Kewell s/o, 24)


Ghana held by 10-man Australia
Kewell sent off for handball as Socceroos battle for Group D point


Ghana could only draw 1-1 with Australia despite the Socceroos having Harry Kewell sent off in the 24th minute at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium.

Off the back of a heavy 4-0 loss against Germany, Pim Verbeek's men responded well against Ghana as they took an early lead via Brett Holman following a howler from goalkeeper Richard Kingson.

But the game swung back in Ghana's favour 13 minutes later when Kewell was penalised for a handball on the goalline to allow Asamoah Gyan to score his second penalty of the World Cup.

However, despite boasting a numerical advantage, Ghana failed to claim their second win of Group D, meaning they and Australia can still reach the last 16 ahead of their final fixtures against Germany and Serbia respectively.

Ghana were forced into two changes by injuries to captain John Mensah and Isaac Vorsah, with Lee Addy and 19-year-old defender Jonathan Mensah draughted in. Kewell was chosen to lead the Australia attack in one of four alterations by coach Pim Verbeek to the side that lost 4-0 to Germany. David Carney, Mark Bresciano replaces and Holman were all given the nod.

After just two minutes, Australia had a strong appeal for a penalty waved away by referee Roberto Rossetti. Kewell darted into the box from the right channel and got beyond defender Lee Addy, whose legs tangled with the forward's, forcing the pair to both hit the deck. But it was nothing doing from the official.

Nervy

Ghana's defence looked shaky early on, particularly when miscommunication between goalkeeper Kingson and Addy almost resulted in a gaffe as the pair collided. But Australia did not have to wait too much longer for another error as Mark Bresciano trotted up to take a free-kick in the 11th minute.

The midfielder struck a fairly routine shot but, after the ball had bounced before reaching goal, Kingson spilled awfully. Holman was quick to pounce, firing the rebound back goalwards. Kingson got a hand to the effort but could not prevent the ball nestling home.

After two deflected pops from Ghana, all hell broke loose. A corner was eventually cut back to Jonathan Mensah, who lashed at goal. But his strike was blocked away by the arm of the on-the-goalline Kewell, who was subsequently dismissed for handball and preventing a certain goal. Gyan stepped up to convert his second penalty of the tournament.

But despite their numerical advantage, Ghana failed to impose themselves. Indeed, the first half dwindled towards a conclusion, until on 44 minutes Mark Schwarzer was forced to make a fine stop low down to his right following a driving shot by Kevin-Prince Boateng. But that was a rare foray by the Africans.

The Ghanaians started the second period with a lot more purpose. First, Kwadwo Asamoah burst past his marker before firing wide of the post. And then goalscorer Gyan tried his luck, with his curling on-target effort saved by shot-stopper Schwarzer.

Flair

Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac opted to shuffle his pack 11 minutes after the interval, throwing on the unpredictable figure of Quincy Owusu-Abeyie in place of Prince Tagoe. And the former Arsenal player did inject extra drive into his side's attack, as moments later Gyan plopped a shot straight at Schwarzer.

Australia's opponents continued to struggle for clear-cut chances. And, in fact, the next best opportunity of the game came the Socceroos' way. Just seconds after coming on as a substitute, Scott Chipperfield thumped a header over the bar following a fine cross from Luke Wilkshire.

Then, up the other end, a vicious cross from Gyan so nearly found Asamoah at the far stick, but such was the pace of the delivery that the latter could not make contact. And Gyan was again involved in the 68th minute when he ran onto a Boateng through ball only to toe his chance off target.

Australia steadily grew as the game progressed, despite playing with 10 men, with the nation keen to exploit Ghana's youthful centre-back pairing. And on 72 minutes, Wilkshere had a golden chance to grab a potential winner when picked out in the box, but he placed his shot into the body of the sprawled Kingson.

And so the pattern continued, with Ghana struggling dearly against a resolute Australian outfit that came in for so much criticism for their performance versus Germany. Indeed, Verbeek's charges could have pinched it, although Mensah and Owusu-Abeyie did both go close late on, but matters in Rustenburg eventually ended all square.


Man of the match: Lucas Neill. Captain edges out defensive partner Craig Moore.

Moment of the match: Wilkshire had a great chance to win it late on - but Kingson saved well.

Attempt of the match: Mensah's thunderbolt was goalbound when Kewell handled.

Save of the match: Schwarzer plunged away to his right to save from Boateng.

Talking Point: How could Kewell contest his dismissal?

Goal of the match: Holman kept his cool to turn a bouncing ball home.






Result: Cameroon (Eto'o, 10) 1 - 2 Denmark (Bendtner, 33 Rommedahl, 61)


Cameroon out after Dane defeat
Africans let early lead slip and pay the ultimate price


Cameroon became the first country to be knocked out of the World Cup after losing 2-1 to a Dennis Rommedahl-inspired Denmark.

The Group E result also guarantees Holland's progression to the knockout stages after they had secured their second win earlier on Saturday.

Paul Le Guen's African side took the lead inside 10 minutes in the Loftus Versfeld Stadium as Inter Milan striker Samuel Eto'o capitalised on a defensive error from the Danes.

Denmark refused to buckle, though, and were level before the break as Rommedahl produced a pinpoint cross for Arsenal forward Nicklas Bendtner to thump home.

Morten Olsen's side emerged as the better side after the break and were worthy of their lead when a fine individual goal from Rommedahl handed them the lead on 61 minutes.

They will now go head to head with Japan in Rustenburg on Thursday to determine who joins the Dutch in the last 16.

Early chances

It was the Danes who offered the biggest threat on goal first as Rommedahl latched onto a through ball from Martin Jorgensen before fizzing a powerful, angled shot just over the crossbar on seven minutes.

Two minutes later, Geremi produced the game's first shot on target as he drilled a wide free-kick straight at Denmark keeper Thomas Sorensen.

Cameroon did not have long to wait for their opener, however, as Pierre Webo latched onto a loose pass from Denmark's Christian Poulsen before teeing up an unmarked Eto'o, who took his time before drilling the ball past the helpless Sorensen.

The Africans sensed fear in the Danes and began to take the game to them, with Achille Emana bending a powerful long-range effort narrowly off target on 13 minutes.

Olsen's side rode out the storm in the minutes that followed and began to come into the game with some half-chances of their own.

Le Guen's side were still on top by the half-hour mark, but a fantastic Danish move on 33 minutes cut the Cameroonian defence apart.

A pinpoint diagonal ball from Simon Kjaer caught out left-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto as Rommedahl collected in behind him before producing a perfect low cross for Bendtner to steer home with Souleymanou Hamidou stranded in Cameroon's goal.

The game sprung even further into life five minutes before the break as a series of individual errors created chances at either end of the field.

Alex Song gifted Denmark possession in the centre of the field and they quickly broke with Rommedahl cutting inside from the wing and teeing up Jon Dahl Tomasson, whose goal-bound shot was blocked in its tracks by the redeemed Song.

Moments later, a lapse in concentration in the Danish defence allowed Eto'o space to shoot on the edge of the box but his effort came back off the base of the post with Sorensen beaten.

Second half

Cameroon came out of the traps with venom at the beginning of the second half as Stephane Mbia headed just over the Danish bar from a corner inside the opening minute of the restart.

Half-time substitute Daniel Jensen, who replaced Jorgensen, made a significant contribution from the off as his well-timed last-ditch tackle prevented a goalscoring opportunity for Assou-Ekotto moments later.

Webo showed his threat on 60 minutes as he controlled with his back to goal and shot on the turn, forcing Sorensen to make a save to his right.

Just after the hour mark, the Danes took the lead for the first time in the match and it was the instrumental Rommedahl who got the goal this time around.

Creator of the first, the Ajax winger collected another cross-field ball and held up the play before cutting inside Assou-Ekotto and bending a delightful left-foot shot into the far bottom corner.

Sebastien Bassong shot over the bar before Emana drilled wide from range as Cameroon desperately searched for an equaliser after falling behind, but the Danes were defending well in large numbers.

Inviting pressure, Denmark remained a threat on the break and there was no flag when Rommedahl timed his run to perfection and teed up Tomasson, who saw his shot well saved by Hamidou.

Cameroon began to run out of ideas and were reduced to trying their luck from range, as Song did unsuccessfully on 74 minutes.

With Bassong already in the book for unsporting behaviour, team-mate Mbia joined him for a cynical tackle on substitute Thomas Kahlenberg with a quarter of an hour remaining.

On 78 minutes, Sorensen heroically denied Emana a certain equaliser with a fine save at full stretch when the Real Betis midfielder burst through on goal after collecting a lofted through ball.

Substitute Mohammadou Idrissou should have done better with a close-range header with just five minutes left on the clock, but the Freiburg striker could only nod over the bar when unmarked at the back-post.

It proved to be the last chance for Cameroon to salvage a point and the Africans become the first team to be knocked out of the first World Cup held in their continent.

Meanwhile, impressive centre-half Kjaer picked up a yellow card late on, ruling him out of Denmark's final group game against Japan on Thursday.


Man of the match: Dennis Rommedahl - winger gave Tottenham left-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto a torrid time, laying on the first goal and winning the game by scoring a well-taken second himself.

Error of the match: Christian Poulsen's misplaced pass gifted Cameroon their early opener, although he - and Denmark - recovered well.

Save of the match: Thomas Sorensen made an important save low to his right to deny Achille Emana a late equaliser.

Skill of the match: Simon Kjaer created the opening for Denmark's equaliser with a searching 60-yard ball out of defence. It was perfectly weighted to cut out Assou-Ekotto and put in Rommedahl to square for Nicklas Bendtner to finish.

Miss of the match: Eto'o claimed an early opener but Cameroon could still be in the competition if their star striker converted another chance just before the break, instead sidefooting against a post while the Danes were in disarray.

Talking point: Cameroon are the first nation to be knocked out but played their part in one of the most entertaining games so far. Denmark's win has set up a qualification decider with Japan. Can they still win it without influential defender Simon Kjaer, who will be suspended after picking up a second booking?

[Black Widow]

Day 10:




Slovakia v Paraguay preview
Slovaks hope to regroup, Paraguay bid to build on Italy upset


Slovakia will be aiming to bounce back from their last-gasp heartache against New Zealand as they face Paraguay on Sunday.

The World Cup debutants take on the South Americans at Bloemfontein's Free State Stadium with Group F up for grabs.

All four teams have a point apiece after holders Italy were held to a surprise 1-1 draw by Paraguay while Winston Reid's stoppage-time equaliser gave New Zealand a 1-1 draw with Slovakia.

Coach Vladimir Weiss said later it was "a minor sporting tragedy" for Slovakia, such was the disappointment at having a winning start to the nation's first international tournament snatched away from them.

Setback

But the Slovakia camp has had four days to put that late setback behind them and know they must get a positive result against Paraguay to have realistic hope of progressing to the second round given Italy are the opponents for their final group game.

Paraguay, on the other hand, have put themselves in the driving seat to qualify from the group after taking a point off the defending champions.

Led by coach Gerardo Martino, they finished just a point behind group winners Brazil in qualifying and are aiming to reach the last 16 for the third time in four finals.

Victory would put them on the brink of going through but they are unlikely to be too expansive against Slovakia.

Antolin Alcaraz's opener was their only effort on target against Italy and Martino has admitted he believes three draws could be enough to see them progress.

Slovakia enjoyed plenty of possession in their opening game, with the coach's son Vladimir Weiss their biggest threat.

But despite the best efforts of the 20-year-old Manchester City winger, they struggled to unlock the New Zealand defence and will face another organised unit in Martino's Paraguay side.

Team news

Weiss is therefore expected to boost his attack by bringing former Chelsea winger Miroslav Stoch into Slovakia's starting line-up.

The 20-year-old, who signed a four-year deal with Fenerbahce earlier this month, stepped up his recovery from a minor knee injury as a late substitute for goalscorer Robert Vittek against New Zealand.

Bochum's Stanislav Sestak played in midfield but could be moved back to a more familiar role up front, with Erik Jendrisek dropping to the bench.

Paraguay may welcome star striker Roque Santa Cruz back into the starting line-up after a muscle problem meant the Manchester City man could only appear as a second-half sub against Italy.

Martino could therefore opt for a three-man attack, with Santa Cruz alongside Borussia Dortmund striker Nelson Valdez and Argentinian-born frontman Lucas Barrios up front.

Aureliano Torres is set to make way although midfielder Jonathan Santana could be ruled out with a thigh problem.






Italy v New Zealand preview
Azzurri look to get up and running against spirited All Whites


Reigning world champions Italy will want to kick-start the defence of their crown against New Zealand.

The Azzurri put in a disjointed performance against Paraguay in their opening contest of the 2010 World Cup, having to come from behind to snatch a 1-1 draw.

Few sides shone in their first fixture and it would be foolish to write the Italians off so soon, but they will be well aware of the need to raise their game.

Marcello Lippi is a wily old coach who has seen this all before and he should still feel confident of booking a safe passage into the last 16.

New Zealand, though, will have aspirations of springing an upset in Nelspruit on Sunday and will not be overawed by the challenge laid in front of them.

They displayed commendable courage to earn a 1-1 draw with Slovakia in their opening contest, with a last-gasp leveller seeing them claim their first ever World Cup point.

The All Whites will now be looking to build on that display, desperate to prove that they are deserving of a place at football's top table.

Keeper concern

Italy's biggest concern heading into the game regards the fitness of goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.

He will definitely sit out the weekend fixture with a back problem, but could yet be sidelined long-term.

Italy will be desperate to get their first-choice stop-stopper back to full fitness, as Federico Marchetti lacks experience at this level.

Italy are also set to be without Andrea Pirlo once again, with the AC Milan midfielder not expected to come back into contention until the final round of fixtures in the group stage.

Shop window

New Zealand have no fresh concerns to contend with and are likely to keep faith with those who battled so bravely against Slovakia.

That means Chris Killen will once again lead the line, giving him an opportunity to put himself in the shop window as he prepares to see his contract at Middlesbrough expire.

He will also be looking to replicate his achievements from the last time these two nations met, at the 2009 Confederations Cup.

Italy prevailed 4-3 on that occasion, but required two late goals to see them home after a Killen brace had put New Zealand on the brink of a memorable success.





Brazil v Ivory Coast preview
Brazil to go through should they win


Brazil head into their game against the Ivory Coast on Sunday knowing that victory will assure them of a place in the last 16 of the tournament.

The five-time champions did little to justify their tag as favourites in a 2-1 victory over North Korea, often struggling to create significant chances and star man Kaka failing to shine.

The Ivory Coast on the other hand will be looking to kick-start their tournament after playing out a turgid goalless draw with Portugal on Tuesday, but face a tough task to nullify the threat of a team with players such as Robinho and Maicon, who performed well against the Koreans in Johannesburg.

Sven Goran Eriksson's African side are arguably the finest of the continent's teams, and they will be relying on the fitness of star striker Didier Drogba to give them the cutting edge in attack.

Drogba has not recovered fully from the fractured arm he suffered before the tournament commenced and was only introduced as a second half substitute against the Portuguese.

Without the prolific Chelsea striker, Eriksson's team lacked the incision to penetrate the subdued Portuguese team, and Drogba will be vital to the cause if they are to claim a shock victory over their experienced opponents.

Eriksson of course has faced the South American side before, losing 2-1 at the quarter final stage with England to Ronaldinho's fortuitous free kick to put the Three Lions out of the tournament.

Point not enough

A point may not possibly be enough for his side however, with Portugal due to face the Koreans and favourites to come out victorious in their encounter the following day in Cape Town.

That result would leave qualification out of the Ivorians' hands should they not win, something their Swedish coach will be eager to avoid in a tournament that has seen the majority of favourites struggle to make their mark.

The Ivory Coast look likely to start Drogba despite his injury, but have no further worries ahead of the game.

Drogba will keep a protective cast on his arm after suffering the break in a challenge with Japan's Tulio Tanaka in a pre tournament friendly, but is able to play for the Elephants.

Brazil coach Dunga looks likely to stick with the same team that defeated North Korea, meaning misfiring players such as Kaka and Luis Fabiano will keep their place in the team despite underwhelming performances in the opening game.

Rumours among the Brazilian camp were that midfielder Gilberto Silva was struggling with an ankle injury, however the former Panathinaikos man took part in full training of Saturday, despite being replaced by Josue in the main team session the previous day.

[Black Widow]

Day 10:




Result: Slovakia 0 - 2 Paraguay (Vera, 27 Riveros, 86)


Paraguay too strong for Slovakia
Vera & Riveros shoot down Slovakia


Paraguay picked up their first win in Group F with a deserved 2-0 win over Slovakia in Bloemfontein.

Goals in each half from Enrique Vera and Cristian Riveros were enough to give the South Americans all three points and leave them well-placed to qualify from the group.

Paraguay dominated the first half and it was no surprise when they broke the deadlock on 26 minutes with a fine finish from Vera.

Riveros made the game safe four minutes from time with a fierce shot to leave Slovakia with an uphill battle of reaching the next round.

It is Slovakia's first appearance in the finals and they are heading for an early exit.

The team's only effort of note came in stoppage time when substitute Filip Holosko's shot was turned over the bar by goalkeeper Justo Villar.

Paraguay dictated the pace from the start and Manchester City striker Roque Santa Cruz, who returned after a minor injury, came close to scoring twice.

He almost gave his side the lead in the third minute, his effort turned away at the post by Everton-bound goalkeeper Jan Mucha.

Then Nelson Valdez turned quickly but saw his effort go wide before play switched back down the other end. Marek Hamsik played the ball out to Jan Durica but he sent his shot over the bar.

Paraguay were having the majority of possession and Paulo Da Silva was only inches away from making contact at the back post following a free-kick by Claudio Morel.

Then Riveros drilled a shot from the edge of the area but Mucha was equal to it before Lucas Barrios was off target from an acute angle.

Slovakia again found themselves on the back foot in the 24th minute but Valdez fired wide.

Breakthrough

Paraguay's pressure paid on the 27th minute when they made the breakthrough. Barrios released Vera and he got the better of Durica to hook the ball home.

Slovakia hit back and Kornel Salata headed over the bar from inside the area in the 37th minute.

It proved brief respite, however, with Santa Cruz almost adding a second a minute later only for Mucha to boot the ball clear.

Slovakia tried to step up the tempo at the start of the second half but Paraguay looked well in control.

Vera should have scored his second goal of the game in the 72nd minute following a swift counter attack.

However he steered a header wide in front of the posts following a cross and some good skill from Santa Cruz, who was unhappy at some of his treatment from Liverpool's Martin Skrtel.

Then substitute Aureliano Torres saw his effort take a deflection off a Slovakia defender and finish high over the bar.

Paraguay extended their advantage in the 85th minute when Da Silva played the ball into Riveros and he curled a shot into the corner.


Man of the match: Enrique Vera never stopped running and fired Paraguay in front with a composed finish shortly before the half-hour mark.

Goal of the match: Jan Mucha was left flapping at thin air as Cristian Riveros wrapped things up late on with a crisply struck drive from the edge of the box.

Save of the match: It took Slovakia 93 minutes to work Justo Villar, but he had to be alert to tip a stinging drive from Robert Vittek over the top.

Moment of the match: From the off Slovakia lacked attacking endeavour and the result was only ever going to go one way once Vera broke the deadlock.

Talking point: Should Paraguay be considered outsiders to make inroads in the tournament? Can Slovakia pull off a shock and see off Italy in their final group game?





Result: Italy (Iaquinta, 29(pen)) 1 - 1 New Zealand (Smeltz, 7)


Azzurri held to shock draw
New Zealand earn point in Nelspruit


Italy endured a frustrating afternoon in Nelspruit as New Zealand held on for a famous 1-1 draw to leave Group F wide open.

Having stunned Slovakia with a last-gasp equaliser in their opening game, New Zealand took the lead after just seven minutes against the reigning world champions.

Former Halifax Town striker Shane Smeltz grabbed the goal from close range after Italy had failed to deal with a threatening free-kick, although he was lucky not to be flagged offside as the ball was flicked on.

Vincenzo Iaquinta pulled Italy level from the penalty spot in the 29th minute after Tommy Smith had tugged at Daniele De Rossi's shirt.

But the Azzurri were unable to complete their comeback despite dominating for long periods in the second half, with the All Whites withstanding the pressure and nearly nicking all three points late on when Chris Wood shot wide.

Italy must now beat Slovakia in their final game to ensure progression to the last 16, while New Zealand are also still very much in the hunt for a place in the next round ahead of their clash with current group leaders Paraguay.

Buoyant

The All Whites, buoyant after their draw with Slovakia, made the perfect start as Smeltz crept into the box to give them a seventh-minute lead.

Italy coach Marcello Lippi had warned New Zealand's greatest threat would come from set-pieces and his side were caught out as Simon Elliott swung in a free-kick from the left.

The ball dipped over Alberto Gilardino and Leo Bertos and wrong-footed Fabio Cannavaro, who could only divert it into the path of Smeltz.

The Gold Coast forward, who has also played for Mansfield and AFC Wimbledon, gleefully accepted and poked past second-choice goalkeeper Federico Marchetti.

Italy responded with a free-kick from Claudio Marchisio bouncing awkwardly and forcing Mark Paston to save.

New Zealand were incensed when Rory Fallon was booked for catching Cannavaro in the face and replays did suggest contact had been minimal.

Italy complained soon after when Fallon's elbow appeared to connect with Giorgio Chiellini but this time Guatemalan referee Carlos Batres was lenient.

Pressure

Moments earlier Chiellini had stabbed wide when well placed and then Riccardo Montolivo hit the post with a long-range shot as Italy stepped up the pressure.

New Zealand were caught out after 28 minutes as De Rossi went down in the area after the slightest of shirt pulls from Ipswich defender Smith.

The Kiwis complained about the decision but Iaquinta stepped up to convert from the spot, much to Italian relief.

New Zealand recovered their composure but Paston made a good save from a 20-yard De Rossi effort in first-half injury time.

Italy played at a slower tempo in the second period but dominated possession.

Half-time substitute Antonio di Natale threatened with a smart shot on the turn but Paston was equal to the half-volley.

Iaquinta controlled on the edge of the area but Winston Reid did enough to force him to fire wide as he turned.

Urgency

New Zealand struggled to break out of their own half and it was not until just after the hour they threatened again, Ivan Vicelich firing narrowly wide after a Cannavaro clearance fell invitingly.

The introduction of Mauro Camoranesi gave Italy extra drive and he put Montolivo through to force a fine save from Paston from 25 yards.

Reid then claimed to have been caught in the face by Chiellini and stayed down as Italy attacked but the Danish-born defender soon recovered.

Italy's urgency increased as time ran down but Camoranesi and Di Natale both shot wide and Chiellini missed the target with a header.

Kiwi substitute Wood, of West Brom, almost caught Italy off guard on a rare counter-attack eight minutes from time but shot across goal.

In a frantic finish Camoranesi then tested Paston from long range and Ryan Nelsen blocked well from Iaquinta as New Zealand held on for a famous draw.


Shot of the Match: Chris Wood, a late substitute for New Zealand, went unbelievably close to snatching his team an incredible winning goal. Controlling the ball using his big frame, the tall striker turned Cannavaro before hitting a shot on the half-volley across the goal. The Jabulani dragged agonisingly wide of Marchetti's left hand post.

Save of the Match: New Zealand goalkeeper Mark Paston made several outstanding saves, mainly from distance as the Azzurri peppered the All Whites goal in desperate search of an equaliser. The keeper was also spot on with his handling from the many crosses pumped into his box.

Moment of the Match: Shane Smeltz forcing home New Zealand's goal. It wasn't the classiest - and was suspiciously offside - but the vuvuzelas fell silent in astonishment. The New Zealand players and fans celebrated accordingly.

Man of the Match: You could pick any of the men in white, but Ryan Nelsen was a colossus at the back. The Blackburn Rovers defender was equal to everything thrown at him, and marshalled his team superbly. A heroic effort.

Talking point: Can New Zealand go even further than their two astonishing draws? And are Italy facing a humiliating exit from the World Cup in defence of their crown?






Result: Brazil (Fabiano, 25,50 Elano, 62 Kaka, s/o 88) 3 - 1 Ivory Coast (Drogba, 79)


Fab Fabiano inspires Brazil
Kaka sent off in dying minutes of enthralling Group G clash


A superb double from Luis Fabiano inspired Brazil to a fine 3-1 win over the Ivory Coast in Johannesburg, securing their place in the last 16 of the World Cup.

Sven-Goran Eriksson's Elephants headed into the game at Soccer City in optimistic mood, having held Portugal to a 0-0 draw in their opening Group G clash, but they were outplayed by a Brazil side who can now go into their last group match in relaxed mood.

Fabiano opened the scoring in the 25th minute after being fed into the area by Kaka, smashing the ball into the roof of the net from a tight angle.

The Sevilla striker's second was a joy to behold as, despite suspicions of handball, he lifted the ball over three defenders before waiting for it to drop and finishing past the goalkeeper five minutes after half-time.

Kaka laid a goal on a plate for Elano to slot home Brazil's third in the 62nd minute, before Drogba headed a consolation home for the Ivory Coast with just over 10 minutes remaining.

However, the match ended on a sour note as Kaka was shown his marching orders in the dying minutes for two yellow cards - the second of which was extremely harsh.

The game nearly started with a bang as Robinho picked the ball up in the Ivory Coast half in the first minute and drove forward before unleashing a shot that flew narrowly over the bar.

It was a rare attempt that came close to troubling either goalkeeper in the early stages, as both sides were feeling their way into the tie.

Ambitious

Didier Drogba, starting a game for the first time since fracturing his arm, then tried an ambitious attempt from a long-range free-kick in the 13th minute that flew high and wide.

The Ivory Coast skipper was involved again on the quarter-of-an-hour mark after theatrically going down near the left touchline following a tussle with Lucio.

Emmanuel Eboue whipped in the free-kick but Julio Cesar came out well to punch the ball away and avert the danger.

The contest then ebbed and flowed before Brazil broke the deadlock with 25 minutes gone thanks to a fantastic finish from Fabiano.

Robinho and Kaka were involved in the build-up outside the area on the right as Kaka fed the ball through to the Sevilla man, who rifled a shot into the roof of the net from a difficult angle.

It gave goalkeeper Boubacar Barry no chance and the Brazilian fans inside Soccer City voiced their appreciation of a fine finish.

Dunga's side then dominated possession but the African outfit stayed strong and did not give away any opportunities, and Aruna Dindane hit a first-time effort towards goal in the 37th minute that was blocked.

Dindane half-heartedly appealed for handball and a consequent penalty, but the referee was having none of it.

The former Portsmouth man then tried a crack from range that was comfortably saved by Cesar, before Eboue tried his luck from similar distance - his effort flying wide.

After the break, it went from bad to worse for the Ivory Coast as Fabiano doubled Brazil's lead with a superb individual effort just five minutes from the restart.

While his initial control on the right edge of the area suggested a handball, the 29-year-old then took the ball over three defenders with his left-foot before hitting the ball past the keeper.

It was a fine piece of play worthy of winning any match, despite the strong suspicions of handball.

Response

Eriksson's side responded well and in the 54th minute Dindane got down the right to cross for Drogba at the back post, but the Chelsea man headed it just wide.

However, Brazil put the nail in the coffin just after the hour mark when Elano scored their third.

Kaka was once again involved as he was fed in down the left, before using a burst of pace to make half a yard in which to slide the ball across goal and Elano finished with aplomb.

The former Manchester City midfielder was on the receiving end of a crunching challenge from Cheik Tiote soon later though, and was forced off with what looked like a nasty injury.

Drogba had the final say in the game as, following a surge forward from substitute Gervinho, the ball came to Yaya Toure who chipped a ball over for the powerful forward to head into the corner after a well-timed run.

The tone of the game turned fiery for the last 10 minutes, as tempers flared following a string of tough tackles.

And it ended on a sour note as Kader Keita went down theatrically after running into Kaka, and the referee showed the Brazil midfielder an unnecessary second yellow card to send him off - his first coming just three minutes earlier for dissent.


Man of the match: Luis Fabiano produced two stunning finishes to set Brazil on their way to victory, albeit with a clear handball in the ball-juggling build-up to the second.

Goal of the match: Take your pick. Fabiano's first was pinpoint, his second audacious and Drogba's header a clever finish to a perfectly timed run. But the build up to Elano's goal from Kaka's cutback was Brazil at their brilliant best. It just gets the nod due to the controversy in the build up to the second goal.

Moment of the match: The game was going along at walking pace until Robinho and Kaka combined to create the smallest opening for Luis Fabiano, who lashed the ball into an almost non-existent gap to open the scoring.

Attempt of the match: Yaya Toure's attempted lob from 35 yards forced a back-pedalling Julio Cesar to tip over the bar.

Save of the match: Boubacar Barry stood up well to prevent Kaka finishing off a slick second-half move.

Talking Point: Kader Keita's scandalous theatricals to get Kaka sent off left a sour taste. If Fifa want to crack down on simulation, they have a clear opportunity now.

[Black Widow]

Day 11:




Portugal v North Korea preview
Deco doubtful for crucial Group G clash


Portugal will be looking to take a big stride towards qualifying for the last 16 but must be wary of a North Korea side that tested Brazil.

Having played out a goalless draw with Ivory Coast in their opening Group G match, Carlos Queiroz's men will be targeting thee points against North Korea.

Portugal will not want to leave themselves needing to beat Brazil and Queiroz has promised a more attacking approach.

"We'll need to take more risks in our next match and that goes for both teams," he said.

"But it's always difficult to play against a team that stacks its defence and wais for its opponent to make a mistake."

Portugal may find it harder to break down a stubborn defence after Deco was ruled out with a hip problem that has prevented him from training.

Tiago might come in for Deco but it is Cristiano Ronaldo who will be expected to provide much of the inspiration and Queiroz has backed the Real Madrid star to score his first goal in a competitive international since Euro 2008.

There are unlikely to be many changes and goalkeepers Eduardo and Daniel Fernandes are both expected to be available following stomach upsets.

North Korea news

North Korea were written off as the rank outsiders in an otherwise difficult group before the World Cup started but will have been encouraged by their performance in a 2-1 defeat to Brazil.

It took Brazil almost an hour to open the scoring as North Korea defended resiliently, while they also showed enough in attack to suggest they cannot be taken lightly in their remaining matches.

Ji Yun-Nam scored for North Korea late on and Jon Tae-Se also impressed up front.

Tae-Se is now looking to find the target himself but accepts it will not be easy against another god side.

"I'm going to try to improve for the next game and score my first goal," said Tae-Se, who has been linked with a move to German side Bochum.

"Portugal are a top-class team, like Brazil, and it is going to be very hard but we're going to keep trying to make it."





Chile v Switzerland preview
Red hot encounter awaits in Port Elizabeth


Switzerland will attempt to follow up their giant killing of Spain by taking another three points against Chile.

The two teams collide in a vital encounter at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, with the winners likely to seize control of Group H and secure passage into the next round.

Switzerland's three points against the European champions has been well documented, however Chile went about their business professionally to dispatch minnows Honduras.

The display saw the Chileans offer an offensive approach to the match - something seldom seen during the tournament in South Africa.

Their attacking credentials have led to them being labelled as the proverbial 'dark horses' of the competition, however their litmus test will be whether they can undo the efficiency and organisation of the Swiss.

Chile news:

Striker Humberto Suazo is to make his World Cup bow after missing the Honduras victory through injury.

The leading scorer in the South American qualifiers with 10 goals was absent thanks to a leg problem, however he completed a full training session with the rest of his team on Friday.

That means manager Marcelo Bielsa could tinker with his front line, so Suazo will tussle with Alexis Sanchez and Jean Beausejour for a slot up top.

Biesla expressed concern at the narrow margin by which his team took their points off Honduras - although that concern may be alleviated by the return of playmaker Jorge Valdivia after he suffered a muscular problem.

The 54-year-old said: "If the group is decided on goal difference then we will rue the chances we missed. We could have scored more goals and we were on top.

"We'll try to win the next game because the objective is to pass to the next round and start writing new records."

Switzerland news:

Switzerland have a double injury boost to look forward to ahead of the encounter in Port Elizabeth.

Household names Alexander Frei and Valon Bahrami both missed their slaying of Spain but are primed to return.

Frei sustained an ankle injury just hours before his team boarded the plane for South Africa and Behrami has been struggling with a thigh injury.

The pair came through a full training session unscathed on Saturday and are in contention to feature.

Manager Ottmar Hitzfeld said: "Frei is once again 100 per cent, ready to play. He gives me another option up front."





Spain v Honduras preview
Pre-tournament favourites need a win in Group H


European champions Spain must get a result against Honduras to keep their World Cup hopes alive.

Switzerland produced the shock of the tournament so far when they beat Vincent del Bosque's men 1-0 in their opening game, a result which leaves Spain in a poor position in Group H.

With Chile beating Honduras in their first match, the race to qualify for the knockout stage is now wide open.

Indeed, if Switzerland and Chile play out a draw and Honduras manage a surprise win, Spain will be out of the South Africa tournament.

It would be a remarkable turn of events considering La Roja were tipped to go all the way before the competition kicked off, but a defeat against Honduras is absolutely unthinkable.

Spain will be clear favourites to take all three points at Ellis Park on Monday, but Honduras come into the game without any of the pressure that will be hanging over their opponents.

Team News

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres is pushing for a start after featuring as a substitute in the first game.

Spain had all the possession against the Swiss but despite their domination, could not find a way past a stubborn defence.

David Villa was kept at bay, but he may be partnered by Torres as Del Bosque looks for a more attacking line-up.

Sergio Ramos is expected to shake-off a rib injury, while midfielder Andres Iniesta is also set to play despite being on the wrong end of a tough challenge against Switzerland.

Cesc Fabregas has revealed he is desperate to play but Spain may go with a midfield of Iniesta, Xavi, Xabi Alonso and David Silva, while Sergio Busquets could drop out if Torres starts.

Honduras striker David Suazo could return to the side after a thigh injury which ruled him out of the Chile tie.

If the Inter Milan man recovers in time, he could replace Edgar Alvarez.

[Black Widow]

Day 11:




Result: Portugal (Meireles, 29 Simao, 53 Almeida, 56 Tiago, 60,89 da Silva Muniz, 81 Ronaldo, 87) 7 - 0 Korea DPR

Seventh heaven for Portugal
Six different scorers for Portugal as North Korea bow out


Portugal produced a blistering second-half performance to send North Korea out of the World Cup finals after a crushing 7-0 victory in Cape Town.

Group G minnows North Korea had battled manfully during an evenly-contested first half, but wilted after half-time as Cristiano Ronaldo turned in a Jekyll and Hyde performance.

Ricardo Carvalho struck the post early on for Portugal before the breakthrough arrived on 29 minutes through Raul Meireles' cool finish.

The second half saw Portugal turn on the style as a spell of three goals in seven minutes from Simao Sabrosa, Hugo Almeida and Tiago broke the Koreans' spirit.

Another triple blast in the closing 10 minutes merely confirmed the comprehensive nature of the win as Liedson, Ronaldo and Tiago piled the misery on North Korea.

The result puts Portugal in a strong position to progress from Group G alongside Brazil, while North Korea will look to restore some of their battered pride in their final game against the Ivory Coast.

Portugal went into the match on the back of a goalless opener with the Ivory Coast, while North Korea had pushed Brazil all the way despite being defeated in their first game.

Breakthrough

Carlos Queiroz's side came close to a breakthrough in the seventh minute when Carvalho was allowed to reach Simao's corner, but saw his header hit the left-hand post and bounce away.

Defender Cha Jong-hyok's bending right-footed shot from distance was not too far wide and minutes later Jong Tae-se should have done better when he failed to control a chipped ball into the box.

Another clear chance went begging for the underdogs after 17 minutes as Hong Yong-jo cut inside and, when Eduardo parried his shot, Pak Nam-chol headed over.

An Yong-hak dragged a left-footed shot wide while Meireles was off target twice for Portugal and Simao mis-kicked a first-time effort.

In the 29th minute the impressive Meireles opened the scoring. Breaking into the box, he was found by Tiago's clever ball and then slipped his shot beyond the goalkeeper.

Meireles then snatched at a loose ball in the box when he should have doubled the lead and Ronaldo's poor showing continued with a poorly-struck left-footed attempt as the half drew to a close.

Tempo increased

The second half saw Portugal, and Ronaldo in particular, step up the tempo as Queiroz's men were rewarded with three goals in the space of seven minutes.

Meireles and Almeida combined on the edge of the box on 53 minutes, and the former played in Simao to side-foot the ball through the legs of Korean keeper Ri Myong-guk.

The North Koreans were now struggling to cope with the pace of their opponents and a burst down the left from Fabio Coentrao produced a perfect cross which the unmarked Almeida headed home.

The left-hand side again proved a lucrative source of chances for Portugal on the hour mark as Ronaldo cut in before rolling the ball into the path of Tiago to place his shot beyond Myong-guk.

Ronaldo was suddenly relishing the greater freedom he had been afforded by a tiring opposition defence and the Real Madrid star set up Meireles for what should have been his second goal of the day, only for his finish to drift wide.

Pulling the strings

The former Manchester United winger was pulling the strings for Portugal and a slick one-two involving Coentrao saw the Benfica full-back clip a shot just wide on 68 minutes.

Ronaldo came close to grabbing the goal his second-half display merited three minutes later as a surging run was followed by a thumping shot which crashed against the crossbar.

Substitute Liedson then got in on the act inside the closing 10 minutes as he smashed the ball into the back of the net with almost his first touch after Ri Kwang-chon had failed to cut out a pass into the area.

With three minutes to go, Ronaldo finally got on the scoresheet as he nipped past the Korean keeper, rolled the ball inadvertently on his head and then tapped into an empty net.

And the rout was completed with a minute to go as Tiago glanced a header inside the far post to leave Portugal on the brink of reaching the last 16.


Man of the match: One of few players not to get a goal, Fabio Coentrao was absolutely superb down the left and the Benfica man really excelled in an open game.

Goal of the match: Well, with seven to choose from it is a tough choice, but Almeida's header was a lovely move - the header precise from a top cross from Coentrao.

Attempt of the match: Ronaldo clipped the bar in the second half with a great long-range effort, as he did against Ivory Coast. One is going to fly in sooner or later.

Moment of the match: The second goal from Simao killed the North Koreans, who collapsed and the floodgates opened.

Talking point: Have the Portuguese made themselves real contenders to go all the way? Their credentials will be tested against Brazil in a mouth-watering tie.





Result: Chile Gonzalez, 75) 1 - 0 Switzerland (Behrami s/o, 31)


Chile breach Swiss defence
Hitzfeld's 10 men set new record before conceding


Mark Gonzalez ended 10-man Switzerland's record run without conceding at the World Cup to put Chile on the brink of the last 16 with victory at Port Elizabeth in Group G.

Ottmar Hitzfeld's side, who stunned Spain 1-0 in their opening game, set a new mark for defensive resilience during the second half of their Group H clash having previously kept four clean sheets in Germany 2006, only to concede the only goal of the game shortly after.

Former Liverpool winger Gonzalez headed home at the far post in the 75th minute after fellow substitute Esteban Paredes had broken the offside trap and showed good composure to go around goalkeeper Diego Benaglio before crossing to his team-mate.

The match was overshadowed by the performance of referee Khalil Al-Ghamdi, with the Saudi Arabia official dishing out yellow cards for inexplicable reasons and dismissing Valon Behrami with just 30 minutes gone after nothing more than a minor tussle.

Al-Ghamdi looked to clamp down with just over 60 seconds on the clock as he booked Humberto Suazo for leaving his foot high on Stephane Grichting, while Blaise Nkufo was also shown a yellow card in the opening exchanges.

Switzerland goalkeeper Benaglio was called into action twice in quick succession in the early stages of the first half as he beat away Arturo Vidal's curling shot from the left before scrambling to his feet to parry Carlos Carmona's follow-up.

Minimal

Carmona was next into the book after a reckless challenge on Behrami which will rule him out of final group game against Spain, before Waldo Ponce added to the names in the Saudi Arabian official's notebook before the 25-minute mark.

Reto Ziegler fired a free-kick into the Chile box but Grichting's glanced header flew well wide of the target in Switzerland's first real attack of note, before Claudio Bravo was forced to race from his line after a short backpass to deny the on-rushing Nkufo.

The red card which had been waiting to happen arrived on the half-hour mark as Behrami was dismissed after fending off the attentions of first Jean Beausejour and then Vidal with his arm, with both Chile men making the most of minimal contact.

Suazo had a chance to test Benaglio as half-time approached but his header from six yards out after Beausejour's superb whipped cross flew high over the crossbar, while Sanchez could only find the goalkeeper's hands after another great ball in from the left.

Hitzfeld opted to stiffen up his side shortly before the break as captain Alexander Frei was sacrificed with Tranquillo Barnetta brought on in his place, with the skipper having no problem with his coach's decision.

Al-Ghamdi continued his zero-tolerance approach after the break with Barnetta booked as he pulled back Beausejour, with Chile thinking they had taken the lead from the resulting free-kick.

Antics

The ball was cleverly rolled to Alexis Sanchez on the edge of the box and his low drilled effort deflected home beyond Benaglio, only for his exuberant celebrations to be cut short with the flag raised due to three Chile players being offside.

Sanchez then seized on an error from Grichting in the 55th minute to burst into the box but Benaglio was swiftly off his line to smother the danger, before half-time substitute Gonzalez headed wide when well placed following a corner.

The referee's card-happy antics continued, with Gokhan Inler, Gary Medel and Matias Fernandez all ending up in the book, with the latter's caution particularly mystifying but also costly as he will now miss the group finale with Spain.

Marcelo Bielsa's men finally breached the meanest defence in the history of the World Cup as Paredes broke the offside trap and kept his cool to reach the byline and then pick out Gonzalez at the back post for a simple header.

Paredes had two chances to seal the victory in the closing stages but lost his composure in front of goal when it mattered most as he blazed over the bar before pulling another chance wide of the near post.

Chile were almost made to pay for their profligacy in the closing moments as Switzerland finally carved out an opportunity with some neat attacking play only for Eren Derdiyok to side-foot wide from 12 yards out with the goal at his mercy.


Man of the match: Alexis Sanchez. Always a threat and unlucky to have a deflected shot ruled out for offside in the second half.

Moment of the match: Behrami's flailing elbow which twice caught Chile players and resulted in a straight red card.

Attempt of the match: Esteban Paredes cutting into the area in the second half and shooting wide only minutes after clearing the bar following a neat move down the left.

Save of the match: Diego Benaglio faces a one-on-one with Sanchez and speads himself well to deny the Chile striker.

Talking point: The excessive number of yellow cards brandished by referee Khalil Al Ghamdi - nine in total, plus a red for Behrami.






Result: Spain (Villa, 17,51) 2 - 0 Honduras


Silky Spain restore order
Villa fires home classy brace to sink struggling Honduras


Two goals from David Villa helped Spain recover from their opening 2010 World Cup setback as they recorded an easy-on-the-eye triumph over Honduras on Monday night in Group H.

After being stunned in their first match against Switzerland, European champions Spain found their shooting boots against the Hondurans in Johannesburg.

Barcelona new boy Villa struck either side of half-time, and missed a second-half penalty, as the Spanish boosted their hopes of reaching the last 16 ahead of their final group game against table-toppers Chile.

Spain manager Vincente del Bosque's response to the shock loss against Switzerland was to start Fernando Torres in the lone striking role, with David Villa moved to the left channel. Speedy winger Jesus Navas was also called upon. Honduras, meanwhile, were boosted by the availability of David Suazo following a leg injury.

The pattern of the game during the early stages was as expected, with Spain dictating the tempo. And they threatened during the opening 10 minutes as Torres saw appeals for a handball in the penalty area waved away and Villa plopped a shot against the crossbar following a strike from distance.

Dominant

Honduras' Danilo Turcios went into the book in the eighth minute before Sergio Ramos should really have broken the deadlock when he charged in at the back post as Joan Capdevila delivered in a cross. But the Real Madrid defender managed to plant his header over the bar from just a few yards out.

However, on 17 minutes, Spain scored - but only after Honduras twice threatened with Iker Casillas first uncertain and then assured. A cross-field ball found Villa on the left flank and the new Barca signing nipped past two men. The ball then looked too far behind the striker, but somehow he dug out a shot that flew into the far corner with aplomb.

Honduras continued to chase shadows and nearly found themselves 2-0 down before the half-hour mark when Xavi came within an inch of nodding in a Navas cross. Right-back Sergio Mendoza's nightmare, meanwhile, was never-ending as Villa ran riot for fun. But Villa's fellow forward Torres looked less sharp, his finishing rusty.

Spain toying with Honduras showed no sign of relenting, although, after Osman Chavez blocked well from a Navas delivery, Villa can count himself lucky not to have been dismissed in the 42nd minute when he slapped Emilio Izaguirre in the chops. But referee Yuichi Nishimur seemingly never saw it. That said, Izaguirre's reaction was embarrassing to say the least.

Honduras head coach Reinaldo Rueda brought on Georgie Welcome for Roger Espinoza. But it mattered little, for six minutes into the second period, Spain embarked on a routine counter-attack which was concluded by Villa, whose strike flung in via the aid of a Chavez deflection.

Penalty miss

The buccaneering Ramos again almost got his name on the scoresheet seconds after the second goal before a wonderful flowing move in the 55th minute failed to find the finish it deserved. Then, on 61 minutes, Spain were awarded a spot-kick.

Referee Nishimura immediately, and correctly, pointed to the penalty spot when Emilio Izaguirre clumsily tripped the tricky Navas. The on-fire Villa stepped up, but surprisingly rolled his effort wide of the post. Del Bosque then had the luxury of bringing on Cesc Fabregas for Xavi.

And the Arsenal captain almost made an instant impact as he raced clear, rounded the keeper but saw his shot from an acute angle cleared away. With 20 minutes remaining, the rusty Torres was hauled off in place of Juan Mata.

As Honduras committed more players forward in hope of a way back into the game, more space opened up for Spain when they sprung forward. But a third goal never came, such was their profligacy and preference to sometimes over-play matters. A win, though, was the prerequisite.


Man of the Match: David Villa. Two well-taken goals and was the difference between the teams.

Goal of the Match: Villa's first. He burst past three would-be defenders before blasting home past Valladares

Miss of the Match: Villa squandered the chance to wrap up his hat-trick when he sent his 62nd minute penalty wide.

Save of the Match: Maynor Figueroa's last-gasp touch to nick the ball from Villa who was certain to score from close range.

Talking Point: Spain are back to winning ways after losing to Switzerland, but can they go all the way?

[Black Widow]

Day 12:




France v South Africa preview
Les Bleus in disarray; hosts plot sweeping changes


A French side in disarray aim to secure an unlikely place in the last 16 of the World Cup when they tackle hosts South Africa.

Under-fire head coach Raymond Domenech has come under heavy scrutiny after his side's opening draw against Uruguay was followed by a defeat to Mexico.

In the latter encounter, striker Nicolas Anelka is said to have confronted Domenech at half-time, and the Chelsea player has since been sent home.

Anelka's axing led to a strike from the players, who refused to train but have returned to action on Monday.

Les Bleus and South Africa both sit on one point in Group A with Uruguay and Mexico leading the way on four points apiece.

Therefore, France or South Africa must win in Bloemfontein while hoping that Uruguay's meeting with Mexico does not end in a draw.

Fall-out

In the wake of the controversy in France's camp, it remains to be seen who will be selected by Domenech.

Indeed, it has been suggested a number of players could be overlooked, with Patrice Evra's involvement of particular conjecture.

South Africa coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has said he will make sweeping changes to his side for the fixture.

"There will be five changes in the team," Parreira told reporters at the city's Free State stadium.

Suspended players Kagisho Dikgacoi and goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune will certainly miss out as the Bafana Bafana go in search of unlikely progression.





Mexico v Uruguay preview
Just a point will do for both sides as they close on the last 16


Mexico and Uruguay know just a point apiece from their meeting on Tuesday will see them into the last 16.

Conspiracy theorists have suggested that the pair will play out a tame stalemate in Rustenburg, ensuring they both progress into the knockout stages.

Both sides have been quick to play down such talk, though, with top spot in Group A still up for grabs.

Finishing in first place could prove crucial, as the runners-up are likely to be paired with free-flowing Argentina in the next round.

With that in mind, three points will be the order of the day when North America locks horns with South America in midweek.

Should they, however, fail to be separated at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Uruguay will go through as table-toppers, Mexico in second place and France will take the first plane home.

Vela blow

Mexico will be forced to do without Arsenal striker Carlos Vela for their final group fixture.

The promising striker has sustained a hamstring problem and is expected to be sidelined for up to 10 days.

Javier Aguirre will also be without Efrain Juarez, as he must sit the game out through suspension.

Lodeiro returns

Uruguay have no fresh concerns to contend with and will be at full strength.

Nicolas Lodeiro will be welcomed back into the fold after serving a one-match ban for the red card he picked up against France on opening night.

Whether he is drafted into the starting XI remains to be seen, with Oscar Tabarez having mixed things up against South Africa and seen himself rewarded with a 3-0 win.

Talismanic skipper Diego Forlan was dropped a little deeper for that game and, having run the show, is expected to be deployed behind Luis Suarez once again.





Greece v Argentina preview
Rehhagel and Maradona go head-to-head in Group B


Argentina can clinch top spot in World Cup Group B with a point in their final group match against Greece in Polokwane.

Greece, the 2004 European champions, need nothing short of a miracle to secure their progression to the second round.

Otto Rehhagel's side need to win by a whopping three-goal margin against red-hot Argentina to advance to the knockout stage.

Should they fail to secure a win by three or more goals, they would be left waiting on the result of the Nigeria and South Korea match before learning their fate.

Argentina have looked one of the teams to beat so far in the tournament with two wins from two, including a 4-1 thumping of South Korea.

Team news

Maradona has plans to rest his key personnel, although Barcelona star Lionel Messi is set to retain his place up front.

While captain Javier Mascherano and strikers Carlos Tevez and Gonzalo Higuain will be rested, Messi will stay in the starting line-up.

Juan Sebastian Veron, who missed the win over South Korea with a calf injury, will return in place of Liverpool ace Mascherano.

With Tevez and Higuain missing the likes of Sergio Aguero, Diego Milito or Martin Palermo will be vying to get the nod.

Wing back Jonas Gutierrez is suspended after collecting two bookings while Gabriel Heinze, who is also on a booking, could be rested.

Greece come into the match with their tails up after responding to their defeat against South Korea with a 2-1 win over Nigeria, their first finals success.

However, midfielder Thanassis Prittas has hinted the team will stick with its trademark defensive tactics against Argentina despite its slim chances of progressing without a win.

Rehhagel is not planning on making wholesale changes and in fact, Greece are expected to name the same starting XI that came from behind to beat The Super Eagles last Thursday.





Nigeria v South Korea preview
South Korea and Nigeria still harbour hopes of progressing


South Korea head into Tuesday night's World Cup Group B clash with Nigeria knowing a victory would surely be enough to send them through to the last 16 - but the Super Eagles cannot be ruled out completely.

Huh Jung-moo's Taegeuk Warriors, bidding to reach the second round for the first time on foreign soil, are second in Group B alongside Greece on three points while Nigeria are bottom of the pile having lost their two previous games.

Provided Greece fail to beat leaders and hot favourites Argentina in the other pool game on Tuesday night, then South Korea will progress with a victory.

Nothing less than three points will do for Nigeria and they must also rely on Diego Maradona's men beating the Greeks if they are to sneak into the knockout stages.

South Korea followed up their impressive 2-0 win over Greece with a heavy 4-1 defeat to a rampant Argentina but Jung-moo does not think his side will be affected too much ahead of this decisive third game.

"We are simply looking forward to progressing to the round of 16," he said.

"We left behind us the game against Argentina and our only focus is on beating Nigeria.

"My players are confident and are ready to play this important game. I believe in my players and I think we can do a good job."

Tactics

Jung-moo also suggested he could make tactical alterations for the game against Nigeria.

"We have a different strategy for each match," he added.

"Perhaps we were a little bit defensive when playing against Argentina.

"But I don't want my players to focus on just attacking against Nigeria. I want my team to play a balanced game in order to win."

Nigeria have so far failed to shine although they had looked well placed against Greece in their second match when leading 1-0 but Sani Kaita then crazily got sent off and that effectively cost the Super Eagles' hopes of victory.

Greece came form a goal down to win 2-1, adding to Nigeria's opening-game 1-0 loss to Argentina - a game in which goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama was the star performer.

Confident

But coach Lars Lagerback is confident his side will finally show their worth in Durban, saying: "Let's hope we can show that an African team can play well and get a result.

"It's going to be difficult. But this is a World Cup and every game is tough.

"I nevertheless believe we can win. I think the team has the right attitude.

"We have a really good team and I hope we can show it to the world tomorrow."

Lagerback has not ruled out making changes to the side that lost 2-1 against Greece and could turn to Kanu.

"I could make changes," he said. "Everybody in the team wants to play this game.

"Kanu is in the picture and it's quite possible he could play tomorrow."

The 61-year-old is confident left-back Taye Taiwo and Uwa Echiejile will feature in Tuesday's match after both players sustained minor injuries against Greece.

[Black Widow]

Day 12:




Result: France (Malouda, 70 Gourcuff, s/o 25) 1 - 2 South Africa (Khumalo, 20 Mphela, 37)


Hosts bow out despite win
Khumalo and Mphela goals not enough for last 16 place


World Cup hosts South Africa bowed out of the competition on a winning note after a 2-1 success over dispirited France in Bloemfontein.

Both teams entered the Group A showdown needing to win, and relying on a favour from the other game between Uruguay and Mexico, to stand a chance of reaching the last 16.

And it was South Africa who briefly harboured hopes of scrambling into the knockout phase when they led 2-0 at half-time as Mexico trailed Uruguay in the other match, only for a French consolation to shatter home fans' dreams.

Bongani Khumelo had headed Bafana Bafana into a 20th minute lead before France were down to 10 men after the unfortunate sending-off of Yoann Gourcuff.

Katlego Mphela, who had endured unsuccessful stints in France with Strasbourg and Reims earlier in his career, grabbed a second goal to send South Africa into the break dreaming of qualification.

But Florent Malouda pulled a goal back for France on 70 minutes and South Africa were unable to respond as they became the first host country to exit the World Cup at the group stage.

Evra dropped

The build-up to the game had been overshadowed by the shattering of what was left of France's brittle team spirit as Nicolas Anelka had been sent home after the 2-0 defeat by Mexico and the rest of the squad refused to train on Sunday.

Coach Raymond Domenech then wielded the axe for his final match at the helm and that included dropping captain Patrice Evra to the bench as Les Bleus looked to end a wretched tournament on a positive note.

France spurned a good early opportunity when Andre-Pierre Gignac, starting his first game of the tournament, broke into the box, only to shoot tamely at South Africa keeper Moeneeb Josephs.

Chances were scarce until South Africa capitalised on poor play from Hugo Lloris to open the scoring on 20 minutes when Khumalo headed home after the France keeper had missed Siphiwe Tshabalala's corner.

Gignac and Djibril Cisse both fired wide in response to falling behind before France's task was made even more difficult by the harsh 27th minute dismissal of Gourcuff.

Confusion

The Bordeaux playmaker's forearm caught MacBeth Sibaya as the two jumped to contest the ball and, after initial confusion over whether Gourcuff or Cisse was being sent off, it was the former who trudged off the pitch.

The 2006 runners-up's tournament took a further turn for the worse on 37 minutes as Bafana Bafana grabbed a second goal as Mphela bundled the ball home from close range after France had twice failed to deal with crosses into the box.

And barely 60 seconds later, South Africa thought they had cause to celebrate a third goal only for Bernard Parker's control and crisp finish to be correctly ruled out for offside.

South Africa keeper Josephs was called into a rare piece of action five minutes before the break as he pushed away Franck Ribery's free-kick which had eluded everyone, including the unmarked William Gallas.

But it was Josephs' opposite number Lloris who continued to be kept busiest with a fingertip save from Mphela's swerving low drive prior to the half-time whistle.

Pressure

The hosts maintained the pressure early in the second half and came close to a third goal when Mphela was played in by a superb pass from Tshabalala only to see his shot clip the outside of the post.

France were largely reduced to optimistic efforts from the likes of Cisse and Ribery either side of Lloris producing a flying save to push away another fine shot from Mphela.

Mamelodi Sundowns striker Mphela was causing the French defence untold problems and was denied by the onrushing Lloris on 61 minutes after breaking into the box.

France briefly stirred from their lethargy 20 minutes from time to score a goal which sounded the death knell for South Africa's hopes of reaching the last 16.

Bacary Sagna's through ball sent Ribery clear and the Bayern Munich winger unselfishly played a square pass for substitute Malouda to tap into an empty net.

South Africa were rocked by the goal and only seriously threatened once more before the final whistle when Tshabalala was thwarted by Lloris who, despite his error for the opening goal, may be the sole French player to emerge from the tournament with his reputation enhanced.


Man of the match: Siphiwe Tshabalala. Goal assist for opener and was a constant threat throughout.

Save of the match: Hugo Lloris was at fault for the first goal but pulled off some decent saves afterwards, with his full stretch plunge to his right to deny Katlego Mphela's effort the best.

Shot of the match: As above - Mphela's long range effort to the right of goal, after he created himself a yard of space, was a fine strike.

Turning point: Lloris' failure to deal with Tshabalala's corner led to the first goal and Bafana Bafana were on their way.

Goal of the game: Florent Malouda. France were down and out when Malouda scored but his goal came at the end of a slick French passing move with Bacary Sagna feeding the ball to Franck Ribery on the right who crossed for the tap-in.

Talking point: Raymond Domenech refused to shake Carlos Alberto Parreira's hand at the end - a new low to his miserable tournament.

[Black Widow]

Day 12:




Result: Mexico 0 - 1 Uruguay (Suarez, 43)


Suarez header seals victory
Both sides progress despite scare for Mexicans in Rustenburg


Uruguay and Mexico have reached the World Cup knockout stages after Luis Suarez's goal decided their final game.

The two sides went into their final Group A clash knowing a draw would be sufficient to book their place in the last 16 of the South Africa finals.

But neither side looked happy with the point at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium as they went gung-ho for victory.

Mexico hit the woodwork midway through the first half as Andres Guardado's 25-yard blast cannoned off the crossbar.

But it was the Uruguayans who took the lead at the end of the first-half as Suarez latched onto Edinson Cavani's floated cross to put to bed conspiracy theories they were playing for the draw.

Uruguay top the group with seven points and with hosts South Africa unable to alter the goal difference too much in their 2-1 win over France, the result in Rustenburg also put the nervous Mexicans through.

Their coach Javier Aguirre made two changes to his line-up, bringing in veteran Cuauhtemoc Blanco for his first start in place of the injured Carlos Vela up front, while Andres Guardado was in for the suspended Efrain Juarez.

Uruguay also made one surprise change, with Diego Godin dropping to bench in place of Mauricio Victorino.

Bafokeng buzz

There was a buzz in the Royal Bafokeng Stadium at the start, with most of the noise coming from the fans in green, who outnumbered those in blue.

But the Mexicans and their supporters were almost silenced early on.

First Maxi Pereira saw his rising 30-yard free-kick fly over, and then an error from Hector Moreno allowed Suarez in but the striker only managed to send his shot across the face of goal.

El Tri had a good chance moments later when Giovani dos Santos crossed for Blanco, but the 37-year-old headed over.

After 15 minutes Victorino managed to find space from a corner but nodded his free header over, before Alvaro Pereira drilled his shot wide after racing down the left - much to the fury of the unmarked Diego Forlan in the box.

Midway through the half, Guardado almost stunned Oscar Tabarez's side with a wicked 30-yard effort that beat Fernando Muslera, but not the underside of the crossbar.

At the other end, Oscar Perez punched weakly at a Forlan cross, but there was no one following up at the back post.

Deadlock broken

The chances seemed to dry up 15 minutes before the break, but then Suarez broke the deadlock two minutes before the interval after excellent tracking back from Forlan allowed Uruguay to attack and Cavani's delightful ball into the penalty area was met by the Ajax striker, who opened his account in South Africa.

Aguirre decided to make a change at the break, bringing Pablo Barrera for Guardado.

And his side had the first chance of the half courtesy of a Blanco free-kick 25-yards out that was curled into the arms of Muslera.

Uruguay then almost doubled the advantage when Forlan swung over a free-kick from the right, but Diego Lugano's powerful header drew an excellent low save from Perez.

In another attacking move, Israel Castro and Javier Hernandez were thrown in, but it was a defender, Francisco Rodriguez, that had a golden opportunity to equalise from Barrera's cross, which was a glanced header that ended up wide.

Hernandez was next to have a chance, but it was only a half one as he found little room to try and get away a shot in the six-yard box, with the ball deflected for a corner.

The Mexicans again had their goalkeeper Perez to thank in the 87th minute when he parried away and awkward 30-yard Cavani strike for a corner.

It proved the last chance for either side as La Celeste held on.


Man of the match: Diego Lugano was fantastic at the heart of Uruguay's defence.

Miss of the match: Francisco Rodriguez missed a chance to score for Mexico when he sent his header wide from close range.

Attempt of the match: Andres Guardado sent a rasping long-range effort crashing against the underside of the bar.

Save of the match: Oscar Perez did superbly to stop Diego Lugano's header finding the back of the net.

Talking point: Can Uruguay continue to shine in the knockout stages?

[Black Widow]

Day 12:




Result: Nigeria (Uche K, 12 Aiyegbeni, 69(pen)) 2 - 2 South Korea (Lee, 38 Park, 49)


South Korea reach last 16
Entertaining 2-2 draw sees wasteful Nigeria exit World Cup


South Korea will play Uruguay in the last 16 of the World Cup after their 2-2 draw with Nigeria proved enough to secure the runners-up spot in Group B.

Kalu Uche gave Nigeria an early lead in Durban but South Korea turned the game on its head via goals from Lee Jung-Soo and Park Chu-Young.

Yakubu Aiyegbeni restored parity from the penalty spot, moments after producing one of the most glaring misses in World Cup history, but the point was not enough for the Nigerians, who failed to win any of their games in South Africa.

Progression for Huh Jung-Moo's men marked history for the country as for the first time they reached the second round on foreign soil.

Lars Lagerback awarded veteran striker Nwankwo Kanu a first World Cup start, while Yussuf Ayila, Rabiu Afolab and Chinedu Obasi were also drafted in. For South Korea, Huh Jung-Moo made one change to the side which lost 4-0 against Argentina, switching Oh Beom-Seok for Cha Doo-Ri.

The South Koreans almost got off to a dream start when an attack down the right saw Lee Chung-Yong threaded in on goal. But the Bolton midfielder's sliding effort zipped wide of the near post. Then, Ki Sung-Yong had a sighter from range but saw his strike blaze over.

On 12 minutes, seemingly out of nothing, Nigeria went in front. Chidi Odiah raced down the right wing and drove in a low cross. South Korea right-back Cha Du-Ri was half-asleep to allow Uche to storm in and fire in his second goal of the 2010 World Cup.

Stunned

South Korea were noticeably reeling from their concession of the opening goal as Nigeria threatened to double their lead. In the 22nd minute, Uche fired a free-kick over the bar before Chinedu Obasi opted to shoot off target when he really should have crossed to his team-mates lurking at the far post.

Huh's side looked to respond via a clever ball from Park Ji-Sung, but Park Chu-Young's finish was tepid. Nigerian's reaction was to put together a fine move, with passing aplenty. However, it was concluded with a rather central shot from Obasi, ensuring Jung Sung-Ryong saved with ease.

Jung's goalkeeping counter-part Vincent Enyeama then found himself in the thick of the action when he came charging out of his area before being booked for a foul on Park Jo-Sung near the touchline. The resulting free-kick was curling inwards by Ki Sung-Yong and unconvincingly punched out by Enyeama.

South Korea's woodwork was then left rattling by an Uche strike, but, against the run of play, they found themselves level. Obasi fouled and was given a yellow card and Ki Sung-Yong's cross into the box from the free-kick was diverted home by Lee Jung-Soo for his second goal in South Africa, although luck was on his side as he meant to head the delivery but instead notched in via his leg.

Lagerback replaced Joseph Yobo with Uwa Echiejile at the break, four minutes into which the South Koreans completed their turnaround. Park Chu-Young trotted up to a free-kick near the corner of the box and curled low towards the far post. Enyeama tried to second guess the strike and his early adjustment cost him as he was beaten.

Glaring miss

After Park Chu-Young lashed wide with another free-kick, Lagerback threw on the speedy Obafemi Martins for the impressive Kanu. And the change was almost proceeded by an equaliser when Yakubu Aiyegbeni looked to pull the trigger but was denied by a fine last-ditch hook away by Lee Young-Pyo.

A fine counter-attack from South Korea almost handed them a two-goal lead when Yeom Ki-Hun's cross was stabbed towards goal by Park Chu-Young but Enyeama gathered easily. Yeom Ki-Hun was then replaced by Kim Nam-Il, who would make an awful impact.

Yakubu went from villain to hero moments later. First, the Everton striker impossibly missed an open goal from just three yards, rolling the effort wide. But then he was given a chance to redeem himself when the substitute Kim Nam-Il clumsily brought down Obasi. Yakubu rolled home coolly, and was then taken off for Victor Obinna.

Danny Shittu had a heart-in-mouth moment on 72 minutes when he so nearly inadvertently clipped into his own net, but the ball zipped past the post. That chance was one of a spate for Nigeria's opponents as Park Ji-Sung hit the side-netting and then Lee Chung-Yong drew a decent stop from Enyeama.

With the scoreline level, news of a goal from Argentina against Greece filtered through. Seconds after this revelation, Martins missed a gilt-edged opportunity as he was sent one-on-one with the goalkeeper only to chip his effort wide of the far stick.

Nigeria threw bodies forward in the dying stages, but their finishing continued to desert them as South Korea hung on for the point which booked them a last-16 clash against Uruguay on 26th June.


Man of the match: Park Chu-young was very influencial throughout and it was his goal that took South Korea through to the last 16.

Miss of the match: Ayila's cross was missed by Jung Sung-ryong leaving Yakubu an open goal, which the Everton striker amazingly misses.

Attempt of the match: Kanu found Kalu Uche in space but his daisy cutter struck the base of the post.

Save of the match: Ki Sung-yong's inswinging free-kick was almost met by Park Chu-young but Vincent Enyeama showed great agility to fist the ball away under pressure.

Talking point: Can South Korea trouble the impressive Uruguayans in the last 16?

[Black Widow]

Day 12:




Result: Greece 0 - 2 Argentina (Demichelis, 77 Palermo, 89)


Argentina send Greece packing
Maradona's men progress as group winners


Goals from Martin Demichelis and Martin Palermo saw Argentina maintain their 100 per cent record as they saw off Greece 2-0 in Polokwane.

Diego Maradona's side were virtually guaranteed to progress before kick-off and they move forward as comfortable winners of Group B, setting up a tie against Mexico in the last 16.

Greece had been hoping to sneak in behind them but will now be on the first plane home after failing to earn the required result.

In truth they offered little against Argentina, with a lack of adventure having cost them dear throughout the tournament.

The South Americans, who were captained on the night by Lionel Messi as Maradona took the opportunity to shuffle his pack, controlled possession early on but were frustrated by resolute defending.

Greece appeared to be relying on their ability from set-pieces, which saw them to Euro 2004 glory, and took every chance to try and knock the dangerous Messi out of his stride.

The first half-chance of any note took almost 20 minutes to arrive, as Sergio Aguero made a clever darting run into the box and tested Alexandros Tzorvas at his near post.

From the resulting corner Juan Sebastian Veron had the Greek keeper at full stretch once again, with a stinging drive from 20 yards needing to be touched over the bar.

Drifted

While Greece were offering little as an attacking unit they did almost send Georgios Samaras clear on the half-hour mark, but Georgios Karagounis' lofted pass drifted through to Sergio Romero.

Argentina were still struggling to unlock the door at this point and Diego Milito was unable to get a touch to a flashing cross-shot from Veron.

Konstantinos Katsouranis did escape in behind as the half wore on, but a slide rule pass from Samaras had slightly too much on it.

In the closing seconds Argentina raised their game and came close to forcing a breakthrough, and Tzorvas had to be alert to parry an angled drive from Maxi Rodriguez and a curling effort from Messi.

More of the same was expected after the interval, but it was Greece who came agonisingly close within minutes of the restart.

Samaras, who was lively throughout, bustled his way in on goal but, despite having two bites of the cherry, he hooked well wide when presented with a clear sight of the target.

As the hour mark approached Milito was again left with far too much space inside the box, but a floated cross from Clemente Rodriguez flew inches over his head.

Messi began to see more of the ball as legs began to tire, but the inevitable flurry of second half changes failed to have the desired impact on either team.

Otto Rehhagel steadfastly refused to waver from his defensive approach, despite news of South Korea's result filtering through, and Greece continued to sit tight.

Wobble

With 20 minutes to go it seemed the first goal was finally about to arrive, but Tzorvas produced another smart save down low to deny Mario Bolatti.

Greece were now, for the first time, starting to wobble at the back as the Argentina onslaught continued, with some rather nervy clearances putting them firmly on the back foot.

It was quickly becoming only a matter of time before the opener arrived and it was duly delivered 13 minutes from time when Greece failed to deal with a corner and Demichelis lashed home.

He nodded an initial header into team-mate Milito but was alert enough to pounce on the loose ball and rifle past a helpless Tzorvas from close range.

Messi was then denied by some heroic defending and the woodwork as he looked to put the game to bed.

A typically mesmeric run with four minutes remaining took him past defenders with ease, as he danced his way into the box, but he saw a well-struck shot cannon back off a post.

The Barcelona man then helped to lay on Palermo's late second as he forced another top save from Tzorvas, but he could only divert the ball into the path of the experienced Boca Juniors striker who rolled into an empty net.

Greece suddenly awoke from their slumber with the game already over, forcing a couple of late saves from Romero, but it was all far too little, too late and they exit the tournament having offered little to the South African showpiece.


Man of the match: Clemente Rodriguez. A constant threat down the left and was at the heart of most of Argentina's best attacking play.

Save of the match: Alexandros Tzorvas made a few throughout the 90 minutes - the pick of the bunch coming late in the first half from a dipping Lionel Messi effort.

Shot of the match: Juan Sebastian Veron unleashed a fizzing right-footed drive from the edge of the box which brought the best out of Tzorvas.

Turning point: Georgios Samaras' miss on 48 minutes will give him and every Greece fan sleepless nights in the coming days. With Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero stranded on the floor, the Celtic man somehow contrived to drag his left-foot shot wide from close range.

Goal of the game: Martin Palermo. The veteran frontman has now scored in three successive World Cups after a cool first-time finish to seal the win.

Talking point: Can Argentina really go all the way under Diego Maradona?

[Black Widow]

Day 13:




England v Slovenia preview
Three Lions must deliver in Group C showdown


It's D-day. Something even the most pessimistic of England fans would never have expected going into their final game in Group C against Slovenia, as they stand on the precipice of one of the most embarrassingly premature exits in World Cup history.

When the group draw was announced late last year, many thought England would cruise through, with three wins out of three against inferior opposition, casting all aside as they roared into the second round to send out a statement of intent to their rivals.

Sadly, but somewhat inevitably, it has been anything but that, as Fabio Capello's men have to beat Slovenia in Port Elizabeth to be certain of qualifying for the last 16 in a tournament they were expected to excel in under the wily Italian coach.

Many thought their opening 1-1 draw against the USA was a blip, one that would be rectified in their following game against Algeria, however that proved to be even worse, with England failing to create any clear chances and looking jaded as they lumbered to a timid goalless draw

Circus

What has followed has been nothing short of a circus following rumours of disharmony in the camp, a supporter confronting David Beckham in the dressing room, Capello lamenting former captain John Terry's decision to reveal all in a press conference ahead of a private meeting, and the out-of-form Wayne Rooney's inexplicable outburst at television cameras criticising the supporters' decision to boo their own team.

Add to all this rumours of some players calling upon Capello, whose job is speculated to be on the line, to change his formation and tactics ahead of the game and what we are left with is one simple goal - England must succeed.

Calls for Joe Cole and a 4-5-1 formation, with Rooney as a lone striker, are yet to be heeded, with Capello keeping a tight lid as usual on what he will choose to change, but there is likely to be at least one wielding of the axe, with Emile Heskey the most probable to receive it.

Slovenia will go into the game ruing their missed opportunity of taking two wins out of two, having gone 2-0 up against the US before half-time only to see their lead pegged back by Michael Bradley's equaliser eight minutes before time.

In fact they were lucky to even take a point, after Maurice Edu bundled the ball home to complete the Americans' comeback, only to see an inexplicable decision by the referee chalk off his effort.

Manager Matjaz Kek's tactics are likely to be negative, knowing that stifling England to a draw will assure qualification for the last 16 for the first time in Slovenia's history; however they do pose a goal threat that England must be aware of.

Auxerre playmaker Valter Birsa was outstanding against the US, scoring one of the goals of the tournament so far with a sweeping side-foot finish from range and strikers Milivoje Novakovic and Zlatan Ljubijankic caused the American defence problems.

The Slovenians did run out of steam in the second half however, eventually succumbing to the USA's pressure as the game wore on, something Capello will be keen to exploit with pace in reserve.

England, who will line up in their red strip, are without doubt the favourites for the tie, but this is their last chance to salvage what has been a desperately disappointing start and they should do this if the likes of Rooney, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard get into their groove.

Team news

England's only fitness problem ahead of the game is with Ledley King, who will miss the game with the Tottenham defender still nursing the groin injury sustained in their opening match.

King's replacement against Algeria, Jamie Carragher, is suspended after picking up his second yellow card of the tournament, so Capello has confirmed West Ham defender Matthew Upson will take his place at the heart of defence.

Every player apart from King took part in training on Tuesday, so what happens with Capello's selection will be the subject of intense speculation, although early rumours suggest Heskey will lose out with Jermain Defoe, who looked lively against Algeria, set to take his place.

Slovenia defender Marko Suler is likely to miss the match after sustaining a rib injury against the US and is set to be replaced by Matej Mavric at centre-back.

They will also be without midfielder Nejc Pecnik, who was a substitute against the Americans, but was flown home after breaking his ankle and is expected to be out for around three months, meaning he will miss the remainder of the finals.

Whether Kek will make further changes to his side will remain to be seen, but with Slovenia only needing a point, the 48-year-old may choose a side to set their stall out to defend against an England team desperate to prove they can handle the pressure.

[Black Widow]

Day 13:




USA v Algeria preview
Group C still up for grabs


Algeria and USA lock horns in their final Group C clash with both sides in with a chance of progression.

The stakes could not be much higher in the first ever meeting between the two countries

A win for USA will secure a spot in the last 16 for Bob Bradley's men, while a draw could be good enough if England fail to beat Slovenia.

Algeria must win to have any chance of qualifying and they may need to win by a two-goal margin dependent on England's result against Slovenia.

USA will be pressed into an enforced change with Robbie Findley suspended after picking up two bookings in the opening two games.

In his absence Clint Dempsey could be moved further forward alongside Jozy Altidore in attack.

Benny Feilhaber is pushing for a place in the starting line-up after impressing off the bench in the 2-2 draw with Slovenia.

Rangers midfielder Maurice Edu could also start in place of Jose Torres after he was replaced at half-time against Slovenia.

Algeria welcome striker Abdelkader Ghezzal back into the squad after he missed last Friday's goalless draw with England through suspension

Desert Foxes' first-choice goalkeeper Faouzi Chaouchi is available again after recovering from a knee injury, but Rais M'Bolhi may keep his place after keeping a clean sheet against England.

Algeria coach Rabah Saadane is likely to stick with the same starting XI that did so well against England as the Africans look to defy the odds and qualify for the knockout stages.

[Black Widow]

Day 13:




Australia v Serbia preview
Serbia shuffle on the cards as Cahill returns for Socceroos


An open Group D means Australia and Serbia lock horns with both having the chance to progress in their final group game.

Admittedly, Australia have it all to do if they are to book their place in the knock-out stages in South Africa as, without a win in the tournament so far, the Socceroos require maximum points and results going for them to progress.

If they manage to claim the spoils at the Mbombela Stadium, they need either group leaders Ghana to beat Germany or the opposite result with Joachim Low's side smashing the Black Stars by a big enough margin for Australia to turn around a five-goal difference on the Africans.

Serbia, meanwhile, put their last 16 hopes into their own hands with an impressive win over the Germans in their last outing and victory against the Aussies will assure safe passage to the latter stages of the tournament, although top spot is a long shot unless results go in their favour.

Ill-discipline

Both sides have had issues with discipline during the World Cup - Australia ended games against Germany and Ghana with 10 men while Serbia have been hand happy in their penalty area not once, but twice to gift penalties to their opposition - the Black Stars took advantage while the Germans fluffed their lines.

Australia, who have had four players sent off in their three World Cup participations, are searching for their first victory in five World Cup games, stretching back to the 2006 finals when they reached the second round before losing to eventual champions Italy.

Serbia do not possess a good record against non-European sides at the World Cup, losing all three of those fixtures and shipping 10 goals in the process.

Team-news

Serbia coach Radomir Antic is considering resting players on one yellow card for the game in Nelspruit.

The entire first-choice defence - who have kept a clean sheet in six of their last 10 internationals - as well as striker Nikola Zigic and midfielder Zdravko Kuzmanovic are all on a booking so Antic faces the dilemma of stick or twist regarding his starting XI.

Australia boss Pim Verbeek also faces selection issues as suspended duo Harry Kewell and Craig Moore miss the Socceroos' final group game.

Kewell, who remained on the bench against Germany for tactical reasons following Tim Cahill's red card in the opener, followed suit against the Ghanaians as the Galatasaray attacker handballed on the line to deny a goalscoring chance and it remains to be seen whether that will be his last involvement in South Africa.

Moore, Australia's no-nonsense centre-back, will be sorely missed in the Socceroos' defence as he incurred a one-game suspension for picking up his second yellow card of the tournament in the 1-1 draw in Rustenburg.

Verbeek does have a welcome boost in attacking midfield in the shape of Cahill, who is available for selection after serving his one-match ban.

[Black Widow]

Day 13:




Ghana v Germany preview
Klose suspended for Germans; Boateng under the spotlight


Germany face the threat of elimination if they fail to beat Ghana in their crunch Group D clash in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

After a thumping opening win over Australia, Joachim Low's men went into their last game against Serbia in confident mood.

But things did not go according to plan and, following a red card to striker Miroslav Klose, Serbia went on to win 1-0 as Lukas Podolski missed from the penalty spot.

It means that Germany must beat the Black Stars at Soccer City to progress, as a draw will only be enough if Serbia fail to win against Australia.

All four teams in the group can still qualify for the knockout rounds, and Ghana currently top the pile having picked up four points.

The physical outfit beat Serbia 1-0 in their opening match, and were held to a 1-1 draw against the Socceroos on Saturday.

With African sides not faring too well this summer, the whole continent will be behind the Black Stars to advance.

One interesting side-issue in the game will be the presence of Ghana midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng, whose tackle in the FA Cup final on Michael Ballack ruled the Germany captain out of the World Cup.

Germany insist they will not target the Portsmouth man, but with his half-brother Jerome in the opposition squad, this one could be a fiery affair.

Team news

With Miroslav Klose suspended for the game, manager Low must decide who will start up front.

Brazilian-born Cacau could play as a lone striker with Podolski, Mesut Ozil and Thomas Muller in attacking midfield.

Apart from that change, Low may not make any other modifications to his young team, five of whom have already been booked and who know another yellow card would see them miss the next match if they progress.

Ghana's Serbian coach Milovan Rajevac is expected to be boosted by the return of captain John Mensah in central defence, while his partner Isaac Vorsah could also return. Both missed the game with Australia through injury.

Rajevac may opt to alter his system and help lone striker Asamoah Gyan by using a second striker or putting Sulley Muntari in midfield.

Muntari has been reprimanded by the Ghana FA after an argument with the manager after the last game, but contrary to reports, he has not been sent home.

[Sammantha]

I do not really follow soccer much. But how is Brasil doing in the World Cup

[Black Widow]

I do not really follow soccer much. But how is Brasil doing in the World Cup

there doing pretty good in the world cup :)

[Sammantha]

I went to Brasil for a missions trip when I was really involved in my church like a year after I had my son(which as odd as it seems i was still part of the youth group). But actually being in Brasil I saw how much they love soccer. I even saw a game in person(I forget the 2 teams that where playing. But they had a huge rivalry). Thye play pretty brutal there

[Black Widow]

brazil is the only country in the worl to play football from the heart no other country does that, football means alot to brazilians because its a huge part of there life

[Black Widow]

Day 13:




Result: Slovenia 0 - 1 England (Defoe, 22)


Defoe fires England through
First-half strike enough to seal win over Slovenia


England produced a vastly improved performance to beat Slovenia 1-0 and progress to the last 16 as Group C runners-up.

The Three Lions needed to win after being held to disappointing draws by USA and Algeria in their opening two World Cup games, and responded with a dynamic display full of urgency and slick passing.

Two of the players brought into the side by Fabio Capello combined for the crucial goal on 22 minutes as James Milner delivered a superb cross from the right wing and Jermain Defoe provided the finishing touch.

England continued to dominate possession and carved out a number of good opportunities to double their advantage, with Samir Handanovic repelling Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney with athletic saves, and Defoe also flicking an effort wide.

Slovenia did carry a threat on the counter-attack and anxiety would have been spreading among England supporters as their team failed to take a more comfortable lead.

However, England stayed solid in defence and held on to the final whistle to make it through to the next round, with Slovenia dramatically bowing out as a result of USA's last-gasp winner against Algeria.

Impact

It has almost been forgotten it is so long ago but right at the beginning of England's World Cup qualifying campaign, Defoe was a starter for Capello.

Hauled off after a goalless 45 minutes against Andorra in Barcelona, Defoe was condemned to the role of impact substitute for the remainder of the qualifiers, admittedly scoring three times in the process.

Milner's wound is much fresher. Always a Capello favourite, the Aston Villa man was asked to plug a hole on the left of England's midfield for the opening encounter with the United States.

Given a right old chasing by Carlos Bocanegra, the 24-year-old was hauled off after half an hour and must have wondered if he would see any more action in South Africa.

Capello is intensely loyal though. Deciding he needed more solidity defensively than Aaron Lennon can provide, the Italian turned to Milner for the right-sided role.

His early contribution was riddled with mistakes. But the cross he swung deep into the Slovenia box midway through that opening period was almost Beckham-esque.

Defoe had made his way into the danger zone, like any instinctive marksman would, got just in front of Marko Suler and stuck out his leg, prodding the ball goalwards with enough power to get it past Handanovic, who did nearly make a save.

It had taken Defoe 23 minutes to achieve what Emile Heskey had managed once in eight years; a competitive goal.

Tigerish

Visibly, the pressure lifted from English shoulders. The high-tempo, quick passing, tigerish pressing game Capello had yearned for, and which temperatures of a South African winter suit so well suddenly appeared, and so did the opportunities.

Frank Lampard and skipper Gerrard had the first couple before half-time, the Liverpool man knowing he would have scored if he had put more power behind a side-footed effort that failed to beat Handanovic after a hitherto quiet Rooney had provided the superb square ball.

Capello cut a frustrated figure when, eight yards out and completely unmarked, Defoe made no contact after Gareth Barry had lofted a pass into a Slovenia penalty area in a state of confusion thanks to some selfless running from Rooney.

John Terry brought a brilliant save out of Handanovic when he rose to meet Barry's corner at the far post before Rooney struck the base of a post after his unchecked run into the penalty area had been spotted by Lampard.

It was sumptuous fare lifted directly from the Premier League, the kind of football that prompted Capello to make his "crazy" claim that England could reach the final of this grand and prestigious tournament in Soccer City on 11th July.

Euphoria

In a week for apologies and forgiveness, the England supporters responded by showing they bore no hard feelings for Rooney's rant in Cape Town by chanting his name with gusto, although on the second occasion it was for their talisman's exit - unhappily - to make way for Joe Cole to make his long-awaited bow.

Amid the euphoria at finding a team, one fairly large problem was being overlooked.

England's lead remained stuck at one and could so easily be snatched away.

Had first Terry, then Glen Johnson, not thrown themselves in front of Slovenian shots, the smallest country in the tournament would have had their equaliser and England would have been out.

For Slovenia, events elsewhere would give them cause for huge regret. For England, pride was restored - and a sigh of relief could be breathed.


Man of the match: James Milner. The midfielder was outstanding on the right as he assisted Defoe's winning goal.

Miss of the match: Should Defoe have done better early in the second half when he was presented with a chance from close range?

Tackle of the match: Matthew Upson. In the dying moments, the stopper slid expertly to usher away a big chance for Slovenia.

Save of the match: Samir Handanovic got down brilliantly to deny a low Steven Gerrard strike.

Talking point: Now England are through, just how far can they go?

[Black Widow]

Day 13:




Result: USA (Donovan 90) 1 - 0 Algeria (Yahia, s/o 90)


USA leave it late in Pretoria
American dream lives on after beating Algerians


The United States have reached the World Cup knock-out stages after a last-gasp win over 10-man Algeria.

Dominating for large periods, the USA created a host of chances but looked set to be denied by a mixture of the woodwork, good goalkeeping and poor finishing.

That was until Landon Donovan proved USA's hero as he smashed home from close range in stoppage-time in an entertaining contest at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium.

Bob Bradley's side top Group C ahead of England, who beat Slovenia in the other game, meaning the United States will now play the second-placed team from Group D, which includes Ghana, Germany, Serbia and Australia.

Algeria coach Rabah Saadane, knowing his side could not afford a third successive match without a goal, made one change to the team that held England 0-0, bringing in AEK Athens striker Rafik Djebbour for Ryad Boudebouz while USA boss Bradley made three changes to his starting XI.

Agonisingly close

Both teams approached their final group clash going for the win and Algeria went agonisingly close to breaking their duck when Djebbour struck the bar in the sixth minute after defender Jay DeMerit failed to clear a long ball.

It was a big let-off for the Americans, but Bradley's side would return the favour with interest during the remainder of the period as they spurned a number of good chances themselves.

USA forward Clint Dempsey was at the heart of the best of the American attacks - the Fulham man had a goal disallowed for offside in the 20th minute after being fed by Herculez Gomez, who had just had a shot parried by Algeria goalkeeper Rais M'Bohli.

The Americans were denied a winning goal in their last match against Slovenia when Maurice Edu's late strike was controversially chalked off and the American camp on the sidelines were irate once again after the latest refereeing decision.

Jozy Altidore was guilty of missing a sitter in the best of the first half's other chances after the influential Donovan had dinked the ball past M'Bohli to set up a magnificent opening in the 37th minute.

The Desert Foxes were still posing problems of their own though, and Karim Matmour earned a corner after testing Tim Howard with a long-range thunderbolt as the half ended in stalemate.

With England leading Slovenia in the other game, both the US and Algeria were on their way out of the World Cup at the interval.

Second-half

On resumption, Dempsey was again the USA's likeliest to score when his 57th minute but the Fulham forward squandered two chances in quick succession.

First, the ball fell invitingly for the USA man on the edge of the box, but his shot rebounded back off the inside of the far post before he sliced the rebound wide with the goal gaping.

If anyone was going to snatch three points it looked like it was going to be the USA as continued to push hard for a winner but Bradley's side found Algerian goalkeeper M'Bohli in inspired form as he made top-drawer saves from substitute Edson Buddle and Michael Bradley.

Algeria briefly stemmed the one-way traffic when Karim Ziani dragged a shot wide from a good chance in the 69th minute, but otherwise it was largely all America.

Algeria had a late chance to snatch what could have been a winner when Rafik Saifi headed straight at Howard, and moments after that the US claimed the victory.

As the game in Port Elizabeth between England and Slovenia ended, Donovan gave the USA lift off as he blasted through a packed penalty area in the first of four minutes of added time after Dempsey's low effort was parried by the otherwise brilliant M'Bohli.

There was still room on the clock for Algeria captain Antar Yahia to pick up a second bookable offence as the Africans pushed for an equaliser but unfortunately for Slovenia and themselves, their tournament is over.


Man of the match: Michael Bradley continues to provide the quality in the heart of the USA's midfield.

Save of the match: It was a busy game for Algeria goalkeeper Rais M'Bohli and his save from Clint Dempsey in the second half deserves praise.

Attempt of the match: Clint Dempsey swerved the ball against the left hand post of the Algeria goal from the edge of the box. The less said about his follow-up the better.

Talking Point: Will the USA build on their late show and shine in the knockout stages?

[Black Widow]

Day 13:




Result: Ghana 0 - 1 Germany (Ozil, 60)


Germany set up England date
Ozil screamer settles issue as Germany and Ghana go through


Germany set up a last 16 showdown with England after clinching top spot in Group D courtesy of a 1-0 win over Ghana in Johannesburg.

Mesut Ozil's thumping effort on the hour mark was enough for Joachim Low's side to finish first in the group and the result also enabled Ghana to become the first African team to reach the knockout phase after Serbia lost to Australia.

A lively clash at Soccer City saw Germany try to rediscover the verve which had crushed Australia in their opening game as Ghana sought to continue to fly the flag for the host continent, who had already seen four nations fall by the wayside.

Ozil, who had so impressed in the demolition of Australia, should have put Germany ahead in the first half before Philipp Lahm was forced to survive a penalty shout for handball.

Following Ozil's excellent strike in the second half, the pace of the game dropped as Ghana anxiously awaited news from Nelspruit where Serbia were beaten 2-1 by Australia.

Ghana will now face the USA on Saturday, while Germany head to Bloemfontein on Sunday for a date with old rivals England.

Short on chances

Cacau, who replaced the suspended Miroslav Klose in Germany's starting line-up, had the first shot in anger on three minutes as he drove straight at Richard Kingson from the corner of the penalty area.

An open encounter was bereft of chances during the early stages, although Kingson had to be alert to push the ball away after Lukas Podolski's cross had deflected off Jonathan Mensah.

At the opposite end, Bastian Schweinsteiger got back in the nick of time to prevent Asamoah Gyan firing at goal before Germany created the best opening of the first half.

Cacau played Ozil in behind the Ghanaian defence, but Kingson was out quickly to prevent the Werder Bremen playmaker from opening the scoring.

Ghana responded with their best chance of the half as Gyan glanced on a corner which was halted on the line by Lahm, with a suspicion of handball over the German captain's block.

Kevin-Prince Boateng and Sami Khedira both saw headers drift off target before Germany called Kingson into action again four minutes prior to half-time.

Schweinsteiger's free-kick into the area eluded everybody to prompt a reaction parry out of Kingson and the rebound from Ozil was blocked by a Ghanaian defender.

Golden opportunity

Ghana spurned a golden opportunity to take the lead six minutes after half-time when Gyan's flick sent Kojo Asamoah clear, but his scuffed shot was saved by Manuel Neuer.

And within 10 minutes Ghana were behind as Ozil took a touch to control Thomas Muller's pass on the edge of the box before smashing a stunning left-foot effort beyond a helpless Kingson.

The Black Stars were quick to respond to falling behind as Prince Tagoe's last contribution before being substituted was to see his attempt to head the ball back across goal bounce just wide off Jerome Boateng, who was lining up opposite his brother Kevin-Prince.

Last-ditch German defending denied Ghana again on 66 minutes as Gyan's clever flick teed up Andre Ayew, but his shot was deflected over the bar by Lahm.

Cacau mis-hit one opportunity from inside the area and then saw a long-range drive pushed out by Kingson as the match drifted towards its conclusion.

Ghana did endure a nervy finish to the match after Serbia pulled a goal back against Australia, but Milovan Rajevac's home country were unable to find an equaliser to deny the Black Stars' coach a place in the last 16.


Man of the match: Mesut Ozil may have provided the winner but Philipp Lahm threw his body in front of everything, leading by example at the back for Germany.

Moment of the match: Despite being a lively game, it needed a stroke of brilliance to break the deadlock and that came via a superb first touch and drive from Ozil.

Save of the match: Richard Kingson saved brilliantly at his near post from a deflected Lukas Podolski cross in the first half, preventing an early German lead.

Miss of the match: At 0-0 early in the second half, Kojo Asamoah was put through on goal but he fluffed his lines and tamely shot straight at Manuel Neuer.

Talking points: Is goalkeeper Manuel Neuer a weak link England can exploit against Germany? How far can Ghana carry the flag for Africa?

[Black Widow]

Day 13:




Result: Australia (Cahill, 69 Holman, 73) 2 - 1 Serbia (Pantelic, 84)


Serbia pay the price
Serbia miss host of chances in 2-1 defeat to Australia


Marko Pantelic spurned two glorious chances to put Serbia into the last 16 as his side slipped out of the World Cup with a 2-1 defeat to Australia.

The substitute had hauled his side back into the tie with an 84th minute goal but twice strayed needlessly offside as Serbia searched for a second goal.

Radomir Antic's side were made to pay the price for their profligacy in front of goal after missing a host of chances when dominating the first period.

The Serbs should have gone ahead in the 12th minute after Milos Krasic rounded Mark Schwarzer but sliced wide and high from an acute angle.

Branislav Ivanovic then saw his close-range effort brilliantly saved by the Fulham keeper, while Nikola Zigic headed wide from 10 yards.

But Australia improved after the break and Mark Bresciano drew a good save from Vladimir Stojkovic before Tim Cahill headed home from 15 yards on 69 minutes.

Four minutes later, substitute Brett Holman was allowed to run at goal before unleashing an unstoppable 30 yard effort.

Pantelic pulled one back but both sides were eliminated from the tournament after Germany's 1-0 win over Ghana.

Australia's effort dragged them off the bottom of the group but it was too little, too late as Ghana edged them out of the last 16 on goal difference.

Face-saving

It was a face-saving win for Australia that seemed barely likely in the first half as they struggled to cope with Serbia's pace and technical excellence.

Serbia had the first opportunity when Krasic, booed by Australia's sizeable following after a tumble in the box moments earlier, burst into the box and fired at Schwarzer from a tight angle.

Krasic had another chance after 12 minutes as Serbia broke quickly following an Australia corner.

Milos Ninkovic played him through with a superb pass but the CSKA Moscow star shot high and wide after rounding the advancing Schwarzer.

Serbia maintained the pressure and went close again when Zdravko Kuzmanovic shot across the face of goal.

Australia were struggling to handle the speed of the Serbian attacks and were grateful when Schwarzer stuck out an arm to deny Chelsea's Ivanovic from inside the six-yard box.

Pim Verbeek's side were limited to firing in crosses from deep but it was 32 minutes before Serbia failed to deal with one and Cahill headed his side's first good chance wide.

Australia were almost caught out by another slick Serbia move before the break but Krasic was marginally offside before flicking the ball past Schwarzer.

Second period

Australia began the second period with more purpose and won a free-kick after Cahill tangled with Nemanja Vidic. Bresciano drilled the set-piece in low but Zigic was back to clear.

Cahill also sliced a shot wide from a Josh Kennedy flick-on but the Socceroos remained vulnerable on the counter-attack.

Milan Jovanovic broke clear on the left and Zigic controlled his cross brilliantly only to shoot over.

Australia, again showing more intent, went close as Jason Culina drilled a low shot wide.

Bresciano then forced Stojkovic to make his first serious save from a low free-kick after Ninkovic was booked for a late tackle on Luke Wilkshire.

Kuzmanovic headed a good chance wide for Serbia but the Eastern Europeans were starting to look concerned.

They paid the price for their earlier profligacy as Wilkshire picked out Cahill with a superb cross in the 69th minute and the Everton star headed powerfully home in familiar fashion.

Serbia were rattled and Australia began to sense an unlikely opportunity as substitute Holman broke forward four minutes later and unleashed a ferocious shot that flew past Stojkovic from 30 yards.

Serbia grabbed a lifeline six minutes from time as Schwarzer spilled a long-range Zoran Tosic shot and fellow substitute Pantelic pounced from close range.

Pantelic then had the ball in the net but was given offside before straying needlessly offside once more when blazing over from close range in injury time.


Man of match: Luke Wilkshire. Shackled Milan Jovanovic pretty effectively and was a constant attacking threat for the Aussies, eventually creating Tim Cahill's opener with a pinpoint cross.

Moment of match: Not once but twice in the closing stages Marko Pantelic strayed needlessly offside to spurn glorious chances to find the second goal that would've taken Serbia through.

Goal of game: Brett Holman was given 20 yards of free space to run into by the Serbian defence, and he accepted the invitation before rifling an unstoppable 30-yard drive past Vladimir Stojkovic into the bottom corner.

Save of match: Mark Schwarzer did brilliantly to get a strong enough left hand on Branislav Ivanovic's close-range strike and keep the game goalless in the first half.

Talking Point: A case of what might've been as both sides head home early. Australia will rue their shocking defensive naivety against the Germans in their first group game - a 4-0 rout that ultimately cost them second spot on goal difference - while Serbia will wonder just how they failed to go in comfortably ahead after dominating the first half in Nelspruit.

[Black Widow]

Day 14:




Paraguay v New Zealand preview
Draw will do for South Americans


Paraguay go into their final game of Group F against New Zealand knowing just a draw is certain to see them through to the last 16.

Should they win, they will definitely top the group, where they are likely to face Denmark or Japan in the second round, but the All Whites have proved to be a sterner test than first thought after grabbing two 1-1 draws, including a stunning result against holders Italy that puts them in with a shout of qualifying for the next round.

The Paraguayans have certainly caught the eye, playing well in the first half against the Azzurri in their opening game of the tournament, however their defence appeared to wilt slightly as the game went on.

They made no such mistakes against Slovakia, winning comfortably thanks to goals from Enrique Vera and Christian Riveros, as well as seeing the return of Manchester City hitman Roque Santa Cruz to lead the attack.

The South Americans have a good record in the competition, having reached the last 16 of the competition on three of their last four appearances, and they will fancy their chances of a quarter-final place should they finish top of their group, an achievement that would be their furthest progression in their history.

Much to remember

New Zealand boss Ricki Herbert will long be remembered for his achievements at this tournament, even if his side are to bow out as expected at this stage. They came into the tournament not even expected to win a point, but heroics from the likes of Winston Reid, Shane Smeltz and talismanic captain Ryan Nelsen has seen them come away with much to remember.

A draw with the world champions and Slovakia still sees them locked on points with their illustrious rivals, and although Italy are expected to beat Slovakia to progress, anything but a win and a good result for the Kiwis could see arguably the biggest surprise in World Cup history.

It can be certain that the Kiwis will not go down without the fighting spirit that has seen players such as Smeltz, who once played for Halifax Town in England's lower leagues, battle it out against former World Player of the Year Fabio Cannavaro and not come off second best.

Team news

Despite their comfortable position, Paraguay boss Gerardo Martino is expected to field the same side as the one that beat Slovakia.

Midfielder Jonathan Santana could return to the bench after recovering from his injury to give Martino's side a full list of options.

Despite appearing to be struggling for full fitness, Santa Cruz is expected to lead the attack alongside Barrios and Nelson Valdez.

New Zealand are also likely to be unchanged despite first choice goalkeeper Glen Moss returning from suspension.

The news will come as a welcome boost to Mark Paston, who has been rewarded for his outstanding performance against the Italians by keeping his place in goal.

Vice captain Tim Brown has recovered from a broken shoulder, but the 29-year-old midfielder is not likely to start for the All Whites, with Herbert admitting he was expected to be on the bench.

[Black Widow]

Day 14:




Slovakia v Italy preview
Azzurri need a win against Slovakia to guarantee progress


Italy go into their final Group F showdown with Slovakia knowing victory will guarantee progression.

The Azzurri have drawn both of their matches so far after fighting back against Paraguay before being embarrassingly held by New Zealand.

However, a draw against Slovakia could be enough to progress providing Paraguay beat New Zealand in Group F's other fixture.

Slovakia still have everything to play for themselves as they could still advance with a victory aided by help elsewhere.

Pirlo boost

Italy midfielder Andrea Pirlo is hoping to be fit to start after a calf injury that has so far ruled him out of the tournament.

Juventus' Claudio Marchisio is most likely to give way after failing to make any impact if head coach Marcello Lippi recalls Pirlo.

Riccardo Montolivo's decent form means Italy may be forced to revert to a 4-3-3 from 4-4-2.

Striker Alberto Gilardino has also struggled and Simone Pepe was brought off at half-time against New Zealand so forwards Antonio Di Natale and Giampaolo Pazzini could come in.

Injured keeper Gianluigi Buffon's visited Italy's training pitch on Monday, but he is still only working in the gym and will not feature.

Weiss choices

Slovakia coach Vladimir Weiss may well tinker with his starting XI after they mustered just one shot on target against Paraguay.

Attacking midfielder Miroslav Stoch could be recalled if he has recovered sufficiently from his knee injury

Weiss could also opt to bring back the more experienced Marek Cech ahead of Kornel Salata, who admitted being nervous in the Paraguay game.

Weiss admitted the side's chances were not great, but pledged to do their best against the Azzurri.

"We will give everything in our last match against Italy," said Weiss. "My favourite (for the group) has always been Paraguay."

[Black Widow]

Day 14:




Cameroon v Holland preview
Robben poised for return to action in Cape Town


Holland will aim to wrap up top spot in Group E when they meet already-eliminated Cameroon in Cape Town on Thursday.

The Dutch are guaranteed a place in the last 16 while Cameroon are out having yet to garner a point at the 2010 World Cup.

Yet securing first place in Group E may not be a blessing for Holland, who would then meet the runners-up of Group F which includes world champions Italy.

The Dutch last met Cameroon in a friendly in 2006 when they triumphed 1-0 thanks to a goal from Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Robben return

Holland look set to be boosted by the return of key winger Arjen Robben, who will make a decision on his own fitness after recovering from a hamstring problem.

Head coach Bert van Marwijk will also be looking for an improvement from his side after two uninspiring wins so far.

Cameroon, meanwhile, are playing for pride as they look to finish their campaign on a high note.

Key striker Samuel Eto'o has admitted his disappointment at his nation's showing at the tournament.

And manager Paul Le Guen has spoken of his regrets in South Africa, although a positive win against Holland would lift the nation.

[Black Widow]

Day 14:




Denmark v Japan preview
Kjaer suspended for Danes; Japanese have no major worries


It is do or die time in Group E for Denmark and Japan as they battle for a place in the World Cup knockout stages.

Both sides have claimed three points heading into Thursday's showdown but it is the Japanese who occupy the all-important second qualifying spot behind leaders Holland.

That means the Danes require victory at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium to book their spot in second round, while anything else will see their Asian opponents through to the last 16 of the South Africa finals.

Morten Olsen's men head to Rustenburg on the back of an impressive 2-1 comeback win against Cameroon after losing 2-0 to the Dutch via some unconvincing defending in their opening match.

Japan opened their account with a surprise 1-0 success over Cameroon and were denied a point by Wesley Sneijder's long-range effort in their second Group E outing.

With so much at stake, it promises to be an intriguing affair with Denmark set to turn to attacking trio of Nicklas Bendtner, Dennis Rommedahl and Jesper Gronkjaer to lead them to glory.

Takeshi Okada's side, meanwhile, will rely on Veteran Yuji Nakazawa and defensive partner Marcus Tanaka Tulio to perform if they are to scrape a result while midfield talisman Keisuke Honda - being deployed as a lone striker - will be out to add to the winner he scored in the opener.

Team News

Denmark's motivational defender Simon Kjaer will watch on from the sidelines through suspension after collecting two bookings against Netherlands and Cameroon.

Japanese coach Okada has virtually a full squad at his disposal with defender Yasuyuki Konno the only doubt for the Group E decider.

Denmark will take heart that they beat Japan 3-2 in their last meeting - although that was in 1971.

The fact that Japan have never won a World Cup finals game in which their opponents have scored will be a more relative point for Olsen to bark out during the pre-match team-talk.

Okada on the other hand will be hoping his side can improve upon their poor scoring record in football's biggest tournament - Japan have scored only nine goals in 12 World Cup games.

[Black Widow]

Day 14:




Result: Paraguay 0 - 0 New Zealand


Paraguay progress as NZ exit
Kiwis' bravery unrewarded as Paraguay top group


New Zealand's remarkable World Cup adventure came to a close as they shared a 0-0 draw with Paraguay that saw the South American country progress as Group F winners.

A bruising encounter prevailed at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane as New Zealand searched for a win that would see them do the unthinkable and qualify for the second round.

Only one point was required by Paraguay and their comfort showed as they offered a below-par display, although their quality was evident when All Whites keeper Mark Paston was forced into two excellent second-half saves from Cristian Riveros and then Edgar Benitez.

Ricki Herbert's team plugged away late on as they searched for a winner, but they were unable to trouble the Paraguay goal and could only finish third, despite completing their pool unbeaten.

Paraguay also boast an undefeated streak and are rewarded with a round of 16 date against the runners-up of Group E next Tuesday in Pretoria.

Acquitted admirably

Paraguay went into the clash top of the group and needed just a point to safeguard their passage into the knockout phase, meanwhile their counterparts had achieved a victory of sorts already by picking up two points in the campaign.

That tally was two points higher than expected prior to the campaign and to have a whiff of the final 16, and the prospect of knocking reigning champions Italy out, made the situation all the more remarkable for the minnows of the tournament.

The excitement could easily have sent Herbert's team off course in the early stages, but they acquitted themselves admirably against a Paraguay side that had impressed in South Africa.

And it was Shane Smeltz, anointed in New Zealand football folklore after his goal in their draw against the Azzurri, who gained first sight of goal when he shot over after cutting in from the left.

Self-belief was not in short supply amongst the Kiwis and they got the ball forward early to keep the Paraguay defensive line on the back foot, with the odd neat interchange in the final third adding intricacy to the brawn of the New Zealand attack.

Paraguay were finding it difficult to implement their own passing game on affairs and they relied on set-pieces, Denis Caniza slashing a half-volley over the bar from a loose ball in their only early foray forward.

Caniza then tried echoing Marco van Basten's historic effort from the 1988 European Championship an impossible angle to no avail as the game descended into the humdrum offerings associated with this year's tournament.

Heroic end

Nelson Valdez managed to get an effort on target with a long-range hit along the floor, however Paston showed solid handling to smother the shot.

The game restarted goalless and New Zealand again started the better as Simon Elliott let fly from outside the box only for the midfielder to miscue and see it sail over.

Herbert's team were defending with fortitude but the onus was still on them to attack given their need for three points, although they rarely seemed to venture toward the Paraguay goal.

Instead, Gerardo Martino's side looked the more likely and they were denied a goal when Paston made a fine save to thwart Riveros from a close-range header.

And the Kiwi keeper had to be at his very best again after 75 minutes when he turned away Edgar Benitez's low drive before reacting quickly to foil fellow substitute Lucas Barrios on the follow-up.

A late surge finally came from the New Zealanders as they peppered the Paraguay box with an aerial bombardment and Chris Wood came tantalisingly close to converting a cross, but it was not to be and their brave journey came to an almost heroic conclusion.


Man of the match: Mark Paston has been New Zealand's best player in this tournament and he impressed once again.

Miss of the match: Lucas Barros should have done better when he had a chance to take advantage of a parried save from Paston.

Attempt of the match: Roque Santa Cruz's free-kick forced Paston to make a smart save.

Save of the match: Cristian Riveros' header in the second half was superbly turned away from his goal by Paston.

Talking point: Will Paraguay be able to raise their game for the knockout stages?

[Black Widow]

Day 14:




Result: Slovakia (Vittek, 25,73 Kopunek, 89) 3 - 2 Italy (Di Natale, 81 Quagliarella, 90)


Slovakia vanquish champions
Italy crash out following thrilling 3-2 defeat


2006 World Cup winners Italy crashed out at the group stage as Slovakia advanced with a pulsating 3-2 victory.

Having been held to disappointing draws by Paraguay and New Zealand in their opening two Group F games, the Azzurri needed to win to guarantee progression to the next round.

But they fell behind for a third successive game when Robert Vittek fired Slovakia in front on 25 minutes after Daniele De Rossi had surrendered possession in a dangerous area.

Marcello Lippi's men desperately tried to draw level and Fabio Quagliarella had a volley cleared off the line by Martin Skrtel midway through the second half, with Italy appealing that the goal should have stood.

Vittek struck for a second time in the 73rd minute with a neat finish from Marek Hamsik's low cross, but the drama was far from over as Italy fought to stay alive in the competition.

Antonio Di Natale reduced their arrears nine minutes from time and it looked like Quagliarella had grabbed an equaliser, only for the flag to be raised for offside in another marginal decision.

Kamil Kopunek restored Slovakia's two-goal cushion on the counter-attack just moments after coming on as a substitute, before Quagliarella finally got on the scoresheet with a stunning strike in stoppage-time.

The Azzurri continued to push forward but could not score for a third time and Slovakia held on to progress to the last 16 as Group F runners-up behind Paraguay, who drew with New Zealand.

Bright start

Italy started positively enough with Di Natale's volley almost catching out Slovakia goalkeeper Jan Mucha inside the first 30 seconds.

Vincenzo Iaquinta then dragged a shot well wide after good link-up play with Di Natale before Napoli midfielder Hamsik, Slovakia's star man and captain, miscued a volley after the ball was flicked on to him by Vittek.

Iaquinta had the ball in the net after 10 minutes but English referee Howard Webb had already blown for a foul by the Juventus forward on defender Jan Durica in the box.

Webb produced his first yellow card for Slovakia midfielder Zdenko Strba, who caught the hard-tackling Gennaro Gattuso late.

Slovakia had to win to go through and they forged ahead in the 25th minute when De Rossi's stray pass was picked up by Juraj Kucka and he rolled a pass forward to Vittek who directed a low right-foot shot past Italy goalkeeper Federico Marchetti from the edge of the box.

Strba could have made it 2-0 with a fierce 30-yard drive which Marchetti had to dive to his right to push wide for a corner as the half entered its final 10 minutes.

Italy were lacking in inspiration and a speculative Riccardo Montolivo effort from long range drifted harmlessly wide.

Liverpool defender Skrtel had to head over his own crossbar from a floated Gattuso cross, and the AC Milan battler then cut open Strba's knee in a tackle.

Conjured

The midfielder asked to continue though, with substitute Kopunek returning to his seat.

Slovakia ended the half on a high and almost conjured the goal of the tournament when Vittek cleverly worked the ball back to Kucka for a viciously-struck volley which flashed into the side-netting.

Italy brought on forward Quagliarella for Gattuso and Christian Maggio for Domenico Criscito at half-time and they created the first opening of the second half when Iaquinta headed off target from a Simone Pepe cross.

Di Natale should have done better when played in by Maggio after 55 minutes, skewing a shot wide with only Mucha to beat.

The biggest Italian cheer of the afternoon to that point greeted Andrea Pirlo's introduction in place of Montolivo, as Azzurri fans hoped he held the key to their revival in the match.

Di Natale hit 29 Serie A goals for Udinese last season but could not find a way past Slovakia as a curling shot from the edge of the box was held by Mucha.

Italy came within a whisker of an equaliser when Pepe's cross sailed over Mucha's head and Quagliarella fired goalwards with the keeper committed, but Skrtel got back to block on the goalline.

The holders were taking more chances, allowing Slovakia to find more space on the break and Miroslav Stoch flashed one shot across Marchetti's goal.

Sublime

The game looked up for the champions though in the 73rd minute when Hamsik half-volleyed the ball across from the right and Vittek got to it before Giorgio Chiellini to steer it in at the near post.

Italy pulled one back with nine minutes to go after a clever one-two with Iaquinta played Quagliarella in and when Mucha parried his shot, Di Natale was on hand to prod the ball in.

There was then a skirmish inside the goal as Quagliarella scrapped with Mucha to retrieve the ball, with Webb booking both men.

Quagliarella thought he had equalised when he turned home a Di Natale cross from the left, but the Napoli man was flagged offside by Darren Cann in the tightest of decisions.

A throw-in by Peter Pekarik then caught Italy sleeping and substitute Kopunek raced through to lob the ball over Marchetti.

Quagliarella pulled one back with a sublime lob but Pepe fluffed their final chance deep into stoppage-time.


Man of the Match: Robert Vittek caused all sorts of problems for Italy's defence. A good old fashioned centre forward who put himself about and was rewarded with two goals.

Miss of the match: Simone Pepe could have been the hero for Italy right at the death had he not put his right footed volley from six yards out wide of the goal.

Goal of the match: Fabio Quagliarella's magnificent chip to put Italy in with a shout of a stunning comeback at the death to make it 3-2.

Save of the match: Slovakia defender Martin Skrtel's brilliant block on the line to deny Quagliarella making it 1-1.

Moment of the Match: Quagliarella's 'equaliser' that could have made it 2-2 but was ruled out for offside, a decision that was incredibly tight to call

Talking point: How have Slovakia managed to turn it all around to make the knockout stages and how far can they go? What will happen to Italian football now and where is there next batch of stars going to come from after this embarrassing exit?

[Black Widow]

Day 14:




Results: Denmark (Tomasson 81) 1 - 3 Japan (Honda, 17 Endo, 30 Okazaki, 87)


Free-kick wizards inspire Japan
Japanese run out 3-1 winners to dump out Denmark


Keisuke Honda and Yasuhito Endo both struck wonderful free-kicks to help fire Japan into the last 16 of the 2010 World Cup at Denmark's expense.

Danish goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen was left stunned twice in the first half as Japan scored two terrific goals in Rustenburg, while Jon Dahl Tomasson's late strike was nothing more than a consolation before Shinji Okazaki sealed a fine night for Japan.

The victory was more than the Japanese needed, with a draw enough for progress, and no more than they deserved as they booked a second round clash against Paraguay.

Denmark were boosted by the availability of striker Nicklas Bendtner following concerns over a lingering groin problem while Per Kroldrup came in for the suspended Simon Kjaer and Thomas Kahlenberg replaced Jesper Gronkjaer. Japan coach Takeshi Okada named an unchanged line-up for the third straight game.

The opening exchanges were played at a decent tempo, with Denmark the more assertive as they pushed for their imperative three points. And they half-threatened during the first 10 minutes as Tomasson could not adjust before Kroldrup diverted wide from a corner.

Curling

On 12 minutes, Daisuke Matsui went into the book for time-wasting. Then it was Japan's turn to attack. A wonderful cross by Yoshito Okubo was just hooked away by Sorensen's knee and seconds later Makoto Hasebe was cleverly slid through on goal but fired just past the angle.

Denmark were quick to respond when Tomasson saw a curling effort zip a yard wide of the far post. However, in the 17th minute the Danes were stunned. Honda ambitiously took on a free-kick from distance and saw his left-footed bending strike whistle past Sorensen, who initially stepped the wrong way and was ultimately left grasping at thin air.

Morten Olsen's side's reaction was for Christian Poulsen to pick out Tomasson only for the forward's stretch to be turned away by goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima. Then came two further yellow cards, one for Yuto Nagatomo, again the reason time-wasting, and another for Kroldrup, whose booking would prove costly.

Indeed, on 30 minutes, Kroldrup's trip on Okubo presented Japan with another free-kick opportunity. Honda looked the favourite to strike considering what had gone before, but up trotted Endo, who beautifully curled the ball over the wall and into the corner.

Head coach Olsen acted swiftly after seeing his side go two goals down as he hauled off Martin Jorgensen for Jakob Poulsen. But Olsen's side were still reeling from Japan's two strokes of the boot, and Japan finished the half the far stronger as Okada's team oozed confidence in Rustenburg.

Woodwork

A noticeably rattled Sorensen then had a heart-in-mouth moment just three minutes into the second period. After Christian Poulsen fouled and was carded, Endo curled a ball goalwards from just a little way inside Denmark's half. And Sorensen remained planted, only fumbling the ball onto the post and then gathering at the last moment.

Tomasson then had two opportunities to hand Denmark a lifeline but he initially could not get on the end of a Dennis Rommedahl cross before his first touch let him down following a Bendtner flick-on. In the 56th minute, Olsen threw caution to the wind, bringing on striker Soren Larson for defender Kroldrup.

The 18-year-old Christian Eriksen entered the fray in place of Kahlenberg, whose last input was a stinging drive which drew a decent stop from Kawashima. And the World Cup's youngest player almost made an impact when he arrowed a long-range volley just over the crossbar.

Another substitute, Larsen, then thundered a vicious effort off the crossbar before, with 10 minutes remaining, Denmark were awarded a penalty. Hasebe's clumsy push on Daniel Agger was penalised, and Tomasson equalled Poul Nielsen's all-time goalscoring record, although only just as he stabbed in the rebound after his spot-kick was saved by Kawashima.

Yet despite Denmark huffing and puffing for a leveller, Japan stood firm. Indeed, the Japanese were excellent, committed until the end and particularly impressive as they won header after header. And they put the icing on the cake when substitute Okazaki tapped into an empty net.


Man of match: Kelsuke Honda. Scored the opener with a fantastic free-kick then a goal assist for the last.

Goal of game: Yasuhito Endo's. He hit a sweet free-kick from 30 yards in front of goal into the left side of the Danes' net, placing the ball beautifully around the wall.

Moment of match: Endo's strike for the second goal. It left the shell-shocked Danes needing three goals to progress and with a mountain to climb.

Save of match: Thomas Sorensen had a night to forget to the award goes to Eiji Kawashima who saved Jon Dahl Tomaason's late penalty before the Danish striker slotted home the rebound.

Talking point: How far can Japan go in the tournament? On this showing, they will be more than a match to Paraquay in the last 16 and then who knows?

[Black Widow]

Day 14:




Result: Cameroon (Eto'o, 65(pen)) 1 - 2 Holland (van Persie, 36 Huntelaar, 83)


Holland continue perfect run
Van Persie opens South Africa finals account in Cape Town


Holland maintained their 100 per cent record at the World Cup as they ensured Cameroon left the tournament pointless after running out 2-1 winners in their final Group E game.

Robin van Persie's crisp 36th minute strike gave the Green Point Stadium crowd something to get excited about in an otherwise drab opening period to what was a virtual dead-rubber.

But a much-improved second half saw the Indomitable Lions rewarded for their endeavour as Samuel Eto'o scored his second goal of the tournament via the penalty spot after Rafael van der Vaart was penalised for handballing Geremi's free-kick.

But Paul Le Guen's side were denied a point as Dutch substitute Arjen Robben quickly announced himself to the South Africa finals as his long-range blast cannoned off the post before allowing fellow replacement Klaas-Jan Huntelaar to tuck home the winner.

The Dutch top Group E with nine points and will meet Slovakia in Durban on Monday for a place in the quarter-finals while Cameroon head home empty-handed.

Holland came into the match on an unbeaten run of 21 international matches and had produced wins against Denmark and Japan to secure their progression.

Resisted temptation

Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk resisted the temptation to start winger Robben, who had missed the previous two matches with a hamstring injury, but there was a starting place in defence for Khalid Boulahrouz at Gregory van der Wiel's expense

Cameroon coach Le Guen made four changes to the side that lost to Denmark last time out with Pierre Webo, Sebastien Bassong, Eyong Enoh and Achille Emana all making way for Landry Nguemo, Jean II Makoun, Gaetan Bong and Eric Choupo-Moting.

Van der Vaart dragged one wide for Holland early on and Cameroon's Aurelien Chedjou fired a weak effort at Maarten Stekelenburg in what was a lame start to the Cape Town contest.

Dirk Kuyt then picked up a needless booking before Van Persie could only fire straight at Hamidou Souleymanou after brilliantly setting himself up by chesting down Giovanni van Bronckhorst's chip forward.

In the 31st minute Cameroon midfielder Makoun headed over from Geremi's cross before Kuyt dragged a good chance wide for Holland.

Dutch cheer

Finally the crowd had something to cheer after 36 minutes when Van Persie opened the scoring, playing a neat one-two with Van der Vaart before firing between Souleymanou's legs.

It took the Dutch just five minutes of the second half to muster a chance as Mark van Bommel played a sweeping ball forward for Van Persie which his team-mate wastefully hit at the goalkeeper.

Sneijder's free-kick was on target but lacked power while Cameroon showed little conviction going forward.

Van Persie, who would have been suspended for Holland's last 16 clash with Slovakia had he been cautioned, was withdrawn before the hour mark with Huntelaar coming on.

Cameroon's best chance came moments later when substitute Vincent Aboubakar's clever reverse pass found Makoun - who looked offside - but the midfielder was denied by Stekelenburg with Chedjou then blasting over from the loose ball.

Growing stature

Cameroon, who grew in stature as the half wore on, were handed a 64th-minute penalty by referee Pablo Pozo when Van der Vaart raised his arm to block Geremi's free-kick, receiving a booking for his trouble.

Captain Eto'o kept his nerve to convert a perfect spot-kick, his 44th international goal.

Van Marwijk sent on Eljero Elia for Kuyt with Robben still waiting in the wings as Nigel de Jong failed to properly connect with Van der Vaart's teasing free-kick.

Veteran Van Bronckhorst, who will retire after the South Africa finals, was then harshly booked for pulling down Aboubakar.

Stephane Mbia headed over from a set-piece before Le Guen made substitutions of his own, with another veteran in the shape of Rigobert Song getting a brief taste of his fourth World Cup tournament and he received a good reception inside the ground.

Meanwhile, Robben's striptease down to his playing kit excited the crowd before he came on for Van der Vaart.

He made an impact quickly, too, cutting inside and firing a trademark left-footed shot which hit the post and fell to Huntelaar to restore his side's lead in the 83rd minute.

Cameroon had no response as the match petered out and the Indomitable Lions exit the tournament as the only team so far to finish their campaign with no points after three games.


Man of the match: Robin Van Persie deserved his goal after an energetic performance and could have scored more.

Moment of the match: Sam Eto'o showing great footwork to get past a couple of defenders in the second half as Cameroon grew into the game.

Attempt of the match: Arjen Robben's curling left-footed shot which struck the post and was finished off by Huntelaar

Save of the match: Maarten Stekelenburg denying Jean Makoun from a tight angle on the hour mark

Talking point: Robben's first game of the tournament - can Holland go all the way with the winger now fit?

Goal of the game: Robin Van Persie's powerful finish via a neat one-two with van der Vaart

[Black Widow]

Day 15:




North Korea v Ivory Coast preview
Eriksson's side only have faint chance of progression


Ivory Coast need a mathematical miracle against North Korea if they are to advance to the last 16.

Sven Goran Eriksson's side looked like they would be in contention to qualify for the next round after playing out a goalless draw with Portugal in their opening match.

A 3-1 defeat to Brazil on Sunday hit their hopes but the main damage was done a day later when Portugal trounced North Korea 7-0.

Ivory Coast must now beat North Korea and rely on Brazil to do them a favour and win against Portugal, but even then they are highly likely to miss out on goal difference, with the Portuguese currently on plus seven and the Ivorians on minus two.

The Elephants have remained in positive mood ahead of the clash in Nelspruit and will believe they can record a convincing win.

Eriksson will instruct his players to adopt a more attacking approach than in previous games and could make changes to his starting line-up.

Gervinho is pushing for a recall after impressing off the substitutes' bench against Brazil and could come in for Aruna Dindane.

Didier Drogba will once again lead the line and play with a cast protecting the arm he fractured before the tournament.

North Korea news

North Korea can no longer qualify but will be looking to restore pride after suffering such a crushing defeat to Portugal.

Having acquitted themselves well in a 2-1 loss to Brazil, Kim Jong-Hun's team fell apart spectacularly in the second half against Portugal to concede six goals.

Jong-Hun accepted full responsibility for not formulating the right strategy and will have prepared his players hard for the clash with Ivory Coast.

The manager could decide to give opportunities to some players that have not figured yet in the tournament but is more likely to allow those that took to the field against Portugal to try and make amends.

[Black Widow]

Day 15:




Portugal v Brazil preview
Top spot up for grabs as Group G reaches a conclusion


Portugal and Brazil battle it out on Friday for the right to enter the knockout stages as Group G winners.

Both sides appear to have done enough to book their place in the last 16, with Brazil already guaranteed to grace the second round.

The Samba stars have taken maximum points from their two fixtures so far, seeing off North Korea 2-1 and Ivory Coast 3-1.

Portugal currently sit second, with four points to show for their efforts, and need just a point to confirm their safe passage.

They could, however, lose and still go through as a 7-0 mauling of North Korea has ensured that their goal difference is far superior to Ivory Coast - the only side who can end their World Cup adventure.

Carlos Queiroz will be confident, though, that his side can get the positive result they require to make absolutely sure, with Portugal unbeaten in their last 17 matches.

They will also be looking to avenge the 6-2 defeat they suffered at the hands of Brazil the last time the two nations went head-to-head, in a friendly contest back in 2008.

"We don't want the Brazilians to score past us this time - it is a question of honour," said Queiroz.

Victory for Portugal would see them snatch top spot, while a draw would allow Brazil to ease through.

Taking first place could be crucial, as the runners-up are likely to have to face Spain in the second round.

Kaka missing

Brazil's main concern heading into the game is how to counter the loss of influential playmaker Kaka, who must serve a suspension after being sent off against Ivory Coast.

Coach Dunga could choose to move Robinho into a more central position, giving him more freedom to express himself, while Nilmar and Julio Baptista will also be hoping to be given the opportunity to impress.

The fitness of Elano is a slight worry ahead of the crunch clash, with the Galatasaray man given the all-clear after being stretchered off against Ivory Coast only to suffer a calf strain in training.

Deco doubt

Portugal have no fresh injury or suspension concerns to contend with, but are still expecting to be without Deco.

The creative midfielder continues to struggle with a hip problem and will undergo an MRI scan before ruling himself in or out of the Brazil clash.

However, having hammered North Korea last time out, it would be a surprise if Queiroz were to shuffle his pack.

That means Deco is likely to be benched anyway, having missed that game, while Hugo Almeida will continue to occupy the lone frontman role in favour of Liedson.

[Black Widow]

Day 15:




Chile v Spain preview
European champions must win to ensure they qualify


Spain need to win their Group H showdown against Chile to be certain of going through to the second round.

The 2008 European champions were expected to make it through their group with consummate ease to justify their tag as likely winners of the World Cup this time around.

But it has been a tougher route than first thought for the Spanish, with a second-place finish meaning they would probably face a mouthwatering clash against Brazil in the next phase.

Their shock 1-0 defeat to Switzerland was one of those days for the team, failing to create enough significant chances despite dominating possession, with the Swiss taking their opportunity with aplomb to cause a real stir.

However, they appear to have rectified the situation with a 2-0 victory over Honduras, although it should have been by a lot more, with Fernando Torres missing several chances to open his account and two-goal hero David Villa putting a penalty wide.

Torres' lack of sharpness has been a particular worry, with the prolific Liverpool striker still seeming to struggle for his best form having had to undergo knee surgery in April.

Complaints

This has been coupled with complaints from former coach Luis Aragones over Vicente Del Bosque's decision to field two holding midfielders in Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets behind playmaker-in-chief Xavi, stating his tactics to be too negative for a side with so much attacking ability.

Spain will know Chile have the ability to cause another upset having played some of the best football of the tournament so far, and also need a point to be certain of qualifying through the group.

They may have only won their two matches 1-0, but players such as Alexis Sanchez, Matias Fernandez and Jean Beausejour have all impressed enough to suggest that they could pose a significant threat to Spain's backline.

Their bright, enterprising style under Marcelo Bielsa was a joy to watch in their opening match against Honduras, although their lack of a clinical finisher could hamper their prospects of going far in the competition.

Team news

Del Bosque is expected to bring Andres Iniesta back into the starting line-up after the Barcelona playmaker recovered from a knock sustained against the Swiss.

Whether the Spanish coach will change his tactics to accommodate both Iniesta and Jesus Navas, who has impressed on the right side of midfield, is yet to be seen, but he may be tempted to leave out the more defensive minded Busquets to give Iniesta a role in the centre of midfield.

Torres is likely to partner David Villa up front after Fifa decided not to take action on the Barcelona new boy following his slap on Honduras defender Emilio Izaguirre.

The versatile Alvaro Arbeloa may also be brought in at left-back to replace Joan Capdevila, with the Real Madrid defender's physical nature more beneficial to tackling the tricky Sanchez.

Chile will be without midfielders Carlos Carmona and Fernandez through suspension, with Jorge Valdivia likely to fill in one of the roles.

Despite suffering from a lack of form and fitness during the tournament, striker Humberto Suazo is set to remain in attack for Bielsa's team.

[Black Widow]

Day 15:




Chile v Spain preview
European champions must win to ensure they qualify


Spain need to win their Group H showdown against Chile to be certain of going through to the second round.

The 2008 European champions were expected to make it through their group with consummate ease to justify their tag as likely winners of the World Cup this time around.

But it has been a tougher route than first thought for the Spanish, with a second-place finish meaning they would probably face a mouthwatering clash against Brazil in the next phase.

Their shock 1-0 defeat to Switzerland was one of those days for the team, failing to create enough significant chances despite dominating possession, with the Swiss taking their opportunity with aplomb to cause a real stir.

However, they appear to have rectified the situation with a 2-0 victory over Honduras, although it should have been by a lot more, with Fernando Torres missing several chances to open his account and two-goal hero David Villa putting a penalty wide.

Torres' lack of sharpness has been a particular worry, with the prolific Liverpool striker still seeming to struggle for his best form having had to undergo knee surgery in April.

Complaints

This has been coupled with complaints from former coach Luis Aragones over Vicente Del Bosque's decision to field two holding midfielders in Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets behind playmaker-in-chief Xavi, stating his tactics to be too negative for a side with so much attacking ability.

Spain will know Chile have the ability to cause another upset having played some of the best football of the tournament so far, and also need a point to be certain of qualifying through the group.

They may have only won their two matches 1-0, but players such as Alexis Sanchez, Matias Fernandez and Jean Beausejour have all impressed enough to suggest that they could pose a significant threat to Spain's backline.

Their bright, enterprising style under Marcelo Bielsa was a joy to watch in their opening match against Honduras, although their lack of a clinical finisher could hamper their prospects of going far in the competition.

Team news

Del Bosque is expected to bring Andres Iniesta back into the starting line-up after the Barcelona playmaker recovered from a knock sustained against the Swiss.

Whether the Spanish coach will change his tactics to accommodate both Iniesta and Jesus Navas, who has impressed on the right side of midfield, is yet to be seen, but he may be tempted to leave out the more defensive minded Busquets to give Iniesta a role in the centre of midfield.

Torres is likely to partner David Villa up front after Fifa decided not to take action on the Barcelona new boy following his slap on Honduras defender Emilio Izaguirre.

The versatile Alvaro Arbeloa may also be brought in at left-back to replace Joan Capdevila, with the Real Madrid defender's physical nature more beneficial to tackling the tricky Sanchez.

Chile will be without midfielders Carlos Carmona and Fernandez through suspension, with Jorge Valdivia likely to fill in one of the roles.

Despite suffering from a lack of form and fitness during the tournament, striker Humberto Suazo is set to remain in attack for Bielsa's team.

[Black Widow]

Day 15:




Switzerland v Honduras preview
Group H reaches a conclusion with everything still to play for


Switzerland will be hoping to gatecrash the last 16 of the World Cup when they tackle Honduras.

The Swiss made a dream start to their Group H endeavours, with a 1-0 victory over European champions Spain sending shockwaves through the tournament.

All of a sudden Ottmar Hitzfeld's side were being tipped for big things, with a well-organised side expected to make positive inroads in the South Africa showpiece.

However, they were brought crashing back down to earth on Monday as Chile ended their record-breaking World Cup run without conceding a goal and condemned them to a 1-0 defeat.

Switzerland now find themselves third in the group, with Chile and Spain having edged ahead of them.

Their place in the second round is now under threat, with favours required from elsewhere if they are to progress.

They will fancy their chances of seeing off a Honduras side that is yet to earn a point or score a goal, but they will be aware of the need to find the target as often as possible.

Chile and Spain are set to go head-to-head in Friday's other Group H encounter and it is the result of that contest which could decide Switzerland's fate.

Were Chile to win, then a draw for the Swiss would be enough to see them through.

A Spanish success would see the standings decided by goal difference, provided Switzerland win, while a draw would allow Hitzfeld's side to pip Spain with victory against Honduras.

Senderos sidelined

Philippe Senderos will once again be missing for the Swiss, as he continues to nurse an ankle injury.

Should they progress, the Fulham new-boy should be back in contention in time for the second round.

Valon Behrami will also be unavailable to Hitzfeld as he must serve a suspension following his hotly-disputed red card against Chile.

Changes possible

Honduras could opt to shuffle their pack in their final fixture, as they are almost certain to be on the first plane home.

Only a comprehensive victory, coupled with victory for Chile over Spain, would be enough to see them secure a shock passage into the last 16.

With that in mind, coach Reinaldo Rueda could decide to mix things up, with performances so far doing little to inspire confidence.

One decision he could take might be to play all three Palacios brothers (Wilson, Johnny and Jerry) in the same match, re-writing the World Cup history books in the process.

[Black Widow]

Day 15:




Result: Portugal 0 - 0 Brazil


Portugal progress after draw
Brazil top group and Portugal through after goalless stalemate


Brazil and Portugal played out a disappointing goalless stalemate in Group G which ensured both sides progressed to the last 16 of the World Cup.

Brazil, who had already qualified before kick-off, had the better of the early exchanges and Dani Alves blasted just wide of the right post from distance.

On the half hour mark, Nilmar's close range effort from Luis Fabiano's cross was pushed on to the bar by keeper Eduardo, while Fabiano then went close with a header before half-time.

In the second period, Raul Meireles almost broke the deadlock but Brazil keeper Julio Cesar saved his effort, while Eduardo denied Ramires at the death.

The draw means Brazil finish the group as leaders, while Portugal got the point they needed to claim second ahead of the Ivory Coast, who defeated North Korea 3-0.

The Brazilians will play the runners-up of Group H in their next game while Portugal will take on the winners from that pool.

Much was expected from the match at a packed Moses Mabhida stadium with both sides possessing plenty of flair.

But despite an electric atmosphere with the Brazilian fans far outnumbering the Portuguese supporters, there was little action on the pitch, apart from seven cards in the first half.

Changes

Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz made four changes to the side that thrashed North Korea 7-0, while the Brazilians were without suspended Kaka and injured Elano in midfield.

As expected, Julio Baptista replaced Kaka while coach Dunga surprisingly left Robinho out of the starting XI and opted to play Nilmar alongside Fabiano up front.

Brazil earned two corners in the opening minutes and had the first chance in the fifth minute when Dani Alves' right-footed strike from 25 yards went wide of the near post.

Brazil tried to loosen up the Portuguese defence but they did not seem to have any sense of urgency to test Eduardo.

In the 14th minute, Cesar did well to punch away Fabio Coentrao's dangerous cross towards the box.

Shortly after, Alves tried his luck from the distance and his central effort was saved by the Portugal goalkeeper.

At the other end, Tiago's volley from the edge of the area went over the bar.

Midway through the first half, Juan was shown a yellow card after a hand ball to stop a Portuguese counter-attack.

Deflected

Brazil almost went in front soon after when Fabiano fed Nilmar at the far post and his five-yard shot was deflected by Eduardo's palm on to the post.

At the other end, Tiago was booked for diving.

In the 38th minute, Fabiano latched on to Maicon's cross from the right and his header went just wide of the near post.

Brazil goalkeeper Cesar had one save to make in the opening half with Ronaldo's 40th-minute strike not causing the Inter Milan man any problems.

Portugal came to life in the second half and Lucio was forced to make a crucial clearance from Ronaldo's cross with Danny waiting inside the area.

Before the hour mark, Meireles' effort from five yards was well saved by Cesar following a great run from Ronaldo.

In the 73rd minute, Alves' 30-yard strike went wide while three minutes from time Lucio's header was saved by Eduardo.

Substitute Ramires almost earned Brazil victory but his deflected right-footed strike was denied by an acrobatic save from Eduardo in stoppage time.


Man of the match: Lucio - kept Ronaldo quiet for most of the game.

Moment of the match: Fabiano missing a golden opportunity with a first-half header.

Attempt of the match: Ramires' late effort from long distance which took a deflection and was clawed away by Eduardo.

Save of the match: Carvalho Eduardo keeping out Nilmar at the far post with a superb point-blank save which he pushed against the bar

Talking point: There have probably been worse games at the World Cup but this match was one of the biggest let-downs.

[Black Widow]

Day 15:




Result: Korea DPR 0 - 3 Ivory Coast (Toure, 14 Romaric, 20 Kalou, 82)


Ivory Coast bow out with win
Elephants sign off with a comfortable victory


Ivory Coast did their best to achieve a mathematical miracle to advance from Group G, but despite a 3-0 victory over North Korea, they fell at the first hurdle in South Africa.

The Elephants needed a swing of nine goals as they looked to peg back Portugal to advance to the knockout rounds, but with Carlos Queiroz's men drawing 0-0 with Brazil, their win in Nelspruit proved irrelevant.

Sven-Goran Eriksson's men did themselves proud though, and came firing out of the blocks as Yaya Toure gave them the lead with a precise finish from the edge of the area on 14 minutes.

Romaric then made it two in the 20th minute with a header after Didier Drogba had rattled the crossbar, and the Africans were unlucky not to add more before half-time.

Substitute Salomon Kalou scored the third with eight minutes remaining, but it was not enough to seal their progression into the last 16.

As soon as the game kicked-off it was total domination from the Ivory Coast, as North Korea began where they left off against Portugal.

Having conceded six goals in the second-half against the Portuguese, it could have been a similar story in the opening period in Nelspruit.

Kader Keita burst into the area in the first minute after being fed in by a lovely ball from Yaya Toure, but his shot was saved by Ri Myong Guk.

The Elephants continued to pile on the early pressure and had long-range efforts saved from Arthur Boka and Romaric.

Lively

Highly-rated attacker Gervinho looked lively in the opening exchanges and in the 10th minute he got to the by-line on the left side of the area and dragged the ball across the face of goal, but Drogba was nowhere to be seen.

Drogba then had a header correctly ruled out for offside before Yaya Toure broke the deadlock with a great effort.

Left-back Boka advanced down the wing and picked out the midfielder with an excellent pass inside - Toure finished with great composure as he slid the ball precisely into the corner of the goal in the 14th minute.

North Korea were on the ropes and they were saved by the woodwork minutes later as Romaric cut inside from the right to hit a shot across goal, only to see it hit the post.

The Sevilla man did not have to wait long to find the net, however, as he doubled his side's lead after 20 minutes.

Boka was again involved and he picked out Drogba with a cross from the left, the Chelsea powerhouse brought it down and lashed a shot off the bar which rebounded off the ground before Romaric leapt well to head in.

The two-goal advantage was no more than the Ivory Coast deserved, and while qualification seemed an impossible task before the game, suddenly the Africans were in rampant mood.

Indeed, while Korea had a couple of attempts from free-kicks that drifted narrowly wide at the other end, they were lucky not to concede more before the break.

Keita volleyed just over just after the half-hour mark and Gervinho once more showed a great turn of pace to burst into the area and fire a shot that clipped the post in the 38th minute.

Emmanuel Eboue then flashed an effort over from long range before Gervinho looped a header at goal that was easily saved.

After half-time the Ivorians piled forward yet again, and five minutes after the restart Kolo Toure should have done better after being picked out at the far post from a free-kick.

Eboue then smacked a shot over from the edge of the area before using quick feet to get himself to the by-line in the 52nd minute, but his drag-back was hacked off the line.

North Korea broke with pace and Jong Tae-Se hit a powerful shot from the right that was well saved down low by Boubacar Barry.

Reality

Drogba headed narrowly over from a corner in the 56th minute but as the clock ticked down, the Ivory Coast's intensity dwindled as they realised their task was becoming increasingly unlikely.

There were further half-chances for Drogba and Gervinho before substitute Kalou fired over when he should have done better with just over a quarter-of-an-hour remaining.

North Korea came back into the match and Choe Kum-Chol had a shot saved before Tae-Se had a great opportunity to get on the scoresheet.

The ever-willing forward was chipped in and managed to get the ball under control, but he was denied at the last by some desperate defending with the goal at his mercy with nine minutes remaining.

Substitute Kalou had the final say, though, as he made it 3-0 in the 82nd minute after poking home from another deep cross from Boka.

Ivory Coast exited the World Cup in style, but Ghana are now the only African team left in the competition and carry the hopes of a continent on their shoulders.


Shot of the Match: Drogba was so unlucky not to score with his delightful swivel and volley. The Chelsea man took the ball down and turned his man in one movement, before smashing a shot that cannoned off the underside of the bar. Fortunately for him Romaric was on hand to make it 2-0.

Save of the Match: Ri Myong Guk was at his best throughout the afternoon and he fielded nearly everything the Elephants threw at him. The keeper got clattered a fair few times and deserves a mention for his bravery.

Moment of the Match: Yaya Toure firing home his side's opening goal. The finish, curled into the bottom corner from the edge of the box, was the defining moment of quality in an otherwise poor affair in Nelspruit.

Talking point: Will Sven stay on as Ivory Coast boss? Why haven't the African nations delivered, as many predicated they would prior to the tournament? What does the future hold for the North Korean team after suffering three defeats?

[Black Widow]

Day 15:




Result: Korea DPR 0 - 3 Ivory Coast (Toure, 14 Romaric, 20 Kalou, 82)


Ivory Coast bow out with win
Elephants sign off with a comfortable victory


Ivory Coast did their best to achieve a mathematical miracle to advance from Group G, but despite a 3-0 victory over North Korea, they fell at the first hurdle in South Africa.

The Elephants needed a swing of nine goals as they looked to peg back Portugal to advance to the knockout rounds, but with Carlos Queiroz's men drawing 0-0 with Brazil, their win in Nelspruit proved irrelevant.

Sven-Goran Eriksson's men did themselves proud though, and came firing out of the blocks as Yaya Toure gave them the lead with a precise finish from the edge of the area on 14 minutes.

Romaric then made it two in the 20th minute with a header after Didier Drogba had rattled the crossbar, and the Africans were unlucky not to add more before half-time.

Substitute Salomon Kalou scored the third with eight minutes remaining, but it was not enough to seal their progression into the last 16.

As soon as the game kicked-off it was total domination from the Ivory Coast, as North Korea began where they left off against Portugal.

Having conceded six goals in the second-half against the Portuguese, it could have been a similar story in the opening period in Nelspruit.

Kader Keita burst into the area in the first minute after being fed in by a lovely ball from Yaya Toure, but his shot was saved by Ri Myong Guk.

The Elephants continued to pile on the early pressure and had long-range efforts saved from Arthur Boka and Romaric.

Lively

Highly-rated attacker Gervinho looked lively in the opening exchanges and in the 10th minute he got to the by-line on the left side of the area and dragged the ball across the face of goal, but Drogba was nowhere to be seen.

Drogba then had a header correctly ruled out for offside before Yaya Toure broke the deadlock with a great effort.

Left-back Boka advanced down the wing and picked out the midfielder with an excellent pass inside - Toure finished with great composure as he slid the ball precisely into the corner of the goal in the 14th minute.

North Korea were on the ropes and they were saved by the woodwork minutes later as Romaric cut inside from the right to hit a shot across goal, only to see it hit the post.

The Sevilla man did not have to wait long to find the net, however, as he doubled his side's lead after 20 minutes.

Boka was again involved and he picked out Drogba with a cross from the left, the Chelsea powerhouse brought it down and lashed a shot off the bar which rebounded off the ground before Romaric leapt well to head in.

The two-goal advantage was no more than the Ivory Coast deserved, and while qualification seemed an impossible task before the game, suddenly the Africans were in rampant mood.

Indeed, while Korea had a couple of attempts from free-kicks that drifted narrowly wide at the other end, they were lucky not to concede more before the break.

Keita volleyed just over just after the half-hour mark and Gervinho once more showed a great turn of pace to burst into the area and fire a shot that clipped the post in the 38th minute.

Emmanuel Eboue then flashed an effort over from long range before Gervinho looped a header at goal that was easily saved.

After half-time the Ivorians piled forward yet again, and five minutes after the restart Kolo Toure should have done better after being picked out at the far post from a free-kick.

Eboue then smacked a shot over from the edge of the area before using quick feet to get himself to the by-line in the 52nd minute, but his drag-back was hacked off the line.

North Korea broke with pace and Jong Tae-Se hit a powerful shot from the right that was well saved down low by Boubacar Barry.

Reality

Drogba headed narrowly over from a corner in the 56th minute but as the clock ticked down, the Ivory Coast's intensity dwindled as they realised their task was becoming increasingly unlikely.

There were further half-chances for Drogba and Gervinho before substitute Kalou fired over when he should have done better with just over a quarter-of-an-hour remaining.

North Korea came back into the match and Choe Kum-Chol had a shot saved before Tae-Se had a great opportunity to get on the scoresheet.

The ever-willing forward was chipped in and managed to get the ball under control, but he was denied at the last by some desperate defending with the goal at his mercy with nine minutes remaining.

Substitute Kalou had the final say, though, as he made it 3-0 in the 82nd minute after poking home from another deep cross from Boka.

Ivory Coast exited the World Cup in style, but Ghana are now the only African team left in the competition and carry the hopes of a continent on their shoulders.


Shot of the Match: Drogba was so unlucky not to score with his delightful swivel and volley. The Chelsea man took the ball down and turned his man in one movement, before smashing a shot that cannoned off the underside of the bar. Fortunately for him Romaric was on hand to make it 2-0.

Save of the Match: Ri Myong Guk was at his best throughout the afternoon and he fielded nearly everything the Elephants threw at him. The keeper got clattered a fair few times and deserves a mention for his bravery.

Moment of the Match: Yaya Toure firing home his side's opening goal. The finish, curled into the bottom corner from the edge of the box, was the defining moment of quality in an otherwise poor affair in Nelspruit.

Talking point: Will Sven stay on as Ivory Coast boss? Why haven't the African nations delivered, as many predicated they would prior to the tournament? What does the future hold for the North Korean team after suffering three defeats?

[Kenpachi Zaraki]

for North Korea its back to isolation :shifty:

[Black Widow]

for North Korea its back to isolation :shifty:

lol

[Black Widow]

Day 15:




Result: Switzerland 0 - 0 Honduras


Switzerland limp out
Both sides go out after bore draw


Switzerland left the World Cup with a whimper after failing to beat Honduras as the two sides played out a 0-0 draw in Bloemfontein.

Group minnows Honduras leave the tournament as well after finishing bottom of Group H, but it is the Swiss who will be more disappointed following their opening defeat of Spain.

They end the pool in third position, and rarely threatened to break the deadlock after a lacklustre attacking display.

Striker Eren Derdiyok wasted a headed chance in the first-half but Honduras created the clearer opportunities after the break and both David Suazo and Edgar Alvarez should have done better.

But on this evidence neither side deserved to progress to the last 16 and it is Spain and Chile who advance to the knockout rounds.

The first-half in the Free State Stadium was an extremely lacklustre affair, despite what was at stake for both teams.

Switzerland were asking the most questions, but there was little attacking creativity and it was certainly not an entertaining spectacle for the neutral.

Hendry Thomas picked up a booking in the fourth minute after going through the back of Gokhan Inler, as the two sides felt their way into the game.

Inler then had the first chance of any note, dragging a shot wide with his left foot from the edge of the area in the 11th minute.

Soon after, Thomas tried to slide in David Suazo at the other end, but his pass was too long and Swiss goalkeeper Diego Benaglio came out to claim.

Chance

The best opportunity to break the deadlock before half-time came after 17 minutes when Switzerland striker Eren Derdiyok found space at the back post.

Tranquillo Barnetta swept in a well-weighted cross from the right but Derdiyok could only head wide when he should have at least hit the target.

It proved to be the clearest chance in a dour 45 minutes, as there were only tame attempts at goal to follow.

Barnetta had a crack from long-range that was easily saved, before Gelson Fernandes picked up a yellow card for a blatant tug on Wilson Palacios.

Derdiyok's poor evening continued when he scuffed a half-chance in the 38th minute, but he delivered an excellent cross from the right hand side just before the break.

Sadly for Switzerland, however, his strike-partner Blaise Nkufo opted to chest the ball instead of using his head, and he got no power on his effort.

Manager Ottmar Hitzfeld will have informed his team that a one-goal win would be enough during the interval, as Spain were two up against Chile.

The experienced tactician also made an attacking change as Fernandes, already on a booking, was replaced by the more forward thinking Hakan Yakin.

Yakin made an instant impact as he linked up well on the edge of the area before having a strike, but his effort was closer to the corner flag than the goal.

Defender Stephane Grichting then suffered a nasty knock to the head after a clash with Jerry Palacios. He was able to continue, but only after receiving treatment.

Honduras had a clear chance to take the lead in the 53rd minute but David Suazo glanced his header wide from close range.

It was a great cross in from the right from Edgar Alvarez, and Suazo should have opened his country's account in South Africa.

To make matters worse he was then booked for a challenge on Grichting, as Switzerland began to press forward.

Tame

On the hour mark the Swiss launched a quick counter attack but Barnetta curled a tame effort into the keeper from the edge of the box.

Three minutes later Derdiyok had a shot from inside the area, but once again it was straight at Noel Valladares.

And with the men in red pushing forward to find a crucial goal, Honduras nearly capitalised as Alvarez was fed in, only to be denied by a superb save from Diego Benaglio in the 71st minute, tipping the ball over the bar.

Substitute Alex Frei was thrown on by Hitzfeld, as his side now needed a two-goal win because Chile had pulled one back against Spain.

Frei had a couple of half-chances soon after his arrival, but he fired a shot over before doing the same after latching on to a Yakin cross.

Stephan Lichtsteiner had a shot deflected over in the 80th minute, and Honduras nearly nicked it in injury time but substitute Georgie Welcome's effort was blocked before flying over.

The resulting corner evaded everyone and Yakin had a header saved at the other end, before the final whistle called time on a poor game.

[Black Widow]

Day 15:




Result: Chile (Millar, 47 Estrada, s/o 37) 1 - 2 Spain (Villa, 24 Iniesta, 37)


Spain set up Portugal clash
Spaniards stroll into knock-out stages as Villa shines


Spain have set up a mouth-watering clash with Portugal in the last 16 of the World Cup after wrestling top spot from Chile in a fiery contest in Pretoria.

The much-fancied Spaniards ensured they were Group H's top-dogs at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium after securing a 2-1 success and in doing so, avoided fellow tournament favourites Brazil in the next round.

First-half goals from David Villa and Andres Iniesta put Vicente del Bosque's men in control of the contest before Chile saw Marco Estrada dismissed for a second yellow card in the build-up to Spain's second after he clipped Fernando Torres' heels.

Chile came out fighting in the second-half as substitute Rodrigo Millar grabbed a goal back but it was not enough for Marcelo Bielsa's side to snatch back top-spot and they now face South American rivals Brazil at Ellis Park on Monday for a place in the last eight.

Spain, meanwhile, will tackle neighbours Portugal on Tuesday at Cape Town's Green Point Stadium.

Attacking line-ups

Both Spain and Chile fielded attacking sides for their final Group H match, with Iniesta returning to the European champions' line-up for the crucial game at the expense of Jesus Navas.

Mark Gonzalez was given the nod in Chile's attack ahead of Humberto Suazo after his headed winner against Switzerland last time out, while Jorge Valdivia and Estrada filled in for the suspended Matias Fernandez and Carlos Carmona in midfield.

Spain, looking to avoid joining fellow big guns Italy and France in suffering a shock early exit, also started well and Torres had two good chances in the opening five minutes

The Liverpool striker could not make the most of either though, heading the first over the bar and then seeing his second effort deflected for a corner after latching on to a long ball forward from Joan Capdevila.

Chile did not have to wait much longer for their first opening of the match as a well-worked move split open the Spain defence and Jean Beausejour's low cross was just behind the unmarked Gonzalez, who skied his shot well over.

That was almost a great opening for Bielsa's side, and the South Americans were certainly living up to their coach's pre-match assurance they would not go out looking for the draw.

At the midway point of the first-half, Chile lost their discipline as Waldo Ponce saw yellow for a hack on Torres while Estrada was cautioned a minute later for a reckless challenge on Sergi Busquets.

Kamikaze

As the Chileans lost their heads, Spain started to dominate possession as they so often do, and their ball retention paid dividends in the 24th minute, albeit thanks to some kamikaze goalkeeping by Claudio Bravo.

Xabi Alonso's clip over the top of the Chile defence looked harmless as Torres chased but Bravo's rash interception allowed Villa an open goal to shoot at.

The Barcelona striker was fully 40 yards from goal and his precise left-foot shot deserves the highest praise, with his 41st international goal also ensuring no other Spaniard had scored more goals in the World Cup finals.

Estrada refused to calm his aggressive nature and he was lucky to avoid a second yellow in the 28th minute for his rash challenge on Iniesta.

Gerard Pique squandered a glorious chance to double Spain's lead in the 35th minute from Xavi's corner and the Barcelona defender was nearly punished for his miss as Beausejour raced clear on a Chile counter-attack but Pique got back to make the vital block.

Clinical

The game then looked dead and buried in the 37th minute as Iniesta doubled Spain's lead and Chile were reduced to 10 men.

After stealing possession in Chile's half, Iniesta and Torres combined cleverly before the Barcelona midfielder rippled the net with a clinical finish from Villa's centre.

To make matters worse for the South Americans, Mexican referee Marco Rodriguez brandished a second yellow to Estrada, who was adjudged to have clipped Torres' heels in the build-up to the goal.

Ponce, also on a booking, seemed hell-bent on joining Estrada off the field as he flew into a challenge with Alonso in first-half stoppage time but the defender benefited from an unsighted Rodriguez.

Spain could hardly have been in a better position at the interval, but they saw their two-goal advantage halved just two minutes into the second half.

Chile, having made two changes at the break, needed a good start and they got just that when one of the newcomers scored.

Millar found space on the edge of the area and fired in a shot that took a huge deflection off Pique before looping past Casillas and into the net.

That was a huge boost for Chile, but they could make no further inroads and created little to worry Casillas in the remainder of the half.

Del Bosque's Spain also created few goalscoring chances of their own as the second-half petered out.

In fairness, the European champions did not need to break a sweat as they eased to victory and they will now look forward to a tasty clash with their Iberian rivals.


Man of the match: David Villa. What a goal. Sure, a goalkeeping error played a huge part, but the striker's left-footed shot as sensational.

Moment of the match: The sending-off. It seemed very harsh as Marco Estrada appeared to only accidentally clip Fernando Torres' heels.

Goal of the match: Tough one. Villa probably just edges matters ahead of Andres Iniesta. For Villa to take his goal first time was something special.

Talking point: The last 15 minutes when both sides settled for the scoreline. It made for horrible viewing.

[Black Widow]

Day 15:




Result: Chile (Millar, 47 Estrada, s/o 37) 1 - 2 Spain (Villa, 24 Iniesta, 37)


Spain set up Portugal clash
Spaniards stroll into knock-out stages as Villa shines


Spain have set up a mouth-watering clash with Portugal in the last 16 of the World Cup after wrestling top spot from Chile in a fiery contest in Pretoria.

The much-fancied Spaniards ensured they were Group H's top-dogs at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium after securing a 2-1 success and in doing so, avoided fellow tournament favourites Brazil in the next round.

First-half goals from David Villa and Andres Iniesta put Vicente del Bosque's men in control of the contest before Chile saw Marco Estrada dismissed for a second yellow card in the build-up to Spain's second after he clipped Fernando Torres' heels.

Chile came out fighting in the second-half as substitute Rodrigo Millar grabbed a goal back but it was not enough for Marcelo Bielsa's side to snatch back top-spot and they now face South American rivals Brazil at Ellis Park on Monday for a place in the last eight.

Spain, meanwhile, will tackle neighbours Portugal on Tuesday at Cape Town's Green Point Stadium.

Attacking line-ups

Both Spain and Chile fielded attacking sides for their final Group H match, with Iniesta returning to the European champions' line-up for the crucial game at the expense of Jesus Navas.

Mark Gonzalez was given the nod in Chile's attack ahead of Humberto Suazo after his headed winner against Switzerland last time out, while Jorge Valdivia and Estrada filled in for the suspended Matias Fernandez and Carlos Carmona in midfield.

Spain, looking to avoid joining fellow big guns Italy and France in suffering a shock early exit, also started well and Torres had two good chances in the opening five minutes

The Liverpool striker could not make the most of either though, heading the first over the bar and then seeing his second effort deflected for a corner after latching on to a long ball forward from Joan Capdevila.

Chile did not have to wait much longer for their first opening of the match as a well-worked move split open the Spain defence and Jean Beausejour's low cross was just behind the unmarked Gonzalez, who skied his shot well over.

That was almost a great opening for Bielsa's side, and the South Americans were certainly living up to their coach's pre-match assurance they would not go out looking for the draw.

At the midway point of the first-half, Chile lost their discipline as Waldo Ponce saw yellow for a hack on Torres while Estrada was cautioned a minute later for a reckless challenge on Sergi Busquets.

Kamikaze

As the Chileans lost their heads, Spain started to dominate possession as they so often do, and their ball retention paid dividends in the 24th minute, albeit thanks to some kamikaze goalkeeping by Claudio Bravo.

Xabi Alonso's clip over the top of the Chile defence looked harmless as Torres chased but Bravo's rash interception allowed Villa an open goal to shoot at.

The Barcelona striker was fully 40 yards from goal and his precise left-foot shot deserves the highest praise, with his 41st international goal also ensuring no other Spaniard had scored more goals in the World Cup finals.

Estrada refused to calm his aggressive nature and he was lucky to avoid a second yellow in the 28th minute for his rash challenge on Iniesta.

Gerard Pique squandered a glorious chance to double Spain's lead in the 35th minute from Xavi's corner and the Barcelona defender was nearly punished for his miss as Beausejour raced clear on a Chile counter-attack but Pique got back to make the vital block.

Clinical

The game then looked dead and buried in the 37th minute as Iniesta doubled Spain's lead and Chile were reduced to 10 men.

After stealing possession in Chile's half, Iniesta and Torres combined cleverly before the Barcelona midfielder rippled the net with a clinical finish from Villa's centre.

To make matters worse for the South Americans, Mexican referee Marco Rodriguez brandished a second yellow to Estrada, who was adjudged to have clipped Torres' heels in the build-up to the goal.

Ponce, also on a booking, seemed hell-bent on joining Estrada off the field as he flew into a challenge with Alonso in first-half stoppage time but the defender benefited from an unsighted Rodriguez.

Spain could hardly have been in a better position at the interval, but they saw their two-goal advantage halved just two minutes into the second half.

Chile, having made two changes at the break, needed a good start and they got just that when one of the newcomers scored.

Millar found space on the edge of the area and fired in a shot that took a huge deflection off Pique before looping past Casillas and into the net.

That was a huge boost for Chile, but they could make no further inroads and created little to worry Casillas in the remainder of the half.

Del Bosque's Spain also created few goalscoring chances of their own as the second-half petered out.

In fairness, the European champions did not need to break a sweat as they eased to victory and they will now look forward to a tasty clash with their Iberian rivals.


Man of the match: David Villa. What a goal. Sure, a goalkeeping error played a huge part, but the striker's left-footed shot as sensational.

Moment of the match: The sending-off. It seemed very harsh as Marco Estrada appeared to only accidentally clip Fernando Torres' heels.

Goal of the match: Tough one. Villa probably just edges matters ahead of Andres Iniesta. For Villa to take his goal first time was something special.

Talking point: The last 15 minutes when both sides settled for the scoreline. It made for horrible viewing.

[Black Widow]

Day 17: Round of 16




Uruguay v South Korea preview
First quarter-final spot up for grabs


The opening game of the last 16 sees Uruguay take on South Korea in Port Elizabeth.

Uruguay booked their place in the knockout phase after winning Group A, coming through with two wins and a draw, while South Korea progressed from Group B after a win, loss and a draw.

The South Americans go into the game as favourites, also knowing that they have never lost to South Korea in four previous meetings - winning three and drawing one.

Uruguay also come into the match on the back of two successive wins. Having drawn the opening game against France, they reeled off victories against hosts South Africa and Mexico.

The Koreans won their first game against Greece, before losing to Argentina and then drawing with Nigeria, which was enough for them to progress.

Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez has already spoken of his desire to progress further and the draw looks kind for La Celeste, as victory over South Korea will result in a quarter-final clash against either USA or Ghana.

Teams

Tabarez's side have been rejuvenated since beating South Africa and that coincided with a change in tactics for Uruguay as they adopted a three-pronged attack with highly-rated Palermo forward Edinson Cavani joining the prolific duo of Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan.

Cavani looks set to keep his place against Korea, as does Jorge Fucile, who again came in following the draw with France.

Diego Godin missed the Mexico game through injury and was replaced by Mauricio Victorino but the Villarreal defender should return if declared fit.

South Korea, although having just one win under their belt, will also see the draw as a favourable one and will look to take advantage and progress to the latter stages.

South Korea brought Cha Du-ri back into their side for the clash with Nigeria and he looks set to keep his place at right-back.

Du-ri aside, coach Huh Jung-moo will stick to his favoured 4-4-2 line-up with star men Park Ji-sung and Lee Chung-yong providing the big threat from the flanks.

[Black Widow]

Day 17: Round of 16




USA v Ghana preview
Unlikely pairing collide at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium


USA and Ghana square up in Rustenburg for their round of 16 encounter no doubt surprised they are facing each other.

The duo had been expected to finish second in their respective groups, but if this World Cup has offered anything, it is the ability of the underdogs to surprise.

And it was the States - where football barely registers as a major sport - who threw an almighty spanner in the works by topping Group C to meet their African rivals, knocking England off the perch so many had expected them to cling to.

Ghana stuck more rigidly to the script and saw Germany take their pre-empted place as group winners following their 1-0 reverse at the hands of Joachim Low's side.

Stock soaring

The Ghanaians were in fact owing a debt of gratitude to their European counterparts, who steam-rollered Australia 4-0 in their opening game to ensure goal difference separated the two nations finishing on four points.

Nevertheless, Milovan Rajevac has guided his team through without the presence of midfield lynchpin Michael Essien, the Chelsea man's absence leading many to scorn Ghana's chances in navigating a difficult group.

Ironically, it was Ghana who knocked out Saturday's opponents in the last World Cup in Germany - their first ever - so Bob Bradley and his team will not be underestimating the 11 men lining up against them in the Royal Bafokeng Stadium.

The States' group campaign finished in elation thanks to their last-gasp win over Algeria, where Landon Donovan's stoppage-time strike sent the stock of 'soccer' in his homeland soaring.

The importance of the game is even more profound for Ghana given they are likely to be the solitary African nation to make the knockout phase.

USA news:

Bradley will welcome the return of Robbie Findley from suspension after he missed the Algeria victory thanks to two yellow cards picked up in the opening two matches.

Replacing Findley in attack for the game in Pretoria was Herculez Gomez, however his place could be under threat after being withdrawn at half-time.

DaMarcus Beasley was brought on in his place, meanwhile Edson Buddle provides an alternative option, leaving Bradley with plenty to ponder as to who will partner Jozy Altidore.

Maurice Edu is likely to retain a starting berth after coming in for Jose Francisco Torres.

Ghana news:

Ghana could be without centre-back Isaac Vorsah for the knockout encounter as the defender struggles to win his fitness battle.

Vorsah missed the draw against Australia through injury and was hoping to be in contention for the loss to Germany, however Rajevac was forced to start him on the bench.

There was better news for fellow first-choice John Mensah, who also returned from the sidelines to complete 90 minutes, meaning Ghana may field an unchanged starting XI.

Questions had been raised over the participation of Sulley Muntari in the tournament after he had a reported bust-up with the Serbian coach.

Contrary to reports, the Inter Milan man had not been sent home but started on the bench for the Germany date. The midfielder may come in for Prince Tagoe, though, should Rajevac tinker with his system.

[Black Widow]

Day 17: Round of 16




USA v Ghana preview
Unlikely pairing collide at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium


USA and Ghana square up in Rustenburg for their round of 16 encounter no doubt surprised they are facing each other.

The duo had been expected to finish second in their respective groups, but if this World Cup has offered anything, it is the ability of the underdogs to surprise.

And it was the States - where football barely registers as a major sport - who threw an almighty spanner in the works by topping Group C to meet their African rivals, knocking England off the perch so many had expected them to cling to.

Ghana stuck more rigidly to the script and saw Germany take their pre-empted place as group winners following their 1-0 reverse at the hands of Joachim Low's side.

Stock soaring

The Ghanaians were in fact owing a debt of gratitude to their European counterparts, who steam-rollered Australia 4-0 in their opening game to ensure goal difference separated the two nations finishing on four points.

Nevertheless, Milovan Rajevac has guided his team through without the presence of midfield lynchpin Michael Essien, the Chelsea man's absence leading many to scorn Ghana's chances in navigating a difficult group.

Ironically, it was Ghana who knocked out Saturday's opponents in the last World Cup in Germany - their first ever - so Bob Bradley and his team will not be underestimating the 11 men lining up against them in the Royal Bafokeng Stadium.

The States' group campaign finished in elation thanks to their last-gasp win over Algeria, where Landon Donovan's stoppage-time strike sent the stock of 'soccer' in his homeland soaring.

The importance of the game is even more profound for Ghana given they are likely to be the solitary African nation to make the knockout phase.

USA news:

Bradley will welcome the return of Robbie Findley from suspension after he missed the Algeria victory thanks to two yellow cards picked up in the opening two matches.

Replacing Findley in attack for the game in Pretoria was Herculez Gomez, however his place could be under threat after being withdrawn at half-time.

DaMarcus Beasley was brought on in his place, meanwhile Edson Buddle provides an alternative option, leaving Bradley with plenty to ponder as to who will partner Jozy Altidore.

Maurice Edu is likely to retain a starting berth after coming in for Jose Francisco Torres.

Ghana news:

Ghana could be without centre-back Isaac Vorsah for the knockout encounter as the defender struggles to win his fitness battle.

Vorsah missed the draw against Australia through injury and was hoping to be in contention for the loss to Germany, however Rajevac was forced to start him on the bench.

There was better news for fellow first-choice John Mensah, who also returned from the sidelines to complete 90 minutes, meaning Ghana may field an unchanged starting XI.

Questions had been raised over the participation of Sulley Muntari in the tournament after he had a reported bust-up with the Serbian coach.

Contrary to reports, the Inter Milan man had not been sent home but started on the bench for the Germany date. The midfielder may come in for Prince Tagoe, though, should Rajevac tinker with his system.

[Black Widow]

Day 17: Round of 16




Result: Uruguay (Suarez, 8,80) 2 - 1 South Korea (Lee, 68)


Uruguay became the first team to reach the World Cup quarter-finals after a Luis Suarez brace sealed a 2-1 victory over South Korea in Port Elizabeth.

Suarez capitalised on uncertainty in the South Korea defence to break the deadlock after just eight minutes and it looked for a long time as though Uruguay would only need one goal as their disciplined backline remained solid.

But Lee Chung-yong equalised with a header midway through the second half and it required an excellent late goal from Suarez to take Uruguay through.

Oscar Tabarez's side had not conceded a single goal in their three group games but nearly fell behind after just five minutes when Park Chu-young curled a free-kick against the outside of Fernando Muslera's post.

South Korea's bright start was undone just three minutes later as Diego Forlan whipped in a low cross between a hesitant defence and goalkeeper Jung Sung-ryong, who went to ground without making an effort to grab the ball and allowed Suarez to provide the simplest of finishes at the back post.

Control

Having taken an early lead, Uruguay began to control the game with some comfort, staying organised at the back and keeping possession patiently in midfield despite a poor surface at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

The onus was on South Korea to take the attack to Uruguay but they struggled to create many openings, although their passing was fluent and easy on the eye in areas that were not particularly dangerous.

Skipper Park Ji-sung threatened with one run down the left wing, while Chu-young lashed a powerful shot narrowly wide from the edge of the area and Cha Du-ri's venomous strike from even further out dipped just over the crossbar.

Uruguay always carried a threat on the counter-attack due to the potency of their front trio and had a confident penalty appeal waved away on the stroke of half-time when Maximiliano Pereira's shot struck the arm of Cho Yong-hyung in the box.

Uruguay, who replaced Diego Godin with Mauricio Victorino at half-time, had the first opportunity of the second half as Suarez seized on a stray pass from Kim Jung-woo and fired straight at Sung-ryong from distance.

One problem for South Korea at the other end of the pitch was the physical strength of Uruguay's defenders, with Jorge Fucile shrugging off Kim Jae-sung as he attempted to get on the end of a deflected Lee Young-pyo delivery from the left flank.

But there was far more urgency about South Korea at the start of the second period and the lively Chu-young squandered their best chance to date when he latched onto Diego Lugano's headed clearance and blazed high.

Muslera had barely been tested in the Uruguay goal all tournament and, perhaps feeling that he wanted to get noticed, made an elaborate diving save to clutch hold of Ji-sung's well-directed header.

Beaten

The Uruguay keeper was finally beaten in the 68th minute when he weakly tried to claim a loose ball and Bolton winger Chung-yong nodded in from close range past a scrambling Fucile on the line.

The match suddenly exploded into life as Uruguay started to venture forward once again, with opportunities coming and going for both teams.

Chung-yong shot straight at Muslera after being released down the right, while at the other end Sung-ryong almost stepped back over his line as he caught a looping Forlan free-kick.

Suarez was denied by a decent save from Sung-ryong from a tight angle and then headed wide after beating the offside trap.

But the Ajax frontman has just come off a prolific campaign in the Eredivisie and he demonstrated why he is regarded as one of the most exciting young strikers in world football with a stunning finish to settle the tie 10 minutes from time.

The 23-year-old stepped inside a challenge in the corner of the penalty area after South Korea had failed to deal with a set-piece and then curled a sublime shot past Sung-ryong and in off the post.

Substitute Lee Dong-gook almost drew South Korea level late on when his effort squeezed under Muslera's dive, only for a covering defender to clear the ball before it crept over the line.

It proved to be South Korea's last chance as Uruguay held on in the driving rain to clinch a place in the last eight and a meeting with either USA or Ghana.


Man of the match: Luis Suarez. A no-brainer after the striker fired his nation into the quarter-finals.

Moment of the match: Two penalty claims not given. The first, a South Korean handball; the second, a possible foul in the Uruguay box.

Goal of the match: Suarez's second. Quite stunning. The Ajax man curled home with aplomb via the post.

Talking point: Just how far can Uruguay go? They look solid at the back while they boast fine attacking talent.

[Black Widow]

Day 17: Round of 16




Result: USA (Donovan, 62(pen)) 1 - 2 Ghana (Boateng, 5 Gyan, 93)


Ghana still fly the flag
American dream comes to an end in Rustenburg


Ghana continued to fly the African flag at the 2010 World Cup following a 2-1 extra-time victory over USA in the last 16 of this summer's tournament at Royal Bafokeng Stadium.

With hosts South Africa, Cameroon, Nigeria, Algeria and Ivory Coast all falling in the group stages, it was left to Milovan Rajevac's team to shoulder the expectations of a continent.

But Kevin-Prince Boateng did not appear to buckle under that weight when he swept Ghana into a fifth minute lead before Asamoah Gyan scored his third goal of the finals in extra-time to secure a quarter-final against Uruguay.

Landon Donovan's penalty and a second-half revival from USA, who were seeking revenge having been eliminated from the group stages of the 2006 World Cup after a controversial defeat to the West Africans, had threatened to crash the party.

But Rajevac, a former contemporary of the likes of Pele, Johan Cruyff and Franz Beckenbauer in the US indoor soccer league, saw his men follow in the footsteps of the 1990 Cameroon team and the 2002 Senegal side in becoming an African side to reach the last eight.

Never mind the American dream for vengeance, this was the Fifa dream in terms of what the global governing body wishes the World Cup to represent; a contest between two emerging football nations on the grandest of stages.

Ghana's victory will ensure their stock continues to rise after their appearance in the African Cup of Nations final with a team that included players who had lifted the World Cup at Under-20 level in 2009.

But, despite their elimination, the performance of Bob Bradley's USA, who were Confederations Cup finalists last summer, should also ensure that the status of 'soccer' continues to increase in the land of stars and stripes.

USA welcomed Robbie Findley back from suspension after he missed the dramatic group stages win over Algeria due to suspension, while midfielder Ricardo Clark replaced Maurice Edu.

Ghana made just one change as Samuel Inkoom came in for Prince Tagoe, who had a yellow card against his name.

Sluggish

The match was predicted to be an intriguing contest between two attack-minded sides and it started in a lively fashion as Boateng had vuvuzelas being used at maximum lung capacity when he opened the scoring in the fifth minute.

Having robbed a sluggish Clark on the halfway line, the Portsmouth midfielder charged forward with purpose, as Jay DeMerit backed off, before firing a low 18-yarder that beat Tim Howard at his near post.

From a USA perspective, the goal was riddled with errors and it set the tone for a first-half performance from Bradley's side that was lacking in their usual pace, power and purpose.

Ghana, though, were proving unadventurous and were apparently content with their lead as they ignored the opportunity to capitalise on the fact that Dede Ayew was being offered the freedom of Rustenburg on the left wing.

USA's Steve Cherundolo decided to put a stop to Ayew's darting runs and cynically raked his boot down the 20-year-old's calf in the 17th minute to earn a booking which would have suspended him for a meeting with Uruguay.

Former US President Bill Clinton was in attendance after rearranging his schedule as honorary chairman of his country's bid to host the World Cup in either 2018 or 2022 because he had found the victory over Algeria so enjoyable.

But he must have been regretting his decision. The petulance of Cherundolo's behaviour epitomised USA's frustration as Bradley's men failed to click into gear.

Clark was a serial offender and his return to the starting XI lasted only half-an-hour before he was substituted and Edu was introduced.

The change appeared to give the USA an injection of impetus as the 35th minute saw their first genuine chance when Findley forced Ghana's Wigan goalkeeper Richard Kingson to save with his feet.

But the Africans continued to enjoy the better of proceedings and Howard was required to stop smartly from Kwadwo Asamoah's left-footed effort as the half drew to a close.

Tactical shuffle

Bradley decided to make his second substitution during the interval, with Findley making way for Benny Feilhaber.

The substitute was immediately involved after the restart, drawing a good save from the feet of Kingson, and a tactical shuffle was allowing Donovan, the hero against Algeria, to grow in influence.

Ghana were dropping deep, with nerves and a stick-or-twist uncertainty playing a part, and the attacking play that had been a hallmark of their earlier involvement in the competition was becoming increasingly sporadic.

USA inevitably benefited from their opponents' hesitation and in the 62nd minute they drew level when Donovan converted a penalty, which clipped the right-hand post on its way into the net, after Clint Dempsey had been fouled by Jonathan Mensah.

USA were dominating and their runners from deep were proving a constant menace, with Ghana's cause hampered by the earlier departure of goalscorer Boateng due to injury.

Anxiety levels increased and extra-time became inevitable, but the match once again came to life at the beginning of the additional 30 minutes.

In the 93rd minute Gyan showed too much pace and power for Carlos Bocanegra in a race for a long pass before he smashed an unstoppable shot over the head of the advancing Howard.

USA looked tired and could muster little in terms of a reply, with only a scramble at a corner in added time at the end of the 120 minutes providing any scare for a triumphant Ghana.


Man of the match - Asamoah Gyan. Deserved goal for leading the line so selflessly.

Goal of the match - Gyan bounced off Carlos Bocanegra and kept his balance before drilling home.

Attempt of the match - In a game of few eye-catching attempts, Gyan's shot gets the nod.

Save of the match - Richard Kingson blocked superbly from Benny Feilhaber just after the break.

Talking point - Just how far can this young Ghana side go?

[Black Widow]

Day 18: Round of 16




Germany v England preview
Two old foes go head-to-head with a place in the last eight at stake


Expect fireworks in Bloemfontein on Sunday when England rekindle their rivalry with Germany in the World Cup second round.

There is no love lost between these two old adversaries and you can guarantee that no quarter will be given when they lock horns in another all-or-nothing encounter.

This will be the third time in the space of 20 years that England and Germany have met in the knockout stages of a major tournament, with the Three Lions' record making for uneasy reading.

At both Italia 90 and Euro 96 England suffered penalty shoot-out heartache, falling at the semi-final stage on each occasion.

There is every chance Sunday's encounter could go all the way once again, but you can rest assured that Fabio Capello and Joachim Low will have everything crossed that things do not go that far.

It is, however, difficult to separate the two sides heading into the game, with both rather stuttering through the group stages.

Germany burst out of the traps with an impressive 4-0 mauling of Australia, earning them widespread acclaim, but they then lost 1-0 to Serbia and were far from convincing as they wrapped up top spot in Group D with a 1-0 win over Ghana.

They were, however, able to breathe a little easier than England, who made a meal of forcing their way out of Group C.

The weight of expectation proved too much for Capello's men at times, as they opened with a disappointing 1-1 draw with the United States and followed that up with a lacklustre goalless stalemate with Algeria.

That left England needing to beat Slovenia in their final group game to progress, which they duly did as a solitary effort from Jermain Defoe ensured they would not be heading on the first plane home.

Both sides will need to raise their game if they are to mount a serious challenge for the title, though, and they will be hoping that this weekend's contest proves to be a catalyst for a prolonged assault on the World Cup crown.

Capello choices

Having fared infinitely better against Slovenia than they did in their opening two games, Capello must decide whether to stick with those who got England into the last 16 or shuffle his pack again.

Jamie Carragher will be back from suspension, while Ledley King could come back into contention following a groin problem, and they will be looking to oust Matthew Upson from a starting role at the heart of the back four.

James Milner fared admirably on the right wing last time out and is likely to continue, while Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Gareth Barry are virtually untouchable.

Defoe will be hoping that his goal against the Slovenians will earn him an extended run in the side, but Emile Heskey will be waiting in the wings and Joe Cole could be drafted in should Capello choose to ditch his favoured 4-4-2 formation.

Wayne Rooney, despite failing to hit the heights so far, will lead the line, with the Manchester United man showing no ill-effects after suffering an ankle knock on Wednesday.

Germany's preparations have been hampered by untimely injuries to key men, which could force Low to tinker with his starting XI.

Fitness concerns

Bastian Schweinsteiger picked up a thigh strain against Ghana and he now faces a race against time to prove his fitness.

Jerome Boateng is also a major doubt, after he sustained a calf injury in Germany's final group game.

On a more positive note, playmaker-in-chief Mesut Ozil is expected to shake off a twisted ankle in time to make the crunch clash.

Goal-poacher extraordinaire Miroslav Klose will also be available to Low again after serving a one-match ban and he can expect to be thrown straight back into the fold.

[Black Widow]

Day 18: Round of 16




Argentina v Mexico preview
Argentina hope history repeats itself


Argentina take on Mexico in Soccer City on Sunday hoping history repeats itself and their World Cup bandwagon keeps on rolling.

The two sides met at the same stage of the last World Cup in Germany, with Argentina progressing 2-1 thanks to a Maxi Rodriguez goal in extra-time.

This time around, Diego Maradona's side - who only just limped into the finals - have confounded their pre-tournament critics and look one of the teams to beat after a perfect group qualification campaign.

Maradona's side started off with an opening 1-0 win over Nigeria before thumping South Korea 4-1 and then finishing off with a comprehensive 2-0 victory over Greece to confirm their qualification as group leaders.

While world footballer of the year Lionel Messi has failed to find the net, Argentina's strength in depth is shown by defenders Gabriel Heinze and Martin Demichelis notching, while Gonzalo Higuain hit a hat-trick against the Koreans.

But it will be tough against a Mexican side who have shown their own prowess in Group A qualification.

After being held to an opening day 1-1 draw with hosts South Africa, Javier Aguirre's side then registered a decisive 2-0 result against self-imploding France.

While the North Americans then suffered a 1-0 reverse against South American opposition Uruguay in their last game, Aguirre believed his side had lacked energy in that game and he is expecting more from his team this time.

Team news

Maradona is set to ring the changes after resting several key players against Greece last time.

Captain Javier Mascherano and strikers Carlos Tevez and Higuain are set to return to the side, as are defenders Gabriel Heinze, Walter Samuel and Jonas Gutierrez, who was suspended last time.

Juan Sebastian Veron, who missed the win over South Korea with a calf injury, returned to the side against Greece and could retain his place at the expense of Rodriguez.

Meanwhile, Mexico are hoping to have striker Carlos Vela fit for the clash.

The Arsenal youngster had to go off after half an hour of the 2-0 win over France after feeling a sharp hamstring pain.

Doctors believed the injury would require 10 days on the sidelines which should mean he is able to feature against the Argentinians.

Defender Efrain Juarez also comes back into contention after missing the Uruguay defeat following a pair of bookings.

[Black Widow]

Day 18: Round of 16




Result: Germany (Klose, 20 Podolski, 32 Muller, 67,70) 4 - 1 England (Upson, 37)


Germany crush England
Fabio Capello's men bow out in Bloemfontein


England bowed out of the World Cup in the second round in humiliating fashion as they were comfortably beaten 4-1 by Germany in Bloemfontein.

Despite the comprehensive scoreline, there was only one moment anyone could be left talking about, and that was a disallowed goal for England just before half-time with the match at 2-1.

Germany deservedly led with goals from Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski after just half-an-hour, but just before the break Matthew Upson headed home to give England some hope.

Less than 60 seconds after Upson's goal - Frank Lampard volleyed a shot post Manuel Neuer and off the bar into the goal, but the German keeper played on and Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda played on.

Replays almost instantly showed the ball was over a foot over the line, and England had been denied a clear goal.

After the break England pushed on and looked the more likely to score, but then with 20 minutes remaining, two devastating counter-attacks - both finished by Bayern Munich's Thomas Muller - sealed in the end a thoroughly deserved win for Germany.

Germany had received a boost prior to kick-off as both their injury doubts, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Jerome Boateng, were passed fit and the former's presence proved crucial as he dominated the midfield.

Joachim Low's men started the more impressively, creating the first real opening on five minutes and they should have gone ahead.

A long ball from the back saw Mesut Ozil get behind the England defence, but he fired straight at David James with Ashley Cole frantically looking to get back.

England's first chance was from a free-kick as Lampard was brought down by Schweinsteiger. But the Chelsea man fired straight at the wall.

Opener

Just moments later and the breakthrough came for Germany, as England's defence was beaten by a long ball over the top.

Neuer's goal-kick was allowed to bounce and that took it over John Terry, then Upson was out-muscled by Klose and he poked the ball past a helpless James.

England showed some spirit with Wayne Rooney's first attempt at goal, which was well wide, while Gareth Barry had the Three Lions' first shot on target but it was straight at Neuer.

But Germany always looked dangerous and on the half-hour James was forced into a wonderful save as Muller played through a lovely ball for Klose, but the Portsmouth man blocked a certain goal with his feet.

Like earlier, though, England did not heed their warning as just a minute later it was 2-0 to Germany.

Muller again was involved as he played a one-two with Klose, but instead of shooting - he squared the ball for an unmarked Podolski who, despite the tight angle, fired under James and in off the far post.

England suddenly realised the task ahead of them and began to attack Germany. Lampard forced Neuer into a great reflex save after a wonderful cross from Milner into the six-yard box.

A memorable few moments followed as England scored two goals in two minutes - but unfortunately only one was allowed to stand.

On 37 minutes, Upson - who had been given a torrid time by the German attack - made some amends as he headed home a Steven Gerrard cross as England took a short corner and caught Germany napping at the back.

Then less than 60 seconds later, England thought they had levelled. Jermain Defoe held the ball up, but was tackled and the ball fell for Lampard to volley over Neuer and in off the bar.

But the ball bounced up off the line, and with Lampard and the England bench celebrating, Neuer played on and even went close to a third with Podolski firing just wide from the resulting attack.

Goal that wasn't

Television replays instantly showed Lampard's goal was comfortably over the line and England had been denied a clear goal.

Boos rang out at half-time with Larrionda surrounded by the likes of Rooney - as the realisation of what he had done was surely sinking in.

After the break and England began the second half how they finished the first, on top.

Milner and Gerrard both saw efforts fly wide before Lampard almost levelled as he thundered a free-kick from all of 40 yards, if not more, against the crossbar with Neuer nothing but a spectator.

Just before the hour and Neuer was called upon to make a crucial intervention as Philip Lahm's pass back almost presented the ball for Defoe but the German keeper was quick off his line and slid the ball out.

Then the game was won by Germany as they grabbed two goals in three minutes.

The first goal actually came from an England free-kick as Rooney was brought down 30 yards from goal. Lampard's effort was blocked - Barry picked it up, only to be dispossessed on the edge of the box and Germany raced clear with a three-on-two.

Schweinsteiger led the charge and as he sucked in the England defenders, he squared for Bayern Munich team-mate Muller and he steered it past James - who was almost diving the wrong way.

Just two minutes later and the game was well and truly put to bed as Ozil got the better of Barry and almost a carbon-copy of the previous goal, he waited for the remaining defenders to come across before sliding it to Muller to fire home his second.

There was still time for England captain Gerrard to see a goal-bound effort well saved by Neuer, before the full-time whistle came and sealed Germany's place in next week's quarter-finals.

England will rightfully feel hugely aggrieved by the injustice that was Lampard's disallowed goal, but their overall performance was not good enough as Germany looked on a different level to Fabio Capello's men.


Man of the Match: Thomas Muller - scored twice and set up Lukas Podolski's goal in the first half.

Moment of the Match: Frank Lampard's first-half shot from the edge of the area which hit the bar and crossed the line by at least a yard but was not given. That goal would have given an equaliser and the course of the game could have been different - possibly.

Attempt of the Match: Lampard's 40-yard free-kick which struck the crossbar.

Goal of the Game: Mesut Ozil sprinting past Gareth Barry down the left and crossing for Muller to side-foot home.

Save of the Match: Manuel Neuer's save to deny Steven Gerrard in the second half although the game was already won by that point.

Talking point: Why hasn't goal-line technology been introduced by Fifa for the world's biggest competition?

[Kenpachi Zaraki]

^^^ That wasn't the talking point the talking point was why were England built up as contenders for the Cup :laugh:

[Kenpachi Zaraki]

Ex-players: England hopeless & absymal!

Former Scotland defender Alan Hansen believes Fabio Capello will resign as England manager following the "shambolic" 4-1 defeat against Germany.

Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski had put the Germans 2-0 up as England were pulled apart defensively.

Matthew Upson pulled a goal back before a Frank Lampard effort was adjudged to have not crossed the line, when replays showed it clearly had.

But any injustice England may have felt was put into perspective as Thomas Muller's double sealed an emphatic win for Joachim Low's side.

"I think he will go," said Hansen. "I think because they were that bad, not just in this game but in the whole tournament."

Hansen was also scathing in his assessment of the performance from Capello's side.

Speaking on BBC1, Hansen said: "They were abysmal. If you look at the back four, the midfield, the attackers, the system and the manager. Every aspect was rock bottom. The basics, the fundamentals weren't there.

"(Wayne) Rooney frankly over the four games has not performed. We talked about the Germans being average but they made England look a very poor side.

"On the whole (David) James was England's best player, for the keeper to be the best player in a performance like that is unusual. It was shambolic."

Former England striker Alan Shearer was equally forthright.

"They were hopeless from start to finish," he said.

"The big players, whether they don't like the system or the manager, they have not performed.

"It summed it up in the last 15 minutes, when we needed goals, when he brings a guy like (Emile) Heskey who hasn't scored goals all his life when we are chasing the game. I am at a loss to see that."

Another former England international, Lee Dixon added: "Frankly it was the worst team performance defensively I have ever seen, and if that's the case you will get a hiding. The Germans deserve credit as they were a much better team. It was awful.

"I have never seen a group of defenders dragged around a field like that. We were ripped to pieces."

But Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp believes England need to persevere with Capello.

He said: "This guy is good, he has a great record and I think we have to look at the whole thing. I have confidence in him, it's not time to chop and change."

[Black Widow]

^^^ That wasn't the talking point the talking point was why were England built up as contenders for the Cup :laugh:

:lmao:


it was an appauling performance

[Travicity]

Im ashamed to be English.

[Black Widow]

Im ashamed to be English.

same, it was awful play from the team

[Black Widow]

Day 18: Round of 16




Result: Argentina (Tevez, 25,52 Higuain, 33) 3 - 1 Mexico (Hernandez, 71)


Argentina see off Mexico
Tevez & Higuain see Argentina through


Argentina set up a quarter-final meeting with Germany after a controversial 3-1 win over Mexico in their last 16 clash in Johannesburg.

Carlos Tevez controversially headed Argentina in front after 26 minutes when he nodded home Lionel Messi's chip despite appearing to be offside.

Mexico players protested to the officials, but referee Roberto Rosetti awarded the goal after consulting his assistant.

Argentina were gifted their second goal on 33 minutes when Ricardo Osorio gave the ball away to Gonzalo Higuain and he scored his fourth goal of the tournament.

As the players left at half-time a number of players and coaching staff from both sides squared up to each other before they were finally sent down the tunnel.

Tevez grabbed his second of the contest on 52 minutes with a stunning effort from the edge of the box which flew past Mexico keeper Oscar Perez.

Javier Hernandez pulled a goal back for Mexico 19 minutes from time with a superb turn and finish, but it proved too little too late as Argentina booked their place in the last eight.

Until Tevez's opener Mexico had looked the better side in this clash between the Latin Americans who had fought out a terrific contest at the same stage of the 2006 finals.

That went to extra time but once again Javier Aguirre's men showed themselves to be a classy but unfortunate outfit.

Two incidents within the opening 10 minutes had Argentinian hearts in mouths. First Carlos Salcido crashed in a thunderous drive from 30 yards that Sergio Romero just touched onto the crossbar, then an equally terrific strike by Andres Guardado whisked agonisingly past the post.

For Argentina, Messi, still looking for his first goal of the tournament, had two efforts from similar positions on the left of the area, but one was blocked and the other easily held by Oscar Perez. Messi should perhaps have passed to an unmarked team-mate - maybe that elusive goal was haunting him.

Offside

Hernandez, who increasingly looks an astute signing by Sir Alex Ferguson, turned away from his marker and slammed a shot wide but then came Tevez's offside goal and Mexico lost their heads.

First skipper Rafael Marquez earned himself a needless booking for showing his frustration, then there was real calamity when Osorio scuffed a pass across the edge of his own box, Higuain seized onto the ball and kept his cool to round Perez neatly and slide home.

Salcido raised Mexican hopes with another long-range strike, this time parried by Romero, before Angel di Maria and Tevez nearly scored but were kept at bay by desperate blocks.

Higuain really should have made it 3-0 but somehow the Real Madrid striker put a free header wide from only six yards out.

There was an unseemly melee around the officials as the teams left the pitch at half-time, with Maradona finding himself in the unusual position of peacemaker.

Any hopes Mexico had ended soon after the restart thanks to Tevez's 52nd-minute blistering strike into the top corner from 25 yards out.

Embrace

Tevez ran to the bench for a wild embrace with Maradona that seem to last an eternity.

It was left to Hernandez to rescue some pride for Mexico. The 22-year-old had just sent a header over despite being unmarked, but then he left Martin Demichelis standing with a superb turn and lashed the ball high past Romero to give Mexico a slim lifeline.

It probably shaded Tevez's strike and will go down as one of the goals of the tournament.

Argentina shut up shop after that and Mexico barely had another sniff.

Messi's increasingly desperate search for a goal continued as Perez denied him in injury time.

As for Maradona, his amazing story continues.


Man of the match: Carlos Tevez led the line brilliantly for Argentina and was a constant threat to the Mexico defence - he richly deserved his brace.

Goal of the match: Tevez's second was an absolute beauty of a strike, it flew off his boot into the top corner leaving the goalkeeper with no chance.

Attempt of the match: Salcido tried a crack from long range in the early stages that rattled the crossbar, a great effort.

Moment of the match: The opening goal which was blatantly offside was shown on the big screen in Soccer City, prompting a heated exchange on the pitch.

Talking point: In a day where the use of technology has dominated proceedings, the debate will rage on after Argentina's first, which was a poor decision.

[Travicity]

Happy Argentina went through my main favourite to win it all even if England did go through they'd face Argentina lol.

[Black Widow]

argentina are my favs to win it there playing great

[Black Widow]

Day 19: Round of 16




Holland v Slovakia preview
Robben tipped for bench role; Strba suspended for Slovaks


Holland take on Slovakia for a place in the last eight of the World Cup on Monday at Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium.

The Dutch have high hopes of finally landing an elusive World Cup crown and they head into their last 16 clash in serene form.

Bert van Marwijk's side have yet to drop a point in the South Africa finals with wins over Denmark, Japan and Cameroon in Group E allowing the Oranje to believe that this summer's tournament could be their chance to claim football's greatest prize.

Only Argentina can match Holland's run to the knockout stages and they will be seriously fancied to progress to the quarter-finals where they could meet either Brazil or Chile on Saturday.

Giant-killers

Slovakia, however, will have something to say about such suggestions and Vladimir Weiss' giant-killing side will be looking to repeat last Thursday's feat where they knocked out Italy.

The Repre looked a long shot to reach the latter stages heading into their final Group F game against the Azzurri, but a shock 3-2 win over the reigning champions has made everyone stand up and take notice of the European outfit's capabilities.

Holland, World Cup runners-up in the 1974 and 1978 finals, lost to Portugal at this stage of the tournament four years ago but they will feel confident they can see off the Slovaks with the wealth of talent at their disposal.

Star striker Robin van Persie opened his World Cup account in the Dutch's last game against Cameroon while key man Arjen Robben made his bow at the South Africa finals as a substitute after overcoming a hamstring injury.

Team-news

But Van Marwijk is expected to leave the latter on the bench for the Durban clash with Slovakia.

Robben, who hit the post in the win over the Indomitable Lions minutes after coming on, looks likely to watch on from the sidelines and may only been called upon if necessary with the Dutch looking to save the Bayern Munich winger for the last eight.

That means Real Madrid performer Rafael Van der Vaart is set to retain his place in Holland's midfield while Khalid Boulahrouz and Gregory van der Wiel will battle it out for a place in the Dutch defence.

Slovakia, appearing in their first World Cup finals, could line up with the same side that stunned Italy last time out.

Juraj Kucka, Erik Jendrisek and Miroslav Stoch all shone in that game and Weiss will be looking to them to cause another upset against superior opposition.

The Slovaks will be without suspended Zdeno Strba, meaning the defensive midfield duties are likely to fall to Kamil Kopunek.

[Black Widow]

Day 19: Round of 16




Brazil v Chile preview
Intriguing clash of South American sides


Tournament favourites Brazil take on fellow South American outfit Chile for the right to face Holland or Slovakia in the last eight of the World Cup.

Five-time World Champions Brazil are unbeaten in the tournament so far, after successfully negotiating 'Group of Death' Group G.

Dunga's side saw off North Korea 2-1 in their opener before sealing their qualification with an impressive 3-1 victory over Ivory Coast.

While the gloss was taken off their group campaign somewhat with the dour goalless stalemate with Portugal last time, the point at least helped Brazil finish top of their group.

They will also take confidence from the fact that they beat their opponents twice - a 3-0 win in Chile before a 4-2 home success - when heading the South America qualification group for the tournament, with Chile a point behind in second.

But it will not be easy at Johannesburg's Ellis Park against a Chilean side who also began their World Cup group campaign with two wins.

These came in Group H against Honduras and Switzerland - with a single goal in each game enough to decide the issue in their favour.

But Marcelo Bielsa's side then also suffered a hiccup in their last group game, going down 2-1 to well-fancied Spain.

Their cause was not helped by Marco Estrada's dismissal, while rash goalkeeping by Claudio Bravo gifted David Villa the opening goal, and Bielsa will be demanding an improvement.

Team news

Brazil will be boosted by the return of star man Kaka from suspension, while midfielder Elano has been declared fit after shrugging off a knock on his ankle.

The former Manchester City player, who scored in both of Brazil's opening two matches but missed the Portugal draw, took part in full training on Saturday and a team spokesperson confirmed he is available to play.

City forward Robinho also missed the bore draw but he too trained in the session and should feature against Chile.

But Felipe Melo remains a concern after twisting an ankle against Portugal, while Julio Baptista, who hurt his knee in the same game, is also a doubt.

Chile will be without Estrada after the midfielder received his marching orders against Spain following a second yellow card for clipping Fernando Torres.

But Chile will be able to cover his absence as fellow midfielders Carlos Carmona and Matias Fernandez missed the Spanish defeat through suspension and come back into consideration.

Along with Estrada, Jorge Valdivia came into the side last time to cover for the pair and he may again have to settle for a place on the bench.

Upfront, Mark Gonzalez was given the nod in Chile's attack last time ahead of Humberto Suazo after his headed winner against Switzerland but Bielsa may decide to change things around.

[The Mac]

go brazil lol... my pick from day 1 lol

[Black Widow]

lol there doing pretty good .. i wanna see brazil v argentina

[The Mac]

ya that would be epic

[Black Widow]

it would be game of the tournement

[Black Widow]

Day 19: Round of 16




Result: Holland (Robben, 18 Sneijder, 84 )2 - 1 Slovakia (Vittek, 90(pen))


Drilled Dutch slay Slovaks
Robben and Sneijder send Holland through to last eight


A fine strike from Arjen Robben and a late effort from Wesley Sneijder fired Holland into the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup as they claimed a routine 2-1 win over Slovakia in Durban.

Robben scored a trademark goal in the 18th minute in what turned out to be a cruise for the Dutch, who did what was required without over-exerting themselves, before Sneijder sealed the success while Robert Vittek grabbed an injury-time consolation for his nation.

The triumph means Holland will next face either Brazil or Chile in the last eight, with the South American pair to play on Monday evening.

Robben handed the Dutch a boost by making his first start of the 2010 World Cup, replacing Rafael van der Vaart, while Gregory van der Wiel returned to the team. For Slovakia, head coach Vladimir Weiss selected his son of the same name, with the Manchester City youngster coming in for Zdeno Strba.

Slovakia enjoyed a confident start to the fixture as a bright counter-attack in the second minute saw Weiss pass to Erik Jendrisek, whose strike from outside the box zoomed over the bar. Then it was Holland's turn for a sighter, Sneijder the man to lash off target.

In the sixth minute, Marek Hamsik's stinging left-footed shot had Maarten Stekelenburg a little more concerned, but the ball whistled wide. A minute later, Robin van Persie was presented with the game's best chance thus far when he met a Dirk Kuyt cross, the Liverpool man delivering from the left wing, only to see his tame header deflected out for a corner.

Classic Robben

Holland struggled to find tempo and rhythm during the early exchanges, although a rare flash of flair from Van Persie, as he turned well before slipping in Sneijder, opened up the Slovaks. But the Inter Milan schemer's effort was rather scuffed resulting in an easy stop for goalkeeper Jan Mucha.

However, Holland broke the deadlock on 18 minutes. A fabulous raking pass from Sneijder deep inside his own half was latched onto by Robben, who typically cut inside to open up his body for a left-footed strike, with Van Persie's run helping to create space, and the Bayern Munich man rifled low into the corner.

Slovakia struggle to respond to their setback as the Dutch looked comfortable without being exerted. Indeed, Slovakia's next most half-threatening moment came in the 31st minute when Nigel de Jong cleared a deep free-kick in unorthodox fashion. Seconds after, Robben was perhaps harshly given a yellow card for a deliberate handball.

The first half ended with a whimper as a lack of invention from both sides proved the undoing of a spectacle that promised much at the start. Moments of note before the half-time whistle included another harsh booking, this time for a Juraj Kucka foul, and a tepid right-footed shot by Van Persie. But that is scraping the barrel.

Holland very nearly doubled their lead twice in the space of a minute early in the second half. First, another Robben effort was expertly pushed around the post by Mucha before the Slovak keeper was swiftly called back into action, this time denying Joris Mathijsen with his face after a cross by Robben.

Van Persie then found himself involved on two differing occasions when he caught defender Radoslav Zabavnik with an awkward challenge before the Arsenal striker sent in an in-swinging free-kick which was bravely punched away by the Everton-bound Mucha.

Stekelenburg stops

Finally, Stekelenburg was called into action as twice in a minute Slovakia hit the target. Miroslav Stoch was first to pull the trigger, forcing a palm over from Stekelenburg before an even better chance for Vittek, who was one-v-one with the keeper, drew a stop which was made simple for the fact that the strike was central.

Holland boss Bert van Marwijk replaced the not yet fully fit Robben with Elijero Elia on 71 minutes while Jendrisek was replaced by Kamil Kopunek, whose first act was to foul Elia and be booked for the challenge.

Kuyt was the man to almost double Holland's advantage when he headed over then thumped a long-range struck that stung the hands of Mucha. Vittek was presented with a half-chance with 12 minutes remaining but blasted over before Klaas Jan Huntelaar entered the fray for the rusty Van Persie.

And with six minutes left, the result was put beyond doubt. Mucha, so excellent throughout the game, was at fault as he came racing out of his goal to allow Kuyt to nip in. The Liverpool forward got his head up and rolled across goal for Sneijder who buried into the exposed goal and ensured of Holland's progress.

But there was to be some cheer for Slovakia when Vittek grabbed his fourth goal of the tournament in the fourth minute of injury-time, dispatching from the penalty spot after a foul by Stekelenburg on Martin Jakubko in the area. Yet it proved nothing more than a consolation.

[Black Widow]

Day 19: Round of 16




Result: Holland (Robben, 18 Sneijder, 84) 2 - 1 Slovakia (Vittek, 90(pen))


Drilled Dutch slay Slovaks
Robben and Sneijder send Holland through to last eight


A fine strike from Arjen Robben and a late effort from Wesley Sneijder fired Holland into the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup as they claimed a routine 2-1 win over Slovakia in Durban.

Robben scored a trademark goal in the 18th minute in what turned out to be a cruise for the Dutch, who did what was required without over-exerting themselves, before Sneijder sealed the success while Robert Vittek grabbed an injury-time consolation for his nation.

The triumph means Holland will next face either Brazil or Chile in the last eight, with the South American pair to play on Monday evening.

Robben handed the Dutch a boost by making his first start of the 2010 World Cup, replacing Rafael van der Vaart, while Gregory van der Wiel returned to the team. For Slovakia, head coach Vladimir Weiss selected his son of the same name, with the Manchester City youngster coming in for Zdeno Strba.

Slovakia enjoyed a confident start to the fixture as a bright counter-attack in the second minute saw Weiss pass to Erik Jendrisek, whose strike from outside the box zoomed over the bar. Then it was Holland's turn for a sighter, Sneijder the man to lash off target.

In the sixth minute, Marek Hamsik's stinging left-footed shot had Maarten Stekelenburg a little more concerned, but the ball whistled wide. A minute later, Robin van Persie was presented with the game's best chance thus far when he met a Dirk Kuyt cross, the Liverpool man delivering from the left wing, only to see his tame header deflected out for a corner.

Classic Robben

Holland struggled to find tempo and rhythm during the early exchanges, although a rare flash of flair from Van Persie, as he turned well before slipping in Sneijder, opened up the Slovaks. But the Inter Milan schemer's effort was rather scuffed resulting in an easy stop for goalkeeper Jan Mucha.

However, Holland broke the deadlock on 18 minutes. A fabulous raking pass from Sneijder deep inside his own half was latched onto by Robben, who typically cut inside to open up his body for a left-footed strike, with Van Persie's run helping to create space, and the Bayern Munich man rifled low into the corner.

Slovakia struggle to respond to their setback as the Dutch looked comfortable without being exerted. Indeed, Slovakia's next most half-threatening moment came in the 31st minute when Nigel de Jong cleared a deep free-kick in unorthodox fashion. Seconds after, Robben was perhaps harshly given a yellow card for a deliberate handball.

The first half ended with a whimper as a lack of invention from both sides proved the undoing of a spectacle that promised much at the start. Moments of note before the half-time whistle included another harsh booking, this time for a Juraj Kucka foul, and a tepid right-footed shot by Van Persie. But that is scraping the barrel.

Holland very nearly doubled their lead twice in the space of a minute early in the second half. First, another Robben effort was expertly pushed around the post by Mucha before the Slovak keeper was swiftly called back into action, this time denying Joris Mathijsen with his face after a cross by Robben.

Van Persie then found himself involved on two differing occasions when he caught defender Radoslav Zabavnik with an awkward challenge before the Arsenal striker sent in an in-swinging free-kick which was bravely punched away by the Everton-bound Mucha.

Stekelenburg stops

Finally, Stekelenburg was called into action as twice in a minute Slovakia hit the target. Miroslav Stoch was first to pull the trigger, forcing a palm over from Stekelenburg before an even better chance for Vittek, who was one-v-one with the keeper, drew a stop which was made simple for the fact that the strike was central.

Holland boss Bert van Marwijk replaced the not yet fully fit Robben with Elijero Elia on 71 minutes while Jendrisek was replaced by Kamil Kopunek, whose first act was to foul Elia and be booked for the challenge.

Kuyt was the man to almost double Holland's advantage when he headed over then thumped a long-range struck that stung the hands of Mucha. Vittek was presented with a half-chance with 12 minutes remaining but blasted over before Klaas Jan Huntelaar entered the fray for the rusty Van Persie.

And with six minutes left, the result was put beyond doubt. Mucha, so excellent throughout the game, was at fault as he came racing out of his goal to allow Kuyt to nip in. The Liverpool forward got his head up and rolled across goal for Sneijder who buried into the exposed goal and ensured of Holland's progress.

But there was to be some cheer for Slovakia when Vittek grabbed his fourth goal of the tournament in the fourth minute of injury-time, dispatching from the penalty spot after a foul by Stekelenburg on Martin Jakubko in the area. Yet it proved nothing more than a consolation.


Man of the match: Touch and go between Sneijder and Robben. Sneijder set up the opener as well as scoring the second so he just gets the nod.

Moment of the match: Sneijder's visionary pass to Robben which set up Holland's opener

Attempt of the match: Robben's piledriver early in the second half which was tipped round the post by Mucha

Save of the match: Stekelenburg denying Vittek a second-half equaliser with a great save

Talking point: Do Holland have what it takes to win the tournament? Only Robben and Sneijder look capable of breaking down defences.

Goal of the game: Robben cutting in from the left and drilling a fierce shot beyond Mucha's outstretched hand at the near post

[Black Widow]

Day 19: Round of 16




Result: Brazil (Juan, 34 Fabiano, 38 Robinho, 59) 3 - 0 Chile


Brazil too hot for Chile
Five-time champions set up Dutch clash


Brazil progressed into the quarter-finals of the World Cup to play Holland after a comfortable 3-0 victory over South American rivals Chile.

Dunga's side were in complete control of the game in Johannesburg, although Chile came out of the blocks firing for the first quarter-of-an-hour.

But after seeing off the early pressure, Brazil soon asserted their authority on the game and took the lead in the 35th minute when Juan headed in Maicon's corner.

If the opener was not a typical Brazilian goal, their second certainly was. Just three minutes later Kaka slipped in Luis Fabiano and the in-form striker rounded goalkeeper Claudio Bravo before slotting home.

The result was secured just before the hour mark as Robinho picked up the ball after a superb run from Ramires, and he curled it into the far corner from the edge of the area leaving Bravo with no chance.

It has been no easy run for Brazil - they emerged from a 'Group of Death' unscathed and with reputations enhanced, and on this evidence the Dutch will need to summon up the spirits of past greats if they are to challenge Dunga's men.

Kaka remains Brazil's talisman and the Real Madrid midfielder was impressive on his return from suspension - though he managed to pick up his third booking of the tournament after English referee Howard Webb was unimpressed with his trip on a Chile player.

Punishment

After Juan had opened the scoring, punishing Chile for their failure to deal with Brazil's aerial threat at a corner from Maicon, Kaka was heavily involved in the second goal.

Robinho began the move with a burst down the left and an early ball into Kaka in the middle. One brilliant first-time pass split the Chile central defenders asunder and left Fabiano able to skip past keeper Bravo and finish.

Credit too to English linesman Michael Mullarkey for a perfect call to judge the Sevilla striker onside.

The goal made up for Fabiano having dragged his shot wide after being put in the clear by a super ball from Dani Alves.

Brazil had almost drawn first blood earlier through Gilberto Silva, proving in this match and not for the first time that Arsene Wenger committed a rare blunder in disposing of his services two years ago, who hit a fierce long-range effort that Bravo turned aside at full stretch.

Chile's main hope looked to be through the creative instincts of their gifted 21-year-old Alexis Sanchez, a player being watched by a number of Premier League clubs including Manchester United.

The Udinese player certainly provided Brazil with something to think about with a series of decent touches - one lovely pass for Humberto Suazo promised much but the striker did not match up with a disappointing effort to lob Julio Cesar.

Brazil could afford to take their foot off the gas at half-time, so minimal was the threat posed by Marcelo Bielsa's Chileans, but they still managed to extend their lead.

Robinho was the man to strike just before the hour mark, curling it effortlessly past Bravo but he had Ramires to thank after a blistering run by the Benfica midfielder.

Thunderbolt

Alves hit a thunderbolt that must have had Bravo worried but it drifted just wide, before Jorge Valdivia came as close as Chile had managed to a reply, teeing himself up and then firing just over from the edge of the box.

Kaka nearly claimed the goal his performance deserved after a surge down the left by Michel Bastos but was narrowly off target.

Bravo kept the score respectable by denying Robinho and then Suazo neatly turned Lucio - and not many players have done that this tournament - but Julio Cesar beat away his strike.

The game was up for Chile however and Dunga rubbed salt in the wound by taking off Kaka and sending on Kleberson - the player who flopped so dismally at Manchester United - to illustrate Brazil's overwhelming superiority.


Man of the match: Tough call between Gilberto Silva and Michel Bastos, but Bastos gets the nod for keeping Chile dangerman Alexis Sanchez quiet.

Moment of the match: Brazil's second goal was a typical Brazil effort as Robinho, Kaka and Fabiano combined to open up the Chile defence.

Attempt of the match: The hard-working Suazo produced a superb turn and shot inside the box which forced Cesar into his only real save of the game.

Save of the match: Bravo produced a flying save to keep out Gilberto Silva's powerful shot in the first half.

Talking point: Can anyone stop Brazil as they look strong in defence as well as in attack?

Goal of the game: Kaka provided a superb cushioned pass to Fabiano who coolly rounded the goalkeeper before slotting home.

[Black Widow]

Day 20: Round of 16




Paraguay v Japan preview
Japan should be unchanged, Caceres suspended for Paraguay


Paraguay head into their game against Japan in the second round of the World Cup as favourites to progress, but this will not be an easy game for the South Americans.

There is unlikely to be many goals in this game in Pretoria on Tuesday, with both sides having scored just seven between them and conceded three so far in the finals.

Paraguay may have topped Group F and proved how strong their continent's teams have been during this tournament, but the Japanese have caused some surprises so far, impressing in wins over Cameroon and Denmark and only narrowly losing out to Holland.

They have not played the enterprising football of the Chileans or had the star quality in Luis Suarez or Diego Forlan that Uruguay possess, but Paraguay have always been a tough, solid side, so far conceding just one goal that came in their opening 1-1 draw with the underwhelming Italians.

Lack of firepower

A 0-0 draw with New Zealand displayed a worrying lack of firepower, but arguably their finest players come in their attack, with Roque Santa Cruz, Lucas Barrios, Nelson Valdez and Oscar Cardozo all options up front for manager Gerardo Martino.

Martino was unhappy with his forwards' profligacy in front of goal, and they may find it tough to break through, even having trouble breaking down a poor Slovakia side who showed no attacking threat as they went down 2-0.

Paraguay are likely to try to make their physical presence count against the less imposing Japanese, but they will need to improve their finishing if they want to make it any further than the quarter-finals.

Japan have been a busy, hard-working, organised and disciplined side, benefiting from the skills of Keisuke Honda, who has proved to be one of the most impressive players of this World Cup so far, leading the line well and scoring a stunning long-range free kick against the Danes.

It is the first time the Japanese have ever made the last 16 of the finals outside of their nation, after reaching the same stage when they hosted the 2002 competition, but they will have to do what no other Asian side has done in the history of the World Cup and beat South American opposition.

They were not expected to make much of an impact this summer, however the performances of Honda, Yasuhito Endo and Tulio Tanaka has given them a real chance to make the quarter-finals, but they will have to be at their strongest to get past the physical nature of Paraguay.

Team news

Another bonus for manager Takeshi Okada is that he has managed to field the same team for every game so far after suffering no injuries or suspensions during the tournament.

Okada is likely to stick with the same formation and players, and will be boosted by the news that centre-back Tanaka should be fit to play after recovering from a back injury despite training on his own since the 3-1 win over Denmark.

Paraguay will be without Victor Ceceres who is suspended following two bookings in the group stage with Carlos Bonet likely to deputise.

Antolin Alcaraz missed their encounter with the All Whites with a minor injury but should return in time for Tuesday's game and could start for Martino's men.

[Black Widow]

Day 20: Round of 16




Spain v Portugal preview
Two of those sides fancied to go all the way meet in the last 16


One of the most intriguing fixtures in the second round of the World Cup pitches Spain against Portugal.

The geographical neighbours entered this summer's showpiece among the favourites to go all the way, with both having fared admirably at recent tournaments.

Portugal finished as runners-up at Euro 2004 and fourth at the 2006 World Cup, while Spain made the last 16 four years ago and took the spoils at the 2008 European Championship.

The weight of expectation perhaps weighed heavy on both teams during the group stages, as they offered only glimpses of their awe-inspiring best.

Spain lost their opening encounter to Switzerland, before recovering well to see off Honduras and Chile and top Group H.

Portugal finished second to Brazil in Group G, with a 7-0 demolition of North Korea undoubtedly their highlight so far.

Carlos Queiroz's side are also the only team left in the competition yet to concede a goal, having been held 0-0 by Ivory Coast and Brazil in their other two games.

Spain will be hoping that their attacking weapons start to fire as the World Cup enters the knockout stages, while Portugal have also yet to see the best from their main men.

Fernando Torres has so far failed to find the target for the Spanish, and looks far from match sharp, while Cristiano Ronaldo has been unable to produce the sparkling form which earned him the 2009 World Player of the Year award.

All that could be about to change, though, as both nations boast considerable experience and match-winning firepower within their ranks.

Alonso doubt

Spain's quest for a quarter-final place has been hampered by the news that Xabi Alonso looks set to be unavailable to Vicente del Bosque.

He sustained an ankle knock during the final group fixture against Chile and is struggling to prove his fitness.

Should he miss out, his place in the starting XI is expected to go to Javi Martinez - who replaced him against Chile.

Spain will also be without Real Madrid centre-half Raul Albiol, who has an ankle injury of his own.

Deco returns

Portugal will welcome Deco back into their plans for the all-or-nothing encounter.

He missed the final two fixtures of the group stages with a hip complaint, but is now raring to go once more.

Queiroz will be delighted to have Deco back in contention, as fellow playmaker Danny is missing with a thigh injury.

Ruben Amorim is struggling with a similar problem and he will once again be forced to watch on from the sidelines.

[Black Widow]

Day 20: Round of 16




Spain v Portugal preview
Two of those sides fancied to go all the way meet in the last 16


One of the most intriguing fixtures in the second round of the World Cup pitches Spain against Portugal.

The geographical neighbours entered this summer's showpiece among the favourites to go all the way, with both having fared admirably at recent tournaments.

Portugal finished as runners-up at Euro 2004 and fourth at the 2006 World Cup, while Spain made the last 16 four years ago and took the spoils at the 2008 European Championship.

The weight of expectation perhaps weighed heavy on both teams during the group stages, as they offered only glimpses of their awe-inspiring best.

Spain lost their opening encounter to Switzerland, before recovering well to see off Honduras and Chile and top Group H.

Portugal finished second to Brazil in Group G, with a 7-0 demolition of North Korea undoubtedly their highlight so far.

Carlos Queiroz's side are also the only team left in the competition yet to concede a goal, having been held 0-0 by Ivory Coast and Brazil in their other two games.

Spain will be hoping that their attacking weapons start to fire as the World Cup enters the knockout stages, while Portugal have also yet to see the best from their main men.

Fernando Torres has so far failed to find the target for the Spanish, and looks far from match sharp, while Cristiano Ronaldo has been unable to produce the sparkling form which earned him the 2009 World Player of the Year award.

All that could be about to change, though, as both nations boast considerable experience and match-winning firepower within their ranks.

Alonso doubt

Spain's quest for a quarter-final place has been hampered by the news that Xabi Alonso looks set to be unavailable to Vicente del Bosque.

He sustained an ankle knock during the final group fixture against Chile and is struggling to prove his fitness.

Should he miss out, his place in the starting XI is expected to go to Javi Martinez - who replaced him against Chile.

Spain will also be without Real Madrid centre-half Raul Albiol, who has an ankle injury of his own.

Deco returns

Portugal will welcome Deco back into their plans for the all-or-nothing encounter.

He missed the final two fixtures of the group stages with a hip complaint, but is now raring to go once more.

Queiroz will be delighted to have Deco back in contention, as fellow playmaker Danny is missing with a thigh injury.

Ruben Amorim is struggling with a similar problem and he will once again be forced to watch on from the sidelines.

[Black Widow]

Day 20: Round of 16




Result:Paraguay 0 - 0 Japan

(Paraguay Won 5 - 3 on penalties)


Paraguay progress on pens
Komano misses spot-kick to send South Americans through


Paraguay beat Japan on penalties to create history by reaching the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time.

After a cagey affair in Pretoria, Yuichi Komano missed the third Japan spot-kick to ensure the South Americans progressed 5-3 on penalties to face either Spain or Portugal, who play later on Tuesday.

As throughout the tournament, Japan coach Takeshi Okada named an unchanged line up for the clash, while the South Americans made five changes from the side which drew 0-0 with New Zealand last time.

Carlos Bonet and Antolin Alcaraz came into the backline with forwards Edgar Benitez and Lucas Barrios and midfielder Nestor Ortigoza also earning starts.

Japan signalled their attacking intent within the first 30 seconds with Yoshito Okubo shooting wide from 30 yards, while Komano shot straight at keeper Justo Villar from distance soon afterwards.

But - with the opportunity of a first-ever quarter-final berth at stake for both teams - there were no more chances until the 20th minute.

Sprung

The game finally sprung into life when Barrios was able to turn Komano in the box to get in one-on-one with Eiji Kawashima but the keeper saved his shot with his legs.

Japan then broke forward and Daisuke Matsui's 30 yard effort crashed into the Paraguay crossbar, with keeper Villar beaten.

Roque Santa Cruz then shot just wide from eight yards on the half-hour mark following a Claudio Morel corner, while Keisuke Honda's effort from outside the box flashed wide of Villar's right post after Matsui had made a good run down the right flank.

Nestor Ortigoza came close to breaking the deadlock early in the second period after playing a one-two with Barrios but Yuto Nagatomo made a last-ditch tackle to clear.

At the other end, Nagatomo's long range shot deflected off Bonet and was gathered by Villar.

Matsui received the game's first yellow card on 58 minutes after playing on when the referee had given a Paraguayan free-kick, while Christian Riveros forced an easy save with a header from Morel's cross.

Deadlock

Benitez made way for Nelsen Valdez as Paraguay tried to break the deadlock before Tulio Tanaka headed wide from a corner on 62 minutes.

Shinji Okazaki replaced Matsui as Japan made their own change, while Nagatomo was then booked.

The game became increasingly cagey and neither side could find a way through, with Yasuhito Endo's injury-time free-kick headed on by Yuji Nakazawa but Tulio could not connect with a half-volley.

In extra-time, Kawashima was quick off his line to make an excellent save to deny substitute Valdes after he had turned in the box, while Villar palmed out a powerful Honda free-kick for a corner which Japan could not capitalise on.

Japan had a late chance to win it when Shinji Okazaki back-heeled to fellow substitute Keiji Tamada but he could find no-one in the box with his cross from the left byline as the game went into penalties.

Komano was the unlucky player as he hit the crossbar with the third Japan spot-kick and Paraguay sunk all five, with substitute Oscar Cardozo keeping his nerve to net the last and send the South Americans into celebrations.


Man of the match: Paulo Da Silva. Got in some crucial blocks and rarely gave Japan an opportunity.

Moment of the match: Yuichi Komano hitting the bar in the penalty shoot-out which consequently cost Japan a place in the quarter-finals.

Attempt of the match: Daisuke Matsui's shot from 30 yards which struck the bar.

Save of the match: Eiji Kawashima's super save to deny Lucas Barrios in the first half.

Talking point: Paraguay will have to show more ambition if they are to reach the last four.

[Black Widow]

Day 20: Round of 16




Result:Paraguay 0 - 0 Japan

(Paraguay Won 5 - 3 on penalties)


Paraguay progress on pens
Komano misses spot-kick to send South Americans through


Paraguay beat Japan on penalties to create history by reaching the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time.

After a cagey affair in Pretoria, Yuichi Komano missed the third Japan spot-kick to ensure the South Americans progressed 5-3 on penalties to face either Spain or Portugal, who play later on Tuesday.

As throughout the tournament, Japan coach Takeshi Okada named an unchanged line up for the clash, while the South Americans made five changes from the side which drew 0-0 with New Zealand last time.

Carlos Bonet and Antolin Alcaraz came into the backline with forwards Edgar Benitez and Lucas Barrios and midfielder Nestor Ortigoza also earning starts.

Japan signalled their attacking intent within the first 30 seconds with Yoshito Okubo shooting wide from 30 yards, while Komano shot straight at keeper Justo Villar from distance soon afterwards.

But - with the opportunity of a first-ever quarter-final berth at stake for both teams - there were no more chances until the 20th minute.

Sprung

The game finally sprung into life when Barrios was able to turn Komano in the box to get in one-on-one with Eiji Kawashima but the keeper saved his shot with his legs.

Japan then broke forward and Daisuke Matsui's 30 yard effort crashed into the Paraguay crossbar, with keeper Villar beaten.

Roque Santa Cruz then shot just wide from eight yards on the half-hour mark following a Claudio Morel corner, while Keisuke Honda's effort from outside the box flashed wide of Villar's right post after Matsui had made a good run down the right flank.

Nestor Ortigoza came close to breaking the deadlock early in the second period after playing a one-two with Barrios but Yuto Nagatomo made a last-ditch tackle to clear.

At the other end, Nagatomo's long range shot deflected off Bonet and was gathered by Villar.

Matsui received the game's first yellow card on 58 minutes after playing on when the referee had given a Paraguayan free-kick, while Christian Riveros forced an easy save with a header from Morel's cross.

Deadlock

Benitez made way for Nelsen Valdez as Paraguay tried to break the deadlock before Tulio Tanaka headed wide from a corner on 62 minutes.

Shinji Okazaki replaced Matsui as Japan made their own change, while Nagatomo was then booked.

The game became increasingly cagey and neither side could find a way through, with Yasuhito Endo's injury-time free-kick headed on by Yuji Nakazawa but Tulio could not connect with a half-volley.

In extra-time, Kawashima was quick off his line to make an excellent save to deny substitute Valdes after he had turned in the box, while Villar palmed out a powerful Honda free-kick for a corner which Japan could not capitalise on.

Japan had a late chance to win it when Shinji Okazaki back-heeled to fellow substitute Keiji Tamada but he could find no-one in the box with his cross from the left byline as the game went into penalties.

Komano was the unlucky player as he hit the crossbar with the third Japan spot-kick and Paraguay sunk all five, with substitute Oscar Cardozo keeping his nerve to net the last and send the South Americans into celebrations.


Man of the match: Paulo Da Silva. Got in some crucial blocks and rarely gave Japan an opportunity.

Moment of the match: Yuichi Komano hitting the bar in the penalty shoot-out which consequently cost Japan a place in the quarter-finals.

Attempt of the match: Daisuke Matsui's shot from 30 yards which struck the bar.

Save of the match: Eiji Kawashima's super save to deny Lucas Barrios in the first half.

Talking point: Paraguay will have to show more ambition if they are to reach the last four.

[Kenpachi Zaraki]

Still no Fabregas.............. that's why I put money on Portugal :D

[Black Widow]

Day 20: Round of 16




Result: Spain (Villa, 63) 1 - 0 Portugal (Costa, s/o 89)


Spain send Portugal packing
In-form Villa ensures European champions march on


David Villa's 63rd-minute strike gave Spain a 1-0 win over Portugal and sent the European champions into the World Cup quarter-finals.

Portugal were the only team left in the competition yet to concede a goal and were frustrating Spain in the much-anticipated second-round showdown between the Iberian neighbours.

But two substitutions just before the hour mark proved decisive, with Portugal losing their way after Hugo Almeida was hauled off for Danny while Spain burst into life after Fernando Llorente replaced a below-par Fernando Torres.

Within a minute, Llorente's point-blank header was saved by Portugal goalkeeper Eduardo while Villa fired wide.

Villa then broke the deadlock as he stabbed the ball past Eduardo at the second attempt for his fourth goal of the World Cup.

Spain could have made victory more emphatic but they were worthy winners against a Portugal side in which Cristiano Ronaldo was hugely disappointing.

But the victory was marred as Joan Capdevila went down holding his face in the 89th minute and Portugal defender Ricdaro Costa was shown a straight red card despite it not being clear how much contact there was between the players.

Vicente del Bosque's men will now face Paraguay in Johannesburg on Saturday for a place in the semi-finals.

Bright Spain start

Spain began brightly exactly two years to the day of their Euro 2008 final victory over Germany in Zurich.

Torres scored the game's only goal that evening and tested Eduardo after just a minute while Villa also forced decent saves from the Braga keeper with two early strikes.

Another Torres shot from a short corner was not too far over the bar but for all Spain's dominance, he and Villa were largely restricted to playing out wide.

Portugal replied in the 20th minute as midfielder Tiago tried his luck from the edge of the box and after Iker Casillas could only push it high into the air, the Spain keeper scrambled it away near his own goal-line.

Xavi and Villa tried their luck at the other end before Spain team-mate Xabi Alonso saw a couple of long-range attempts stifled.

Portugal enjoyed the best chance yet in the 39th minute when Almeida glanced a close-range header wide from Raul Meireles' cross, much to the disappointment of a better-placed Ronaldo behind him.

Casillas then had to race out to halt Simao's run at goal before Tiago headed over as Portugal finished the first half on top.

Portugal rally

Seven minutes after the restart, Spain defender Gerard Pique was outpaced by Almeida down the left and when the Werder Bremen striker's attempted cross deflected off Carles Puyol's thigh, the defender was relieved to see the ball go narrowly wide.

That was the closest Portugal would go, though, as they lacked shape after Danny came on for Almeida and threatened little.

Del Bosque sacrificed Torres for Llorente, meanwhile, and the Athletic Bilbao target-man made an immediate impact as his diving header from Sergio Ramos' cross was parried to safety by Eduardo, before Villa curled one just wide.

And the breakthrough came moments later after typically intricate build-up play from Spain.

Andres Iniesta fed Xavi just inside the box and his Barcelona team-mate flicked the ball on for the on-rushing Villa, who saw his first shot saved before reacting quickest to direct the rebound in off the bar.

Eduardo then got down brilliantly to turn away Ramos' low drive from the right before Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz sent on striker Liedson and midfielder Pedro Mendes.

Yet they still could not get Ronaldo into the game and Eduardo was again called upon to parry a Villa shot.

Llorente twice went close late on while Danny had a dangerous-looking shot blocked by Pique but moments later Portugal's hopes were over when referee Hector Baldassi gave Costa his marching orders for apparently lashing out at Capdevila.


Man of the match: David Villa, but only just. The striker was a constant menace, although Xavi deserves much praise for running the game.

Moment of the match: Had Hugo Almeida buried a golden chance in the first half, the outcome might have been different.

Attempt of the match: A vicious drive from distance from Villa that forced a parry away by Eduardo.

Save of the match: Eduardo got down really well to tip Sergio Ramos' rasping drive around the post.

Talking point: Did Portugal manager Carlos Queiroz pay the price for being too negative?

[Black Widow]

Day 20: Round of 16




Result: Spain (Villa, 63) 1 - 0 Portugal (Costa, s/o 89)


Spain send Portugal packing
In-form Villa ensures European champions march on


David Villa's 63rd-minute strike gave Spain a 1-0 win over Portugal and sent the European champions into the World Cup quarter-finals.

Portugal were the only team left in the competition yet to concede a goal and were frustrating Spain in the much-anticipated second-round showdown between the Iberian neighbours.

But two substitutions just before the hour mark proved decisive, with Portugal losing their way after Hugo Almeida was hauled off for Danny while Spain burst into life after Fernando Llorente replaced a below-par Fernando Torres.

Within a minute, Llorente's point-blank header was saved by Portugal goalkeeper Eduardo while Villa fired wide.

Villa then broke the deadlock as he stabbed the ball past Eduardo at the second attempt for his fourth goal of the World Cup.

Spain could have made victory more emphatic but they were worthy winners against a Portugal side in which Cristiano Ronaldo was hugely disappointing.

But the victory was marred as Joan Capdevila went down holding his face in the 89th minute and Portugal defender Ricdaro Costa was shown a straight red card despite it not being clear how much contact there was between the players.

Vicente del Bosque's men will now face Paraguay in Johannesburg on Saturday for a place in the semi-finals.

Bright Spain start

Spain began brightly exactly two years to the day of their Euro 2008 final victory over Germany in Zurich.

Torres scored the game's only goal that evening and tested Eduardo after just a minute while Villa also forced decent saves from the Braga keeper with two early strikes.

Another Torres shot from a short corner was not too far over the bar but for all Spain's dominance, he and Villa were largely restricted to playing out wide.

Portugal replied in the 20th minute as midfielder Tiago tried his luck from the edge of the box and after Iker Casillas could only push it high into the air, the Spain keeper scrambled it away near his own goal-line.

Xavi and Villa tried their luck at the other end before Spain team-mate Xabi Alonso saw a couple of long-range attempts stifled.

Portugal enjoyed the best chance yet in the 39th minute when Almeida glanced a close-range header wide from Raul Meireles' cross, much to the disappointment of a better-placed Ronaldo behind him.

Casillas then had to race out to halt Simao's run at goal before Tiago headed over as Portugal finished the first half on top.

Portugal rally

Seven minutes after the restart, Spain defender Gerard Pique was outpaced by Almeida down the left and when the Werder Bremen striker's attempted cross deflected off Carles Puyol's thigh, the defender was relieved to see the ball go narrowly wide.

That was the closest Portugal would go, though, as they lacked shape after Danny came on for Almeida and threatened little.

Del Bosque sacrificed Torres for Llorente, meanwhile, and the Athletic Bilbao target-man made an immediate impact as his diving header from Sergio Ramos' cross was parried to safety by Eduardo, before Villa curled one just wide.

And the breakthrough came moments later after typically intricate build-up play from Spain.

Andres Iniesta fed Xavi just inside the box and his Barcelona team-mate flicked the ball on for the on-rushing Villa, who saw his first shot saved before reacting quickest to direct the rebound in off the bar.

Eduardo then got down brilliantly to turn away Ramos' low drive from the right before Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz sent on striker Liedson and midfielder Pedro Mendes.

Yet they still could not get Ronaldo into the game and Eduardo was again called upon to parry a Villa shot.

Llorente twice went close late on while Danny had a dangerous-looking shot blocked by Pique but moments later Portugal's hopes were over when referee Hector Baldassi gave Costa his marching orders for apparently lashing out at Capdevila.


Man of the match: David Villa, but only just. The striker was a constant menace, although Xavi deserves much praise for running the game.

Moment of the match: Had Hugo Almeida buried a golden chance in the first half, the outcome might have been different.

Attempt of the match: A vicious drive from distance from Villa that forced a parry away by Eduardo.

Save of the match: Eduardo got down really well to tip Sergio Ramos' rasping drive around the post.

Talking point: Did Portugal manager Carlos Queiroz pay the price for being too negative?

[Black Widow]

Day 21: Quarter-Final




Holland v Brazil preview
Two sides bid to make semi-finals


Port Elizabeth is the venue for one of the most intriguing ties of the World Cup so far this Friday, as Holland take on Brazil.

The two sides have a rich history in the competition and go into the quarter-final tie on the back of some impressive results in South Africa this summer.

Five-time champions Brazil topped their group and easily dispatched of Chile 3-0 in the second round, while the Dutch deservedly saw off the challenge of Slovakia 2-1 after winning every game in the group stage.

It sets up an encounter that will be eagerly anticipated by the purists, although two teams famous for playing attractive, free-flowing football have been adopting a more cautious style of late.

Dunga's Brazil have been most impressive in defence and the coach has built a team not dissimilar to the one which lifted the trophy in 1994 - himself the captain of that side.

Of course, they still have attacking flair in abundance and with Kaka and Robinho beginning to hit form, they are also a formidable force going forward.

With Luis Fabiano forming an excellent understanding with those supporting attackers, Dunga seems to have struck the right balance and fused a team of workers with highly-gifted individuals.

Holland, meanwhile, have not produced the total football of old but are not in the last eight by pure coincidence.

They head into the game on a 23-match unbeaten run and were rarely troubled by Denmark, Cameroon and Japan in the group.

Manager Bert van Marwijk has received criticism for not playing in the typical Dutch way, but if the Oranje return home with the trophy in hand, few will be complaining.

Team news

Arjen Robben returned to the starting XI against Slovakia and put in a performance that continued his excellent season.

The Bayern Munich man cut in from the right and in typical Robben style hit a precise finish with his left foot past the helpless Jan Mucha.

If Brazil are going to continue their good record at the back they will need to keep the fleet-footed winger quiet, and another player in form is Wesley Sneijder.

Sneijder netted the second goal against Slovakia and is set to continue in midfield with Rafael van der Vaart expected to again be on the bench.

Van Marwijk is demanding unity between his players after striker Robin van Persie reacted angrily to being substituted in the last game, suggesting that Sneijder should have been the man to make way.

Disharmony in the Dutch ranks has been their downfall in past tournaments and they will need to keep together if they are to have any chance of progressing to the semi-finals.

Brazil will be without Elano for the crunch clash because of an injury to his right ankle, while fellow midfielder Ramires is suspended.

It means Dunga must shuffle his pack and he also has doubts over Felipe Melo and Julio Baptista.

If Melo, who is also suffering from an ankle knock, does not make it, Josue may start alongside Gilberto Silva in midfield.

Brazil and Holland have met on nine previous occasions; the South Americans have won three while the Dutch have come out on top twice, with the other four games ending in draws.

[Black Widow]

Day 21: Quarter-Final




Uruguay v Ghana preview
Intriguing clash between quarter-final opponents


Two-time winners Uruguay face Ghana in an intriguing World Cup quarter-final at Soccer City in Johannesburg on Friday.

The South Americans are favourites to progress to face either Brazil or Holland but it would be foolhardy to write off the Black Stars, especially with the support of the host continent behind them.

The game will pitch the silky skills of Diego Forlan and his team-mates against a well-organised Ghanaian side which combines skill with a physical presence.

Uruguay progressed into the knock-out phase as unbeaten Group A winners, beating South Africa and Mexico following the opening goalless stalemate with France.

Oscar Tabarez's side then went on to beat South Korea 2-1 in the last 16, with a brace from hot-shot Luis Suarez sealing progression.

Ghana qualified for the last 16 as Group D runners-up, a 1-0 opening victory over Serbia followed by a 1-1 draw with Australia and 1-0 defeat to Germany.

Milovan Rajevac's side were the only African representatives in the knock-out phase and they pushed on once more thanks to a 2-1 extra-time victory over USA.

Kevin-Prince Boateng's early opener and Asamoah Gyan's extra-time winner saw Ghana progress as the only group runners-up to make the last eight.

Team news

Diego Godin has been ruled out of Uruguay's starting line-up after suffering a thigh injury during the victory over South Korea.

The defender was forced out of the action at the interval of last Saturday's second round triumph and has failed to recover in time to start, although he may still earn a place on the bench.

Mauricio Victorino will deputise in Godin's absence after he stepped off the bench and performed well against the Koreans.

In the other change to his side, coach Tabarez has brought in Alvaro Fernandez for Alvaro Pereira in midfield.

That means Fernando Muslera starts in goal behind a back four of Maxi Pereira, Diego Lugano, Victorino and Jorge Fucile.

Diego Perez, Egidio Arevalo and Fernandez make up the midfield with attacking trio Suarez, Forlan and Edinson Cavani up front.

For Ghana, three-goal leading scorer Gyan is confident that he will be fit for the clash after picking up an ankle knock in training on Monday and then missing two training sessions as a pre-caution.

Fellow goalscorer Boateng is also expected to be fit after suffering a thigh injury which caused him to miss training on Monday.

In other positive news, Isaac Vorsah is back in training and could feature while defenders John Mensah and Samuel Inkoom should be fit enough to be in contention.

Inter Milan midfielder Sulley Muntari is hoping to make his first start in the finals following bust-ups with Rajevac.

The 25-year-old could come back into the fold in the absence of the suspended Dede Ayew, while Jonathan Mensah is also suspended for the Black Stars.

[Black Widow]

Day 21: Quarter-Final




Result: Holland (Melo, 53(og) Sneijder, 68) 2 - 1 Brazil (Robinho, 10 Melo, s/o 73)


Dutch courage stuns Brazil
Dunga's side end with 10 men after Melo sent off for stamp


Holland showed great fighting spirit to come from a goal down against five-time champions Brazil and advance to the semi-finals after a stunning 2-1 victory.

The contest in Port Elizabeth did not disappoint its pre-match billing and both sides gave everything they could in a tie that ebbed and flowed from kick-off to the final whistle.

Brazil dominated the first half and took the lead in the 10th minute after Felipe Melo punished the Dutch for going to sleep in central defence, sliding a ball through to Robinho who finished coolly.

Dunga's men were on top and in control, until a disastrous error from Julio Cesar gifted Holland an equaliser eight minutes after the restart. Wesley Sneijder whipped a cross in from the right and the keeper missed his punch - the ball deflecting off Melo and into his own net.

Holland were soon ahead as Sneijder nodded in to make it a quickfire turnaround, after Dirk Kuyt had flicked on an Arjen Robben corner.

There was still time for more drama and Melo was shown the red card for a blatant stamp on Robben, but Holland held on for the win.

The Dutch were dealt a blow in the pre-match warm-up as centre-back Joris Mathijsen limped out with a knee injury, leaving 35-year-old Andre Ooijer to fill the gap in central defence.

It proved a crucial absence as Holland were carved open after just 10 minutes, with Ooijer and partner John Heitinga nowhere to be seen as Robinho waltzed through to open the scoring.

Warning

Bert van Marwijk's men had been given a warning before the goal, as Robinho had the ball in the net just two minutes previously, but his effort was correctly ruled out after Dani Alves was flagged offside.

This was all after a fiery start to the game in Port Elizabeth, where the challenges were flying in as both sides looked to gain the upper hand in the opening exchanges.

It was Brazil who took the impetus, and they took it with real aplomb. Criticism of the Dutch defence is warranted, as Ooijer and Heitinga should not have allowed a direct pass from deep to split them open with such ease.

But credit must be given to Melo, as the midfielder known for his skills in breaking up the play, slid a ball through with perfect weight and accuracy for Robinho to run onto and confidently slip past Maarten Stekelenburg.

Holland were all at sea and although Kuyt had a shot saved at the near post by Julio Cesar immediately after going behind, the Brazilian defence that has been so solid throughout the World Cup remained impenetrable.

Indeed, the Oranje were becoming increasingly frustrated as Robben was having little joy on the wing, while Robin van Persie cut an isolated figure up front on his own.

They were lucky to not go two behind in the 25th minute as Dani Alves found Juan with a clever corner.

The centre-half hit a first-time effort from just outside the six-yard box but fired it comfortably over the bar when he should have hit the target.

Just six minutes later and Holland had their goalkeeper to thank for keeping out a Kaka effort with a superb athletic save.

The Brazil midfielder, who has not been at his best in South Africa, picked up the ball outside the box after great work from Robinho on the wing, before hitting a curling effort that looked destined for the top corner, but Stekelenburg clawed it away.

Sneijder had the only effort of note for the Dutch in the opening period, but his long-range stinger from a free-kick was straight at Julio Cesar.

In first-half stoppage-time Brazil again came close to doubling their lead when, after a good passing move, Maicon burst onto the scene from right-back and hit a shot into the side netting.

The build-up was reminiscent of Carlos Alberto's strike in the 1970 World Cup final, but it just ended up on the wrong side of the post.

After the break it was a different story as Holland equalised eight minutes after the restart in bizarre fashion. Robben was fouled on the right touchline by Michel Bastos and, with the left-back already on a yellow card, he was in severe danger of being given his marching orders.

Japanese referee Yuichi Nichimura kept his cards in his pocket, but disaster was to strike for Brazil from the resulting free-kick.

The ball was played back to Sneijder, and the Inter Milan man whipped a cross over with his left foot that bamboozled everyone and found its way into the back of the net.

Goalkeeper Julio Cesar came out and made a complete hash of his punch, and although Melo got the last touch and was credited with the own goal, it was the keeper who was at fault.

They say goals change games and the equaliser certainly did - Holland looked a side reborn after pulling level and were soon all over the five-time champions.

Nervous

A backline that previously looked watertight suddenly became nervous and error-prone. At the other end Kaka had a half-volley that drifted narrowly wide in the 66th minute but it was an effort against the run of play.

Sneijder sent the Dutch supporters into raptures in the 68th minute when he put Holland in front with a header from a corner.

Robben, who came alive after the break, whipped the ball in and after Kuyt's flick on, Sneijder was in the right place to divert it home.

From being in a commanding position with one foot in the semi-finals, Brazil were on the ropes and in danger of imploding.

And it was soon to get worse as Melo, the hero after creating the opening goal, was shown the red card after a rash, petulant and frankly stupid stamp on Robben.

The incident epitomised Brazil's downfall in the second half, as they lost control of a game which they previously had by the scruff of the neck.

There were dangerous moments still for Holland, as Mark van Bommel missed his defensive header from a corner only to see the ball flash across the goalmouth, but the Oranje held on for a remarkable victory.


Man of the match: Wesley Sneijder. Masterminded second-half turnaround.

Moment of the match: Julio Cesar's flap at Sneijder's free-kick completely changed the game.

Attempt of the match: Kaka's curling first-half shot drew a fine save from Stekelenburg.
Save of the match: See above!

Talking point: What happened to Brazil at half-time? Brilliant first half, terrible second.

Goal of the game: Sneijder. Best of a not particularly great bunch.

[Black Widow]

Day 21: Quarter-Final




Result: Uruguay (Forlan, 55 Suarez, s/o 120)1 - 1 Ghana (Muntari, 45)
Uruguay Won 4 - 2 on penalties


Uruguay edge past Ghana
Abreu nets winning penalty to set up Holland clash


Uruguay have booked their place in the semi-finals of the World Cup following a heartbreaking penalty-shoot success over Ghana.

Sebastian Abreu scored the match-winning penalty with a cheeky chip to capitalise on misses from John Mensah and young substitute Dominic Adiyiah after the score finished 1-1 after extra-time.

Sulley Muntari opened the scoring with a superb long-range effort, although Diego Forlan's fine second-half free-kick levelled matters to ensure the game went into extra-time.

Ghana should have settled the contest with the last kick of the game but Asamoah Gyan missed the chance to become the hero of a nation when his powerful penalty struck the crossbar.

Adiyiah's goal-bound header looked certain to win the match in the last minute of extra-time but Luis Suarez handled on the line to concede a penalty resulting in a straight red card, an act that he will feel was justified as Uruguay won in the shoot-out following Gyan's crucial miss.

Uruguay were positive from the opening whistle with both Diego Forlan and Suarez lively for the South Americans.

Forlan played in Alvaro Fernandez with four minutes on the clock, but a poor first touch was followed by an over-hit cross into Ghana's penalty area.

Uruguay continued to press and keeper Richard Kingson needed to be well-placed at his near post to deny Suarez after he cleverly got the better of Mensah.

Ghana struggled to find their rhythm and another point-blank save from Kingson kept Uruguay out after Edinson Cavani connected with Forlan's corner.

It continued to be one-way traffic on 26 minutes when Suarez got the better of Isaac Vorsah from a quickly-taken free-kick only for Kingson to superbly tip over the Ajax man's fierce effort.

Change of momentum

However, the half-hour mark signified a change of momentum with Ghana creating their first chance of the game and, in truth, they should have taken the lead.

Vorsah charged forward for a corner and sent a powerful back-post header just wide of Fernando Muslera's goal from Muntari's teasing inswinging corner.

Ghana were beginning to find belief and for the first time in the game Uruguay were feeling the heat after a quick break resulted in Gyan sending a first-time effort just wide of Muslera's near post.

Uruguay were forced into a change on 38 minutes when captain Diego Lugano, who sustained a knee injury earlier in the game, could no longer carry on and he was replaced by Andres Scotti.

Ghana finished the half in the ascendancy and their pressure finally told in injury-time when Muntari's speculative long-range effort caught Muslera wrong-footed to give the African nation a surprise lead.

Uruguay head coach Oscar Tabarez made his second change of the match during half-time as he looked to re-shape his troops with Nicolas Lodeiro replacing Fernandez.

The South Americans thought they might have won a penalty minutes into the second half, but Portuguese referee Olegario Benquerenca waved away Cavani's appeals after he was caught by Vorsah.

Although Ghana had carried the momentum secured from Muntari's opener in the second half that was swiftly wiped out courtesy of Forlan's equaliser.

Moments after John Pantsil was booked for flooring Jorge Fucile, Forlan made Ghana pay from the resulting free-kick by firing a well-struck effort over the out-of-position Kingson.

Ghana tried to respond in kind but Muslera was well placed to save Gyan's drilled effort and Uruguay managed to scramble the ball clear for a corner with Muntari looking to pounce on the rebound.

Unrelenting

The pace of the game was unrelenting and Uruguay were a whisker away from getting their noses in front just after the hour mark when Suarez lashed a volley just wide from Forlan's brilliant corner.

Uruguay continued to create the better chances and only a smart save from Kingson kept out Suarez's drive after he was played in by a neat one-touch pass from substitute Lodeiro.

It was not all one-way traffic however and following a poor clearance from Mauricio Victorino the ball was presented to Gyan, but Muslera was back on his line quickly to save the striker's first-time shot.

However, it was Kingson who continued to be the busier keeper and he was forced to push Suarez's stooping header wide for a corner from Forlan's cross on 78 minutes as Uruguay pressed for a winner before the end of normal time.

There was little to speak of in terms of chances in the first half of extra-time with only Kwadwo Asamoah's wild attempt and Scotti's last-ditch tackle on Gyan the highlights of the 15-minute spell.

However, Uruguay felt they should have been awarded a penalty following Pantsil's sly foul on substitute Abreu, although, once again, Benquerenca was having none of their appeals.

Chances were few and far between in the closing 15 minutes of the game. Forlan had half a sight of goal with a left-footed shot from out wide, but he opted for the ambitious shot from the angle rather than picking out a team-mate.

Ghana very nearly won it in extra-time when Boateng's deflected cross was somehow pushed away from his near post by Muslera.

Ghana did have the perfect chance to claim the victory before the shoot-out when Suarez handled Adiyiah's goal-bound effort on the line, actions that saw him red-carded, but Gyan's penalty struck the crossbar.

Uruguay held their nerve in the shoot-out with Abreu slotting home the South Americans' last penalty to set up a clash with Holland, who upset Brazil earlier on Friday, in the semi-finals of the World Cup in South Africa.


Man of Match: Diego Forlan. Netted a great free-kick to drag his side back into the game and also scored the first penalty in the shoot-out.

Attempt of the match: Luis Suarez rolled his marker before shooting at goal from 16 yards in the first period but Richard Kingson was able to save for a corner.

Save of the match: Kingson saved at point-blank range with his head to prevent a John Pantsil own goal in the first period.

Moment of the match: Asamoah Gyan's last-gasp penalty hit the crossbar when he could have won it for Ghana with the last kick of the game.

Talking point: Suarez's handball on the line at the death which ultimately saved his team.

[Black Widow]

Day 21: Quarter-Final




Result: Uruguay (Forlan, 55 Suarez, s/o 120)1 - 1 Ghana (Muntari, 45)
Uruguay Won 4 - 2 on penalties


Uruguay edge past Ghana
Abreu nets winning penalty to set up Holland clash


Uruguay have booked their place in the semi-finals of the World Cup following a heartbreaking penalty-shoot success over Ghana.

Sebastian Abreu scored the match-winning penalty with a cheeky chip to capitalise on misses from John Mensah and young substitute Dominic Adiyiah after the score finished 1-1 after extra-time.

Sulley Muntari opened the scoring with a superb long-range effort, although Diego Forlan's fine second-half free-kick levelled matters to ensure the game went into extra-time.

Ghana should have settled the contest with the last kick of the game but Asamoah Gyan missed the chance to become the hero of a nation when his powerful penalty struck the crossbar.

Adiyiah's goal-bound header looked certain to win the match in the last minute of extra-time but Luis Suarez handled on the line to concede a penalty resulting in a straight red card, an act that he will feel was justified as Uruguay won in the shoot-out following Gyan's crucial miss.

Uruguay were positive from the opening whistle with both Diego Forlan and Suarez lively for the South Americans.

Forlan played in Alvaro Fernandez with four minutes on the clock, but a poor first touch was followed by an over-hit cross into Ghana's penalty area.

Uruguay continued to press and keeper Richard Kingson needed to be well-placed at his near post to deny Suarez after he cleverly got the better of Mensah.

Ghana struggled to find their rhythm and another point-blank save from Kingson kept Uruguay out after Edinson Cavani connected with Forlan's corner.

It continued to be one-way traffic on 26 minutes when Suarez got the better of Isaac Vorsah from a quickly-taken free-kick only for Kingson to superbly tip over the Ajax man's fierce effort.

Change of momentum

However, the half-hour mark signified a change of momentum with Ghana creating their first chance of the game and, in truth, they should have taken the lead.

Vorsah charged forward for a corner and sent a powerful back-post header just wide of Fernando Muslera's goal from Muntari's teasing inswinging corner.

Ghana were beginning to find belief and for the first time in the game Uruguay were feeling the heat after a quick break resulted in Gyan sending a first-time effort just wide of Muslera's near post.

Uruguay were forced into a change on 38 minutes when captain Diego Lugano, who sustained a knee injury earlier in the game, could no longer carry on and he was replaced by Andres Scotti.

Ghana finished the half in the ascendancy and their pressure finally told in injury-time when Muntari's speculative long-range effort caught Muslera wrong-footed to give the African nation a surprise lead.

Uruguay head coach Oscar Tabarez made his second change of the match during half-time as he looked to re-shape his troops with Nicolas Lodeiro replacing Fernandez.

The South Americans thought they might have won a penalty minutes into the second half, but Portuguese referee Olegario Benquerenca waved away Cavani's appeals after he was caught by Vorsah.

Although Ghana had carried the momentum secured from Muntari's opener in the second half that was swiftly wiped out courtesy of Forlan's equaliser.

Moments after John Pantsil was booked for flooring Jorge Fucile, Forlan made Ghana pay from the resulting free-kick by firing a well-struck effort over the out-of-position Kingson.

Ghana tried to respond in kind but Muslera was well placed to save Gyan's drilled effort and Uruguay managed to scramble the ball clear for a corner with Muntari looking to pounce on the rebound.

Unrelenting

The pace of the game was unrelenting and Uruguay were a whisker away from getting their noses in front just after the hour mark when Suarez lashed a volley just wide from Forlan's brilliant corner.

Uruguay continued to create the better chances and only a smart save from Kingson kept out Suarez's drive after he was played in by a neat one-touch pass from substitute Lodeiro.

It was not all one-way traffic however and following a poor clearance from Mauricio Victorino the ball was presented to Gyan, but Muslera was back on his line quickly to save the striker's first-time shot.

However, it was Kingson who continued to be the busier keeper and he was forced to push Suarez's stooping header wide for a corner from Forlan's cross on 78 minutes as Uruguay pressed for a winner before the end of normal time.

There was little to speak of in terms of chances in the first half of extra-time with only Kwadwo Asamoah's wild attempt and Scotti's last-ditch tackle on Gyan the highlights of the 15-minute spell.

However, Uruguay felt they should have been awarded a penalty following Pantsil's sly foul on substitute Abreu, although, once again, Benquerenca was having none of their appeals.

Chances were few and far between in the closing 15 minutes of the game. Forlan had half a sight of goal with a left-footed shot from out wide, but he opted for the ambitious shot from the angle rather than picking out a team-mate.

Ghana very nearly won it in extra-time when Boateng's deflected cross was somehow pushed away from his near post by Muslera.

Ghana did have the perfect chance to claim the victory before the shoot-out when Suarez handled Adiyiah's goal-bound effort on the line, actions that saw him red-carded, but Gyan's penalty struck the crossbar.

Uruguay held their nerve in the shoot-out with Abreu slotting home the South Americans' last penalty to set up a clash with Holland, who upset Brazil earlier on Friday, in the semi-finals of the World Cup in South Africa.


Man of Match: Diego Forlan. Netted a great free-kick to drag his side back into the game and also scored the first penalty in the shoot-out.

Attempt of the match: Luis Suarez rolled his marker before shooting at goal from 16 yards in the first period but Richard Kingson was able to save for a corner.

Save of the match: Kingson saved at point-blank range with his head to prevent a John Pantsil own goal in the first period.

Moment of the match: Asamoah Gyan's last-gasp penalty hit the crossbar when he could have won it for Ghana with the last kick of the game.

Talking point: Suarez's handball on the line at the death which ultimately saved his team.

[Black Widow]

Day 22: Quarter-Final




Argentina v Germany preview
Attacking sides lock horns in Cape Town quarter-final


Cape Town is the setting for what promises to be a thrilling World Cup quarter-final on Saturday afternoon.

England supporters plotting their side's course through the tournament would have been licking their lips at the prospect of a clash with Diego Maradona's Argentina.

But the Three Lions are now back home following a shambolic campaign that ended with a 4-1 defeat to Germany in Bloemfontein last weekend.

Germany displayed all the verve and vitality in beating England that has transformed them from outsiders to genuine contenders in the minds of many onlookers.

But Joachim Low's men are not the only team to have received plaudits for their attacking style, with Argentina moving impressively into the last eight with four straight wins.

Argentina swept through their group with a perfect record before producing a classy performance to overcome Mexico 3-1.

Both sides benefited from controversial decisions in the last 16, with Carlos Tevez lucky to see his opening goal stand against Mexico when he was clearly offside and England's Frank Lampard denied a legitimate equaliser in the clash with Germany after his shot that crossed the line was not spotted by officials.

But there can be no doubting that they were deserved winners and a spot in the semi-finals is now just one victory away, with either Spain or Paraguay lying in wait

Team news

Germany are sweating on the fitness of Lukas Podolski ahead of the clash, with the in-form striker hoping to shake off a thigh problem in time for kick-off.

Cacau is still suffering from a strained abdominal muscle and is unlikely to be involved, but rising star Mesut Ozil is set to feature after being rested from training.

Argentina's Lionel Messi also missed a training session on Thursday due to a cold but is expected to play as he aims to score his first goal of the tournament.

Walter Samuel has recovered from a thigh problem but is not expected to displace Nicolas Burdisso or Martin Demichelis at centre-back.

Juan Sebastian Veron is vying for a place in midfield with Maxi Rodriguez.

[Black Widow]

Day 22: Quarter-Final




Argentina v Germany preview
Attacking sides lock horns in Cape Town quarter-final


Cape Town is the setting for what promises to be a thrilling World Cup quarter-final on Saturday afternoon.

England supporters plotting their side's course through the tournament would have been licking their lips at the prospect of a clash with Diego Maradona's Argentina.

But the Three Lions are now back home following a shambolic campaign that ended with a 4-1 defeat to Germany in Bloemfontein last weekend.

Germany displayed all the verve and vitality in beating England that has transformed them from outsiders to genuine contenders in the minds of many onlookers.

But Joachim Low's men are not the only team to have received plaudits for their attacking style, with Argentina moving impressively into the last eight with four straight wins.

Argentina swept through their group with a perfect record before producing a classy performance to overcome Mexico 3-1.

Both sides benefited from controversial decisions in the last 16, with Carlos Tevez lucky to see his opening goal stand against Mexico when he was clearly offside and England's Frank Lampard denied a legitimate equaliser in the clash with Germany after his shot that crossed the line was not spotted by officials.

But there can be no doubting that they were deserved winners and a spot in the semi-finals is now just one victory away, with either Spain or Paraguay lying in wait

Team news

Germany are sweating on the fitness of Lukas Podolski ahead of the clash, with the in-form striker hoping to shake off a thigh problem in time for kick-off.

Cacau is still suffering from a strained abdominal muscle and is unlikely to be involved, but rising star Mesut Ozil is set to feature after being rested from training.

Argentina's Lionel Messi also missed a training session on Thursday due to a cold but is expected to play as he aims to score his first goal of the tournament.

Walter Samuel has recovered from a thigh problem but is not expected to displace Nicolas Burdisso or Martin Demichelis at centre-back.

Juan Sebastian Veron is vying for a place in midfield with Maxi Rodriguez.

[Black Widow]

Day 22: Quarter-Final




Paraguay v Spain preview
Duo battle it out to face either Germany or Argentina


Paraguay battle Spain on Saturday evening for a place in the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Spain are looking to secure just their second ever spot in the last four at a World Cup while this summer's finals are Paraguay's best ever.

In 1950 Spain reached the semi-finals when just 13 teams played in Brazil and the four group winners advanced to a round-robin pool to decide the honours.

Spain disposed of their under-achievers tag two years ago after winning the European Championship and will start as favourites against the South Americans.

Paraguay have been rock-solid at the back having conceded just once in the competition, although they have struggled at the other end with just three goals from their four matches.

The teams will battle it out to win the right to play either Germany or Argentina on 7th July.

Spain news

Forward Fernando Llorente could be drafted in up front after impressing off the bench in Tuesday's 1-0 second-round success over Portugal on Tuesday.

However, head coach Vicente Del Bosque is expected to keep the same starting line-up and had confirmed Liverpool's Fernando Torres will start alongside Barcelona's new signing David Villa.

Villa, who scored Spain's winner against Portugal, is the tournament's joint-leading scorer with four goals so far this summer in South Africa.

Reserve defender Raul Albiol is almost certain to be unavailable due to an ankle injury, while midfielder Javi Martinez trained normally on Friday after hurting his right ankle a day earlier.

Paraguay news

Paraguay arrive at the quarter-final stage on the back of three straight shut-outs, and a perfect five-for-five record in the penalty shoot-out against Japan when the teams' second-round game was goalless after extra-time.

Paraguay coach Gerardo Martino is still looking for a first goal from his forward line in South Africa.

The pressure is firmly on Roque Santa Cruz, Lucas Barrios and Nelson Valdez, none of whom have scored yet, to deliver the goods.

Captain Justo Villar will retain his place in goal, while the defence may comprise Carlos Bonet, Antolin Alcaraz, Paulo Da Silva and Claudio Morel Rodriguez.

[Black Widow]

Day 22: Quarter-Final




Result: Argentina 0 - 4 Germany (Muller, 3 Klose, 67,89 Friedrich, 74)


Germany end Diego's dream
Klose brace, Muller and Friedrich goals beat Maradona's men


Thomas Muller and Miroslav Klose were on target once more as Germany booked their World Cup semi-final place at the expense of Argentina.

Muller netted the last two goals in the 4-1 win over England last time but was quicker off the mark in Cape Town, heading home in the third minute as Joachim Low's side made a blistering start.

Klose, who had scored the opener against England, then tapped home a 67th minute second.

Arne Friedrich netted a third seven minutes later and Klose scored his second with a minute to go to make sure of the success over Diego Maradona's men.

The victory means Germany will now face Spain or Paraguay on Wednesday for a place in next Sunday's final.

It also dashed for now Maradona's dream of reaching a World Cup final as a coach after he lifted the trophy as a player at Germany's expense in 1986 and then was the losing captain to the same rivals four years later.

Both sides were unchanged for this clash, with Germany's attacking midfielders Mesut Ozil and Lukas Podolski both passed fit, while Argentinian talisman Lionel Messi brushed off a midweek cold to lead the attack alongside Carlos Tevez and Gonzalo Higuain.

The contest ended in controversy when the two sides met at the same stage of the last World Cup, with a mass brawl erupting after the Germans won on penalties.

Feistiness

The feistiness between the two sides continued here and was evidenced when Klose clattered Martin Demichelis from behind in the second minute.

Germany then got their early goal a minute later, going ahead when Muller got the slightest of headers onto Bastian Schweinsteiger's inswinging free-kick from the left.

Low's side continued to press and Schweinsteiger had a long-range shot blocked and he then blasted over.

Nicolas Otamendi picked up the first booking on 11 minutes for fouling Friedrich, while Javier Mascherano clattered Schweinsteiger three minutes later and was lucky to get away without a caution which would have caused him to miss the semi-finals.

Argentina came more into the game and won their first corner on 17 minutes but Per Mertesacker headed clear, while Messi then carved their first chance five minutes later, almost getting Tevez through on goal with an exquisite pass but Manuel Neuer was quickly off his line to gather.

Klose then missed a great chance to put his side two-up soon afterwards from Muller's pass but he blasted over from 12 yards.

Gabriel Heinze then shot wide on the half-hour mark, while Messi put a free-kick just over, Angel Di Maria shot at Neuer and Higuain turned Friedrich in the box before forcing the German keeper into a good save to his left as Maradona's side pressed for an equaliser.

Muller was then booked for handball meaning he will miss the semi-final, with Otamendi putting the ball in the net from the subsequent free-kick after Messi's effort had hit the wall but Tevez was rightly given offside in the build-up.

Second period

In the second period, Argentina started strongly with Di Maria blasting wide from long range before Mascherano again clattered Schweinsteiger as their bruising midfield battle continued.

Tevez's effort from 12 yards smacked Mertesacker in the face before Neuer fumbled Higuain's cross from the right but Philipp Lahm was there to clear.

Higuain was just offside running onto Messi's great pass while Tevez's long-range effort was straight at Neuer as Argentina continued to try and find a way back into the game.

But Klose got the crucial second goal for Low's side on 67 minutes when tapping home Podolski's pass.

Friedrich then scored his first ever goal for Germany - and put the game beyond doubt - when netting from close range seven minutes later after Schweinsteiger had made a fantastic run into the box.

Mascherano finally went into the referee's book for another crunching tackle late on but it was all academic as Klose added his second with a minute to go to send Maradona's side crashing out and the improving Germans marching on.


Man of the Match: Bastian Schweinsteiger produced a performance on a par to that which destroyed England. The Germany midfielder dictated the game from start to finish with assists, shots and endless tackling back. The man of the tournament.

Goal of the Match: Klose's second and Germany's fourth was brilliant. Argentina had already lost heart, but it was still a ruthless counter-attack and Klose's side-footed volley allowed him to draw level with Gerd Muller on goals scored at World Cup finals.

Moment of the Match: Love him or loathe him, an emotional Diego Maradona being led away after his team had been taught a lesson was a sad sight.

Talking Point: Are Germany now favourites to win the World Cup? Teams keep underestimating Joachim Low's side, but they look a very strong outfit.

[Black Widow]

Day 22: Quarter-Final




Result: Paraguay 0 - 1 Spain (Villa, 82)


Villa spares Spain's blushes
Paraguay depart as Cardozo and Alonso both miss pens


An 83rd minute goal from David Villa defeated a dogged Paraguay as Spain unconvincingly booked a World Cup semi-final tie with Germany.

Villa scored with seven minutes remaining at Ellis Park to save his country's blushes following an unusually lacklustre performance and send them to the last four for the first time in their history.

The winning goal came after Oscar Cardozo and Xabi Alonso both missed penalties, the latter following a re-take.

Spain head coach Vicente del Bosque name an unchanged starting XI, despite pressure to remove the mis-firing Fernando Torres. Chile, meanwhile, made six changes to the team which beat Japan on penalties. Among those alterations, forward trio Roque Santa Cruz, Lucas Barrios and Edgar Benitez all dropped to the bench.

Paraguay enjoyed an opening as early as the first minute when Jonathan Santana's effort was smothered by Iker Casillas. Spain, who began with a 4-4-2 system as David Villa partnered Torres, struggled to create in the opening 10 minutes and again their opponents half-threatened with Cristian Riveros plopping a header over the bar.

The game continued to struggle for a natural rhythm, with Spain notably frustrated as their first threat was merely a Sergio Ramos crossed which was punched away by Villar. And then Paraguay came within a whisker of a real opportunity when an unmarked Antolin Alcaraz almost got his head to a teasing free-kick.

Loose passing

Around the half-hour mark, there were glimpses that Spain were finding themselves. First, Villa, back on the left channel, darted past his man but could not find a team-mate with his cut-back. Then, Xavi went mighty close after his first touch went airborne and he swivelled before unleashing a dipping drive that flew just over the bar.

But the Paraguayans wasted little time in reminding Spain of their own threat. In the 35th minute, a wonderful cross from Claudio Morel only just evaded Santana before Nelson Valdez had the ball in the back of the net, only for the flag to be raised for offside after Cardozo became active when challenging for the ball.

And despite Spain expectantly dominating possession, the scoreline remained unexpectedly goalless. Indeed, just prior to the half-time whistle, Valdez wriggled goalwards but then sliced his strike wayward to conclude 45 minutes of Spain out-of-sorts and Paraguay sensing so but unable to pounce.

The second half picked up where the first left off, with Paraguay organised, despite their six changes, and Spain lacklustre with their passing unusually loose at times. And in the 55th minute, Del Bosque acted, bringing on Cesc Fabregas for the continually disappointing Torres.

Then, between the 55th and 62nd minute, madness took place. First, Paraguay won a penalty when Gerard Pique pulled down Cardozo in the area. The central defender was rightly booked for the misdemeanour before Cardozo dusted himself to take the spot-kick, only to see the strike saved by Casillas - although no re-take was awarded despite obvious encroachment from Spanish players.

Penalty madness

Almost immediately up the other end, referee Carlos Batres again pointed to the spot, this time for a foul committed by Alcaraz on Villa, with the former arguably lucky to only be booked and not dismissed for seemingly denying the latter a goalscoring opportunity. Xabi Alonso stepped up and slotted in, but, ironically, the official this time wanted a re-take for marginal encroachment.

Alonso trotted up once more but Villar denied him. The goalkeeper dove to his left to parry and the ball spilled in the penalty area. Fabregas aimed to fire in the rebound but he was wiped out by Villar before the ball finally was removed from danger. The referee, however, staggeringly saw nothing wrong with the challenge on Fabregas.

On 63 minutes, Andres Iniesta's curling shot was theatrically palmed clear by Vilar as Spain upped their tempo. A spate of changes then took place, with Paraguay's Edgar Barreto and Valdez replaced by Enrique Vera and Roque Santa Cruz, while Del Bosque swapped Alonso for Pedro.

With seven minutes remaining, the deadlock was finally broken. Iniesta embarked on a quite dazzling run and fed Pedro, who struck but hit the foot of the post. The rebound fell to Villa, who steadied himself and saw his shot clip both posts before rolling home to put the Spaniards in front and take his goals tally for the tournament to five.

Paraguay spurned their opportunity for a dramatic leveller when Casillas spilled Lucas Barrios' strike but redeemed himself as he blocked at the second attempt with Santa Cruz drilling against the keeper's leg. Gerardo Martino's men perhaps deserved at least extra-time, but they were ultimately undone by probably the player of the 2010 World Cup.


Man of the match: Iniesta. An inspirational performance on a night when Spain could have been knocked out.

Moment of the match: Oscar Cardozo failing to beat Iker Casillas from the penalty spot in the second half.

Attempt of the match: Alonso tucking away the first penalty with aplomb, but was then made to re-take it.

Save of the match: Villar diving to his left to keep out Alonso's retaken penalty.

Talking point: Should Alonso's first penalty have been re-taken? Replays showed that there was more encroachment by Spain for Cardozo's miss.

[DA]

Stupid octopus :\

[Kenpachi Zaraki]

Stupid octopus :\

You don't fuck with the Octopus :D

[Black Widow]

Day 23: Semi-Final




Uruguay v Holland preview
Green Point Stadium the scene of unexpected semi-final


It would be fair to say that Tuesday night's World Cup semi-final at Green Point Stadium follows the unpredictable nature of the summer as Uruguay and Holland prepare to meet in Cape Town.

For Oscar Tabarez's Uruguay it places a return to the globe-conquering days of 1930 and 1950 within unexpected reach, while it can also be argued that Bert van Marwijk's Holland have surpassed expectations.

Uruguay, surprisingly South America's last remaining representation in the 2010 World Cup, may have won the maiden finals 80 years ago, before repeating the feat two decades later, but they are now in territory not chartered since finishing fourth in 1970.

Holland, famously finalists in 1974 and 1978, were the dark horse choice of many prior to the start of the tournament in South Africa, but it was also suspected that they would characteristically implode in a flash of in-house bickering that has undermined recent campaigns.

The fact that both sides have made it to the last four, along with Spain and Germany, therefore marks a significant achievement and sets an intriguing scene as fans get ready to gather close to Signal Hill.

Romance

There is perhaps a little more romance associated with underdog Uruguay's presence in the semi-finals, but Tabarez, who guided the nation to a round-of-16 place at Italia 90 in a previous stint in charge, is refusing to get carried away.

He has pointed to a level of expectation surrounding two-time champions which has not been satisfied over the past 40 years and he does not want the pressure to impact upon his players against a Holland team who have not lost in 24 matches.

Uruguay have earned many plaudits for the style of their football in topping Group A before defeating South Korea in the second round prior to the dramatic and controversial quarter-final elimination of Ghana, but they are still outsiders.

Tabarez's task has increased in difficulty due to the fact that influential striker Luis Suarez, having found his feet after a slow start to the competition, is suspended following his red card for the much-debated goalline handball that denied Ghana.

Defender Jorge Ciro Fucile is also ineligible, while captain Diego Lugano is an injury doubt and midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro has been ruled out of the finals due to a broken foot to place even more pressure on the shoulders of key man Diego Forlan.

Strain

Meanwhile, it is difficult to measure the strain on Van Marwijk. Is he now expected to deliver the World Cup or is he still earning praise for simply avoiding rows and bust-ups to get the Dutch to a first semi-final since 1998?

Van Marwijk's side have been criticised for lacking the characteristic Oranje, Total Football style of Johan Cruyff, Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten, but it cannot be argued that they are not getting the job done.

After a 100 per cent record this summer, topping Group E and beating Slovakia before stunning favourites Brazil, Holland have still not lost since a friendly against Australia in September 2008 and they are expected to stretch that statistic.

The Dutch were boosted when main striker Robin van Persie was declared fit to play against Uruguay after a scan revealed his left elbow injury was not as bad as first feared.

With defender Joris Mathijsen also available again after a knee problem, Holland no longer have any injury worries, but midfielder Nigel de Jong and defender Gregory van der Wiel are out of the game due to suspension.

[Black Widow]

Day 23: Semi-Final




Result: Uruguay (Forlan, 41 Pereira, 90) 2 - 3 Holland (van Bronckhorst, 18 Sneijder, 70 Robben, 73)


Determined Dutch charge on
Oranje delight in Cape Town as Uruguay are dumped out


Holland maintained their impressive winning streak to book their spot in the World Cup final with a 3-2 triumph over Uruguay.

Bert van Marwijk's side, who are on course to raise their first World Cup trophy, were shown real fight by the South Americans, but eventually edged home to complete a 25-match unbeaten run.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst was the hero for Holland in an enthralling first half as he powered home an unstoppable strike from long range that even Luis Suarez's 'Hand of God' would have struggled to keep out.

Man-of-the-moment Diego Forlan then unleashed his Midas-touch just before the break as he curled the equaliser past Maarten Stekelenburg, who could have made an easy save.

But Wesley Sneijder put Holland back in charge 20 minutes from time as his deflected strike from inside the box flew past Fernando Muslera and into the bottom left-hand corner, before Arjen Robben found the back of the net just three minutes later with a neat headed effort into the bottom right-hand corner.

Maxi Pereira hit back for Uruguay in the first minute of added time but it turned out to be simply a consolation strike despite a tense final few seconds as the South Americans failed to act out a full comeback.

Holland's victory seals their passage to the decider for the first time since 1978, where they will take on the winner of Wednesday's other semi-final clash between Germany and Spain.

Lively start

Both teams made a lively start, with Uruguay seizing slightly more possession in the opening stages as the Dutch defenders were given the chance to stretch their legs.

But the Uruguayan fans were made nervous for the first time in the fourth minute when Muslera failed to punch clear a Robben cross, allowing Dirk Kuyt to come close with a right-foot shot from 12 yards out which he fired over the crossbar.

More pressure from the Oranje ensued, broken only by a tentative unsuccessful effort by Alvaro Pereira from around the half-way line and climaxing in a stunning cross swung over by Kuyt from the left that Robben was unable to get under with his head.

Forlan missed the opportunity to feed the breaking Edinson Cavani when he delivered a wayward pass in the 11th minute, then Muslera was spared from more trouble as a Wesley Sneijder shot from 20 yards slammed into his own team-mate Robin van Persie.

The Dutch continued to pile on the pressure until Van Bronckhorst drew first blood with an extraordinary strike from 41 yards out in the 18th minute, which soared over Muslera and smashed decisively into the top right-hand corner of the net.

The Uruguay defence managed to keep a dangerous-looking Robben and Van Persie from delivering any follow-up, but there was more woe for the South Americans soon after when Maxi Pereira was the first man to see yellow for a challenge on Robben.

Van Bronckhorst's stunner seemed to have subdued the Uruguayans as the Dutch began to dominate, but a high kick from Martin Caceres that booted Demy de Zeeuw square in the face caused tempers on both sides to flare, despite the blow appearing accidental.

Sneijder put his hand around Caceres' head in the resulting scuffle, causing the South American to fall to the ground and the referee to reach for the yellow card for both players.

Uruguay began to assert themselves more as Stekelenburg was forced to make a save from a tame Alvaro Pereira shot, then the South Americans could breathe again when Forlan unleashed more of his heroics to level the score.

After delivering an effort that was too high and wide only minutes before, the former Manchester United man collected the ball 35 yards out before turning and curling a neat left-foot shot straight at Stekelenburg, who fumbled what should have been an easy save.

A fearsome-looking Forlan then appeared to be coming back for more just before half-time as he fired over another shot, but Stekelenburg managed to keep it out, leaving the scoreline on a knife-edge at the break.

Holland made slow and clumsy progress after the restart in contrast to the up-tempo first half, with players unnecessarily relinquishing possession and a quiet Van Persie showing surprising inaccuracy.

Wasted

Substitute Rafael van der Vaart then completely wasted a Dutch corner which drifted out of play, before a Sneijder free-kick was flicked wide by Joris Mathijsen, with the shaky Netherlands side still looking ill-at-ease and lacking structure.

Forlan had the Dutch players' hearts in their mouths when he hit a powerful free-kick bang on target but Stekelenburg was able to palm it away.

The Netherlands finally went up a gear, but were denied two chances in quick succession, then Sneijder finally found the back of the net with a deflected effort off Maxi Pereira from inside the box.

Uruguay tried to protest Van Persie, who did not touch the ball, was offside as he tried to knock it in, but the replay showed he was level when Sneijder fired.

There was more joy for Holland only three minutes later as Kuyt fired an impressive cross into the box, which Robben tidily headed past a bamboozled Muslera to make it 3-1 to the Oranje.

Holland almost landed another goal in the late stages of the match as a fine pass from Van Persie put Robben on course, but top defending from Diego Godin denied them.

Maxi Pereira made a last-ditch effort at a Uruguay comeback in the first minute of added time as he powered home a second strike for the South Americans, but it was not enough as, after a late and valiant search for another goal by the men in the blue, the final whistle sealed the Netherlands' victory.


Man of the Match: Giovanni van Bronckhorst takes the award simply for the quality of his glorious opening goal, his sixth for his country as he won his 105th cap.

Goal of the Match: Van Bronckhorst opened the scoring in stunning style with a 40-yard effort which arrowed into the top corner and gave Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera not a prayer of keeping it out.

Moment of the Match: Arjen Robben's superb header from Dirk Kuyt's excellent cross to put Holland 3-1 ahead moments after they had regained the lead proved to be the crucial goal as Uruguay mounted a late fightback.

Save of the Match: Maarten Stekelenburg, who was at fault for Diego Forlan's leveller, dived low to his right to keep out another effort from the Uruguay forward after a free-kick came over the wall.

Talking Point: Can Holland finally lift the World Cup after reaching their third final? Will Diego Forlan be tempted by a return to the Premier League?

[Black Widow]

Day 23: Semi-Final




Result: Uruguay (Forlan, 41 Pereira, 90) 2 - 3 Holland (van Bronckhorst, 18 Sneijder, 70 Robben, 73)


Determined Dutch charge on
Oranje delight in Cape Town as Uruguay are dumped out


Holland maintained their impressive winning streak to book their spot in the World Cup final with a 3-2 triumph over Uruguay.

Bert van Marwijk's side, who are on course to raise their first World Cup trophy, were shown real fight by the South Americans, but eventually edged home to complete a 25-match unbeaten run.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst was the hero for Holland in an enthralling first half as he powered home an unstoppable strike from long range that even Luis Suarez's 'Hand of God' would have struggled to keep out.

Man-of-the-moment Diego Forlan then unleashed his Midas-touch just before the break as he curled the equaliser past Maarten Stekelenburg, who could have made an easy save.

But Wesley Sneijder put Holland back in charge 20 minutes from time as his deflected strike from inside the box flew past Fernando Muslera and into the bottom left-hand corner, before Arjen Robben found the back of the net just three minutes later with a neat headed effort into the bottom right-hand corner.

Maxi Pereira hit back for Uruguay in the first minute of added time but it turned out to be simply a consolation strike despite a tense final few seconds as the South Americans failed to act out a full comeback.

Holland's victory seals their passage to the decider for the first time since 1978, where they will take on the winner of Wednesday's other semi-final clash between Germany and Spain.

Lively start

Both teams made a lively start, with Uruguay seizing slightly more possession in the opening stages as the Dutch defenders were given the chance to stretch their legs.

But the Uruguayan fans were made nervous for the first time in the fourth minute when Muslera failed to punch clear a Robben cross, allowing Dirk Kuyt to come close with a right-foot shot from 12 yards out which he fired over the crossbar.

More pressure from the Oranje ensued, broken only by a tentative unsuccessful effort by Alvaro Pereira from around the half-way line and climaxing in a stunning cross swung over by Kuyt from the left that Robben was unable to get under with his head.

Forlan missed the opportunity to feed the breaking Edinson Cavani when he delivered a wayward pass in the 11th minute, then Muslera was spared from more trouble as a Wesley Sneijder shot from 20 yards slammed into his own team-mate Robin van Persie.

The Dutch continued to pile on the pressure until Van Bronckhorst drew first blood with an extraordinary strike from 41 yards out in the 18th minute, which soared over Muslera and smashed decisively into the top right-hand corner of the net.

The Uruguay defence managed to keep a dangerous-looking Robben and Van Persie from delivering any follow-up, but there was more woe for the South Americans soon after when Maxi Pereira was the first man to see yellow for a challenge on Robben.

Van Bronckhorst's stunner seemed to have subdued the Uruguayans as the Dutch began to dominate, but a high kick from Martin Caceres that booted Demy de Zeeuw square in the face caused tempers on both sides to flare, despite the blow appearing accidental.

Sneijder put his hand around Caceres' head in the resulting scuffle, causing the South American to fall to the ground and the referee to reach for the yellow card for both players.

Uruguay began to assert themselves more as Stekelenburg was forced to make a save from a tame Alvaro Pereira shot, then the South Americans could breathe again when Forlan unleashed more of his heroics to level the score.

After delivering an effort that was too high and wide only minutes before, the former Manchester United man collected the ball 35 yards out before turning and curling a neat left-foot shot straight at Stekelenburg, who fumbled what should have been an easy save.

A fearsome-looking Forlan then appeared to be coming back for more just before half-time as he fired over another shot, but Stekelenburg managed to keep it out, leaving the scoreline on a knife-edge at the break.

Holland made slow and clumsy progress after the restart in contrast to the up-tempo first half, with players unnecessarily relinquishing possession and a quiet Van Persie showing surprising inaccuracy.

Wasted

Substitute Rafael van der Vaart then completely wasted a Dutch corner which drifted out of play, before a Sneijder free-kick was flicked wide by Joris Mathijsen, with the shaky Netherlands side still looking ill-at-ease and lacking structure.

Forlan had the Dutch players' hearts in their mouths when he hit a powerful free-kick bang on target but Stekelenburg was able to palm it away.

The Netherlands finally went up a gear, but were denied two chances in quick succession, then Sneijder finally found the back of the net with a deflected effort off Maxi Pereira from inside the box.

Uruguay tried to protest Van Persie, who did not touch the ball, was offside as he tried to knock it in, but the replay showed he was level when Sneijder fired.

There was more joy for Holland only three minutes later as Kuyt fired an impressive cross into the box, which Robben tidily headed past a bamboozled Muslera to make it 3-1 to the Oranje.

Holland almost landed another goal in the late stages of the match as a fine pass from Van Persie put Robben on course, but top defending from Diego Godin denied them.

Maxi Pereira made a last-ditch effort at a Uruguay comeback in the first minute of added time as he powered home a second strike for the South Americans, but it was not enough as, after a late and valiant search for another goal by the men in the blue, the final whistle sealed the Netherlands' victory.


Man of the Match: Giovanni van Bronckhorst takes the award simply for the quality of his glorious opening goal, his sixth for his country as he won his 105th cap.

Goal of the Match: Van Bronckhorst opened the scoring in stunning style with a 40-yard effort which arrowed into the top corner and gave Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera not a prayer of keeping it out.

Moment of the Match: Arjen Robben's superb header from Dirk Kuyt's excellent cross to put Holland 3-1 ahead moments after they had regained the lead proved to be the crucial goal as Uruguay mounted a late fightback.

Save of the Match: Maarten Stekelenburg, who was at fault for Diego Forlan's leveller, dived low to his right to keep out another effort from the Uruguay forward after a free-kick came over the wall.

Talking Point: Can Holland finally lift the World Cup after reaching their third final? Will Diego Forlan be tempted by a return to the Premier League?

[Black Widow]

Day 24: Semi-Final




Germany v Spain preview
Del Bosque to decide on Torres; Low considers Muller absence


European giants Germany and Spain battle for a place in the World Cup final when they lock horns at Durban Stadium on Wednesday.

Revenge will likely be on German minds when the pair meet after Spain vanquished them as they claimed glory in Vienna at Euro 2008 - there are 19 survivors in their respective current squads from that game.

In contrast, several of the Germany side are no strangers to success after the younger members of the team marched to a European Under 21 Football Championship triumph last year.

Form may well be on Germany's side, with the nation arguably in better temper heading into the semi-final tie having scored eight goals in their past two matches to trounce England and Argentina.

Spain, meanwhile, were unconvincing as they reached the last four after seeing off Portugal before stuttering their way past a resilient Paraguay outfit.

Spain's point of contention over team selection is the debate over whether to continue with the mis-firing Fernando Torres, who scored his country's winning goal against Germany two years ago.

Torres

Torres has desperately struggled for form in South Africa, especially when compared to strike partner David Villa, and it remains to be seen if Vicente del Bosque will keep faith with the attacker.

The Liverpool man's inclusion in the starting XI could hinge on the availability of midfielder Cesc Fabregas, who is looking to overcome shoulder and leg problems in time for the clash after impressing as a substitute against Paraguay.

For Germany coach Joachim Low, Arne Friedrich (foot) and Sami Khedira (hamstring) both missed training on Monday, but the pair are expected to win their respective races to be available.

Striker Cacau has also been struggling for fitness but could be at Low's disposal, with the boss forced to choose who to bring in for the suspended Thomas Muller, who has been so impressive to date.

Attack-minded trio Cacau, Piotr Trochowski and Mario Gomez are all in the frame to replace Muller versus the Spanish.

[Travicity]

Oh yea tomorrow better be a cracker.

[Black Widow]

im hoping it is a cracker 2 great teams, i hope theres alot of goals

[Black Widow]

Day 24: Semi-Final




Result: Germany 0 - 1 Spain (Puyol, 73)


Spain close to greatness
Germany's new generation forced to wait for the future


Spain took the next step towards footballing immortality as they booked a place in their first World Cup final following a 1-0 semi-final victory over Germany in Durban.

Flair, culture and aesthetics have underlined the rise to prominence of the European champions and the irony at the Moses Mabhida Stadium was therefore palpable as a no-nonsense Carles Puyol header settled the contest in the second half.

For Joachim Low's Germany it was a repeat of the heartbreaking 1-0 defeat to Spain in the final of Euro 2008 and it marked the end of a memorable campaign, but the emergence of a young, exciting side will no doubt signal a force to be reckoned with in years to come.

But it cannot be argued that the much-praised generation of Spanish players, who were playing in their country's maiden World Cup semi-final, did not deserve to book a date with Holland on Sunday and the chance to seal their name as icons.

Vicente del Bosque's pre-tournament favourites dominated possession and managed to quell the threat of Germany, surely making the group-stage defeat to Switzerland feel like a lifetime ago for those at home in Europe.

The final with Holland will now represent a clash between two of the continent's historical underachievers on the world stage, with the Total Football of the Oranje famously failing to succeed in finals in 1974 and 1978.

It will also mean that a new winner of the World Cup will be etched into the history books come the conclusion of events in Johannesburg's Soccer City at the end of the weekend.

As expected, Fernando Torres' struggle to find form in South Africa cost the Liverpool striker his place in Spain's starting line-up, but the surprise was that Pedro Rodriguez was selected to partner soon-to-be Barcelona team-mate David Villa.

Germany coach Low picked Piotr Trochowski to replace suspended winger Thomas Muller, while forward Miroslav Klose started with eyes on the one goal he required to draw level with former Brazil striker Ronaldo's record of 15 at World Cup finals.

Klose has established himself as a goalscoring great at World Cup finals, but 2010 will be remembered for the cautious and restrained approach of teams and, with the stakes increased, this semi-final was not embarrassed to follow suit in the opening exchanges.

Room to breathe

Spain dominated possession and Manuel Neuer had to be quick off his line in the sixth minute to collect a pass from the lively Pedro and deny Villa the chance to add to his five goals in South Africa, but the cerebral trio of Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Xabi Alonso were struggling to find room to breathe.

Around the quarter-hour mark, Iniesta drifted to the right in order to locate some space and he succeeded, pinging a cross in the direction of Puyol, however, the rugged centre-back is not known for his finesse and his diving header cannoned well over the crossbar.

With Spain enjoying predictable dictation of the infamous Jabulani, the pre-match theory suggested that Germany would plot to pick off their opponents with the enterprising and attractive counter-attacking that had swept aside England by a 4-1 scoreline and Argentina by 4-0.

But whether or not an intentional tactic of Low, who was sporting the blue V-neck sweater of the earlier victories in the knockout stages due to the superstitions of his squad and coaching staff, Die Mannschaft were cautious, Muller was being missed.

The 11-time World Cup semi-finalists did not seem to back their passing against that of the triangulating Spanish and as a result a fascinating tactical match of cat and mouse developed.

Spain had done their homework where England and Argentina had failed and Del Bosque's side were back in organised numbers on the occasions Germany did attempt break, teaching Fabio Capello and Diego Maradona a lesson.

It appeared the best Germany would muster before half-time was a skimming Trochowski effort shortly after half-an-hour had been played, which had to be tipped around a post by Iker Casillas.

But in stoppage time before the blast on referee Viktor Kassai's whistle, Mesut Ozil burst forward and went down under pressure from Sergio Ramos. It was debatable whether the contact was inside the box, the Hungarian match official was not interested.

Déjà vu

Spain, surely suffering the symptoms of déjà vu after being forced to grind down Portugal and Paraguay in the knockout stages, picked up where they left off after half-time. But Alonso, Xavi and Iniesta were beginning to come into prominence.

Alonso, first with the right foot and secondly with the left, had Neuer diving with characteristically caressed efforts, however, the Real Madrid man could not build on his excellent tournament to date with his first goal of the summer.

Low bizarrely decided the time was right to replace the Manchester City-bound Jerome Boateng with Marcell Jansen, before making the more understandable, attacking change of 20-year-old Toni Kroos for Trochowski 10 minutes later.

Spain, though, had stepped on the gas and Iniesta darted into the box after collecting the ball from Alonso to roll an agonising pass across Germany's six-yard box that proved just out of reach for Villa.

Germany took this as an invitation to show some attacking impetus of their own. Kroos, though, somewhat scuffed his glorious chance straight at Casillas when meeting Lukas Podolski's cross.

It was to be a harsh lesson for the Bayern Munich youngster as he would still have been ruing his failure to deliver a clean connection when Spain scored what proved to be the winner in the 73rd minute.

Xavi delivered a pinpoint corner and while Puyol had demonstrated in the first half that a deft touch might not be his forte, the centre-back displayed that he does not lack power as he ran and rose unchallenged to rocket a header past Neuer's left hand.

Torres earned an appearance in the late stages and could have had his first goal of the summer if it had not been for the greed of Pedro, but Spain did not need a second and are now planning for an all-European final against Holland.


Man of the Match: Although Spain's victory came virtue of an all-encompassing team performance rather than individual magic, Xabi Alonso stood out above the rest for his mesmerising control of the midfield alongside the likes of Xavi and Andres Iniesta.

Moment of the Match: It seemed quite ironic that despite all the relentless passing and possession tactics of the Spanish, the winning goal ended up coming from a corner as Carles Puyol powered home a thunderous header in the 73rd minute.

Attempt of the Match: Spain's Pedro was a constant source of danger and came close to scoring when his rasping drive from outside the box was well saved by Manuel Neuer.

Save of the Match: With the scores level at 0-0, Germany had a great chance to open the scoring when a Lukas Podolski cross found Toni Kroos unmarked inside the box, but Iker Casillas came to the rescue to make a crucial save of the slightly scuffed effort.

Talking Point: Spain will now face Holland in Sunday's final with both sides bidding for their first taste of World Cup glory. While the Dutch have won all six of their games so far, the question is whether they will see enough of the ball to get their star players involved. On tonight's evidence, it's going to be extremely difficult.

[Black Widow]

Day 25: 3rd/4th Play-Offs




Uruguay v Germany preview
Both sides taking third-place clash seriously


Germany and Uruguay have the chance to get rid of their World Cup disappointment when they contest the third-place play-off.

The two sides meet in Port Elizabeth on Saturday night, having both suffered defeats in the semi-finals earlier in the week.

Uruguay were beaten 3-2 by Holland while Germany were the unlucky losers against Spain - Carlos Puyol's bullet header dumping Joachim Low's men out after an excellent run.

Germany won the third-place play-off on home soil back in 2006 after a 3-1 victory over Portugal, but will have to get past a stubborn Uruguay outfit if they are going to achieve the same feat this time around.

The South Americans have been impressive in South Africa so far this summer and have emerged as the surprise package of the tournament.

After winning their group they beat South Korea in the second round before breaking African hearts to knock out Ghana in the quarter-finals on penalties.

Manager Oscar Tabarez insists his team are prepared to 'fight to the death' in their last game of the competition, denying claims the third-place play-off will not be taken seriously.

Germany, though, will not lie down without a fight and looked in scintillating form before that defeat to Spain.

Die Mannschaft hammered England 4-1 in the second round before dispatching of Argentina 4-0 in the quarters, making them formidable opponents on their day.

Team news

One player who will be desperate to get on the scoresheet is German striker Miroslav Klose, who is one goal away from equalling the all-time World Cup scoring record.

Another strike for the Bayern Munich man would see him go level with Ronaldo at the top of the chart, the Brazilian having netted 15 goals, overtaking fellow German Gerd Muller.

However, Klose is a doubt to face Uruguay after picking up a back problem and it remains to be seen if he makes the starting line-up.

Klose has netted four goals in the tournament so far, the same number as Uruguay striker Diego Forlan.

Both still have the chance to claim the Golden Boot award and are only one effort behind Spain forward David Villa and Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder, who play in the final on Sunday.

But like Klose, Forlan is an injury doubt after being substituted in the 84th minute of the Holland clash with a thigh problem.

He hopes to be fit for Saturday as he looks to finish with the victory that would better Uruguay's fourth-place finish in 1970, and give the country its best World Cup performance since its second title 60 years ago.

Meanwhile, the South Americans will be boosted by the return of Luis Suarez, who was suspended for the semi-final following his controversial handball on the line, which denied Ghana in the previous round.

Germany midfielder Thomas Muller is also set to return to the fold after suspension, while Joachim Low has minor doubts over Sami Khedira and Mesut Ozil.

[Black Widow]

Day 25: 3rd/4th Play-Offs




Result: Uruguay (Cavani 28 Forlan 51) 2 - 3 Germany (Muller, 18 Jansen, 56 Khedira, 82)


Germany secure third place
Joachim Low's side edge playoff thriller with late winner


A late header from Sami Khedira ensured Germany finished third in the World Cup with a 3-2 win over Uruguay.

The two beaten semi-finalists played out an entertaining game at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in the penultimate match of the finals.

Thomas Mueller became joint-top scorer as he opened the scoring on 18 minutes before Edinson Cavani levelled for Uruguay before the break.

The South Americans took the lead for the first time early in the second half through the impressive Diego Forlan but Marcell Jansen equalised for Germany within five minutes.

The open encounter seemed destined for extra-time before Stuttgart midfielder Khedira nodded Germany in front again with just eight minutes remaining to seal the bronze prize.

Fortunate

Germany made the brighter start but Dennis Aogo was fortunate to get away with just a yellow card for a reckless tackle on Uruguay's Diego Perez with just five minutes on the clock.

Five minutes later, the three-time World Cup winners were almost ahead as Arne Friedrich's header from a Mesut Ozil corner crashed against the crossbar.

It took Joachim Low's side just 19 minutes to break the deadlock and it came courtesy of one of Germany's key performers of an impressive tournament in Mueller.

A speculative long range shot from Bastian Schweinsteiger was carelessly parried by Fernando Muslera in the Uruguay goal, inviting Mueller to tap into an unguarded net from around 12 yards.

The goal put the Bayern Munich midfielder on five goals for the tournament and level with Spain's David Villa and Holland's Wesley Sneijder in the race for the golden boot.

The Germans, who have become renowned for clinically punishing opposition's mistakes at this World Cup, were worthy of their lead and continued to dominate possession.

Despite seeing much of the ball, though, Germany found themselves pegged back on 28 minutes as Cavani levelled for Uruguay against the run of play.

A brilliantly timed, determined tackle from Perez dispossessed Schweinsteiger in the centre of the field and ignited a counter attack which saw Cavani slip through on goal.

The Palermo striker had just Hans-Jorg Butt to beat after collecting Luis Suarez's pass and he duly tucked his effort into the bottom corner to even up the tie.

The goal reignited belief in the Uruguay team as they began to take the game to Germany, who reverted to their favoured counter-attacking tactics.

Suarez wasted a glorious chance to put Oscar Tabarez's men into the lead three minutes before the break as he collected a through ball from Diego Forlan before dragging his shot wide of the far post.

Second-half

Uruguay started the second period with greater urgency and they almost took the lead just three minutes after the restart as Forlan set Cavani through on goal.

Cavani won a race to the ball with Butt in Germany's goal, before cutting the ball back for Suarez, who could only steer his shot into the path of the grounded Butt, who tipped wide heroically.

Uruguay didn't have long to wait for their second goal, however, and it came in the 51st minute through the inspirational Forlan, who volleyed an Egidio Arevalo cross into the ground and into the top corner.

The goal also moved Forlan onto five goals in the tournament in one of the closest battles for top scorer in recent World Cup history.

Germany ensured the third-place play-off lived up to its reputation as an entertaining, pre-final send off by levelling up the contest once more just five minutes after falling behind.

Jerome Boateng found space on the right flank and produced one of the crosses of the tournament to find Jansen in the centre, who won the header to nod past the committed Muslera.

The game remained an open affair and both sides threatened to score again in the aftermath of the Germany equaliser with Ozil and Suarez in the thick of the action for either side.

Butt was having an impressive game and coach Low had his keeper to thank for keeping Germany level as he denied Forlan a second goal when rushing off his line to deny the Atletico striker.

Eight minutes from time, the Germans found another way through and it came via the head of Khedira, who nodded home a kind bounce from an Ozil corner on 82 minutes.

Substitute Stefan Kiessling blew an opportunity to add gloss to Germany's win as he lashed wide at the end of a fine passing move in 88th minute, but a fourth would have been harsh on the South Americans.

Diego Forlan almost took the game into extra-time as his injury-time free-kick struck the Germany crossbar with the last kick of the game in an exciting finale.

It was a cruel end to Uruguay's eventful tournament but they will leave South Africa with an enhanced reputation while the German's have finished third for the second successive World Cup.

[Black Widow]

Day 26: Final




http://img.skysports.com/10/07/496x259/World-Cup-Final-Holland-Spain-2-800_2476339.jpg


Holland v Spain preview
European heavyweights out to end World Cup drought


There will be a new nation engraved on the World Cup trophy come Sunday evening as European heavyweights Holland and Spain clash in the final at Johannesburg's Soccer City stadium.

The Dutch will be hoping it's a case of 'third time lucky' following final heartbreak in the 1974 and '78 finals, while this is Spain's first date with destiny.

European champions Spain have claimed knockout victories over Portugal, Paraguay and Germany to reach the final, and have not conceded a goal in the process.

One more triumph in South Africa's capital city will see Vicente del Bosque's men end 80 years of waiting and reassert Spanish footballing dominance following their Euro 2008 triumph in Austria-Switzerland.

Potent

Spain's defence has been breached only twice, Switzerland's Gelson Fernandes beating Iker Casillas in their tournament opener and Chile netting in the final group game. The 1-0 defeat by Switzerland now looks a mere aberration and Spain will become the only World Cup winners to have lost their opening game if they overcome the Dutch.

David Villa's potency in front of goal has also been integral to the run, his five goals so far have put him on the brink of a first ever Golden Boot award.

Del Bosque is not expected to make many changes to his starting line-up from the side which overcame Germany 1-0 in the semi-finals.

That means back-up defender Carlos Marchena is unlikely to start despite coming on in the last three matches and holding the record of 55 consecutive international appearances without losing.

Out-of-form Liverpool striker Fernando Torres also looks certain to have to settle for a place on the bench, with Barcelona attacker Pedro partnering Villa up top.

Holland also have a number of potential players of the tournament at their disposal, not least attacking midfielder and playmaker Wesley Sneijder.

The 26-year-old shares the tournament scoring lead alongside Villa and will once again be instrumental to his nation's hopes of glory.

Sneijder could also become the first European player to win the World Cup in the same season as the UEFA Champions League and a domestic league and cup double. He clinched the European title, Serie A and Italian Cup with Inter Milan.

Impressive

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk has steered his side to six successive wins in the competition, scoring 12 goals and playing some of the most attractive football to-boot.

Their quarter-final comeback triumph over Brazil was arguably their most impressive display as they battled back from 1-0 down to snatch a 2-1 win in Port Elizabeth.

The Oranje are expected to make two changes from the starting XI which overcame Uruguay 3-2 in the semi-finals.

Dutch midfielder Nigel de Jong and defender Gregory van der Wiel should return after suspension with Khalid Boulahrouz and Demy de Zeeuw dropping out.

Whatever happens, one nation will be the eighth to win the World Cup in the tournament's 80-year history and the first new name on the cup since France 12 years ago.

[Black Widow]

Day 26: Final




http://img.skysports.com/10/07/496x259/Champions-Trophy-Celebrations-Holland-Spain-W_2476524.jpg


Result: Holland (Heitinga, s/o 109)0 - 1 Spain (niesta, 116)


World domination for Spain
Iniesta scores in 116th minute in clash of 13 players booked


Andres Iniesta's strike with four minutes left of extra-time fired Spain to World Cup glory for the first time in their history as they vanquished Holland in a fractious final at Johannesburg's Soccer City stadium.

In an encounter riddled with persistent fouling, in particular from the Dutch, who had John Heitinga dismissed late on, Spain emerged as victors courtesy of Iniesta's effort that came in the 116th minute of the tie.

The success completes a marvellous two years for Spain, who were crowned European champions in 2008, as Holland's 25-match unbeaten run came to an end in South Africa.

As expected, Spain head coach Vicente del Bosque again overlooked the rusty Fernando Torres with the 22-year-old Pedro keeping his place in the starting XI that defeated Germany. For Holland, Gregory van der Wiel and Nigel de Jong returned from suspension to replace Khalid Boulahrouz and Demy De Zeeuw.

Former South Africa president Nelson Mandela was present to observe arguably the sporting world's most gargantuan event, the kick-off signalled by the whistle of English referee Howard Webb, who would play an active role in the first period.

Robin van Persie's foul on Sergio Busquets in the first minute was indicative of Holland's beginning to the encounter as they went about pressing their opponents robustly. But Spain were unruffled and the on-fire David Villa threatened to break clear on three minutes only to be flagged offside.

And it took the reigning European champions just five minutes to draw a fine stop from goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg, who was forced to get down to his right and parry clear following a powerful header from Sergio Ramos after Xavi had whipped in a free-kick from out wide. Gerard Pique was unable to turn home the rebound.

Tiki-taka

After yet more eager running from Villa, who was again called offside, a rare mistake in possession from the Spanish gifted Holland the ball. Busquets was sloppy as he tried to flick on a pass, and Dirk Kuyt looked to punish the holding midfielder. But the Liverpool forward's effort from distance was speculative and easy for Iker Casillas.

Spain continued to be very much on the front foot during the opening exchanges, with Holland seemingly dazed by the tiki-taka hypnosis. Ramos breezed past a heavy-footed Kuyt in the area before seeing his lash deflected out for a corner by the hopeful boot of Heitinga. Then, Villa thumped into the side-netting following a wicked cross by Xabi Alonso.

Referee Webb produced his first yellow card of the match on 15 minutes, cautioning Van Persie for a chop on Joan Capdevila. A minute later, Webb again brandished a booking, this time for Carles Puyol for a scythe from behind on so far quiet Arjen Robben.

Wesley Sneijder's stinging free-kick which whistled down the throat of Casillas sparked respite for the Dutch, as moments later Robben won his team's first corner. But in the 22nd minute, the fouling resumed. First, the sometimes invisible Mark van Bommel was rightly carded for a horrid foul on Iniesta before Ramos joined him in Webb's notepad.

Cue another brutish incident in the 28th minute, with De Jong the culprit. The Manchester City enforcer dangled a high boot and his studs slammed into the chest of Alonso. A yellow was the fortunate outcome with Alonso lucky to escape sustaining a broken rib.

Quite the astonishing scare for Spain occurred on 34 minutes. As Holland sportingly pumped possession back goalwards to Casillas, the shot-stopper misjudged the ball's bounce as it skipped off the turf and threatened to drop in, with Casillas forced to stretch and flick out for a corner before swallowing to push his heart back from his throat to where it belongs.

Robben began to impose himself on the encounter as his dribbling caused problems. His running partly led to a corner which was played short and then knocked square. Joris Mathijsen swiped wildly to spin the ball hopelessly wide. Then, up the other end, Pedro darted forwards and skimmed off target with his left boot.

After Van Bommel continued to play devil's advocate as he clattered into Xavi, a fractured first 45 minutes drew to a close, but not before a typical left-footer from Robben called Casillas into action as the keeper pushed away from danger.

Webb

The second half started brightly. After Robben almost found Van Persie, Spain found their rhythm which earned them a corner. In it came and semi-final goalscorer Puyol glanced a header across goal, Capdevila looked to turn the ball home but could not adjust in time.

Robben let fire with another trademark cut-in from the right channel but it was routine for Casillas. The game then began to open up, but the bookings also continued to rain down. Dutch skipper Giovanni Van Bronckhorst was carded for blocking off an opponent before Heitinga was given a yellow for catching Villa.

Del Bosque was the first of the two managers to make a substitution. The Spain head coach opted to bring on Jesus Navas for Pedro in the 60th minute. But it was the Dutch who were next to threaten as Van Persie's header floated off target following a Kuyt cross.

Then came the chance of the final thus far. Sneijder wonderfully threaded through Robben, who burst in on the exposed Casillas. Robben waited and waited for Casillas to commit before striking, only to see his effort clip off the dangling leg of the keeper, who deserves many plaudits for the stop.

Navas proved a decent introduction by Del Bosque as his liveliness on the right wing caused issues for Holland. Indeed, after Capdevila received the eighth yellow card of the game, in the 70th minute Navas drilled across goal. The ball was only half-cleared, as Villa pounced from close range, but Heitinga made the most vital of blocks to deny the striker.

Holland boss Van Marwijk acted with 19 minutes remaining, throwing on his own pacey wideman in Elijero Elia for Kuyt. But Spain had their tails up. A glorious passing move involving Xavi and Villa, the latter's shot charged down by Van der Wiel. Then came Spain's best chance.

On 77 minutes a curling corner found a completely unmarked Ramos. Yet from just seven yards out the Real Madrid defender planted his header over the bar to mark an astonishing miss. Meanwhile, the bitty nature of the clash failed to die down as an altercation between the hot-headed Van Bommel and Iniesta almost boiled over.

As the tension rose, Sneijder made a crucial intervention when he slid to snatch the ball away from Iniesta. Moments later, Robben's pace through the middle again caused problems with Puyol laboured. But, despite having the opportunity to go down under a Puyol challenge, Robben eventually lost possession as Casillas gathered. Robben was subsequently booked for protesting.

With four minutes remaining, Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas entered the fray in place of Alonso. The alteration, however, failed to prevent the fixture reaching extra-time, with Robben and Ramos both left to reflect on what might have been following their respective clear-cut opportunities.

Dismissal

Three minutes into the first period of extra-time, Spain had appeals for a penalty rightly turned down by Webb, who judged that Xavi kicked into Heitinga when in the area. Two minutes after said claims, Fabregas was sent clean through following a super Iniesta pass, but his stab at goal was well saved by the foot of Stekelenburg.

Then it was Holland's chance to come close. Casillas was left in no man's land as Mathijsen rose, but the defender's header flashed over the bar despite the goal gaping. And twice in the space of two minutes, Van Bronckhorst was Holland's hero as he shut out Iniesta then deflected Navas' strike wide.

A driving run and strike past the post from Fabregas then followed before Van Bronckhorst, making his last international appearance, was replaced by Edson Braafheid to mark the end of the first extra-time period. Spain's final change was to send on Torres for the five-goal Villa.

In the 19th minute of extra-time, Holland were reduced to 10 men after Heitinga received a second booking for pulling on Iniesta's shoulder. And with four minutes remaining, Spain scored the goal that won them the 2010 World Cup.

Fabregas slipped a pass to his right, and waiting was Iniesta. The Barcelona schemer took one touch before planting the ball past Stekelenburg with aplomb, sparking delirium from the Spanish players as they completed their mission for world domination.


Man of the match: Andres Iniesta. Hard to split him and his fellow Spain pass-master Xavi, but Iniesta's ice-cool finish four minutes from the end of extra-time won Spain's first World Cup and has to earn him the gong.

Moment of the match: It has to be the only goal. Holland had repelled Spain - by fair means and foul - for 116 minutes before Cesc Fabregas slipped in Iniesta to enter World Cup legend.

Save of the match: Arjen Robben was clean through and waited and waited for Iker Casillas to commit himself before trying to clip the ball over the keeper. But Casillas just managed to get the toe-end of his boot on the ball to divert the ball round the post to keep the scores goalless. A case of 'what if?' for the Dutch.

Talking Point: Much of the build-up focused on England's Howard Webb, and he had a tough night as Holland set out to stop Spain's passing game with a destructive plan of their own. He dished out 13 yellow cards and one red in 120 full-blooded brutal minutes. Should Nigel De Jong have been sent off for a karate kick on Xabi Alonso in the first half? Or was Webb right to try and keep 22 men on the field for the sake of the spectacle? And Holland had a clear corner not given - and a possible foul on Eljero Elia soon after - in the moments preceding Iniesta's winner.