When Both The Teams Canceled Out Each Other

Scores: Uruguay 0 – France 0

Group: Group A

Venue: Cape Town-Green Point Stadium

Review: After the exciting inaugural match between South Africa and Mexico, expectations soared high when France and Uruguay kicked off their FIFA World Cup 2010 campaign. But barring some flashes of skills by French winger Franck Ribery and Uruguayan striker Diego Forlan, the match ended up as a goalless dud. With the first match between the hosts and the Mexicans drawn, both teams lost on the opportunity to clinch three points and get an early lead in Group A. And incidentally these lost opportunities sometime become the decider for teams to either proceed to the next round or get eliminated from the World Cup.

Uruguay’s strategy was quite clear from the first minute itself. They adopted an ultra defensive tactics a la Italy with the duo of Forlan-Saurez up front seeking an opportunity to score on counter attacks. But the difference between Italy and Uruguay lies in the simple fact that the La Celeste doesn’t have the attacking capabilities of the Azzuri. On the other hand, though the 2006 runners up stuck to their attacking style of football, expectedly with Franck Ribery in the helm of affairs, there was no blood drawn. Just eight minutes into the game and Sidney Govou got hold of a sitter crossed from Ribery.

Both Teams Showed their Defensive Prowess

However, a weak right footed shot from Govou that went wide off the post, marred the chances of Les Blues getting an early lead. France maintained their supremacy throughout the match but couldn’t capitalize on any of the strikes. Nicholas Anelka missed out on scoring a cross from Yoann Gourcuff. There was a heart stopping moment for the Les Blues when a powerful right footer from Diego Forlan was saved by French custodian Hugo Lloris. Towards the half time both the teams recoiled a bit and the game became a bit dull.

Franck Ribery Showed Some Flashes Of His Class

However, post the half time, the match again picked up some pace. But frustration was quite reflected in the body languages of both the teams’ because of their inability to score. Though French coach Raymond Domenech introduced Thierry Henry and Florent Malouda about 20 minutes before the final whistle, it couldn’t really add the fillip to the attack that was required. Surprisingly the low point in the match came when substitute Nicolas Lodeiro who came in the 63rd minute was sent off after he was shown second yellow card for an ugly foul on Bacary Sagna in the 81st minute. But there was no advantage France and the match ended in a hopeless draw few minutes later.

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Unexpectedly Tough Tussle For Mexico

Scores: South Africa 1 (Siphiwe Tshabalala 55’) vs Mexico 1 (Rafael Marquez 79′)

Group: Group A

Venue: Johannesburg-Soccer City Stadium

Review: Had Mexican captain Rafael Marquez not scored the equalizer on 79th minute, South Africa would have created history by winning the opening match of 2010 FIFA World Cup. But that the Bafana Bafana forced a draw on Mexico and that their footballer Siphiwe Tshabalala became the first player to score a goal in the FIFA World Cup 2010 is no mean achievement by itself. Kudos to South Africa’s custodian Itumeleng Khune for his heroic efforts, for had he not hold the fortress tightly, a different story might have been scripted.

Siphiwe Tshabalala Enjoying After The Opening Goal

When Uzbek referee Ravshan Irmatov blew the whistle that kicked off the 2010 World Cup, even the die hard South African fan didn’t expect that their country which is 83rd ranked will display such a spirited football against the 17th ranked team in the World and the reining CONCACAF winner, Mexico. And expectedly in the first two minutes of the game Mexico came near to scoring. It was a low cross delivered by Paul Aguilar which Itumeleng Khune failed to smother. Alessandro Dos Santos was in a position to net the loose ball, only to be blocked by defender Aaron Mokoena.

The first 30 minutes of the match was completely dominated by the Mexicans and they created a flurry of chances. But none could be converted into goals. First, Guillermo Franco sent a header from a corner. Next, the livewire of the Mexican team, Dos Santos surged from the centre circle but his shot went wide from the edge of the box. After the 32nd minute, Carlos Vela sent a drop shot over the South African defense to Franco but Khune again came in the way. Few minutes later a Vela-Franco combined effort saw Vela converting Franco’s corner into goal, but was judiciously adjudged off-side. On the other hand Carlos Alberto Parreira’s South Africa did try to break the rearguard of Mexico, a couple of times in the first half, albeit fruitlessly. One of the chances were just before the recess when Tshabalala missed a scoring opportunity from a dangerous ball that his team mate Katlego Mphela had failed to head in. The first half ended in a goalless draw.

Rafael Marquez With Mexico's Reply

In the second half the Africans changed their gear and adopted a much balanced approach that looked to be more positive. In contrast, Mexico went for a higher defensive line that suddenly started looking vulnerable because of the South Africans’ counter attacks. And finally, 10 minutes into the second half came the glorious moment for Bafana Bafana. It was a four man move and South Africa found the net. Kagisho Dikgacoi lofted a long diagonal through and Siphiwe Tshabalala invaded the penalty box from the left before shooting a strong left footer in the opposite corner beating Mexico’s defense. Soccer City exploded and the frenzied fan raised the tempo by blowing vuvuzela to the maximum. However, Mexico continued to attack and 14 minutes later they found an off guard South African defense. A pass from Andres Guardado found an unmarked Rafael Marquez and the Mexican captain gave no chance to Khune with a near post finish. South Africa’s chance of clinching a victory came in the last few minutes of the match, when a left footer from Mphela struck the post and went out of danger zone. Alas, the hosts fell just short of creating history.
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Iker Casillas (Spain): He is perhaps the best keeper in global football at this moment. The captain of the Spanish football team, this 28 year old is expected to make some stunning saves once he wears the gloves for the national side. Casillas has that fitness and common sense which makes him so formidable against penalty shots. There has been lots of matches where he has single handedly lifted the side through his awesome saves.

Julio Cesar (Brazil): He has already entered the list of all time great Brazilian goalkeepers at such a young age. A proud winner of the Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year in 2009, this 6 feet 1 inch player of Portuguese descent has played 47 times for the national side since 2004. A lot is expected from him in 2010 World Cup.

Gianluigi Buffon (Italy): 32 year old Buffon, nicknamed Gigi is like a pillar for the Italian side. He played a pivotal role in the penalty shoot out versus France and made his team champions of the 2006 World Cup. This year too, this Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year for 9 times, will do his bit for the Azzuris. For over a decade now, he has been an important part of the national side with more than 100 appearances.

Tim Howard (USA):  This 31 year old goalkeeper is an important part of USA football team. He was the best keeper in the Confederations Cup 2009 and hopes to improve his form in this year’s world cup. A regular for Everton at the club level, he has made 50 appearances for the national squad.

David James (England): The strong goalkeeping skills of David James will surely give more confidence to the English football side. After the departure of David Seaman, James has successfully done duties for his home side and has performed excellently in humdingers. He already has 50 caps for the national team and is expected to prove his mettle on the South African soil.

It remains to be seen whether the gloves also prove their part this World Cup in South Africa along with the boots and lift teams to the winner’s podium.

Ashley Cole (England): Arguably the best left back in the world and fresh from winning English Premier League 2009/10, Ashley Cole has been the backbone of England’s defense along with club mate John Terry. Cole’s all round abilities including his sudden charge forward, goal scoring abilities and making excellent crosses, had earned him the “Mr. Reliable” tag. With six FA Cups and three Premier League titles, Cole has been one of the most successful English players in the last decade. And with Cole reaching the prime age in 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, England can expect him to deliver the best.

Lucio (Brazil): Lucio was one of the three players from Brazil’s 2002 World Cup winning team who played the entire 630 minutes of the tournament. Lucio is in the league of those rarest central defenders who have the ability to bring the ball up through the opponents and within the striking zone. And Brazil’s strong defense line has been centered on Lucio for some time now. The Inter Milan defender played a big role in getting the historic treble by winning the Serie A, Coppa Italia and finally the UEFA Champions League. Captaining the Brazil team in 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Lucio will be hoping to lift the Cup for the second time.

Philipp Lahm (Germany): With Michael Ballack out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, who better could have been to lead Germany but Philipp Lahm. In the last World Cup, Lahm’s performance was terrific and Germany will look up to him even in the current edition as well. Bayern Munich’s right back is famous for his pace, dribbling and crossing abilities. His ability to play in the left wing as well has been highly effective for both Bayern and Germany. Germany was third in 2006 World Cup, but with a versatile captain in Philipp Lahm they are one of the best contenders in South Africa.

Nemanja Vidic (Serbia): Though Serbia is not one of the so called biggies in the football world; they have a World Class center back in Manchester United’s Nemanja Vidic. He was a part of the “famous four” of erstwhile Serbia and Montenegro who conceded only 1 goal in the 10 qualifying matches in 2006 World Cup qualifiers. Now in Serbia’s first independent World Cup appearance, Vidic is the team’s key man in the defense. He is famous for his aggressiveness, ability to fiercely tackle opponents, heading in both defense and set piece movements. Being in one of the toughest groups in 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Nemanja Vidic is expected to be the greatest barrier to the opponents.

Lionel Messi (Argentina): Already being hailed as one of the best strikers of world football, Messi is a player to look for in this world cup. A blend of class and exuberance, this Argentinian will surely be a major contender for the Golden Boot. He is one of the top finishers of the game and coach Maradona will bank hugely on him to win matches. Messi has been in excellent form in his stint with Barcelona and hopes to continue it when he enters the field for Argentina in South Africa.

Fernando Torres (Spain): The Spanish team will be heavily relying on Torres to do the miracle in the 2010 version of the tournament. Fondly known as El Nino, for his high speed and strength, this current striker of Liverpool has earned the fame with his hunger for goals. Since 2003, he has played around 72 times for the national side with a huge success rate. The strong points of this stylish player is his agility, shot selection and quick sense of mind.

Dider Drogba (Ivory Coast): Watch out for the dangerous Drogba this world cup. The captain of Ivory Coast, this center forward can give sleepless nights to the opponent team’s defenders and keepers. In the club level for Chelsea, Drogba has been ranked as the 7th highest goalscorer of all times. In South Africa, he will have that great backing of African supporters which will boost his confidence.

Robinho (Brazil): Robinho has everything to dominate this year’s world cup. A combination of speed, strength and skill, he can be highly dangerous for any side. He has performed excellently for his home side in 72 appearances since 2003 and will have a major role to play if his team are to win the trophy.

Time will only say who has the last laugh and guides his team to the champion’s throne. Nevertheless, we can keep our hands crossed that these players will deliver in the tournament.

Nadal With The Winners Trophy

From the start of the match itself, Swedish Soderling was no match against the prolific Nadal and could not put up much resistance. The latter showed supreme form right from the very first set and eventually won by 6-4, 6-2, 6-4. This win will really be a boost for Nadal who had been plagued by injuries in the last year. It will really instill more confidence and help him retain the current world title.

Nadal was determined to reverse the fortunes and take revenge against  Soderling who had defeated him in last year’s final of the French Open and this time he proved his worth. The opponent was never allowed to play freely and showed lackluster performance in the entire match. In the first set itself, Nadal broke him to take control of the set by 6-4.

In the second set, Soderling tried to come back but failed to capitalize on the opportunities due to Nadal’s excellent show of skills. He was never allowed to dominate. With a combination of high class drop shots and forehands, the latter was again able to win two vital break points in the set and ended up with 6-2.

Nadal's Power Packed Backhand

Things were already going out of control for Soderling in the third set and the strong serves of Nadal were too much for him. The former was losing energy and confidence steadily and at one time was looking like completely surrendering to the latter’s mode of play. On the other hand, Nadal was gaining on confidence shot after shot and was absolutely taking his rival into grip. Towards the end Soderling did showed some descent display of shots but was easily overcome. Nadal finished the set with 6-4 and went on to win without much trouble.

Rafael Nadal has been successful in clay courts as it suites his attacking style of play and strong serves. This win will really be another feather into his cap and also please thousands of tennis fans all round the globe.

World Cup champions of 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002! What more can be said about the Brazil football team. Whenever any World Cup approaches, the first probable contender for the trophy is Brazil. The same will also be true in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The Brazilian boys are full of confidence and ready to face any hurdle and get back the coveted trophy. Thousands of Brazilians are wishing that their favorite Canarinho reigns the football world again.

How They Got There?

Robinho - The Little Wizard

All through the World Cup 2010 qualifiers, Brazil displayed demanding and dominating performance. With 34 points from a total of 22 matches, they secured the first spot in the final league standings. After drawing with Columbia in the first match, the Brazilians bounced back in majestic style by beating Ecuador 5-0 and their good form continued. In total they won 9 matches and drawn 7. Their only 2 defeats came against Paraguay and Bolivia. The road to the African soil was more or less guaranteed and it was confirmed when they beat arch rivals Argentina by 3-1.

The Coach

Carlos Caetano Bledorn Verri, nicknamed Dunga in the football circuit, is the present coach of Brazilian football side. This former skipper and midfielder has stepped into the coach’s shoes for doing service to his home country. His best achievement came in 1994 when he captained Brazil to lift the World Cup title. This year too, Dunga will hope to win that prized trophy, not as captain but as the coach. Under him, the side has performed excellently and hopefully the form will continue in South Africa. Usually, Dunga prefers the  4-2-3-1 formation where the lone striker is backed by a formidable central midfield wing. His vast on-field experience has helped the team to a great extent.

The Team

Golden Boys Always in Contention

Just like the past years, the Brazilians are again expected to play excellent football in almost all quarters of the game. To lead the attack will be the formidable Robinho along side Luis Fabiano. Robinho is the main striker of the side and is hungry for success this season while Fabiano too is a world class finisher. The central midfield  has some highly skilled players like Gilberto Silva and Kaka. The experience of quality defenders such as Lucio and Juan will surely add more depth to the side. The main goalkeeping task will be done by Julio Cesar, who has scores of experience with the team.

Watch Out for The Kaka Show In Africa

The past world cup was not so good for the Brazilians and they are eager to make amends this time. Surely thousands of fans will be treated with some great football when the team takes field.

Others in Group G

1. Korea DPR
2. Cote d’Ivoire
3. Portugal

Year 1986: Argentina wins the 13th version of the FIFA World Cup. Since then, a long 24 years have passed and the land of DiStefano and Maradona has not seen the good times of wining back the prized trophy. This is exactly what the Argentinian football team will hope to break when they enter the field for this year’s contest in South Africa. With the legend Maradona himself as the coach, the team with promising youngsters will hope to change history in their favor and take back the world cup to their homeland.

How They Got There?

Messi Ready To Cause Nightmares To Best Defenses

The road to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa was not so smooth for La Albiceleste. They displayed a lackluster performance and were pretty lucky to get into first five of the final standings of the qualifying round. In fact they were the fourth team to qualify and could have been easily toppled by Ecuador. The team started well with wins against Chile and Venezuela in their first two matches and but their form faltered in the later stages. The defeat versus Columbia was followed by a meager draw with Ecuador. More ill luck waited and Argentina was defeated by Chile and suffered their greatest loss in the stage by 6-1 goals versus Bolivia. This caused  Alfio Basile his job and Maradona steeped in. Eventually luck favored the team and they qualified for South Africa after winning the last two games against Peru and Uruguay.

The Coach

The greatest son of Argentinian football, Diego Armando Maradona has again come back, this time not as the voracious striker but as the coach. Like before, he would hope to bring the cup back home by some innovative coaching tactics (just like his awesome attacking skills). The coaching of the legend will surely bring an added confidence and motivation in the team. The master forward mainly prefers the  4-4-2 formation and relies heavily on a combination of strikers and central mid fielders.

The Team

Can They End Their 24 Years Draught?

Lot of Maradona’s as well fans’ hopes are rested on Lionel Messi, perhaps the best striker of recent times. La Pulga is raring to go and is a big contender for the Golden Boot award. To support him will be Gonzalo Higuaín, another prolific goalscorer. Captain Javier Mascherano and ace Juan Sebastian Veron will be the main pillars of central midfield to be backed by defenders Clemente Rodríguez and Gabriel Heinze. Keeper Diego Pozo hopes to save more shots from going to the nets just the way he had done in previous games.

How Well Can Carlos Tevez Support The Fire Power?

Can  the Argentinians do it this time and become the Latin American lions on African soil? Time will prove it!

Others in Group B

1. Nigeria
2. Korea Republic
3. Greece

Justin Rose Does It!

From the very beginning of the game, Rose showed extreme class and precision to leave behind runners up Rickie Fowler by a number of points. Unlike his previous rounds, where the young Briton had made some deficits, Rose paid utmost attention to his shot selection and guided the balls to the holes with accuracy. In spite of the erratic breeze at the Muirfield Village golf course, the shots were well directed  with correct speed and momentum. The splendid display of skills along with a cool head led to the success of Rose.

Let us see how it all went. Rose had to overcome a four shot deficit in the final round but he did not look nervous at all. He succeeded the great feat of 1-putt greens on 8 holes and closed the day with a result of  6-under-par 66 to become the winner. He had missed just 1 fairway in the round but it did not create much effect. Once the par was tapped at the 18th hole, spectators saw a rejoicing Rose who raised his fist in air and ran on to hug and lift his little son Leo.

This win helped Justin Rose to finish 18 under 270 and fetched him a huge sum of $1.08 million. More than money, it will really boost his confidence and help him face rivals with ease in the forthcoming tournaments. In fact, this golfer has had his share of recognition when he secured the fourth position in the 1998 British Open at a young age of just 17. Since then his game and style of playing have improved to a great extent and made him proud winners of 6 major tournaments.

The Winners Smile

After winning, Rose acknowledged and thanked the support of the crowd and said that he had a long way to go to reach the top spot. He also expressed hope about faring well in the 36-hole U.S. Open qualifier, the next day itself.

Justine Rose’s win is indeed a great news for all golf fans. It now needs to be seen how this Brit prepares himself for the Ryder Cup and faces the stalwarts of the game.