Capello back in charge as Terry mutiny fizzles out

Fabio Capello was firmly back in control of England's World Cup campaign on Monday after a player revolt launched by John Terry fizzled out, leaving the former captain isolated.

Terry had launched his abortive coup by promising to air a string of grievances at a squad meeting, even if that meant upsetting Capello.

Versions of what went on in the meeting on Sunday evening vary but leaks from inside the camp to the English media were unanimous in indicating that no other senior player had been prepared to back the Chelsea defender.

Humiliatingly, Terry was reportedly persuaded not to say anything for fear of triggering a direct confrontation with the Italian which could have plunged England's campaign into even deeper crisis ahead of their crucial meeting with Slovenia on Wednesday.

Terry's mute presence at the meeting was in sharp contrast to the tone he adopted at a press conference on Sunday, where he had boasted of his readiness to do some straight talking.

"If we feel something has to change, we owe it to the country and the manager to say it in that meeting tonight," Terry said. "If it upsets him or any other player, so what."

Queiroz says N.Korea clash 'all or nothing'

Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz admitted on Sunday their World Cup clash with North Korea is do-or-die and he will not be happy with anything other than a resounding victory.


Both teams go into Monday's match desperately needing to win with the Portuguese held to a goalless draw by Ivory Coast in their Group G opener while North Korea lost 2-1 to Brazil.

The Koreans got almost everyone behind the ball to blunt Brazil's natural samba flair and they will need more of the same if they want to tame Portugal and their captain Cristiano Ronaldo.

Queiroz, a former assistant to Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, knows the stakes are high.

Park, Tevez put friendship aside in key duel

South Korea winger Park Ji-Sung and Argentine striker Carlos Tevez, who became close friends when they were Manchester United teammates, will be sworn enemies in a crunch World Cup clash on Thursday.

Both South Korea and Argentina won their opening games in South Africa and victory for either side in the Group B encounter will open the door to a last 16 place.

"We have played together and I think it is great that we will play against each other, but this is not just a friendly, this is the greatest place to play football," said 29-year-old Park.

"We are both adversaries for now and we will both be doing our best to win the game."

Park says he expects Tevez to have briefed the Argentina defence about his playing style, just as he has told the South Koreans how to cope with the livewire South American striker.

Rooney promises red card redemption

Wayne Rooney has vowed to achieve redemption for his red card exit from the last World Cup by firing England into the knockout stages of this tournament.

The Manchester United striker failed to do himself justice in Germany, where he was not fully match fit following an accelerated pre-tournament rehabilitation from a broken metatarsal bone.

Having failed to score in four appearances, Rooney departed the tournament in disgrace, his frustration over his own and England's under-performance culminating in a stamp on Portugal's Ricardo Carvalho in a quarter-final England were to lose on penalties.

Forlan powers Uruguay past South Africa

Uruguay's Diego Forlan blasted a stunning 25-metre goal in the 24th minute and added a penalty as the two-time world champions beat host nation South Africa 3-0 Wednesday in a World Cup match.

As a result, the South Americans moved atop of the Group A standings while the South Africans suffered a severe blow in their bid to avoid becoming the first World Cup host ousted in the first round.

Atletico Madrid star Forlan opened the scoring by slamming a right-footed shot from well outside the penalty area which tucked under the crossbar, leaving South African goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune helpless.

"I capitalized on the opportunity for the goal. Step by step," Forlan said. "We are professionals. We play football and we finish."

History-making Swiss shock favourites Spain in World Cup

World Cup favourites Spain crashed to a shock 1-0 defeat to unfancied Switzerland in their opening game of the tournament here on Wednesday.

A rock solid defence and a tremendous goalkeeping effort from Diego Benaglio saw the Swiss take the lead in the 51st minute through Gelson Fernandes and sustain wave after wave of pressure to hold on for the win in the Group H clash.

The victory was Switzerland's first-ever over Spain in 19 games dating back 85 years.

"It is a historic victory," said Switzerland's German coach Ottmar Hitzfeld.

"We haven't beaten Spain for such a long time. We have taken a step towards the second round, but now more will be expected of us. We have to remain attentive and focussed," added the 61-year-old, one of only three coaches to have won the Champions League with two different clubs.

Dreams of unity as plucky N.Korea lose to Brazil

North Korea's first World Cup finals goal for 44 years against five-time winners Brazil brought delight to the isolated communist nation's fans and stoked dreams of reunification with South Korea.

While their tireless team eventually went down 2-1, supporters based in both Japan and South Korea saw great credit in the performance as North Korea returned to the finals for the first time since blazing a trail in 1966.

Not long after the game ended in a chilly Johannesburg, Pyongyang's official news agency praised its team for a "fierce" fight as fans singled out star striker Jong Tae-Se -- nicknamed Asia's Wayne Rooney -- for praise.

"Even though our compatriots lost the game, the team scored a goal. I'm proud of them as a blood brother," said a 34-year-old man who works for an organisation for ethnic Koreans in Japan.

Football powerhouse Brazil struggle to beat North Korea

Five-time World Cup winners Brazil opened their South Africa 2010 campaign with a workmanlike 2-1 win over Asian minnows North Korea on Tuesday.

Despite an attacking line boasting Kaka and Robinho, the South Americans had to work hard to break down dogged defending as the North Koreans worked tirelessly.

After a resilient first half, the North Korean defence finally cracked as Maicon scored from the tightest of angles before Galatasaray's Elano made sure of victory with the second goal in the Group G clash.

Brazil coach Dunga said he was not entirely happy with the result, but welcomed the three points with Ivory Coast and Portugal still to come.

Brazil calling on spirit of '94

On paper at least, Brazil’s FIFA World Cup™ qualifier at home to Bolivia on 29 August 1993 should have been straightforward. Carlos Alberto Parreira’s side were, however, under enormous pressure with three games left to play in the South American Zone.

Just one month earlier, Brazil had suffered their first-ever defeat in the qualifying competition, 2-0 away to Bolivia in La Paz, and the week before the return fixture had left the pitch to a barrage of booing after a 2-0 home win over Ecuador. However, showing the strength of will and unity that would end up taking them to glory at USA 1994, Brazil’s first world crown for 24 years, A Seleção put La Verde to the sword in a 6-0 success.

Yet despite the emphatic nature of that win, the defining moment came when the players entered the field hand-in-hand prior to kick-off. This gesture of togetherness was repeated before each match right through to 17 July 1994, the day they edged Italy on penalties to lift the FIFA World Cup Trophy for a fourth time.

New Zealand-Slovakia preview

New Zealand and Slovakia have long coveted places at the FIFA World Cup™. The Kiwis last appeared on its prestigious stage in 1982, and were the underdogs going into their play-off with Bahrain in late 2009. The Slovaks were outsiders in a qualifying group also comprising the likes of Slovenia, Czech Republic, Northern Ireland and Poland.

But by reaching South Africa 2010, the pair created expectation. And while, given that defending world champions Italy and a capable Paraguay side are also in Group F, a majority view this match as a battle to avoid finishing bottom of the pool, New Zealand and Slovakia consider it an opportunity to put one foot in the knockout phase.

The match

New Zealand-Slovakia, Group F, Rustenburg, Tuesday 15 June, 13.30 (local time)

Côte d’Ivoire-Portugal preview

Tuesday sees the first meeting between Côte d’Ivoire and Portugal in the history of the FIFA World Cup™, in a Group G encounter that promises both plenty of excitement and goalmouth action. In their second consecutive appearance at the global showpiece, the west Africans will be out to prove that their growing continental reputation is wholly merited. “For this generation of players not to win anything would be a shame,” says Ivorian midfielder, Romaric.

Winning a match, their group or even the whole tournament will depend on the answer to two crucial questions: Will Didier Drogba play? And what kind of boost will the arrival of new coach Sven-Goran Eriksson provide?

N.Korea fans cheered S.Korea World Cup win

North Koreans cheered South Korea's victory over Greece in their opening World Cup match despite political tensions between the two countries, a pro-Pyongyang newspaper reported Tuesday.

"The match where compatriots played has drawn great attention," said the Chosun Sinbo, published in Tokyo. "The (Pyongyang) residents, without an exception, cheered for the South Korean team."

South Korea comfortably beat Greece 2-0 in their first group match on Saturday.

North Korea, who have qualified for the first time in 44 years, meet Brazil early Wednesday Korea time.

The North has aired delayed World Cup footage on its official television station despite failing to secure broadcasting rights.

Chosun Sinbo, which normally reflects official thinking, said North Koreans were "riveted" while watching the games aired for most of Sunday.

Dutch 'beer babes' held at W.Cup stadium

A group of 36 young Dutch fans in orange miniskirts were detained for several hours at Soccer City stadium for wearing outfits designed by a Dutch beer company, a newspaper reported Tuesday.

The dresses were sold with Bavaria Beer packs in the Netherlands in the run-up to the World Cup, but football governing body FIFA accused the young women of staging an ambush marketing campaign, The Star said.

"We were sitting near the front, making a lot of noise, and the cameras kept focusing on us," Barbara Kastein told the paper.

"In the second half, about 40 stewards surrounded us and forced us to leave the stadium," she said.

They were taken to a FIFA office where police quizzed them about the dresses and asked if they worked for Bavaria. More than three hours later, they were released and police said they would continue investigating, the paper said.

N.Korea secures World Cup broadcast deal: TV union

North Korea has secured legal rights to air World Cup matches live, Asia's broadcasting union said Tuesday, denying the reclusive state had pirated a recording of the opening fixture.


According to South Korean broadcaster SBS, the North's Korean Central Broadcast Service (KBS) aired Friday's opening 1-1 draw between hosts South Africa and Mexico without permission.

But the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union said North Korea -- whose team is competing at the World Cup for the first time in 44 years -- had used legal footage "right from the start" following a deal between the union and FIFA.

KBS is a member of the TV union, which has agreed with football's world governing body to air the tournament live in six other impoverished countries -- East Timor, Laos, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Germany's new jewel Ozil looking for glory

Germany's rising star Mesut Ozil, tipped by coach Joachim Loew as a future world-class player, insists that the three-time champions have a genuine chance of winning a fourth World Cup.

Barely known outside of Germany and Turkey before the tournament, 21-year-old Werder Bremen midfielder Ozil played a key role in orchestrating his side's impressive 4-0 thrashing of Australia in Durban on Sunday.

Germany's second Group D game is against Serbia on Friday in Port Elizabeth and a victory would almost guarantee them a place in the knock-out phase, but Ozil says the goal for a team not originally among the favourites is to seal a fourth title.

"Our dream is to win the title, that is why we are here," said Ozil, who was born to Turkish parents in the industrial German city of Gelsenkirchen.

Germany lost captain Michael Ballack to an ankle injury before the tournament even started, but Ozil's performance suggested the national side can plug the gap with the next generation of talent.

"We have always sought an out-and-out Number Ten and now we have found one," said striker Miroslav Klose.

New Zealand trust in blend of experience and youth

New Zealand will place their trust in a blend of experience and youth when they take on Slovakia in their World Cup Group F clash here on Tuesday.

Coach Ricki Herbert confirmed a defensive-looking line-up for the encounter on the eve of the match.

Veteran defender Ivan Vicelich comes into the side in midfield as cover for Tim Brown, the vice-captain who has been given more time to complete his recovery from shoulder surgery at the end of May.

"Tim has pulled up a fraction short for this match," Herbert confirmed. "We will reassess that in the coming days and hopefully he will be there for selection for the games against Italy and Paraguay."

England cry foul over German World Cup balls

England's Jamie Carragher believes Germany gained a huge World Cup advantage by ensuring their players had four months to get used to the ball they banged into the net four times against Australia.

The controversial Jabulani balls were introduced by Bundesliga clubs sponsored by their German-based manufacturer adidas in February and Carragher believes that has given England's biggest rivals an edge that was apparent in their impressive 4-0 win over the Socceroos in their opening match on Sunday.

"That is exactly what we were saying as we were watching," Carragher said.

"It gives them an advantage anyway. Certainly, that is true. It is obvious. The ball is very different. Every training session we do we always start with a ball between two, passing 30 or 40 yards to each other just for that reason alone. I am sure it has helped them."

Barry ready to steady creaking England ship

Gareth Barry has declared himself ready to restore stability to England's midfield as they prepare for a must-win encounter with Algeria.

The Manchester City midfielder has recovered from an ankle injury that had threatened to rule him out of the tournament and, after sitting out the 1-1 draw with the United States, will return to the staring line-up against the Algerians in Cape Town on Friday.

"The ankle has been fine for ten days," Barry said. "Another week's training in the lead-up to the Algeria game and I should be spot on.

"If the manager had asked me if I was ready to play against the United States at the weekend, I would have bitten his hand off to try and make the starting team. I was desperate for us to go two or three goals up and then he might have thrown me on!"

Barry was overlooked by former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson for the 2002 and 2006 World Cup squads but, having established himself as one of Fabio Capello's automatic picks, he was desperate not to miss out again.

Japan coach focuses on Dutch test after historic win

Japan coach Takeshi Okada refused to get carried away by his team's historic World Cup win over Cameroon, saying he had his sights firmly set on the next match.

The Blue Samurai's 1-0 win in Bloemfontein was their first World Cup victory on foreign soil and puts them in a strong position in Group E behind early pacesetters and strong favourites the Netherlands.

But despite the jubilation among the travelling Japan fans, Okada said the moment the final whistle sounded he was focused on Saturday's clash against the Netherlands in Durban.

"The final whistle of today's game is the kick-off for the next game. That's how we feel," said Okada, who has come under fire for predicting his misfiring Japan side would reach the semi-finals.

Defending champs Italy draw with Paraguay at World Cup

Italy got their title defence off to a stuttering start on Monday when they needed to come from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Paraguay in their World Cup opener.

The four-time champions came into the match at Green Point Stadium under pressure after a underwhelming build-up and they had to dig deep to salvage a point.

On a cold and wet night, the South Americans stunned Marcello Lippi's men by taking the lead on 39 minutes when Antolin Alcaraz outjumped ageing Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro and Daniele De Rossi to head home a cross.

De Rossi redeemed himself by grabbing the equaliser eight minutes into the second half, making the most of goalkeeper Justo Villar's failure to clear a corner to put the Italians back into the game.

Italy, who are often slow to start at big tournaments, turned up the heat after their goal and they could have had more, but Paraguay clung on to share the Group F spoils.

Ronaldo won't worry over Drogba threat

Cristiano Ronaldo played down his mouth-watering World Cup clash against Didier Drogba, insisting that Portugal must not get distracted by the challenge posed by the Ivory Coast star.

The two sides clash in a crucial Group G match at Port Elizabeth on Tuesday just before pool rivals Brazil meet North Korea in Johannesburg.

"We know all about Drogba, he's a great player," said Ronaldo Sunday.

"But we can't get preoccupied by him. We must concentrate on our team, our tactics and our ambitions. That's the only way to win."

Portugal endured a troubled qualifying campaign, having to come through a two-legged play-off against Bosnia-Hercegovina to make sure of their place in the finals.

But Ronaldo insists those troubled times are behind them as the 2006 semi-finalists target a place in the knockout round.

Four-star Germany light up World Cup

Three-time champions Germany demolished hapless 10-man Australia 4-0 in a late-night World Cup goal festival which swept away the hangover caused by the day's two earlier turgid offerings.


Goals from Lukas Podolski, Miroslav Klose, Thomas Mueller and Brazil-born striker Cacau left Germany on top of Group D Sunday.

Ghana are second in the section having beaten Serbia 1-0 in the day's other game, a victory which delivered Africa's first win in the first World Cup staged on the continent.

Slovenia saw off Algeria 1-0 to go top of Group C, ahead of England who had been held to a 1-1 draw on Saturday.

Gyan stars as Ghana sink 10-man Serbia

An Asamoah Gyan penalty six minutes from time gave Ghana a crucial 1-0 World Cup victory over 10-man Serbia in Group D at the Loftus Versfeld stadium here on Sunday.

Gyan's spot-kick was awarded for Zdravko Kuzmanovic's needless handball in the box after Serbia had lost Aleksandar Lukovic to two bookings.

And the noise which met 2010 Africa Cup of Nations finalists Ghana's victory, the first by an African country at this year's World Cup, by a partisan African crowd was truly deafening.

Ghana's victory puts them in pole position to emulate their performance in 2006 and qualify for the knock-out rounds in a tough group including Germany and Australia.

The win was bittersweet for Ghana's Serbian coach Milovan Rajevac.