It wasn’t at all expected at this stage of the tournament for the European Champion. But it is true. The Spanish armada was beaten by the Swiss guards thru an excellent effort from Gelson Fernandes in the 52nd minute. It wasn’t planned actually. It was plainly running and running and then the player suddenly found the ball on his feet and in front of the goal. It was a sight that Spain’s fans will have to cover their faces with both hands. A shame really!
Spain, one of the favorites to win the World Cup, looked lethal on paper, with big names like Torres, Iniesta, Alonso, Ramos, Villa and Cassilas. They were also unbeaten in 12 games prior to this Swiss encounter. And as per record, Switzerland had never beaten Spain in any of their previous matches.
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It’s England vs USA at the opener for Group C of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The highly anticipated match will kick off on June 12, Saturday at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace in Rustenberg, South Africa at 230pm EST. By looking at the papers, it would be a safe prediction of an English victory. By what margin? Perhaps that would be the more apt question.
This is the first time in 60 years that the two countries meet in a prestigious tournament. The last time around, it was USA who bested mother England 1-0. Now the tears of those years had long dried up. Every soccer fan in the world knows a lot of those in the England line-up. Thanks a lot to the Premiere league and its worldwide reach. But for the US squad, I only know of two, Landon Donovan and Tim Howard. Donovan I remembered because of his criticism towards his more famous LA Galaxy teammate, and England legend, David Beckham. Tim Howard (now playing for Everton) is that goalkeeper who saved his US team in the 2002 World Cup. He was eventually recruited by Manchester United after that superb World Cup performance.
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Three days to go before the kick off of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The opening ceremony date is on June 11, 2010, at the new Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa. This is the first time that a football world cup is held at an African nation.
The 91,000-capacity stadium is expected to be a full house during the opening ceremony. Political leaders of the 32 competing nations are also expected to grace the ceremony and cheer for their respective teams. The FIFA World Cup, being one of the mostly watched sporting-event in the world, will draw innumerable worldwide viewers. It is also at this tournament that we will see the best football (soccer) players in the world.
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Fabio Capello had already chosen the 23 players who will represent England in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. And here’s the full England squad:
Goalkeepers – Robert Green (West Ham United), Joe Hart (Birmingham), David James
(Portsmouth)
Defenders – Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), John Terry (Chelsea), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Stephen Warnock (Aston Villa), Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), Ledley King (Tottenham), Matthew Upson (West Ham)
Midfielders – Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City), James Milner (Aston Villa), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Gareth Barry (Manchester City)
Forwards – Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Emile Heskey (Aston Villa), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham), Peter Crouch (Tottenham)
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The 2010 FIFA World Cup final draw results will be known today, December 4, 2009 in Cape Town South Africa. The 32 national teams that qualified must be anxiously waiting for the draw results by now. We, the fans will not be left behind as we can watch the final draw of the 2010 World Cup in our cable TVs and/or online thru Fifa.com and in ESPN’s Soccernet.com
The 4 Pots
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2010 FIFA World in South Africa is fast approaching. And we have just reached the end of the qualifying and playoff games in all parts of the world. Who’s in?
Europe (13)
Who do we miss? The big guns are there except for Russia and Ukraine. France barely made it. Thanks to Henry for the handball! Spain and England are, I think, the best of this group. But France, Germany and Italy, are known to surprise everyone when it comes to the World Cup.
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Popularity: 11% [?]
