tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75509034642171151462024-03-08T12:05:36.110+00:002010 Fifa World Cup South AfricaFIFA World Cup,World Cup,FIFA World Cup 2010,World Cup 2010,2010 FIFA World Cup,2010 World Cup,FIFA World Cup news,World Cup news,FIFA World Cup 2010 news,South Africa 2010,South Africa 2010 news,2010 FIFA World Cup news,World Cup 2010,Football World Cup,Football World Cup South AfricaUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7550903464217115146.post-44493897305068631852010-02-04T18:30:00.001+00:002010-02-04T18:31:41.376+00:00Slovakia's recipe for success<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/worldfootball/clubfootball/01/09/51/18/1095118_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/worldfootball/clubfootball/01/09/51/18/1095118_large.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="clear: both;">Putting established international sides like Poland and Czech Republic to the sword in FIFA World Cup™ qualifying might go to some teams' heads, but that has certainly not been the case with Slovakia, who beat both nations to an automatic place at South Africa 2010 in European Zone qualifying Group 3. Indeed, the nation of around 5.5 million inhabitants is remaining decidedly modest ahead of football's showpiece event in just a few months' time.</div><div style="clear: both;">"Of course the World Cup is going to be the highlight of my career," admitted Slovakia's record caps holder Miroslav Karhan in an exclusive interview with <b>FIFA.com</b>, although the Mainz stalwart maintained an air of caution about his side's chances in South Africa. "There are a lot of people back home who are really enthusiastic about seeing us take on the best in the world, but there are also a lot of people who are very sceptical about our chances."</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7550903464217115146.post-67242573558963718992010-01-04T16:43:00.000+00:002010-01-04T16:43:58.111+00:00Beckham dreaming of world returnDavid Beckham tells FIFA.com that he is relishing the prospect of appearing in his fourth FIFA World Cup in South Africa in this exclusive interview.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7550903464217115146.post-66525352902200910102009-12-06T15:31:00.002+00:002009-12-06T15:31:13.465+00:00Ronaldo: Elephants clash is key<div style="clear: both;">Cristiano Ronaldo has emphasised the importance of hitting the ground running at next summer's FIFA World Cup™ after Portugal were handed one of the toughest possible draws for the group stages.<br />
</div><div style="clear: both;">Portugal, who reached the finals courtesy of a play-off win over Bosnia-Herzegovina, must battle against Brazil, Côte d'Ivoire and Korea DPR for a place in the last 16 of the competition. Five-time winners Brazil are the favourites for the tournament while African powerhouses Côte d'Ivoire boast players of the calibre of Didier Drogba, Yaya and Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Eboue and Salomon Kalou.<br />
</div><div style="clear: both;">And it is Portugal's clash with the Ivorians that Ronaldo believes could be crucial, with the two nations starting their Group G against each other in Port Elizabeth. "Winning the first match will be very important," said Ronaldo, who could come up against Real Madrid team-mates Kaka and Marcelo as well as former Manchester United companion Anderson in the Brazil side.<br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7550903464217115146.post-33297747899745320882009-11-08T18:42:00.000+00:002009-11-08T18:42:11.053+00:00Capello: Only the fit will travel<div style="clear: both;">England coach Fabio Capello insists he will leave half-fit players out of his 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ squad, even if his policy affects the likes of Manchester United centre-back Rio Ferdinand. Capello has no concerns over Ferdinand's recent errors, but the 31-year-old's injury record at the start of the current campaign would put his ticket to the tournament in South Africa under threat if replicated at the end of the season. <br />
</div><div style="clear: both;">Ferdinand had to wait until the end of October to play three consecutive United matches, straight after an international qualification double-header, but that run ended with him missing matches against Barnsley, Blackburn Rovers and CSKA Moscow. He will miss the Barclays Premier League match against Chelsea this weekend with a calf injury that could be related to a lower back complaint. <br />
</div><div style="clear: both;">Capello's predecessors have made the mistake of taking semi-fit players to tournaments, but the Italian said: "The players with us in South Africa will be all fit. It's impossible to wait for one player. Little things are okay, but bigger problems and they will not be there. <br />
</div><div style="clear: both;">"If you have to recover someone, it's no good. When we go, it will not be the warm season, when it is easier to recover. It will be cold in South Africa." <br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7550903464217115146.post-87887116006201811312009-09-27T09:34:00.000+01:002009-09-27T09:34:32.125+01:00Big dreams for little genie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/tournament/competition/01/10/67/87/1106787%5fsmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/tournament/competition/01/10/67/87/1106787%5fsmall.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
Mustafa Mahmoud Mohamed Selim, known as 'Afroto', is the man many believe can inspire the hosts to glory at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Egypt 2009. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7550903464217115146.post-58310236434139755602009-09-25T18:44:00.002+01:002009-09-25T18:44:55.454+01:00Making a mark on a piece of World Cup history<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/tournament/loc/01/10/71/43/1107143%5fsmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="96" src="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/tournament/loc/01/10/71/43/1107143%5fsmall.jpg" width="96" /></a><br />
</div>As they start putting the final touches to Cape Town's Green Point Stadium, some proud construction workers are leaving their own mark on history.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7550903464217115146.post-91901685174188699822009-09-25T08:00:00.001+01:002009-09-25T08:00:44.792+01:00FIFA and authorities crack down on illegal World Cup ticket salesFIFA's Legal Affairs Division is working closely with international authorities to monitor the internet for illegal tickets offers and take action to combat them.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7550903464217115146.post-23872481602611006352009-09-23T16:22:00.002+01:002009-09-23T16:23:27.405+01:00High notes for club trio<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/worldfootball/clubfootball/01/10/37/06/1103706%5fsmall.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 150px;" src="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/worldfootball/clubfootball/01/10/37/06/1103706%5fsmall.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The goalscoring feats of Graham Alexander and Luis Suarez, as well as record-equalling results in Berlin and Manchester, make this latest review.<br /><a href="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/worldfootball/clubfootball/01/10/37/06/1103706%5fsmall.jpg"><br /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7550903464217115146.post-63375494454110588282009-09-22T18:14:00.000+01:002009-09-22T18:16:32.510+01:00FIFA Medical Conference, 17 and 18 October 2009<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/afdeveloping/medical/01/10/55/16/1105516%5fsmall.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 150px;" src="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/afdeveloping/medical/01/10/55/16/1105516%5fsmall.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A two-day Medical Conference will take place in Zurich on 17 and 18 October, organised by the FIFA Medical Committee together with F-MARC.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7550903464217115146.post-82238173800423857022009-09-14T07:10:00.000+01:002009-09-14T07:12:59.156+01:00Paraguay keep the winning habit<img style="float: left;" id="pcImg" src="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/tournament/competition/01/10/00/57/1100057_small.jpg" alt="Paraguay's midfielder Nelson Valdez (R) celebrates with teammate Salvador Cabañas after scoring against Argentina" width="150" height="150" /><div class="articleBody"> <p style="clear: both;"> Paraguay's qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ should come as no surprise to anyone. After all, this is the fourth time running that <em>La Albirroja</em> have reached the finals, an indication of the shift in the balance of power in South America, where the likes of Argentina and Uruguay once viewed qualification for the biggest football show on Earth as a divine right. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Wednesday evening's 1-0 defeat of <em>La Albiceleste</em> in Asuncion sparked joyous scenes throughout the country and on the pitch, with the entire squad rushing to hug each other when the final whistle blew at the Estadio Defensores del Chaco, shedding tears of joy as they did so. </p><p style="clear: both;"> One man who preferred to keep his calm amid the noise and excitement, however, was coach Gerardo Martino. "I'm very happy, of course I am," he said, struggling to make himself heard as some of his coaching staff and players celebrated beneath a huge national flag, while another smaller group paraded a flag bearing the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa logo in front of the ecstatic 40,000 crowd. "We've worked very hard for this and we thoroughly deserve it. Today we can finally say we've reached the World Cup after beating a great team in a very tough game." </p><p style="clear: both;"> "We've suffered a bit more in the second half of the qualifying tournament, which is what you'd expect," continued the Argentinian tactician. "It's not normal to go through a whole campaign playing like we did in the first part of the competition, and if anyone thinks this is easy, then they're wrong. These qualifiers are so tough. That's why the boys are celebrating." </p><p style="clear: both;"> <strong>Stats tell the story</strong><br />Paraguay have made smooth progress to South Africa, equalling their Korea/Japan 2002 qualifying haul of 30 points with two games still to go, winning nine games, drawing three and losing four. Their home form, with seven wins and a solitary defeat, has been imperious. And unlike some of the Paraguay teams that have gone before them, Martino's side possess a genuine cutting edge up front to complement their traditional defensive virtues, with Roque Santa Cruz, Salvador Cabanas and Nelson Haedo Valdez forming a potent front line. </p><div class="newsQuote"><div class="h"> </div><div class="newsQuoteIC"><img class="imgNQL" src="http://www.fifa.com/imgml/icons/quote.gif" /><div class="c">Today we can finally say we've reached the World Cup after beating a great team in a very tough game.</div><img class="imgNQR" src="http://www.fifa.com/imgml/icons/quote_reverse.gif" /><div class="a">Gerardo Martino, Paraguay coach. </div><div style="clear: both;"> </div></div><div class="f"> </div></div><p style="clear: both;"> </p><p style="clear: both;"> Valdez it was who scored the decisive goal against Argentina, and the Borussia Dortmund striker was understandably thrilled afterwards. "We played with a lot of soul and that's why we won. This win is for everyone and for the people of Paraguay, who needed it so much." </p><p style="clear: both;"> Defender Paulo Da Silva echoed the thoughts of the country's football writers in summing up the strengths of this latest Paraguayan vintage. "For years people spoke about our defensive power but this time we've showed that we are an all-round team with some great players up front. We are very solid but we mustn't get distracted. The World Cup is still a few months away and we need to work hard to arrive in the best possible shape. There are some things we need to improve, but nobody can take away the joy we feel tonight." </p><p style="clear: both;"> <strong>Making up for Germany<br /></strong>Back in 2006, Paraguay travelled to Germany with the aim of at least repeating the progress they had made at France 1998 and Korea/Japan 2002. <em>La Albirroja</em> failed to do themselves justice, however, and fell at the first hurdle after some unconvincing performances, a fate they will be anxious to avoid in South Africa. </p><p style="clear: both;"> "Football's all about the here-and-now and we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves," warned the cautious Martino. "Our next objective is to win the group. There are two things you can aim for when you're a coach: to get results or go down in history. I'm after the latter. We'll see what road we have to take in the future, but for now we're just thinking about finishing as high up the group as we can." </p><p style="clear: both;"> That task looks easier said than done. Paraguay's remaining two matches, Venezuela away and Colombia at home, pit them against two sides still entertaining hopes of taking the play-off place. Yet the Argentinian has every faith in his squad. </p><p style="clear: both;"> "We've got some fantastic players here. Up front we even had the luxury of playing for most of the qualifying competition without Roque (Santa Cruz), who has been injured. Can you imagine Argentina playing for all that time without (Lionel) Messi or Brazil without Kaka? That makes what we've done even more special. I've got very good players and an excellent team of people; that's the key to our success." </p><p style="clear: both;"> With President Fernando Lugo declaring Thursday a national holiday, that success will be celebrated for a few days more it seems. And not without good reason. After reaching only four FIFA World Cup finals between 1930 and 1986, <em>Los Guaraníes</em> have now qualified four times in a row, a record that has everyone, with the exception of Brazil perhaps, sitting up and taking notice of the men in red and white. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Goal-hero Haedo Valdez intends to keep it that way. "Bring on the top dogs. Let's go," he shouted into the night sky, an indication, if it were needed, of Paraguay's continuing hunger for glory. </p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7550903464217115146.post-41081686262495568172009-05-09T11:21:00.000+01:002009-05-09T11:22:57.665+01:00Olsen: Pride and glory<div class="articleBody"> <p style="clear: both;">In football terms, Morten Olsen is Mr. Denmark. Nineteen years' service as player and nine as coach have left the 59-year-old's name synonymous with his national team, and he wouldn't have it any other way. Proud and unabashedly patriotic, Olsen, the first Dane to earn 100 caps, captained his country on their memorable FIFA World Cup™ debut in 1986 and, as coach, led them back to the game's greatest stage 16 years later. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Now, after missing out on Germany 2006 and UEFA EURO 2008, the former Cologne and Ajax coach has successfully guided Denmark to a position of strength in what is arguably Europe's toughest South Africa 2010 preliminary section. With Portugal and Sweden trailing his side by seven points and a showdown with their Nordic neighbours looming next month, Olsen spoke exclusively to<strong> FIFA.com </strong>to share his memories of past glories and hopes for future success.<br /><strong><br />FIFA.com: Morten, in such a tough group, you must be thrilled to have started with four wins and a draw.<br />Morten Olsen:</strong> We are very pleased. It's been a tough opening programme for us but we have made an exceptional start, although that's all it is for now: a start. We are only halfway through and, coming up, we have a very difficult game away to our brother country (Sweden). Denmark and Sweden know each other very, very well, of course, and there is very little to separate the two teams. It should come down to who is in form on the day, or who has a bit of luck. But they are going to be very dangerous games, that's for sure. </p><p style="clear: both;"> <strong>When the draw was made, many expected that Portugal would be favourites and that it would be down to you and Sweden to challenge them for first place. As it is, you are seven points ahead of the Portuguese and Swedes, with Hungary your closest challengers. Has that surprised you?</strong><br />It has surprised me, yes. I think most people would have expected Portugal to be on top at this stage, especially as they've started with more home games. They have had some problems, it's sure, and now I think they are in a position where they probably need to win all the matches they have left. But they still have a chance because all the teams in this group can take points off each other, so the picture could change very quickly. Hungary have been a big surprise to everyone, of course. They are a country with a great football tradition, but it has been a long time since they were a force in Europe, so they have exceeded expectations. We actually received a lot of criticism back home in Denmark when we drew over there in our first game but when you look at how Hungary have performed since, that's actually looking like a very good result now.<br /><br /><strong>Although there is clearly a lot of talent in your side, it seems there are no real superstars. Has this been part of the secret to your success?<br /></strong>I think it works well for us anyway. We certainly have a good group of players right now, and a lot of very promising younger guys, like Nicklas Bendtner, who're beginning to make a real difference for us. The only problem for us, as a little country, is when we pick up three or four injuries because we don't have the same strength in depth that other nations have. Already, we've lost a couple of important players for the Sweden games, and we'll also really miss Martin Laursen (who has retired from international football). </p><div class="newsQuote"><div class="h"> </div><div class="newsQuoteIC"><img class="imgNQL" src="http://www.fifa.com/imgml/icons/quote.gif" /><div class="c">For me and for all the players, competing at the World Cup is the ultimate; it's the biggest honour for any player. That's what has been motivating us.</div><img class="imgNQR" src="http://www.fifa.com/imgml/icons/quote_reverse.gif" /><div class="a">Morten Olsen </div><div style="clear: both;"> </div></div><div class="f"> </div></div><p style="clear: both;"> </p><p style="clear: both;"> <strong>You will have been Denmark coach for ten years by the time South Africa 2010 comes about. That's a long time for any coach to stay in one job these days.<br /></strong>It is a very long time. But I'm happy to keep going because I still enjoy the job and still feel I have something to offer. I think that, as a group, we also have a point to make after failing to qualify for the last two major tournaments. Getting to World Cups and European championships is the name of the game for us and it was a real disappointment that we didn't manage it in 2006 and 2008. </p><p style="clear: both;"> <strong>Is it true that you will stand aside after 2010?<br /></strong>No, not at all, that's not been decided yet. It's not even important for the moment. The only important thing is getting us to South Africa.<br /><br /><strong>You're obviously bidding to be part of a special FIFA World Cup: the first on African soil.<br /></strong>World Cups are always special. The fact it's the first time in Africa is fantastic because it's bringing it closer to the people there, but every World Cup has its own unique flavour and appeal. I remember seeing how excited Asia was in 2002 to have it and what a fantastic experience that was for everyone. For me and for all the players, competing at the World Cup is the ultimate; it's the biggest honour for any player. That's what has been motivating us. </p><p style="clear: both;"> <strong>You mention the 2002 edition, which obviously saw Korea Republic reach the semi-finals. Do you envisage that 'home advantage' will be as beneficial to the African nations in 2010?</strong><br />Playing on your own continent is a big motivation, there's no question about that. But I think that, with South Korea in 2002, their success had more to it than just being the hosts. Don't forget that they had a long, long time together before the World Cup to prepare; they were almost like a club team. The climate was also a big issue in 2002 because the European teams especially couldn't play in their usual style. I believe it will be winter in South Africa when the World Cup is on, so it could be that the European teams don't find it so tough this time. But that's not to say that one of the African teams can't go all the way. </p><p style="clear: both;"> <strong>Has the FIFA World Cup changed since you played in the 1986 edition?<br /></strong>It's always been popular, but now it's more global than ever. I think wherever you are in the world in 2010, someone will be watching the World Cup. Everyone looks forward to it, even people with no real affiliation. In terms of the scale and the appeal it has, I'd say only the Olympics comes close.<br /><br /><strong>You, of course, were captain of the great Danish team that so impressed everyone at Mexico 1986. What made that team so special?<br /></strong>I think it was simply a special generation of players. We had also been given a great football education, particularly on the technical and tactical sides of the game. That really set us up to have good careers and we were lucky that so many of our players were playing for some of the best clubs in Europe.<br /><br /><strong>Do you ever look back and think you could have won that FIFA World Cup?<br /></strong>Oh, we could have won it, I'm sure of that. We all felt the same. It was a special group of players coming together at the perfect time and, with a bit of luck, it could have been us up there rather than Argentina. But I don't look back with any real regret. It was a great experience, not only for us but for the fans who travelled together with us everywhere we went. In those days, the Danish fans were one of the first to paint their faces and make a real party out of these kind of competitions, and I really think they helped show other fans at that time that you could be passionate about team without being violent and aggressive. Our fans set a great example and that was important for us as a nation.<br /><br /><strong>Was representing your country always the ultimate honour for you?<br /></strong>Absolutely. I actually think football brings out the best kind of nationalism, certainly in our country. In Denmark, there is one thing that everyone unites behind and that is the national team. If we can get to 2010 and do well, we'll have the whole nation standing behind us. Personally, I played for Denmark for 19, almost 20 years, and I've now been coach for ten, so that's half of my life I've devoted to the national team. The best thing is that I still get the same feeling I did when I first started, and I see that the young players are just as proud as I am. That's fantastic. When I don't have that feeling any more, I'll know then that I need to stop. </p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7550903464217115146.post-9784761219905915282009-05-05T15:37:00.001+01:002009-05-05T15:37:38.312+01:00Aguirre: I need commitmentFIFA.com spoke exclusively to El Tri's new head coach, who is charged with dragging Mexico's South Africa 2010 qualifying bid back on course.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7550903464217115146.post-11861893939872636822009-05-05T15:35:00.001+01:002009-05-05T15:37:01.521+01:00Olsen: Pride and glory<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/tournament/competition/01/05/47/83/1054783%5fsmall.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 150px;" src="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/tournament/competition/01/05/47/83/1054783%5fsmall.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Morten Olsen, high-flying Denmark's long-serving coach, speaks exclusively to FIFA.com to share his FIFA World Cup memories and hopes for 2010.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7550903464217115146.post-49119810794042169852009-04-06T14:59:00.000+01:002009-04-06T15:01:10.229+01:00Surprises all over the world<img id="pcImg" src="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/tournament/competition/01/04/31/24/1043124_small.jpg" alt="Zambia's Francis Kasonde celebrates after scoring" width="150" height="150" /><div class="articleBody"> <p style="clear: both;">Shockwaves were sent around planet football this week as some of the powerhouses of the world game fell to unexpected defeat. Take Argentina and Mexico, for example, who are currently licking their wounds after Wednesday's setbacks. <strong>FIFA.com</strong> picks out the eyecatching scorelines from the week's qualifying rounds for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™. </p><p style="clear: both;"> <strong>Honduras shake up the established order</strong><br />Carlos Pavon managed not only to shake up the established hierarchy in the North and Central America and Caribbean Zone, but at the same time blunt the hopes of the country where he plies his trade. The attacker's five-star performance gave Honduras a 3-1 win over Mexico, who now find themselves with only three points from as many games and something of a mountain to climb if they are to make it to South Africa. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Four days earlier, 35-year-old Pavon, who plays for Club Necaxa in Mexico, had earned Honduras a point in their 1-1 draw with Trinidad and Tobago, making him very much the man of the moment in the CONCACAF Zone. The Hondurans now sit third in the group with four points from three games, and the country's entire 7.5 million population are now dreaming of their first FIFA World Cup since Spain 1982. </p><p style="clear: both;"> <strong>Saudi Arabia back in the running</strong><br />The biggest shockwaves from the AFC were provided by Saudi Arabia last Saturday. Finding themselves 1-0 down with 11 minutes to go away to Iran in Tehran, the Saudis, who are currently ranked 55th in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, turned things around thanks to goals from Naif Hazazi and Osama Al Harbi. </p><p style="clear: both;"> The win by Jose Peseiro's men not only cost Iranian coach Ali Daei his job but also keeps alive Saudi Arabia's hopes of qualifying for their fifth consecutive FIFA World Cup since USA 1994. The Sons of the Desert currently lie third in Asia Group 2, level on points with second-placed Korea DPR who they face at home in Riyadh in their final match. </p><p style="clear: both;"> <strong>Northern Ireland and Bosnia upset the odds</strong><br />In Europe, the two surprise packages are most definitely Northern Ireland and Bosnia Herzegovina. Nigel Worthington's team are sitting pretty on top of Group 3 after a 3-2 win away to Poland and a 1-0 success at home to Slovenia. Bosnia, meanwhile, got the upper hand in both their home and away clashes with Belgium and now stand second behind Spain in Group 5, four points clear of Turkey. These two underdogs are currently bang on form and harbour legitimate hopes of making it to South Africa. </p><p style="clear: both;"> As well as Northern Ireland, Slovakia are also ahead of big guns Poland and Czech Republic in Group 3, while Denmark and Hungary are making all the running ahead of Portugal in Group 1. Those two sides, coached by Morten Olsen and Erwin Koeman respectively, are seven points clear of FIFA World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo and his team-mates, and although the Hungarians have played one game more, nerves must be jangling in the Portuguese camp. </p><p style="clear: both;"> <strong>Big three off to a shaky start in Africa </strong><br />Francis Kasonde, Emmanuel Adebayor, Pierre Aubameyang and Roguy Meye have good reason to celebrate at the moment after scoring the goals which earned Zambia, Togo and Gabon surprising results as the final African qualifying round got underway. The Zambians managed a draw against current African champions Egypt, while Togo defeated Cameroon and Gabon overcame Morocco. </p><p style="clear: both;"> The north African teams were particularly disappointed with their false starts, but as Egypt striker Mido pointed out, "this early defeat by no means spells the end of the road for us". Gabon coach Alain Giresse, in contrast, was delighted with his team's victory over a side coached by fellow Frenchman Roger Lemerre, saying "to face an opponent as tough as Morocco and come away with the three points is incredible." </p><p style="clear: both;"> <strong>Honeymoon period over for Maradona</strong><br />All of the above surprises pale in comparison to Bolivia's achievement. No-one could have dreamed that Erwin Sanchez's team would hand out a 6-1 thrashing to two-time FIFA World Cup-winners Argentina, who had previously been riding high on the back of Diego Maradona's appointment as coach. Lionel Messi had been filling the latter's legendary number 10 shirt to good effect in recent matches but it was the unheralded Joaquin Botero who proved to be the <em>Albiceleste</em>'s downfall. The 31-year-old striker notched a hat-trick to take his tally in the qualifiers to eight goals, putting him top of the South American scoring charts. </p><p style="clear: both;"> The 1978 and 1986 FIFA World Cup winners now find themselves in a lowly fourth place, and with trips to Ecuador, Paraguay and Uruguay still to come, they are by no means certainties to qualify. One crumb of comfort for the Argentinians is that Paraguay also slipped up this week, losing 2-0 to Uruguay and only managing a 1-1 draw with Ecuador. </p><p style="clear: both;"> <strong>Have your say</strong><br />Misery loves company, and it's always good to share your joy, so write in and let us know how you feel about the shocks of the past few days! Just click on 'add your comment' below and have your say. </p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7550903464217115146.post-1986708707305244112009-04-06T05:06:00.000+01:002009-04-06T05:07:17.913+01:00Surprises all over the world<div class="articleBody"> <p style="clear: both;"><img id="pcImg" src="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/tournament/competition/01/04/47/93/1044793_small.jpg" alt="Argentina's national footballers Luis Gonzales (L) and Maximiliano Rodriguez show their disappointment" width="150" height="150" /></p><p style="clear: both;">Shockwaves were sent around planet football this week as some of the powerhouses of the world game fell to unexpected defeat. Take Argentina and Mexico, for example, who are currently licking their wounds after Wednesday's setbacks. <strong>FIFA.com</strong> picks out the eyecatching scorelines from the week's qualifying rounds for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™. </p><p style="clear: both;"> <strong>Honduras shake up the established order</strong><br />Carlos Pavon managed not only to shake up the established hierarchy in the North and Central America and Caribbean Zone, but at the same time blunt the hopes of the country where he plies his trade. The attacker's five-star performance gave Honduras a 3-1 win over Mexico, who now find themselves with only three points from as many games and something of a mountain to climb if they are to make it to South Africa. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Four days earlier, 35-year-old Pavon, who plays for Club Necaxa in Mexico, had earned Honduras a point in their 1-1 draw with Trinidad and Tobago, making him very much the man of the moment in the CONCACAF Zone. The Hondurans now sit third in the group with four points from three games, and the country's entire 7.5 million population are now dreaming of their first FIFA World Cup since Spain 1982. </p><p style="clear: both;"> <strong>Saudi Arabia back in the running</strong><br />The biggest shockwaves from the AFC were provided by Saudi Arabia last Saturday. Finding themselves 1-0 down with 11 minutes to go away to Iran in Tehran, the Saudis, who are currently ranked 55th in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, turned things around thanks to goals from Naif Hazazi and Osama Al Harbi. </p><p style="clear: both;"> The win by Jose Peseiro's men not only cost Iranian coach Ali Daei his job but also keeps alive Saudi Arabia's hopes of qualifying for their fifth consecutive FIFA World Cup since USA 1994. The Sons of the Desert currently lie third in Asia Group 2, level on points with second-placed Korea DPR who they face at home in Riyadh in their final match. </p><p style="clear: both;"> <strong>Northern Ireland and Bosnia upset the odds</strong><br />In Europe, the two surprise packages are most definitely Northern Ireland and Bosnia Herzegovina. Nigel Worthington's team are sitting pretty on top of Group 3 after a 3-2 win away to Poland and a 1-0 success at home to Slovenia. Bosnia, meanwhile, got the upper hand in both their home and away clashes with Belgium and now stand second behind Spain in Group 5, four points clear of Turkey. These two underdogs are currently bang on form and harbour legitimate hopes of making it to South Africa. </p><p style="clear: both;"> As well as Northern Ireland, Slovakia are also ahead of big guns Poland and Czech Republic in Group 3, while Denmark and Hungary are making all the running ahead of Portugal in Group 1. Those two sides, coached by Morten Olsen and Erwin Koeman respectively, are seven points clear of FIFA World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo and his team-mates, and although the Hungarians have played one game more, nerves must be jangling in the Portuguese camp. </p><p style="clear: both;"> <strong>Big three off to a shaky start in Africa </strong><br />Francis Kasonde, Emmanuel Adebayor, Pierre Aubameyang and Roguy Meye have good reason to celebrate at the moment after scoring the goals which earned Zambia, Togo and Gabon surprising results as the final African qualifying round got underway. The Zambians managed a draw against current African champions Egypt, while Togo defeated Cameroon and Gabon overcame Morocco. </p><p style="clear: both;"> The north African teams were particularly disappointed with their false starts, but as Egypt striker Mido pointed out, "this early defeat by no means spells the end of the road for us". Gabon coach Alain Giresse, in contrast, was delighted with his team's victory over a side coached by fellow Frenchman Roger Lemerre, saying "to face an opponent as tough as Morocco and come away with the three points is incredible." </p><p style="clear: both;"> <strong>Honeymoon period over for Maradona</strong><br />All of the above surprises pale in comparison to Bolivia's achievement. No-one could have dreamed that Erwin Sanchez's team would hand out a 6-1 thrashing to two-time FIFA World Cup-winners Argentina, who had previously been riding high on the back of Diego Maradona's appointment as coach. Lionel Messi had been filling the latter's legendary number 10 shirt to good effect in recent matches but it was the unheralded Joaquin Botero who proved to be the <em>Albiceleste</em>'s downfall. The 31-year-old striker notched a hat-trick to take his tally in the qualifiers to eight goals, putting him top of the South American scoring charts. </p><p style="clear: both;"> The 1978 and 1986 FIFA World Cup winners now find themselves in a lowly fourth place, and with trips to Ecuador, Paraguay and Uruguay still to come, they are by no means certainties to qualify. One crumb of comfort for the Argentinians is that Paraguay also slipped up this week, losing 2-0 to Uruguay and only managing a 1-1 draw with Ecuador. </p><p style="clear: both;"> <strong>Have your say</strong><br />Misery loves company, and it's always good to share your joy, so write in and let us know how you feel about the shocks of the past few days! Just click on 'add your comment' below and have your say. </p></div> <div class="spacer"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7550903464217115146.post-36188012781330600642009-04-02T05:27:00.001+01:002009-04-02T05:28:37.460+01:00Brazil back to winning ways<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/tournament/competition/01/04/47/44/1044744_small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 150px;" src="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/tournament/competition/01/04/47/44/1044744_small.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a> Luis Fabiano scored twice as Brazil strolled to a 3-0 win over a demoralised Peru in a hopelessly one-sided 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ qualifier on Wednesday.<br />Brazil, who have 21 points from 12 games, moved up to second in the South American group and cut the gap between themselves and leaders Paraguay to three points. Peru, with seven points, went five adrift at the bottom of the ten-team table and have no realistic hope of ending their 24-year wait for a FIFA World Cup finals appearance.<br />Their dismal form comes as coach Jose del Solar has controversially refused to pick German-based strikers Claudio Pizarro and Jefferson Farfan because of alleged indiscipline nearly 18 months ago. Brazil had drawn their previous three home qualifiers 0-0 - against Argentina, Bolivia and Colombia - but this time got the early breakthrough they needed. <div class="articleBody"><p style="clear: both;"> Kaka, who missed Sunday's 1-1 draw in Ecuador through injury, was fouled by Carlos Zambrano and Luis Fabiano placed his penalty just beyond Leao Butron's outstretched arm to open the scoring in the 18th minute. After that, it was a question of how many Brazil would score. </p><p style="clear: both;"> The second came nine minutes later when Elano chipped the ball over the Peru defence and Luis Fabiano chested it down and scored despite not hitting the ball cleanly. Butron prevented Brazil from adding a third before half-time when he denied Robinho with his feet after the hosts sliced through the Peru defence, then saved a powerful drive by Daniel Alves. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Luis Fabiano was denied a hat-trick when Butron tipped over his header on the hour. But midfielder Felipe Melo added the third four minutes later when he won two challenges in midfield, burst into the area and placed his shot between Butron and the near post. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar, who almost single-handedly earned Brazil their draw on Sunday, prevented Peru from scoring when he tipped Alexander Sanchez's drive onto the crossbar. </p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7550903464217115146.post-46034576139877101592009-04-02T05:25:00.001+01:002009-04-02T05:26:39.322+01:00Altidore lifts USA to victory<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/tournament/competition/01/04/46/82/1044682_small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 150px;" src="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/tournament/competition/01/04/46/82/1044682_small.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a> Jozy Altidore's hat-trick accounted for all the scoring as USA scored a 3-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago in a 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ qualifier in the North and Central America and Caribbean region.The 19-year-old Altidore scored in the 13th, 71st and 89th minutes, but veteran captain Landon Donovan also played a key role in creating each goal.With the victory, Bob Bradley's team solidified their position atop the table in the final phase of qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup with seven points. The US have already notched a win over Mexico and a draw against El Salvador. Trinidad and Tobago, guided by Colombian Francisco Maturana, have two points from three matches after draws against El Salvador and Honduras.<br />The top three teams from the six-nation final phase of qualifying advance directly to South Africa 2010, while the fourth-placed team play off against the fifth-placed team from South America.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7550903464217115146.post-28089889884688442812009-04-02T05:24:00.003+01:002009-04-02T05:25:28.017+01:00Dzeko double downs Belgium<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/tournament/competition/01/04/45/37/1044537_small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 150px;" src="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/tournament/competition/01/04/45/37/1044537_small.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Edin Dzeko struck twice early in the first half for Bosnia, who secured a 2-1 victory over Belgium today to raise their hopes of qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.<br />Dzeko also scored in the stunning 4-2 win over the same opponents in Genk on Saturday, and this latest success kept Bosnia in second place in Group 5, six points behind leaders Spain.The Wolfsburg forward scored the first goal in the 12th minute following a corner, and struck again three minutes later after a pass from Senijad Ibricic. <div class="articleBody"><p style="clear: both;"> Belgium were reduced to ten men just after the hour when Alex Witsel was sent off for violent conduct, but grabbed a consolation goal two minutes from time through Gill Swerts. </p><p style="clear: both;"> "We demostrated a heroic and tactical defence," said Bosnia coach Miroslav Blazevic. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Bosnians celebrated in the streets of the capital Sarajevo and other big towns, honking car horns and setting off fireworks.<br /><br />Bosnia are bidding to reach their first major tournament as an independent nation. </p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7550903464217115146.post-18352737880871586692009-04-02T05:23:00.000+01:002009-04-02T05:24:05.724+01:00Big guns fire as Poland cut loose<h1><img id="pcImg" src="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/tournament/competition/01/04/45/36/1044536_small.jpg" alt="The Netherlands' Rafael van der Vaart celebrates after scoring against Macedonia during their 2010 W" width="150" height="150" /></h1><div class="articleBody"> <p style="clear: both;"> It was a fruitful evening's work for most of Europe's traditional heavyweights on the road to the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, with the exception of title holders Italy - held at home by the Republic of Ireland. Spain, England and the Netherlands all won to move yet closer to sealing their place in South Africa. <strong>FIFA.com</strong> brings you all you need to know about the sixth Matchday of European Zone qualifying, which provided no fewer than 63 strikes in 23 matches - an average of 2.73 per game. </p><p style="clear: both;"> <strong>The big match<br /></strong>Turkey 1-2 Spain<br /><em>Goals: Semih Senturk 26 (Turkey); Xabi Alonso 63 pen, Albert Riera 90+2 (Spain).</em> </p><p style="clear: both;"> The European champions' finishing and fitness levels eventually helped them pick up all three points away against Turkey in their toughest match of the group so far. The home side, who controlled the midfield in the first half, opened the scoring via Semih Senturk and could well have added to their tally before the interval. After the break, however, Spain moved up a few gears and equalised through Xabi Alonso's penalty just after the hour mark. And just two minutes after Tuncay Sanli missed the chance to seal a memorable Turkish success, up popped Albert Riera to clinch victory for <em>La Roja</em>, who equalled their own 31-match unbeaten record. </p><p style="clear: both;"> <strong>The surprises<br /></strong>Czech Republic 1-2 Slovakia<br /><em>Goals: Martin Skrtel 30 o.g. (Czech Republic); Stanislav Sestak 23, Erik Jendrisek 83 (Slovakia).</em> </p><p style="clear: both;"> Unconvincing and incapable of imposing themselves on the game, a Czech Republic side missing several experienced players crashed to a 2-1 defeat at home to Slovakia, for whom Erik Jendrisek scored a late winner. The Slovaks are now second in Group 3 with the Czechs back in fourth. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Italy 1-1 Republic of Ireland<br /><em>Goals: Vincenzo Iaquinta 10 (Italy), Robbie Keane 89 (Ireland).</em> </p><p style="clear: both;"> The reigning world champions played 87 minutes with just ten men after the early dismissal of forward Giampaolo Pazzini, yet still managed to open the scoring when Vincenzo Iaquinta met a cross from Fabio Grosso. Ireland cranked up the pressure, however, and got their reward in the shape of a last-gasp equaliser from man of the match Robbie Keane. Suitably spurred on, the boys in green subsequently went close to snatching a winner in injury time. </p><p style="clear: both;"> <strong>The groups<br /></strong>In <strong>Group 1</strong>, joint leaders Denmark and Hungary both won and now enjoy a seven-point cushion over struggling Portugal, although the Hungarians have played a game more. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Israel, held at home by Greece on Saturday, completed a disappointing few days by going down 2-1 away to the same opponents and dropped down to fourth spot in <strong>Group 2</strong>. Switzerland, who beat Moldova 2-0, are level on points at the top with Greece while Latvia are three points further back after a 2-0 success over Luxembourg. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Northern Ireland carved out a slender 1-0 victory over Slovenia in <strong>Group 3</strong> courtesy of Warren Feeney's solitary strike. That kept Nigel Worthington's men a point clear of Slovakia, although they have played two games more than their closest rivals. Poland enjoyed the most convincing result of the evening, meanwhile, putting ten goals past San Marino without reply to post their biggest ever winning margin. </p><p style="clear: both;"> The situation changed little in <strong>Group 4</strong>, with Russia notching a 1-0 success in Liechtenstein to remain four points shy of Germany, having contested one match less. For their part, Joachim Low's pacesetters triumphed 2-0 in Wales. </p><p style="clear: both;"> With Spain refusing to drop points in <strong>Group 5</strong>, Bosnia-Herzegovina did their best to apply pressure by collecting an excellent 2-1 win away against Belgium, with Wolfsburg striker Edin Dzeko registering both their goals. The victors now enjoy a four-point lead over Turkey in the race for second spot. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Despite conceding Andriy Shevchenko's 23rd goal in qualifiers for the global showcase, England overcame Ukraine 2-1 at Wembley to strengthen their grip on <strong>Group 6</strong>. The section leaders are enjoying their best ever start to a FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign after five wins from five, with Croatia five points further back following their 2-0 success in Andorra. </p><p style="clear: both;"> In <strong>Group 7</strong>, France made their superiority count to edge a hard-fought match against Lithuania 1-0 at the Stade de France, Franck Ribéry once again making the difference for <em>Les Bleus</em>. The win lifted Raymond Domenech's charges within two points of leaders Serbia, with Romania still suffering further down the standings after they lost 2-1 in Austria. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Bulgaria overcame Cyprus 2-0 in <strong>Group 8</strong> but lie an imposing seven points back from Italy and five behind second-placed Ireland. Lastly in <strong>Group 9</strong>, the Netherlands are virtually assured of their place in South Africa after racking up their fifth consecutive triumph, this time seeing off Macedonia 4-0. </p><p style="clear: both;"> <strong>The stat<br /></strong><strong>10</strong> - The number of unanswered goals scored by Poland against San Marino to give them their largest ever margin of victory, superseding the 9-0 win they recorded against Norway in 1963. The biggest ever win during a FIFA World Cup qualifier in Europe remains the work of West Germany, however, who saw off Cyprus 12-0 in 1969. </p><p style="clear: both;"> <strong>The goal<br /></strong>Wales 0-2 Germany<br /><em>Goal: Michael Ballack 11 (0-1)</em> </p><p style="clear: both;"> Handed possession 35 metres out from goal off a throw-in, Ballack took one touch before unleashing a thunderous effort with goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey helpless and unable to stop the ball nestling in the top corner of the net. </p><p style="clear: both;"> <strong>What they said<br /></strong>"We didn't deserve to lose twice to Spain. I've seen lots of Spain's matches and I promise you that very few teams created as many chances against them as we did," <strong>Fatih Terim, Turkey coach.</strong> </p><p style="clear: both;"> <strong>Have Your Say<br /></strong>Which will be the first team to qualify for South Africa from the European Zone? </p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7550903464217115146.post-10152350979249570202009-04-02T05:20:00.000+01:002009-04-02T05:21:10.672+01:00Argentina hit for six in Bolivia<img id="pcImg" src="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/tournament/competition/01/04/44/60/1044460_small.jpg" alt="Bolivia's Marcelo Martins (R) celebrates with teammates after scoring against Argentina" width="150" height="150" /><div class="articleBody"> <p style="clear: both;"> Bolivia ended Argentina's 100 per cent record under Diego Maradona in emphatic fashion with a 6-1 victory in 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ qualifying. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Striker Joaquin Botero led the charge with a hat-trick that included a penalty, while Marcelo Martins, Didi Torrico and Brazilian-born Alex da Rosa shared the others. Luis Gonzalez replied for the visitors, who suffered their worst defeat since an infamous 5-0 home loss to Colombia in 1993. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Argentina's misery was completed when substitute Angel di Maria was sent off after only seven minutes on the pitch. Maradona's team have 19 points from 12 games in the 10-team South American Zone while Bolivia have 12 points. </p><p style="clear: both;">Argentina's attempts to keep possession were thwarted as the ball bobbled on the difficult pitch, while Maradona looked on helplessly. Bolivia employed their usual tactic of peppering the visitors goal with long-range shots, hoping the unusual flight of the ball would catch out goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carrizo. </p><p style="clear: both;">Carrizo had already turned away one Martins shot before Bolivia went ahead in the 12th minute when the Ukraine-based forward scrambled the ball in after a mix-up in the defence. Torrico then hit the crossbar with a 30-metre effort. </p><p style="clear: both;">Lionel Messi nearly pulled one back in the 20th minute when he ran from the halfway line, played a one-two with Carlos Tevez and scooped the ball over Carlos Arias who just managed to tip it away. Five minutes later, Luis Gonzalez levelled with a speculative 40-metre shot which bounced awkwardly six metres in front of goal and flew over Arias into the net. </p><p style="clear: both;">Bolivia regained the lead eight minutes later when Javier Zanetti was judged to have fouled Da Rosa and Botero converted the penalty. In the 45th minute, Arias sent a long goal kick up field to Botero who got behind the Argentina defence and pulled the ball back for Da Rosa to head the third. </p><p style="clear: both;">Botero, who plays in the Mexican second division for Correcaminos, headed Bolivia's fourth in the 54th minute. He completed his hat-trick 11 minutes later when he latched on to a chipped ball forward and slipped a neat finish past Carrizo for his eighth goal of the qualifiers. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Di Maria, who came on for Maxi Rodriguez in the 57th minute, was sent off for a wild lunge at Ronald Garcia seven minutes later. </p></div> <div class="spacer"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7550903464217115146.post-47680199981113018822009-04-02T05:19:00.000+01:002009-04-02T05:20:14.410+01:00Germany stroll to victory<img id="pcImg" src="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/tournament/competition/01/04/43/37/1044337_small.jpg" alt="Germany's midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger (R) vies for the ball against Wales' midfielder Aaron Ramsey" width="150" height="150" /><div class="articleBody"> <p style="clear: both;"> Germany took another ominous step towards the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ but at least Wales' youngsters were not humiliated at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. </p><p style="clear: both;">Wales boss John Toshack can at least be thankful for that small mercy after the soul-searching which followed Saturday's embarrassing home defeat to Finland, but the points in World Cup Group 4 were always heading to a Germany side which was never stretched. </p><p style="clear: both;">Toshack made five changes from the side which lost so miserably to Finland. He lost skipper Craig Bellamy earlier today with a recurrence of his knee problem, while Jason Koumas was out with a hip problem. Elsewhere he axed Chris Gunter, Carl Fletcher and David Edwards, bringing in Sam Ricketts following suspension, Ashley Williams, Robert Earnshaw, Sam Vokes and Aaron Ramsey, for his full debut. </p><p style="clear: both;">Germany made just one change from the side which beat Liechtenstein, Simon Rolfes taking over from Marcell Jansen. Wales were captained by Simon Davies in Bellamy's absence with a totally reconstructed side around the Fulham man. </p><p style="clear: both;">Germany took the lead after just 11 minutes when Ballack unleashed a swerving drive from 30 yards that crashed into the top corner past Wayne Hennessey. </p><p style="clear: both;"> To their credit Wales side were running and fighting for every ball as the Germans' passing game threatened to overrun them. </p><p style="clear: both;">And they were getting forward. Ramsey, 18, up against Ballack in midfield, was looking for space and trying to keep possession of the ball and had two efforts on goal charged down on the edge of the box. Wales had a decent chance to equalise after 21 minutes. Ricketts crossed from the right, Vokes headed down and Earnshaw saw his close-range effort blocked by Robert Enke. </p><p style="clear: both;">Joe Ledley then surged into the box to be brought down by Serdar Tasci, the defender looking to handle the ball as he fell. Germany's menace increased and Hennessey plunged to his left to keep out a 20-yarder from Thomas Hitzlsperger after a tapped free-kick. Then Mario Gomez drove just wide from outside the box. </p><p style="clear: both;">Hennessey saved superbly from a fierce shot from Lukas Podolski, the Germans looking dangerous every time they came forward, but Wales were showing spirit and when Gareth Bale lifted a free-kick into the box, James Collins rose to head narrowly wide. </p><p style="clear: both;">After an encouraging first half Wales did not need a stroke of bad luck just three minutes into the second period. Collins had held up Gomez on the right and looked to have run the ball out but the Stuttgart striker kept the ball in. His low cross to the near post was then stabbed past Hennessey by Williams' out-stretched boot for Germany's second. </p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7550903464217115146.post-88815270713237954582009-04-02T05:18:00.002+01:002009-04-02T05:19:26.984+01:00England leave it late<div class="articleBody"> <p style="clear: both;"> John Terry came to England's rescue with an 86th-minute header to keep Fabio Capello's 2010 FIFA World Cup™ road train steaming towards South Africa. </p><p style="clear: both;"> When Chelsea misfit Andriy Shevchenko flashed home an equaliser for Ukraine, who were trailing to Peter Crouch's opener, that familiar Wembley gloom started to descend. It took Terry to raise the roof, smartly steering home Steven Gerrard's knock-down from a trademark David Beckham free-kick to make it five Group Six wins on the trot for Capello and his boys. Capello's double-fisted victory celebration emphasised the importance of Terry's goal. </p><p style="clear: both;"> As tonight's opponents must meet Croatia on 6 June, the same day as England take on Kazakhstan, the Three Lions will return to base to face Andorra four days later knowing their place at the biggest stage of all could be virtually secure four months ahead of schedule. This was not a fluent England performance. There was too much hesitancy and too many unforced errors for that. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Full-backs Glen Johnson and Ashley Cole were among the culprits, so too was Steven Gerrard, who needlessly gave the ball away close to his own area; not that the Ukraine side could take advantage. Most obvious though was David James' misread of Anatoliy Tymoshchuk's long-range shot which bounced off his shoulder. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Sixteen months ago against Croatia, Scott Carson made the same kind of blunder and the ball squirmed in. This time it bounced kindly for John Terry, who blasted it out of the England penalty area. Capello has proved to be better than McClaren in a number of areas. Crucially, it seems he also enjoys better luck. </p><p style="clear: both;"> England were already in front by that stage, thanks to one of the flashes of inspiration which were the opening period's staple diet. Wayne Rooney provided it with a deft flicked header that bounced wide off a defender to earn England a corner which Frank Lampard dropped on to the head of Chelsea team-mate John Terry. </p><p style="clear: both;"> The England skipper could not get enough power into his effort to cause any damage himself. What he did manage to do was guide it into the path of Crouch, who turned smartly and let fly with a six-yard volley which cannoned into Andrii Piatov before zooming into the net. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Yet if the Portsmouth star's 15th international goal was the tangible evidence of England's bright new world, the performance of Rooney was a pretty spectacular supporting act. Although there were occasional glimpses of frustration when England's approach work did not match his expectation, they were outweighed by moments of pure genius. </p><p style="clear: both;"> The overhead kick that brushed the roof of Piatov's net after just seven minutes was awesome in its simplicity and he looked well set to burst clear inside the Ukraine penalty area when he was mercilessly chopped down on England's next attack. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Steven Gerrard curled the free-kick narrowly wide after Rooney had been upended. The Liverpool star also got on the end of Rooney's low cross at the end of the half, only for Piatov to make a solid save to repel the side-footed shot. </p><p style="clear: both;"> The belated introduction of Shevchenko ten minutes into the second-half offered the visiting fans something to cheer, even, as if to ensure the Ukrainians were drowned out, Capello responded by bringing on David Beckham for his 110th cap. </p><p style="clear: both;"> By that point, Rooney had embarked on another startling run which began just inside the visitors' half and left four defenders trailing in his wake before his shot fizzed wide, Piatov uncertain whether he needed to try and keep it out or not. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Rooney continued to sprinkle the game with his unique talent. Unfortunately, after two years at Chelsea doing little to justify his £30million price tag and vast salary, Shevchenko finally did something worthy of his reputation. His instinctive finish looked like wrecking England's 100 per cent record. After 24 ill-fated months at Stamford Bridge, he should have known Terry a bit better than that. </p></div> <div class="spacer"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7550903464217115146.post-42306470816668970162009-04-02T05:18:00.001+01:002009-04-02T05:18:27.957+01:00Spain triumph in Turkey<div class="articleBody"> <p style="clear: both;"> Liverpool duo Albert Riera and Xabi Alonso were on target as Spain came from behind to earn a 2-1 victory over Turkey at the Ali Sami Yen stadium and retain their 100 per cent record in 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ qualifying. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Star striker David Villa had been ruled out because of knee problems and, in the Valencia striker's absence, Vicente Del Bosque fielded Fernando Torres as a lone striker in front of a five-man midfield. Riera, Carlos Marchena and David Silva also came into the side from Saturday's 1-0 Group 5 win over the Turks in Madrid. </p><p style="clear: both;"> However, it was Turkey, unchanged from the match in Madrid, who went in front in the 26th minute. A long pass from Arda Turan into Spanish territory reached Tuncay Sanli, who in turn fed Semih Senturk to finish with applomb. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Spain's equaliser came in the shape of a Xabi Alonso penalty in the 62nd minute after Ibrahim Uzulmez had handled the ball in the area following a Torres header at the far post. The winner then arrived in the second minute of injury time when substitute Daniel Guiza went down the right flank and crossed for Riera to put the ball through the keeper's legs. </p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7550903464217115146.post-39548667523518476782009-04-01T20:00:00.001+01:002009-04-01T20:00:56.080+01:00Latvia too strong for Luxembourg<img id="pcImg" src="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/tournament/competition/01/04/42/53/1044253_small.jpg" alt="Jonathan Joubert GK (R) of Luxembourg vies with Aleksandrs Cauna (L) of Latvia" width="150" height="150" /><br /><div class="articleBody"> <p style="clear: both;"> Maris Verpakovskis scored one goal and set up the other in Latvia's 2-0 win over Luxembourg in their 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ European Zone Group 2 qualifier. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Jurijs Zigajevs opened the scoring a minute before half-time from a pass by Verpakovskis. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Verpakovskis himself then put the result beyond doubt 15 minutes from time </p><p style="clear: both;"> Luxembourg struggled against the Latvian defence and did not pose any serious threat to home keeper Andis Vanins. </p></div> <div class="spacer"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7550903464217115146.post-79759301701144311022009-04-01T18:50:00.001+01:002009-04-01T18:50:48.246+01:00Bahrain victory makes Aussies wait<img id="pcImg" src="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/tournament/competition/01/04/42/14/1044214_small.jpg" alt="Bahrain's Sayed Adnan controls the ball" width="150" height="150" /> <img id="pcImg" src="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/tournament/competition/01/04/42/24/1044224_small.jpg" alt="Bahrain's Abdullah Al-Marzouqi fights for the ball with Qatar's Sebastian Soria (18)" width="150" height="150" /> <img id="pcImg" src="http://www.fifa.com/mm/photo/tournament/competition/01/04/42/33/1044233_small.jpg" alt="Bahrain's Mohammed Hubail (R) fights for the ball with Qatar's Khalfan Ibrahim" width="150" height="150" /><div class="articleBody"> <p style="clear: both;"> Bahrain defeated Qatar 1-0 today, forcing Australia to wait a little longer to secure their ticket to the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.<br /><br />The Socceroos had earlier beaten Uzbekistan 2-0 in Sydney to go back to the top of Asian Zone, Group A, and would have become the first nation to qualify for the finals had this match between the two Gulf neighbours ended in a draw. Bahrain's victory was assured by striker Fouzi Aaish, who scored the all-important goal in the 52nd minute from a free-kick. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Bahrain are now third in the table with seven points. Australia top the pool with 13 points, while Japan, who did not play today, are second with 11. Uzbekistan and Qatar are on four points apiece. </p><p style="clear: both;"> The top two teams will qualify for South Africa 2010, with the third-placed side facing a play-off against their Group B counterparts for the right to compete against New Zealand for a berth at the FIFA World Cup. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Aaish's goal came from a low, curling shot struck from just outside the Qatar penalty area, which beat the outstretched hands of goalkeeper Ahmed Mohammed on the way into the far corner of the net. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Bahrain came close to doubling the lead later in the second half. Jaycee John first made a good solo move from the left, but his shot from close range struck the side netting. A few minutes later Aa'la Hubail's attempt was well saved by a diving Qatar goalkeeper Mohammed. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Both teams had their share of shots on goal in the first-half, but neither managed to hit the target. Khalfan Al Khalfan provided the first scare for the hosts early on when he burst free from the left, but his shot struck the post. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Qatar continued to pile on the pressure and midway through the first half, the Uruguay-born striker Sebastian Soria came close to scoring from a free-kick taken from just outside the penalty area. His shot breached the Bahrain wall, but goalkeeper Sayed Jaffer averted danger with a reflex save. </p><p style="clear: both;"> Bahrain made sporadic moves and like Qatar hit the post once. But their best chance came towards the end of first half, when the tall Sayed Mohammed Adnan did well to connect a Mohammed Salmeen free-kick from the left before his header brushed past the upright. </p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0