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[quote]
[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]Good and bad of USA-England game

[/size][b][size=1]by [/size][url="http://www.socceramerica.com/author/45/paul-kennedy/"][size=1]Paul Kennedy[/size][/url][size=1], June 12th, 2010 1:52PM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
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[color=#FF0000][USA-ENGLAND] [/color] It will go down as one of the worst goalkeeping blunders in World Cup history. The USA was England's equal for much of the match but had England goalie [b]Robert Green [/b]to thank for the gift goal that allowed the USA to earn a 1-1 tie with England in their World Cup match in Rustenburg.[color=#FF0000]What we liked ...[/color]

-- The U.S. central defenders[b] Jay DeMerit[/b] and [b]Oguchi Onyewu[/b] came up big, shutting down [b]Wayne Rooney[/b]. They prevented the England star from getting a decent chance, frustrating him so much that Rooney spent the last part of the game in midfield.

-- The goal Clint Dempsey scored was surely the luckiest of his career, but that shouldn't overshadow the fact he make a nifty move to elude [b]Steven Gerrard[/b], taking several touches, spinning around the England captain and hitting a dipping shot that bounced before it got to Green.

-- Having survived a nasty collision with [b]Emile Heskey[/b] in the first half, [b]Tim Howard[/b] shone in the second half with several excellent saves.

-- The reaction from the USA was excellent after falling behind. A bit nervous at the start, the Americans grew in confidence as they game went on. While England had its chances late in the game, the Americans never looked to be desperate straits.

[color=#FF0000]What we didn't like ...[/color]

-- The USA did exactly what [b]Bob Bradley[/b] cautioned against and let England score a goal -- a goal so easy that it seemed to lull the English into believing it would win in a cakewalk. That's exactly how[b]Gerrard [/b]scored after the U.S. markers lost their players in the middle of midfield off [b]Glen Johnson[/b]'s throw-in.

-- Gerrard's goal extended the USA's recent record of conceding early goals at the World Cup. In 1998, [b]Andreas Moeller[/b] scored after eight minutes for Germany in Paris. Four years ago, [b]Jan Koller[/b]scored for the Czech Republic after only five minutes.

-- Against a slow and nervous England defense, the USA could have done better with its possession in the first half. The Americans didn't have a threatening shot on goal and had England goalie [b]Robert Green[/b] to thank for letting [b]Clint Dempsey[/b]'s shot slip past him and into the goal.

[b]June 12 in Rustenburg
USA 1 England 1. [/b]Goal: Dempsey 40; Gerrard 4.
[b]USA -- [/b]Howard, Cherundolo, Onyewu, DeMerit, Bocanegra, Donovan, Clark, Bradley, Dempsey, Altidore (Holden, 86), Findley (Buddle, 77).
[b]England -- [/b]Green, Johnson, Terry, King (Carragher, 46), A.Cole, Lennon, Gerrard, Lampard, Milner (Wright-Phillips, 31), Rooney, Heskey (Crouch, 79).
[b]Yellow Card: [/b]USA -- Cherundolo 39, DeMerit 47, Findley 74; England -- Milner 26, Carragher 59, Gerrard 61.[b] [/b]


[b]Referee: [/b]Carlos Simon (Brazil). [/quote]


[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38460/good-and-bad-of-usa-england-game.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38460/good-and-bad-of-usa-england-game.html[/url]
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[quote]
[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]Lucky goal a product of U.S. resilience

[/size][b][size=1]by [/size][url="http://www.socceramerica.com/author/49/ridge-mahoney/"][size=1]Ridge Mahoney[/size][/url][size=1], June 13th, 2010 12:47AM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
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[color=#FF0000][USA-ENGLAND][/color] The Game of Green’s Godawful Goal might not have been nearly so memorable had the Americans crumbled after falling behind shortly after kickoff, just as they did in the opening minutes of the 2006 World Cup. Instead, they battled back for a 1-1 tie that gave both teams a valuable point in the Group C opener Saturday in Rustenburg.

Against England, there wasn’t enough possession and poise in midfield, and the forward play needs to be more incisive more often. Yet to shake out the nerves of a World Cup opener against the group heavyweight and a few truly outstanding players while still getting a point is a good start.

Rather than meekly succumbing as it did four years ago to a 3-0 whipping by Czech Republic following [b]Jan Koller[/b]’s powerful header in the fifth minute, the U.S. dug itself out of a hole to secure a 1-1 draw.

True, the hands of English keeper [b]Robert Green[/b] did much of the shoveling by steering [b]Clint Dempsey[/b]’s 25-yard bouncer over the goal line to cancel out a fourth-minute finishing gem by [b]Steven Gerrard[/b], and had [b]Wayne Rooney[/b] been anything close to his marauding, predatory self, England could have matched that Czech Republic margin.

Why England failed to seize control is more than the sum of [b]Tim Howard[/b]’s saves, [b]Steve Cherundolo[/b]’s savvy and [b]Jozy Altidore[/b]’s heft. If the Americans were lucky, it’s the same kind of luck that propelled them past Egypt and then Spain a year ago at the Confederations Cup, a luck borne of grit and spirit.

The central defensive pairing of [b]Jay DeMerit [/b]and [b]Oguchi Onyewu[/b], a highlight of last summer’s runner-up finish in the Confederations Cup, is still being rebuilt. Twice Onyewu stepped up without cover, and both times England pounced. His physical recovery from a torn patellar tendon in mid-October seems nearly complete; his anticipation and decision-making need sharpening. Yet his strong tackles and aerial challenges were instrumental in breaking up English attacks aside from those gaffes.

[color=#FF0000]HOLES IN THE BACK.[/color] On the first occasion, Gerrard zoomed inside [b]Ricardo Clark[/b] to take a diagonal ball from [b]Emile Heskey[/b], being marked by DeMerit, and blow through the hole left by Onyewu – who had pushed up the challenge Rooney well outside the penalty area -- to smack a sweet shot low with the outside of his right foot just inside the post. Less than four minutes into the match, the Americans were down, 1-0.

Clark, whose desperate lunge to block the shot fell short, waved his arms in disbelief as he sat on the ground, as if to ask, ‘Uh, isn’t somebody supposed to be there?’ Staying goalside on Gerrard is always a good idea, too.

In the second half, Heskey tore into space vacated by Onyewu to face Howard, who stood his ground and easily handled Heskey’s shot straight at him. The miscommunication was most evident, however, late in the first half when the two central defenders, so close together they could have bumped shoulders, escorted a through ball with neither deciding what to do with it.

Not surprisingly, Howard tore into his team a few times, calling for tighter marking and better defensive shape. Left back [b]Carlos Bocanegra[/b] got skinned by the quick and canny force that is right mid [b]Aaron Lennon[/b], and that can happen to anybody, but on other occasions he simply drifted too far inside, or bit on a move that left either Lennon or right back [b]Glen Johnson[/b] free down the flank.

Wide mids[b] Landon Donovan [/b]and Dempsey switched sides during the match, and both came deep to put in some good, and necessary, defensive work. Dempsey also floated inside with the U.S. in possession, but too often nobody drifted wide to cover that flank, even in transition. Yet it was from a central spot that Dempsey, who’d been knocked an awkward but ultimately vital early ball by[b]Michael Bradley[/b], twisted into space and hit the skipping 25-yard shot that will forever haunt Green, England fans and their coach, who chose him over [b]Joe Hart[/b] and [b]David James[/b].

[color=#FF0000]AGITATED CAPELLO. [/color]That’s you, [b]Fabio Capello[/b], who while coaching his first World Cup match looked far more agitated and upset than he usually did in the middle of Italy’s back line or on the sidelines with Real Madrid, Juventus, or AC Milan.

Seldom did right back Cherundolo need help or get caught out of position. He tormented [b]James Milner[/b], who had been battling stomach problems in the lead-up to the match, so severely Capello replaced Milner after 30 minutes. Capello also yanked center back [b]Ledley King[/b] at halftime; presumably because his tender knees were flaring up. (King has already been ruled out of England's next game against Algeria.) Cherundolo’s tough tackles, confident touches, and intelligent movement grounded the Americans on numerous occasions, something many of his teammates were unable to do.

A disjointed, patchwork feel marred much of England’s play, though Lennon slotted a few balls into the goalmouth that Rooney and Heskey failed to put away. In the second half, he scorched Bocanegra and from the goal line pulled back a diagonal ball that rolled about a yard behind first Rooney, at the near post, and then Heskey. So close, and a clear warning to the Americans that their defending needs upgrading.

Another critical pairing, that of Altidore and [b]Robbie Findley[/b], may not be renewed, but they didn’t get a lot of offensive support from Bradley and Clark for much of the match. Donovan and Dempsey were active and energetic, and maybe Dempsey’s moves into the middle were supposed to form links to the forwards. The Bradley-Clark duo didn’t do much offensively but blotted out [b]Frank Lampard [/b]for most of the game and picked up the slack when Rooney dropped into midfield. Gerrard got the goal and threatened a few other times, and also took a caution when he hacked Dempsey on the knee.

Findley did a lot of checking back and drifting wide to find the ball, but seldom did he get a real chance to run at a ball behind the back line that he had a chance of catching up to. When he broke up the left flank with 10 minutes left in the first half, he looked inside to see Altidore surrounded by five or six opponents and no teammate within 25 yards. It was a glaring example of wide gaps that sometimes separated the forwards and center mids.

Altidore, perhaps a bit rusty after missing some time with an ankle sprain, started somewhat uncertain of himself but gained in confidence and decisiveness as the match unfolded. There didn’t seem to be any danger when he took a short ball near the left sideline more than 40 yards from goal, but he turned upfield to power his way past [b]Jamie C[/b][b][b]arraghe[/b][/b][b]r[/b] and banged a shot Green deflected onto the post.

[color=#FF0000]HEROIC HOWARD.[/color] Howard stoned the English several times with critical saves, but only Johnson’s shot tested him to any extent. His toughness and courage carried him through the match after a lunge from Heskey caught him on the wrist and in the ribs. He took a shot of cortisone at halftime to relieve the pain of bruised ribs, and by gutting it out to the final whistle exemplified a team spirit that must be a constant at this World Cup. [/quote]


[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38467/lucky-goal-a-product-of-us-resilience.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38467/lucky-goal-a-product-of-us-resilience.html[/url]
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We need our main man Howard. However they might have to rest him 1 of these 2 games. Do we go with Hahnemann against Slovenia to let Howard heal and be set for Algeria and hopefully the knockout stage?

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[b][size="5"]Bradley not sure of Howard's injury[/size][/b]
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[color="#333333"][size="3"]IRENE, South Africa -- U.S. coach Bob Bradley isn't sure whether goalkeeper [url="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/player/_/id/34158"]Tim Howard[/url] broke ribs during a collision with [url="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/player/_/id/7955"]Emile Heskey[/url] in the Americans' World Cup opener against England.[/size][/color]

[color="#333333"][size="3"]"He'll be evaluated later today and then a decision will be made as to whether he'll need further tests," Bradley said Sunday. "Obviously he was sore -- did a great job of taking a tough hit, and staying in it and playing really well. But we'll assess him later today and figure out then what we need to do from there."[/size][/color]

[color="#333333"][size="3"]Howard was injured when Heskey's foot slid into him in the 29th minute Saturday night. Howard was down for a while, saying he felt "in agony." When the game resumed, he grimaced several times.[/size][/color]

[color="#333333"][size="3"]Howard played the second half after having an injection of a painkiller and made six saves as the United States rallied for a 1-1 tie.[/size][/color]

[color="#333333"][size="3"]"Any time you're in a big game like that and you get injured, there's no chance anybody is taking you off that field. And Tim is no different than the rest of us," defender [url="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/player/_/id/21633"]Steve Cherundolo[/url] said. "Having a good goalkeeper in a tournament like this is essential, so we're very happy Tim is on our team, and I'm certain he'll continue with his good performances."[/size][/color]

[color="#333333"][size="3"]Bradley couldn't say if Howard's participation in Friday's game against Slovenia was in doubt. Slovenia played Algeria on Sunday in Group C.[/size][/color]

[/color][/color][/font]
[font="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][color="#333333"]"At this time I think there's no answer," Bradley said. "But when you see the way Timmy handled himself after the collision last night, you'd certainly expect he'll be on the field again."[/color][color="#333333"][size="3"]Howard, the starter for Everton in the Premier League, is backed by Wolverhampton's [url="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/player/_/id/127973"]Marcus Hahnemann[/url] on the U.S. team. [url="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/player/_/id/56935"]Brad Guzan[/url], the backup to [url="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/player/_/id/7777"]Brad Friedel[/url] on Aston Villa, is the No. 3 American goalkeeper.[/size][/color]

[color="#333333"][size="3"]Howard said after the game in Rustenburg that he felt sore, but that team doctors at first impression didn't think there was a break. The U.S. team then made the two-hour trip back to its base camp in Irene.[/size][/color]

[/font][color="#333333"][font="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"]"In a couple hours I'll be struggling," he said before leaving Royal Bafokeng Stadium in northern South Africa. "It's going to take me a few days."[/font][/color] [/quote]


[url="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/5281241/ce/us/us-evaluate-keeper-tim-howard-rib-injury?campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines&cc=5901&ver=us"]http://soccernet.esp...&cc=5901&ver=us[/url]
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[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]Viewers double on ABC, ESPN and Univision

[/size][b][size=1]by [/size][url="http://www.socceramerica.com/author/45/paul-kennedy/"][size=1]Paul Kennedy[/size][/url][size=1], June 14th, 2010 1:04AM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
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[color=#FF0000][TELEVISION WATCH] [/color]It comes as no surprise, given the hype and extensive promotional efforts surrounding the World Cup, that the early broadcasts on ESPN, ABC and Univision have drawn record ratings and viewerships.

The USA-England game on ABC was the most-viewed first-round game ever with a 7.3 household rating and 12,956,000 viewers, based on fast nationals. It was the fifth most watched game on ABC after the 1999 Women's World Cup final (18 million viewers), the 1994 World Cup final (14.5 million), the 1994 World Cup second-round match between the USA and Brazil (13.7 million) and 2006 World Cup final (12 million).

Through five matches, ESPN and ABC averaged 3,427,000 households and 4,937,000 viewers -- up 95% and 108%, respectively, vs. the first five games of the 2006 World Cup.

Univision attracted 5.4 million viewers for the opening game between Mexico and host South Africa on Friday. Amazingly, the opening game was Friday's most-viewed program in these key markets Los Angeles, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Phoenix and Sacramento.

Its average audience of 4.0 million for the two games on Friday nearly doubled its audience for the first two games four years ago. [/quote]


[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38478/viewers-double-on-abc-espn-and-univision.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38478/viewers-double-on-abc-espn-and-univision.html[/url]
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[quote]
[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]Germany provides goal fix; Ghana wins for Africa

[/size][b][size=1]by [/size][url="http://www.socceramerica.com/author/40/mike-woitalla/"][size=1]Mike Woitalla[/size][/url][size=1], June 14th, 2010 2:06AM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
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[color=#FF0000][GROUP D] [/color]In a tournament desperate for goals, Germany continued its recent history of goalfest openers with a 4-0 win over Australia. Thanks to a late penalty kick, Ghana beat Serbia, 1-0, to become the first African nation to notch a win. Here's what we liked and didn't like about the opening Group D games ...

[color=#FF0000]What we liked ...[/color]

-- Germany started its 2002 World Cup campaign with a 8-0 win over Saudi Arabia and four years ago came out of the gate with a 4-2 win over Costa Rica. On Sunday, the Germans thumped Australia, 4-0

-- Coach [b]Joachim Loew[/b] kept his faith in the striker duo of [b]Miroslav Klose[/b] and [b]Lukas Podolski[/b] even though they managed just three and two goals, respectively, last season for their Bundesliga clubs. They scored Germany’s first two goals against Australia.

-- The first Africa-hosted World Cup has six entrants from the continent. After a South Africa tie and losses by Nigeria and Algeria, Ghana became the first African team to celebrate a win, downing Serbia, 1-0, thanks to a penalty kick by[b] Asamoah Gyan[/b].

[color=#FF0000]What we didn't like ...[/color]

-- For a brutal foul from behind on [b]Bastian Schweinsteiger[/b], Australia’s [b]Tim Cahill[/b] received the tournament’s first straight red card (and was the fourth player ejected in the first 10 games). Australia’s 19 fouls in the game are second only to France’s 20 in its tie with Uruguay.

-- Serbia lost all three games at the 2006 World Cup and extended that losing streak to on Sunday.

-- The crowd of 38,833 at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria for the Ghana-Serbia game was 4,000 short of capacity. Most of the empty seats were in the executive boxes. [/quote]


[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38480/germany-provides-goal-fix-ghana-wins-for-africa.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38480/germany-provides-goal-fix-ghana-wins-for-africa.html[/url]
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[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]COLUMN: High standards for goalkeepers

[/size][b][size=1]by [/size][url="http://www.socceramerica.com/author/49/ridge-mahoney/"][size=1]Ridge Mahoney[/size][/url][size=1], June 13th, 2010 2:59PM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
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[color=#FF0000][MY VIEW] [/color]Some readers are appalled that keeper [b]Tim Howard[/b]received a grade of 7 for his performance against England. In our system, a 7 is a very good grade, and 8s and 9s are rare, especially for goalkeepers unless they pull off at least one incredible save or several extremely good ones. While Howard made several important saves, none of them were especially difficult. He also took a kick to the ribs and played on.

For comparison, Nigerian keeper [b]Vincent Enyeama [/b]staved off Argentina with several remarkable saves of balls that seemed certain to hit the net. We didn’t rate that game, but if we had, Enyeama – in spite of Nigeria’s 1-0 loss – would have been at least an 8 and possibly a 9. High standards? Yes, indeed.

****

On TV, at least, the strident, honking vuvuzelas sound something like the plastic horns Mexican fans blow at Azteca Stadium, but in that locale, the pitch of the horns seems higher and so the sound is like that of a giant beehive. Horns are also heard at a few MLS stadiums, most notably RFK Stadium, where bleating and honking accompany the play at D.C. United matches and many international games.

(Incidentally, in addition to his myriad reporting and writing merits, which are considerable, Washington Post soccer scribe [b]Steven Goff[/b] does an excellent imitation of the horns he's been hearing for more than a decade at RFK. By now he must have the vuvuzela down pat.) [/quote]


[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38476/column-high-standards-for-goalkeepers.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38476/column-high-standards-for-goalkeepers.html[/url]
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[font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][size="3"][size="2"][size="2"][size="2"][size="2"][size="2"][b][size="5"]England 1 USA 1: I didn't make any mistakes against Americans! Fabio Capello tries to paper over the cracks[/size][/b]



[size="2"]Not once did he crack. Not once, after witnessing a stuttering start to England's World Cup campaign, did Fabio Capello display the slightest hint of concern.
[/size]
[size="2"]While some would say he was in denial, the Italian was clearly trying to give the impression that he remained in control.
[/size]
[size="2"]England had played well; enjoyed the better of the chances; deserved to win.[/size]

[size="2"]'For the future, I'm not worried,' he said. [/size]
[size="2"]'Absolutely.'[/size]

[size="2"]It was all so terribly British. The old stiff upper lip, albeit with a continental twist. [/size]

[size="2"]'The most important thing is to see the spirit of the team and also the physical condition,' he said.[/size]

[size="2"]'We created a lot of chances to score. Seven. Twice in front of the goal, one for Shaun Wright-Phillips, one for Emile Heskey. Alone. Absolutely alone. But this is football.'
[/size]
[size="2"]But had he made mistakes? 'No mistakes,' he said.
[/size]
[size="2"]'Absolutely not.'
[/size]
[size="2"]Except that he did make mistakes. It was a mistake to play James Milner when the Aston Villa midfielder clearly wasn't himself after suffering for three days with a stomach bug.[/size]

[size="2"]Capello claimed afterwards that the decision to swap Milner for Wright-Phillips after 31 minutes was a tactical one. That Milner's clear inability to cope with the pace of Steve Cherundolo needed addressing.
[/size]
[size="2"]'After he was booked it was possible he would get sent off,' said Capello.
[/size]
[size="2"]Because he was weakened by the illness. Because, when he eventually passed through the interview area at Rustenburg's stadium, he was greener than Robert Green.
[/size]
[size="2"]Capello said his players were in 'perfect' physical and mental condition coming into this encounter with the Americans.[/size]

[size="2"]But Ledley King, the talented but oh-so-fragile Tottenham defender, lasted as long as it took Steven Gerrard to score England's opening goal before turning to John Terry and complaining of a groin problem.
[/size]
[size="2"]That was after four minutes. A further 41 minutes and he was gone. Out of the Algeria game and possibly out of the tournament, given how long it normally takes King to recover from such setbacks.[/size]

[size="2"]Like Rio Ferdinand's knee injury, King's predicament is one that is beyond Capello's control. England's manager has not been lucky with his centre-halves and now he has a big call to make.
[/size]
[size="2"]Does he stick with Jamie Carragher when the Liverpool defender looked so alarmingly slow against Jozy Altidore?
[/size]
[size="2"]Or does he turn instead to the quickest of the three centre-backs who remain capable of forming a partnership with John Terry?[/size]

[size="2"]Matthew Upson is that man and, even if Carragher is the better player, Capello might need to consider him for Algeria.
[/size]
[size="2"]For Capello, though, the biggest concern is with his goalkeeper and this is a situation very much of his own making.
[/size]
[size="2"]In staging an X-factor style contest for the role since England qualified for the tournament last autumn and leaving it to the last possible minute — an hour and 45 minutes before kick-off — Capello has succeeded only in displaying a lack of confidence in all three keepers.
[/size]
[size="2"]Not only has it proved unsettling for the three guys vying for the one place but this has spread through the entire team. [/size]

[size="2"]When Green committed that howler of England howlers and so allowed Clint Dempsey to level the scores after 40 minutes, there was a sense among the out-field players that they knew it was going to happen. [/size]

[size="2"]That they had no more trust in Green than their manager does. Not one of them ran back to console him. Not one of them tried to stir Green from his personal and yet so horribly public torment.
[/size]
[size="2"]In fairness to Frank Lampard, there was a gesture from the edge of the penalty area. A tap on the chin as if to say 'chin up'.
[/size]
[size="2"]But nothing else. Nothing until Joe Hart greeted him at half-time with an arm around the shoulder. What a mess.
[/size]
[size="2"]The players wanted David James, Capello wanted Hart but Hart's lack of experience persuaded him to go with Green.[/size]

[size="2"]No wonder Green dropped a rick. Even when the players were lining up to be led onto the pitch he looked terrified. [/size]

[size="2"]If Capello chooses to stick with Green he made another mistake on Saturday night in not marching into the press conference and backing his man. [/size]

[size="2"]He could have declared that Green was his goalkeeper before praising him for the save he made to deny Altidore in the second half, even if the 30-year-old was rather fortunate to see the ball bounce off his post.
[/size]
[size="2"]The fact that Capello did not stand by him would suggest a change will indeed be made, but it is not an easy choice given the circumstances.
[/size]
[size="2"]If he was concerned about Hart making his competitive debut in the opening game of a World Cup, not to mention his poor distribution, the focus on the goalkeeper is even more intense now.[/size][/size][/size]

[size="2"]Not least because Algeria in Cape Town on Friday has become a must-win game. James is the obvious choice, but not to Capello — not least, it would seem, because they appear to feel that James has not responded well poor distribution, the focus on the goalkeeper is even more intense now.
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[size="2"]Not least because Algeria in Cape Town on Friday has become a must-win game. James is the obvious choice, but not to Capello — not least, it would seem, because they appear to feel that James has not responded well to the Italian's selection methods.
[/size]
[size="2"]The way James blanked Franco Baldini at the end of the warm-up was noted. They have an issue with James because James appears to have an issue with them.
[/size]
[size="2"]This, however, is what management is all about. James is not only desperate to play but ready to play and while he probably needs to lose the attitude, Capello could improve his mood by telling him the job is his.
[/size]
[size="2"]He has the experience, having been England's goalkeeper in Euro 2004 as well as those wins in Croatia and Germany under Capello, but most importantly he has the confidence and respect of the players.
[/size]
[size="2"]We do, of course, have to temper all this with the fact that one point from the opening game is not a disaster. Italy won the World Cup in 1982 after drawing their first three games and England's best performances in a major tournament have come after starting slowly.
[/size]
[size="2"]The drew against Uruguay in 1966, the Irish in 1990 — when they drew their second game, too — and the Swiss in Euro 96. Capello will also welcome back a player crucial to England's campaign here. [/size]
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[size="2"]Gareth Barry will be fit to start against Algeria and that amounts to a major plus. Along with Heskey, Ashley Cole and Glen Johnson, Gerrard was comfortably among England's better players on Saturday. [/size]

[size="2"]He took his goal superbly and also excelled in other areas. [/size]

[size="2"]'Time to deliver,' said England's captain and deliver he did.
[/size]
[size="2"]At the same time, however, he was partly at fault for the USA's goal because of his failure to close down Dempsey and this game just served as another reminder of why he will never be a defensive midfielder.
[/size]
[size="2"]With Barry back in the holding role, Capello can revert to the system that proved so successful in qualifying.
[/size]
[size="2"]A 4-2-3-1 formation that sees Barry partner Lampard with Gerrard and Aaron Lennon either side of Wayne Rooney and Heskey up front. One hopes it enables England to play with the fluency so lacking in their football since they got together last month.
[/size]
[size="2"]The team could yet evolve if England do indeed start to gain some momentum in this tournament. [/size]
[/size][/size][/size][/font]
[font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"]Despite his second-half miss Heskey was terrific on Saturday but he could lose out if Capello switches to a more attacking formation and plays two wingers with Gerrard pushed up to support Rooney. [/size][size="2"]Last week Rooney actually said he would be happiest up front on his own. By his own high standards, Rooney was poor against the Americans and Capello can also look forward to better things from his best player.
[/size]
[size="2"]But right now the key is to get the defence right. After just one clean sheet in 10, Capello should turn to James and Upson and suppress this desire to go for Hart.
[/size]
[/font][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"]Because two names spring to mind. Scott Carson and Ben Foster.[/size][/font] [/quote]



[url="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/worldcup2010/article-1286311/WORLD-CUP-2010-England-1-USA-1-Fabio-Capello-tries-paper-cracks.html"]http://www.dailymail...per-cracks.html[/url]
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[quote]
[color=#1D1D1D][font=Arial, Verdana, sans-serif][font=Georgia,][font=Arial, Verdana, sans-serif][size=3]
[b][size=5]America Wakes Up To The World Cup[/size][/b]
[/size][/font][/font][/font][/color]
[color=#1D1D1D][font=Arial, Verdana, sans-serif][font=Georgia,]Is America a soccer nation, now? On the morning of the United States’ most-hyped ever game against England, I combed through the front covers of every single American newspaper listed at [url="http://www.newseum.org/"]Newseum[/url], a good couple of hundred of them (which is not comprehensive, but is a pretty hefty sample-size), to see what Americans were waking up to read about it on their front pages — if anything at all.[/font][font=Georgia,]I found broad coverage and feature stories in surprising places, from Las Vegas to Detroit. Some states, though, had complete black-outs; other sports stories such as Nebraska’s move to the Big 10 in college sports or the Chicago Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup celebrations wiped out any reference to the World Cup from the front pages in large areas of the midwest.[/font]

[font=Georgia,]We see a tabloid, the [i]New York Post[/i], trying to stir hysteria; a Las Vegas daily telling soccer fans to “ignore the haters”; and a North Carolina newspaper fairly summarising that “We like soccer, but we love hoops.”[/font]

[font=Georgia,]We see that newspapers dispatched their photographers to local bars and Mexican restaurants to capture local passion, with few having correspondents in South Africa. It’s often not presumed that readers are fans of the United States: “National pride, but for which nation?” asks [i]The Daily Breeze [/i]in California.[/font]

[font=Georgia,]The vast majority of the coverage is enthusiastic: “What a kick!”, the [i]Miami Herald [/i]headlines, while the [i]Sarasota Herald-Tribune [/i]says “a proper sports fan’s heart will beat a little faster today.” It will indeed.[/font]

[/font][/color][font=Georgia,]Scroll below for the cover of every newspaper that had a major feature, in a state-by-state listing; click the image to open a readable PDF, and big ups to [url="http://www.newseum.org/"]Newseum[/url] for the cover images.[/font] [/quote]


Many scans of newpaper covers at this link:


[url="http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2010/06/12/america-wakes-up-to-the-world-cup/"]http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2010/06/12/america-wakes-up-to-the-world-cup/[/url]
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Viva V[font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"]uvuzelas!!![/size][/font]
[font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"] [/font]
[font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"] [/font]
[font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][img]http://forum.go-bengals.com/public/style_emoticons/default/1violin.gif[/img][/size][/font]

[quote]
[font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][color="#303030"][size="3"]
[b][color="#303030"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="3"][size="5"]Vuvus too loudly South African[/size]
[/size][/font][/color][/b]

[b][size="4"]World Cup organisers are aware of complaints about the incessant tooting of vuvuzelas and are evaluating the situation on a day-to-day basis while encouraging the fans to sing.[/size][/b]
[/size][/color][/size][/font]
[color="#303030"][font="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"][color="#000000"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"] [/font][/color][/font][/color]
[color="#303030"][font="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"][color="#000000"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"]Chief organiser Danny Jordaan told the BBC they are doing their best to control the situation, but are not ruling out a vuvuzela ban.[/size][/font][/color][color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]"We've tried to get some order. We did ask for no vuvuzelas during national anthems, no vuvuzelas when anyone is making an announcement or talking," he said.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]"We've heard from broadcasters and individuals. It's something we are evaluating on an ongoing basis."[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]Asked whether a ban was possible, he said: "If there are grounds to do so, yes."[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]He said throwing vuvuzelas onto the pitches was one possible reason to ban them.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]But local organising committee spokesman Rich Mkhondo was later quoted as saying there is no intention to ban vuvuzelas because of the noise factor.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]"Vuvuzelas are here to stay. They will never be banned. We just ask that people use them wisely," he said. "Vuvuzelas are a cultural phenomenon for our country and for football."[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]Jordaan's sentiments appear to echo those of many South Africans who defended vuvuzelas a year ago, but are now falling out of love.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]Jordaan said he preferred singing in a stadium, a tradition in most parts of the world which has not been heard in South Africa because of the vuvuzelas.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]"Singing has always been a great generator of wonderful atmosphere in the stadiums and we will try and encourage people to sing.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]"All through our history our ability to sing really inspired and showed emotion. In the days of the struggle [apartheid], we did not blow anything, we were singing," Jordaan said.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]Broadcasters are said not to be happy, and Argentina's Lionel Messi was among the latest players to complain about the vuvuzelas after his team's 1-0 victory over Nigeria on Saturday.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]"It is impossible to communicate. It's like being deaf," said Messi.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]France playmaker Yoann Gourceff has blamed vuvuzelas as one reason for their poor 0-0 draw with Uruguay, and his captain, Patrice Evra, said he has been woken by the vuvus at 6am.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]But Evra also told French television that "the trumpets are a tradition in the country. You can't start criticising them now."[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[/font][/color][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"]World football supremo Joseph Blatter has also defended the vuvuzelas as part of the unique African atmosphere.[/size][/font] [/quote]


[url="http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/article502322.ece/Vuvus-too-loudly-South-African"]http://www.timeslive...y-South-African[/url]
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[quote]
[color=#333333][font=arial, sans-serif]
[b][size=5]World Cup 2010: Fifa investigates as Diego Maradona targeted by laser[/size][/b]
[/font][/color]

[color=#333333][font=arial, sans-serif][size=4][url="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/fifa"]Fifa[/url] has ordered an investigation into security at Ellis Park in Johannesburg after a green laser pen was shone at players during yesterday's match between Argentina and Nigeria.[font=arial, sans-serif]A green beam could be seen being shone at various players, and in the direction of the Argentina coach [url="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/diego-maradona"]Diego Maradona[/url], during the match and raises questions over how such an item was able to be smuggled through the security checkpoints.[/font]

[font=arial, sans-serif][/font]

[font=arial, sans-serif]Fifa said in a statement: "We noticed this incident once and immediately asked the stadium security to look into the matter. According to the information that we have at this time, the incident only occurred once. Also at the time of writing, we have not received any comment from any of the teams."[/font]

[font=arial, sans-serif]Nicolas Maingot, the head of Fifa's media department, added: "I don't have reports that the security perimeters are not working. Security perimeters are essential for any big competition and are important for the smooth process of security. That is functioning well.[/font]

[font=arial, sans-serif]"The laser was stopped immediately, it was used once during the game and we didn't see it any longer. We informed the relevant people in charge at the game and it was very quickly stopped."[/font]

[/size][/font][/color][color=#333333][font=arial, sans-serif][size=4]It is not the first time a laser pen has been used at a high-profile match, with Cristiano Ronaldo being targeted during a game for Manchester United against Lyon in the Champions League in February 2008.[/size][/font][/color] [/quote]



[url="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jun/13/laser-fifa-maradona"]http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jun/13/laser-fifa-maradona[/url]
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[quote] [font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=2]But Evra also told French television that "the trumpets are a tradition in the country. You can't start criticising them now."[/size][/font] [/quote]


Though the sheer scale of it is quite smaller, if you've ever been to Crew Stadium for a match...they sell them in either black or yellow for $10 and they are all over the place at every game. I only find them annoying when I have 2 of my kids blowing them around the house.

Blatter knows that if they would ban them they would have a riot on their hands. FIFA awarded the WC to South Africa, you have to take the local culture along with it.
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[quote]
[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]Oguchi Onyewu comes back strong

[/size][b][size=1]by [/size][url="http://www.socceramerica.com/author/49/ridge-mahoney/"][size=1]Ridge Mahoney[/size][/url][size=1], June 15th, 2010 3:06AM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
[color=#FF0000]
[/color]
[color=#FF0000][UNDER THE MICROSCOPE] [/color][b]Oguchi Onyewu[/b] didn't show any signs of nervousness in his first World Cup match, despite facing England as well as one of the world’s top forwards, [b]Wayne Rooney[/b], and his burly partner,[b] Emile Heskey[/b].

Just 20 seconds after the opening kickoff, he played a left-footed ball along the ground upfield to[b] Jozy Altidore[/b], whose attempt to nick it on to [b]Robbie Findley[/b] narrowly failed to connect. Onyewu did bang a ball upfield later in the half right to Heskey but it pinged right back for him to clear. His touches were usually safe and simple, and he moved constantly to offer options to his teammates when the Americans brought the ball out of the back.

Most of the time, Heskey drifted in and out of Onyewu’s area, that of the left central portion in the U.S. back line. Occasionally, especially in the first half, Heskey’s movement drew out Onyewu far enough that England exploited the gap.

While[b] Rooney[/b] played off Heskey for much of the game, hoping for knockdowns and short passes and second balls, England directed much of its attack at Onyewu. Numerous balls, even goal kicks and free kicks from keeper [b]Robert Green[/b], were driven to Heskey, who seldom escaped Onyewu’s tight marking sufficiently to get a strong, clean jump at the ball.

Of his physical, mano-a-mano duels with Heskey and Rooney, Onyewu won the vast majority. He chased down a ball with Rooney on his heels late in the match, when Onyewu’s fitness might have been flagging. Instead, a few of his teammates blew harder and deeper late in the game as Onyewu finished strong; in the final minutes, he won a few aerial duels with 6-foot-7 striker [b]Peter Crouch[/b], who had replaced Heskey.

England scored in the fourth minute when Onyewu and central defensive partner [b]Jay DeMerit[/b]switched assignments on Heskey and Rooney for a throw-in. Onyewu stepped to Rooney, who let the ball run inside to Heskey. Despite DeMerit’s tight marking, Heskey clipped a diagonal ball right into the space vacated by Onyewu. [b]Steven Gerrard[/b] raced to the ball and with [b]Ricardo Clark[/b] a step behind, smacked a shot past [b]Tim Howard[/b].

On two occasions in the first half, space opened up on the flank when Heskey drew Onyewu. In the 25th minute, Heskey drifted into the middle and when Onyewu followed, [b]Aaron Lennon[/b] darted into the gap as [b]Carlos Bocanegra[/b] and [b]Clint Dempsey[/b] converged to scrape the ball away in a good moment of team defending.

Near the end of half, Heskey slid out wide, and opened a space for Lennon to wriggle through and hit a low shot Howard got down to smother. Lennon and right back [b]Glen Johnson [/b]caused the U.S. a few problems when the Americans didn't react to their interplay on the flank.

Another chance arose in the second half when Onyewu stepped up to intercept a ball intended for Heskey and chested it right to Lennon, who immediately played it behind Onyewu for Heskey to dribble at Howard. The U.S. keeper stood his ground and took Heskey’s hard shot right in the stomach as DeMerit slid over at the last second to apply some pressure.

Onyewu had timed his interception well, but his poor execution gave England an excellent chance. On this and a few other occasions, such as the England goal, the U.S. defensive shape and communication were poor. A bad offside call deprived England of an attack when the flag went up on Rooney; replays clearly indicated he was not closer to the goal than the last defender, Onyewu.

The good news is he didn’t show any physical problems, and with some more work with his teammates in training, should be more in sync when they face Slovenia Friday.

At times in the second half, if Heskey drifted too far from goal, Onyewu held his spot in the back line and let a teammate duel with Heskey for high balls. He came up with some important plays, including a recovery block at the near post of a low ball driven toward [b]Frank Lampard[/b] after Onyewu’s attempted tackle had bounced off Rooney. He also took up good positions several times to head away crosses at the near post when not man-marking.

On set plays, Onyewu was rarely a target, though he did out-fight [b]John Terry [/b]for a well-flighted ball from[b] Landon Donovan[/b] to head wide of the post from about 12 yards out. He might have been lucky not to be cautioned in the second half; he crunched both Rooney and Heskey from behind, and rather callously tripped Rooney in midfield with about seven minutes left in regulation.

With a full, demanding match against a good team tucked away, Onyewu should be strong and sharp for the next two group games, assuming he recovers normally. DeMerit and right back [b]Steve Cherundolo[/b] were cautioned and will be suspended if they pick up another yellow in the group stage, so Onyewu may be asked to provide some cover if they must play a bit more cautiously. [/quote]



[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38501/oguchi-onyewu-comes-back-strong.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38501/oguchi-onyewu-comes-back-strong.html[/url]
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[quote]
[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]Fitness fears for Rooney

[/size][b][size=1]June 15th, 2010 3:25AM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
[color=#FF0000]
[/color]
[color=#FF0000][ENGLAND] [/color][b]Wayne Rooney[/b] missed practice on Monday to rest a sore ankle and spent the time working out in a swimming pool. England’s medical staff described the injury as minor and he is expected to start against Algeria on Friday. But it is unsettling news from a player who has ankle problems late last season for a team.

According to various British media reports, Rooney was kicked in the ankle during the 1-1 tie with the USA.

Rooney was having the best year of his career last season for Manchester United, before injuring his right ankle after landing awkwardly during Man U’s first-leg quarterfinal against Bayern Munich on March 30. But Rooney was rushed back into action and lasted nearly an hour before aggravating the injury in the second leg a week later as Man U was eliminated

Soon after, Rooney was diagnosed with a groin injury and reports followed that he would miss the remainder of the English Premier League season.

But again, Rooney returned earlier than expected. But he limped off the field in the 77th minute of the last EPL game of the season, in which Man U clinched the title with an 8-0 win over Wigan.

Left back [b]Ashley Cole[/b] and central defender [b]Ledley King[/b] also missed training on Monday. Cole is known for not training in the days after a game, but King’s absence was a concern. He injured his groin in the U.S. game.

King had been replacing backline veteran Rio Ferdinand, who was ruled out because of injury before the tournament.

[url="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jun/14/wayne-rooney-england-world-cup"]The Guardian[/url] reported that “England's medical team privately fear that the [King's] tournament is over.”

King's spot next to [b]John Terry[/b] would likely be taken by [b]Jamie Carragher[/b], who replaced King against the USA.

Better news for England came when midfielder [b]Gareth Barry[/b] trained with the team on Monday and looks set to play on Algeria after missing the opener because of an ankle injury. [/quote]



[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38500/fitness-fears-for-rooney.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38500/fitness-fears-for-rooney.html[/url]
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[quote]
[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]Green's gaffe - yet another view

[/size][b][size=1]June 14th, 2010 4:11PM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
[color=#FF0000]
[/color]
[color=#FF0000][OFF THE POST VIDEO][/color] Thanks to LegoFussball we can relive the USA's 1-1 tie with England, especially the [b]Robert Green[/b] goalie gaffe, from yet another perspective .. [/quote]



Lego video at:

[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38494/greens-gaffe-yet-another-view.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38494/greens-gaffe-yet-another-view.html[/url]
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[color="#303030"][font="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"][color="#000000"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][color="#303030"][size="3"]
[b][size=6]Strikes rock Cup[/size][/b]

[b][size=4]Tourists made to stand in rain and left stranded at stadiums[/size][/b][/size][/color][/size][/font][/color][/font][/color]
[color="#303030"][font="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"][color="#000000"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][color="#303030"][size="3"][size=4][b]
[/b][/size][color="#666666"][font="inherit"][size="3"][size=1]Jun 14, 2010 10:09 PM | By SALLY EVANS, HARRIET McLEA, ANTON FERREIRAand NIVASHNI NAIR [/size]
[/size][/font][/color]
[b]The organisers of the World Cup have been shaken by a series of embarrassing protests in and around stadiums hosting tournament matches.[/b]
[/size][/color][/size][/font][/color][/font][/color]
[color="#303030"][font="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"][color="#000000"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"] [/font][/color][/font][/color]
[color="#303030"][font="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"][color="#000000"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"]Late yesterday in Cape Town, security officials who were to monitor the game between Italy and Paraguay walked off the job.[/size][/font][/color][color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]A furious local organising committee CEO Danny Jordaan said: "This is an employer-employee wage dispute. Although we have respect for workers' rights, we find it unacceptable for them to disrupt match-day proceedings and will not hesitate to take action."[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]Organising committee spokesman Rich Mkhondo said police officers had taken over security at the Cape Town stadium.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]In Johannesburg, about 90 Bus Rapid Transit System drivers hung up their keys yesterday morning, leaving hundreds of Dutch and Danish fans headed for Soccer City in the lurch.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]And in Durban early yesterday, 500 security stewards at Moses Mabhida stadium embarked on a violent demonstration against low wages. The organising committee has asked police to assume control of that stadium too until further notice.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]Mkhondo said last night: "Indeed they have walked out of the Cape Town and Durban stadiums . following a wage dispute not with us but with their private contractor. There's nothing I can tell you about the dispute . Gates opened on time."[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]However, by 7.30pm in Cape Town, a half hour before kickoff, the stadium was only half full because police officers were taking time to admit fans. Supporters waited in the rain and wind as hundreds of policemen scanned them with metal detectors.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]As the match started at 8.30pm, some security guards were on duty checking in supporters.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]Reya Vaya CEO Jackie Huntley said last night the drivers in Johannesburg had "embarked on an illegal work stoppage".[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]After the match in Soweto ended at 3.30pm, city officials swung into high gear and police diverted many of the more than 83000 fans to the Nasrec train station across the road.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]American tourist Alison Zes said "the situation is chaotic but fine" after her family were told to get on and off several trains before finding one destined for Park Station.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]Others said they were "stunned" to discover that the buses that took them to Soccer City would not return them to the city.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]Angry Dutch fan Stefan Jansen van Vuuren said: "I don't know how the hell we are going to get back, and my friend has a limp. This is a f***k-up."[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]From Park Station there was no further transport to take tourists back to their hotels.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]Several bus drivers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they had gone on strike after being told on Friday that their regular routes would change during the World Cup and that they would have to work overtime taking fans to Soccer City and Ellis Park. The Times saw 100 buses parked at the depot in the south of the city.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]The drivers said they wanted to work overtime, but an initial sum of R250 a shift agreed to by the city was cut last week to R100.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]The drivers were also furious at having missed Friday's opening match, having been informed only that day that they would be expected to work extended hours.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]In Durban, police spokesman Phindile Radebe said security guards hurled bottles and other objects at the office of the security manager, injuring staff.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]"Members of the Public Order Policing Unit were immediately deployed to the stadium and managed to contain the situation."[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]One security steward said she had worked from 6.30am on Sunday until 1.30am yesterday.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]"We are not slaves. We were promised R1500 and now to see this R190 [we were paid] is an insult,'' she said.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]Cosatu spokesman Patrick Craven said that although it was better not to have strikes during the World Cup, "they are unfortunately unavoidable".[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]"People strike when they feel they have no alternative. You can't suspend your constitutional, democratic rights just because it is the World Cup," he said.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]Political analyst Steven Friedman agreed: "The fact that something is illegal doesn't necessarily mean that the strike is unjust.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[/font][/color][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"]"It is assumed that anybody who has to work long hours during the World Cup won't say anything about it because they'll be considered unpatriotic. The drivers may well be expected to work long hours for inappropriate pay."[/size][/font] [/quote]


[url="http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/article503921.ece/Strikes-rock-Cup"]http://www.timeslive...trikes-rock-Cup[/url]
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[font=arial, verdana, sans-serif][size=2]
[b][size=5]It's not a horn of plenty for vuvuzela inventor - Exclusive[/size][/b]
[/size][/font]


[font=arial, verdana, sans-serif][size=2][size=3][size=2][size=2]The man who invented the vuvuzela – the world’s most annoying instrument – won’t make a penny from its global success.[/size]

[size=2]Freddie Maake, 55, says he created the instrument – which has been the incessant background noise for every match in this year’s World Cup – in 1970.[/size]

[size=2]Players say they have been put off by the din created by thousands of supporters blowing the metre-long plastic tube during matches – and TV viewers across the globe have complained about the racket.[/size]

[size=2]But dad-of-nine Freddie, from the Tembisa township near Johannesburg, said viewers should put up with the noise.[/size]

[/size][/size][/size][/font]
[font=arial, verdana, sans-serif][size=2][size=3]He said: “The vuvuzela is our people’s celebration, and it is not going away. This is South Africa’s time to party, and we will do it at high volume. It is beautiful.[/size][size=2]“If someone invites you to their house, and then plays music you don’t like, it is not your place to switch it off.”[/size]

[size=2]Freddie, a fan of the Kaizer Chiefs football team, had the idea for the vuvuzela when his brother Solomon gave him a bike with a horn for his 15th birthday in their home village Sekgopo, in South Africa’s northern Limpopo province.[/size]

[size=2]He removed the airpump from the horn and put it to his lips – creating a vibrant sound which was soon to became a feature of matches on dirt pitches in the region.[/size]

[size=2]Years later in 1989, the father of one of Freddie’s pals agreed to manufacture some of the horns in his plastic factory.[/size]

[size=2]Freddie and his friend sold them for £4.50 at stadium gates when Johannesburg rivals Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates contested local derbies.[/size]

[size=2]In the early 1990s the horns spread across the country to grounds in cities including Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.[/size]

[size=2]Its popularity continued to grow and the vuvuzela was named in 1992, after South Africa was readmitted to international sport following the release of Nelson Mandela and the end of apartheid.[/size]

[size=2]Freddie said: “Now that we were on the international stage, I thought we needed to raise it to a bigger level. I called it the vuvuzela, which means three things in Zulu – welcome, unite and celebrate.”[/size]

[size=2]By the time South Africa hosted the rugby union World Cup in 1995, the vuvuzela was being manufactured by large firms who had latched on to its popular appeal.[/size]

[size=2]The instrument is now a lucrative product for the country’s tourism industry, and Freddie is selling CDs of vuvuzela tunes.[/size]

[size=2]He tried to win the rights to the vuvuzela but dropped a court case after it had dragged on for several months.[/size]

[size=2]But defiant Freddie said his success lay in the army of new World Cup vuvuzela owners – including many England fans.[/size]

[/size][/font][font=arial, verdana, sans-serif]He said: “We’re here to make the World Cup great. The vuvuzela will be remembered around the world as what happened in South Africa in 2010.”[/font][/quote]



[url="http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/World-Cup-It-s-not-a-horn-of-plenty-for-vuvuzela-inventor-Exclusive-article467369.html"]http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/World-Cup-It-s-not-a-horn-of-plenty-for-vuvuzela-inventor-Exclusive-article467369.html[/url]
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[color=#333333][font=arial, sans-serif][size=2][size=4][size=2]
[b][size=5]The Nation: Why the Far Right Hates Soccer[/size][/b]
[/size][/size][/size][/font][/color]
[color=#333333][font=arial, sans-serif][size=2][size=4]
[/size][/size][/font][/color]
[color=#333333][font=arial, sans-serif][size=2][size=4]
[/size][/size][/font][/color]
[color=#333333][font=arial, sans-serif][size=2][size=4]Every World Cup, it arrives like clockwork. As sure as the ultimate soccer spectacle brings guaranteed adrenaline and agony to fans across the United States, it also drives the right-wing noise machine utterly insane.[/size][size=2][i]"It doesn't matter how you try to sell it to us,"[/i]yipped the Prom King of new right, Glenn Beck.[i]"It doesn't matter how many celebrities you get, it doesn't matter how many bars open early, it doesn't matter how many beer commercials they run, we don't want the World Cup, we don't like the World Cup, we don't like soccer, we want nothing to do with it."[/i][/size]

[size=2]Beck's wingnut godfather, G. Gordon Liddy also said on his radio program,[/size]

[size=2][i]'Whatever happened to American exceptionalism? This game … originated with the South American Indians and instead of a ball, they used to use the head, the decapitated head, of an enemy warrior."[/i][/size]

[size=2]Dear Lord, where do we begin? First of all, I always find it amusing when folks like Beck say, "We don't like soccer" when it is by far the most popular youth sport in the United States. It's like saying, "You know what else American kids hate? Ice cream!" Young people love soccer not because of some kind of commie-nazi plot conjured by Saul Alinsky to sap us of our precious juices, but because it's – heaven forefend - fun.[/size]

[size=2]Among adults, the sport is also growing because people from Latin America, Africa, and the West Indies have brought their love of the beautiful game to an increasingly multicultural United States. As sports journalist Simon Kuper wrote very adroitly in his book Soccer Against the Enemy, "When we say Americans don't play soccer we are thinking of the big white people who live in the suburbs. Tens of millions of Hispanic Americans [and other nationalities] do play, and watch and read about soccer." In other words, Beck rejects soccer because his idealized "real America" - in all its monochromatic glory – rejects it as well. To be clear, I know a lot of folks who can't stand soccer. It's simply a matter of taste. But for Beck it's a lot more than, "Gee. It's kind of boring." Instead it's, "Look out whitey! Felipe Melo's gonna get your mama!"[/size]

[size=2]As for Liddy, let's be clear. There is not in fact hard anthropological evidence that early soccer games were played with a human head. Interestingly, though, there is an oft-told legend that the sport took root in England in the 8th century because the King's army playfully kicked around the detached cranium of the conquered Prince of Denmark. Notice that this tall-tale is about Europe not "South American Indians". I think we're seeing a theme here.[/size]

[/size][/font][/color][color=#333333][font=arial, sans-serif][size=4]But maybe this isn't just sports as avatar for their racism and imperial arrogance. Maybe their hysteria lies in something far more shallow. Maybe the real reason they lose their collective minds is simply because the USA tends to get their asses handed to them each and every World Cup. After all, as G. Gordon asked, "Whatever happened to American exceptionalism?" When it comes to the World Cup, the exceptional is found elsewhere. Could Beck, Liddy, and company just have soccer-envy? Is it possible that if the USA was favored to win the World Cup, Beck himself would be in the streets with his own solid gold vuvuzela? I feel that to ask the question is to answer it. In fact, this is as good a reason as any to hope for a mighty run by the US team. It would be high comedy to see Beck and Friends caught in a vice between their patriotic fervor and their nativist fear.[/size][/font][/color] [/quote]



[url="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127829764"]http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127829764[/url]
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Pulling an ocho psycho. We can't underestimate these guys though. I really want to see a goal (or goals, rather) in the run of play that didn't come with a major screw-up from the other team.


[quote]
[font="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][color="#333333"][color="#000000"][color="#333333"][size="3"][color="#000000"]
[b][size="5"]Komac: 'We are going to win this match'[/size][/b]
[/color][/size][/color][color="#333333"] [/color]

[color="#333333"][size="3"]JOHANNESBURG -- [url="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/player/_/id/43790"]Andrej Komac[/url] probably never has heard of Joe Namath, even though he sure can imitate the Hall of Fame quarterback.[/size][/color]

[color="#333333"][size="3"]The Slovenia midfielder is so confident about the tiny country's chances against the United States in their World Cup match on Friday that he guaranteed victory.[/size][/color]

[color="#333333"][size="3"]"We are going to win this match," Komac said after practice Tuesday.[/size][/color]

[/color][/color][/font]
[font="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][color="#333333"]He added there's "a good feeling" on the squad after Slovenia beat Algeria 1-0 to claim its first World Cup victory and the top spot in Group C. Komac came on as a substitute in the final minutes.[/color][color="#333333"][size="3"]The U.S. and England have one point each after their 1-1 draw.[/size][/color]

[color="#333333"][size="3"]With a population of just over 2 million, Slovenia is the smallest nation in the World Cup -- about the size of Houston. But its national team has upset bigger rivals before. It finished second in its qualifying group ahead of the Czech Republic and Poland, then stunned Russia in a two-match playoff to enter its second World Cup.[/size][/color]

[color="#333333"][size="3"]Slovenia already is doing better than in 2002, when it lost all three group matches.[/size][/color]

[color="#333333"][size="3"]Captain [url="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/player/_/id/32704"]Robert Koren[/url] secured the victory Sunday against Algeria with a long-range shot in the 79th minute that goalkeeper Fawzi Chaouchi misjudged and allowed to bounce into the net off his arm.[/size][/color]

[color="#333333"][size="3"]Komac doesn't expect the U.S. to underestimate his team, given what it's accomplished so far.[/size][/color]

[color="#333333"][size="3"]"We took three points in the first game. No one looks at us as small anymore," he said. "Now we can only go forward like this, because we are leading the group."[/size][/color]

[color="#333333"][size="3"]Slovenia produced few scoring chances against Algeria, but fielded a strong defense the North Africans couldn't break down. Komac said Slovenia is not going to change it's strategy when it faces the Americans.[/size][/color]

[color="#333333"][size="3"]"We are playing our style of football and we'll continue with that, and we can beat the U.S. with that style," he said.[/size][/color]

[/font][color="#333333"][font="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"]Slovenia will advance to the second round if it beats the United States at Ellis Park.[/font][/color] [/quote]


[url="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/5288995/ce/us/slovenia-andrej-komac-guarantees-victory-vs-united-states?campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines&cc=5901&ver=us"]http://soccernet.esp...&cc=5901&ver=us[/url]
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[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]Stephen Colbert gets his digs in at English ...

[/size][b][size=1]June 15th, 2010 2:01PM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
[color=#FF0000]
[/color]
[color=#FF0000][VIDEO] [/color]On the Colbert Report, [b]Stephen Colbert[/b] examines the strained relations between the USA and England in the aftermath of the BP oil spill in the Gulf and gets his digs in with a look back at Saturday's USA-England game in Rustenburg ... [/quote]


If you haven't already seen it, video at this link:

[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38509/stephen-colbert-gets-his-digs-in-at-english.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38509/stephen-colbert-gets-his-digs-in-at-english.html[/url]




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[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]North Korea battles -- and provides poignant image

[/size][b][size=1]by [/size][url="http://www.socceramerica.com/author/49/ridge-mahoney/"][size=1]Ridge Mahoney[/size][/url][size=1], June 16th, 2010 2:34AM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
[color=#FF0000]
[/color]
[color=#FF0000][GROUP G][/color] As expected, Brazil tops the group after one round of play. Yet nothing like its narrow 2-1 win had been expected against mysterious North Korea, which could hold the key to the group by its results against Portugal and Ivory Coast after those teams tied, 0-0. Here's what we liked and didn't like about the opening Group G games ...

[color=#FF0000]WHAT WE LIKED ... [/color]

-- Instead of a jogo bonito goalfeast, Brazil scored only once more than North Korea, which didn’t attack much but pushed Brazil back into its own half of the field more often than anyone could have anticipated, and didn’t incur a single yellow card. [b]Ji Yun Nam[/b]’s wonderfully taken goal in the 89th minute punctured Brazil’s already thinning pride and punctuated a game that was anything but the anticipated blowout.

-- How can a game with no goals and not many chances still be compelling? Well, a great duel can fill the bill, and watching Portuguese left back [b]Fabio Conetrao[/b] battle and harass and frustrate Ivory Coast’s powerful [b]Aruna Dindane[/b] during their 0-0 tie offered up some memorable confrontations. Conetrao also got upfield a few times to join the attack without sacrificing is important work against Dindane.

-- There won’t be many World Cup images more poignant than that of North Korean striker[b] Jong Tae Se[/b] crying openly as he stood listening to his national anthem just prior to kickoff against Brazil. We can only hope that fans in North Korea were able to see not only their team’s courageous performance, but just what being at the World Cup after an absence of 44 years means to their players.
[color=#FF0000]
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE ...[/color]

-- Maybe this Portuguese team really is trying to find its own identity in the wake of the retired “Golden Generation” ([b]Luis Figo, Rui Costa, Nuno Valente, Nuno Gomes[/b], et al) that never replicated its U-20 success (two world championships), but it disappointed greatly with it flaccid play for much of the match.

-- Especially disappointing were midfielder[b] Deco[/b], who was substituted in the 62nd minute, and [b]Cristiano Ronaldo[/b]. Aside from a fierce long-distance shot that hit the post in the 11th minute, Ronaldo seldom glided past opponents on the dribble, or swiveled sharply to get a look at goal. At age 32, Deco looks almost nothing like the man who graced the midfield for two Champions’ League winners (Porto 2004, Barcelona 2006), and Portugal doesn't look capable of repeating its semifinal showing four years ago.

-- Another non-sellout is another black eye for the competition, especially with a game matching an African team with a well-regarded European opponent. The crowd at Port Elizabeth Stadium (37,034) for the Portugal-Ivory Coast game fell more than 5,000 short of capacity (42,486). There were plenty of fans wearing the colors of their teams, though their chants and cheers weren’t always audible through a drone of vuvuzelas. [/quote]


[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38519/north-korea-battles-and-provides-poignant-image.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38519/north-korea-battles-and-provides-poignant-image.html[/url]
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[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]Orange mini-skirts are no-no

[/size][b][size=1]June 15th, 2010 11:17PM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
[color=#FF0000]
[/color]
[color=#FF0000][OFF THE POST] [/color]A group of young Dutch women were detained by authorities after Monday's Netherlands-Denmark game, and ITV World Cup play-by-play commentator, former Jamaican international [b]Robbie Earle[/b], was fired after tickets issued in his name ended up in their hands to get into the game. The transgression of the young women? Dressing up in orange mini-skirts.
[color=#FF0000]
[/color]That's right. They were detained for wearing the colors of the Dutch national team.

FIFA takes ambush marketing campaigns seriously and didn't look kindly on the stunt organized by Dutch brewery Bavaria.

"The orange dresses are part of a marketing and PR campaign already running in commercials of the brewery extensively in Dutch media," a FIFA spokesperson [url="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jun/15/fifa-bavaria-beer-orange-dresses"]told[/url] the Guardian. "and as such are recognizable items associated directly with the brewery in question."

Bavaria's response: "FIFA doesn't have a monopoly on the color orange."

Earle had given Bavaria the tickets, violating -- innocently -- FIFA's rules, which limit the transfer of tickets to family and friends.

Earle's dismissal was the latest World Cup controversy for ITV.

The British broadcaster ITV missed [b]Steve Gerrard[/b]'s goal for England against the USA when it had cut away for a commercial. [/quote]


[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38511/orange-mini-skirts-are-no-no.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38511/orange-mini-skirts-are-no-no.html[/url]
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[color="#303030"][font="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"][color="#000000"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][color="#303030"][size="3"]
[b][size="5"]Tickets fiasco has fans hopping mad[/size][/b]

[color="#666666"][font="inherit"][size="3"][size="1"]Jun 15, 2010 11:27 PM | By ZANDILE MBABELA [/size]
[/size][/font][/color]
[b][size="3"]Portugal and Ivory Coast fans in Port Elizabeth who watched the game at the St George's Park Fan Fest were hopping mad at seeing empty seats in the stadium after they were told that tickets to the match were sold out.[/size][/b]
[/size][/color][/size][/font][/color][/font][/color]
[color="#303030"][font="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"][color="#000000"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"] [/font][/color][/font][/color]
[color="#303030"][font="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"][color="#000000"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"]Fans braved the cold, rainy and windy weather to watch the match with friends at the Fan Fest, but some said they would have rather been at the stadium to witness the 0-0 draw.[/size][/font][/color][color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]Portugal fan Tia Estefan said she and six friends tried to buy match tickets "about a month ago" but were told there were none left.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]"I was so surprised to see empty seats at the stadium because I've been hustling for tickets since forever," she said.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]Bruno Calvari said he and his family wanted to be in the stadium to see all the action, but they could not. "We heard that there were still tickets for this match, but when we went to buy we were told that there were no more," he said.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]This comes as Fifa is investigating more than 8000 seats left empty at the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium match between Korea and Greece on Saturday.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]City officials said the unoccupied seats could be linked to a booking cancelled by a Korean group earlier this year who were put off by South Africa's high crime rate.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]Fans were pleased with the draw. Though some thought Didier Drogba's second-half substitution would see Ivory Coast making the back of the net, others thought Cristiano Ronaldo got a raw deal.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]Leandre Simmonds said she would have loved to have seen a goal from the revered Ronaldo.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]"It's not fair because every time he tried to score, someone would hit him and he falls," she complained. "We're hoping for better luck next time."[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]Ivory Coast fan Sikhumbuzo Mtshali said he was "very happy" with the draw.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]"Better that than a goal from Portugal," he said.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[/font][/color][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"]"Now we just need Brazil to beat them in the next group game."[/size][/font] [/quote]


[url="http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/article505549.ece/Tickets-fiasco-has-fans-hopping-mad"]http://www.timeslive...ans-hopping-mad[/url]
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[color=#333333][font=arial, sans-serif]
[b][size=5]World Cup 2010: Fifa blame overseas fans for rows of empty seats[/size][/b]
[/font][/color]

[color=#333333][font=arial, sans-serif][size=4][url="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/fifa"]Fifa[/url] admitted today that some overseas fans who had bought tickets for World Cup matches had not collected them, adding to the number of empty seats on show in South Africa.[font=arial, sans-serif]The governing body had previously said that the majority of the empty seats at matches had been caused by transport problems relating to the thousands of tickets sold in batches to local businesses and government agencies.[/font]

[font=arial, sans-serif]But after more than 10,000 empty seats were visible at yesterday's match between Cameroon and Japan in Bloemfontein, Fifa admitted there was also a sizeable minority of tickets sold to overseas visitors who simply hadn't turned up.[/font]

[font=arial, sans-serif]At the Japan match, watched by a crowd of 30,620 in a stadium with a useable capacity of 40,911, the no shows from overseas accounted for around 1,000 tickets.[/font]

[font=arial, sans-serif]There are also suggestions that tickets may have been bought by third party brokers who were unable to sell them on, or fans may have not realised how difficult it would be to travel between cities so may have given up on some less attractive matches.[/font]

[font=arial, sans-serif]Today's match between New Zealand and Slovakia was the worst attended yet. The attendance of 23,871 was well below the official capacity of 38,646 at the remote Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg.[/font]

[font=arial, sans-serif]The problem has afflicted several of the opening round of World Cup matches, with more than 10,000 empty seats at Saturday's match between South Korea and Greece and Sunday's clash between Algeria and Slovenia in Polokwane.[/font]

[font=arial, sans-serif]For the first time, overseas fans who bought tickets over the internet were not able to collect them until they reached South Africa.[/font]

[font=arial, sans-serif]Because the tickets are sold but not taken up, there is not much Fifa can do in terms of filling the empty seats but continue to try and improve transport for those in receipt of group tickets for local organisations.[/font]

[/size][/font][/color][color=#333333][font=arial, sans-serif][size=4]However, it has also stressed that the average attendance up to this morning was still the second best since the 1982 World Cup. The average attendance after 11 matches in Germany was 52, 167 and the average attendance after the same number of games in South Africa was 53,019.[/size][/font][/color] [/quote]


[url="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jun/15/world-cup-2010-tickets-fifa"]http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jun/15/world-cup-2010-tickets-fifa[/url]
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