For the third successive World Cup Germany found itself in a medal position - silver in Japan, bronze in their own country and now bronze again in South Africa.

They were, however, made to fight for it by a Uruguayan team that emulated its 1970 forebears by making the semi-finals and losing the third-place play-off to the Germans. By scoring the first Thomas...Read More >>

Once more it was not a great World Cup final - there hasn't been one for 24 years - but at least the best team won. Spain's first World Cup was settled by one of the few outstanding figures in South Africa to actually shine in the tournament - Andres Iniesta. Spain became the third country after West Germany and...Read More >>

They might be odds-on to win this third place play-off in Port Elizabeth, although Germany still look a cracking bet to finish with a flourish after missing out on the final on Wednesday. It has been a valiant effort from Joachim Low’s team, who were expected to struggle at the World Cup after Michael Ballack was ruled out with an...Read More >>

It's the 2010 World Cup final on Sunday and the last chance to make some money on the action from South Africa. Many of us have profited from backing both teams in this tournament, although it's Spain who should be supported at Soccer City, especially after the way they beat Germany.

The Germans had previously embarrassed England and Argentina to reach...Read More >>

Spain reached their first World Cup final much more smoothly than anyone travelling to the Moses Madiba Stadium would have thought. The key was their domination of midfield with Sergio Busquets, whom many had considered below the standards Spain required, finally proving his worth. Once more Spain were unable to turn their overwhelming superiority in possession into goals, although once...Read More >>

Holland made their way to their third World Cup final and their first for 32 years with an efficient rather than domineering performance over South America’s last remaining nation to ensure that for the first time a European team would win the World Cup outside its own continent. Perhaps it was a reaction to their victory over Brazil but, apart...Read More >>

Everyone – probably even the Paraguay manager, Gerardo Martino - expected Spain to go through. Nobody, however, could have foreseen that the pre-tournament favourites would have put up such a fight. Oscar Cardozo’s breakdown at the end confirmed what everybody at Ellis Park knew. Had the Benfica striker scored from his penalty, Spain might have cracked. In the end, they had...Read More >>

This was a spectacular example of how teamwork can demolish a side of talented individuals. Diego Maradona’s side was taken apart piece by piece by Joachim Low’s wonderfully-fluid and wonderfully-drilled side. Just as they had done against England, Germany targeted the weak links, in this case full-backs Nicolas Otamendi and Gabriel Heinze, and once Thomas Muller put them ahead, Argentina seldom looked...Read More >>

Both of these teams came from a goal down to book their place in the World Cup semi-finals, but which team will be featuring at Soccer City on 11^th July?

The answer is probably the Netherlands, who finally demonstrated their true potential with a second-half performance against Brazil full of attacking intent and tough tackling. They will once again approach this...Read More >>

Die Mannschaft have slotted four goals past England and Argentina during the 2010 World Cup, although the bookmakers continue to make them the outsiders for Wednesday’s semi-final against Spain. Germany look like a team on a mission to win this World Cup and should avoid defeat in what will be a repeat of the Euro 2008 final.

Although Thomas Muller will be...Read More >>

Nobody watching the first half at the Nelson Mandela Stadium could have predicted what was to follow. The Dutch manager, Bert van Marwijk, said his defence that lost Joris Mathijsen in the warm-up had been so overrun that they were fortunate to be only one goal down at the interval. Nevertheless, they attacked so well against a Brazilian side that was reluctant...Read More >>

Ghana came within one penalty kick of becoming the first African side to reach a World Cup semi-final. In the last seconds of a compelling match, Luis Suarez handled on the line and was sent off, allowing Asamoah Gyan to take Ghana through with what surely would have been the last kick of the game. He struck the post and Ghana...Read More >>

Once again, we will witness the world’s best passing team try to break down stubborn opposition and it might take a while for Spain to achieve the breakthrough. After all, you can’t fault a Paraguay team that have only conceded one goal in the entire tournament, although their opposition has been questionable.

Slovakia, Italy, New Zealand and Japan have all shown themselves to...Read More >>

Carlos Queiroz is something of a spin doctor, taking his Portugal side out of the World Cup with the remark that their fans had come to admire the “brilliance” of their play. In midfield they were sometimes lovely to watch but the cold fact remains that they only ever scored against North Korea and when Cristiano Ronaldo left Green Point Stadium...Read More >>

The first match of this World Cup to be decided on a penalty shoot-out was just about the most forgettable. Whoever won at the Loftus Versfeld would make a World Cup final for the first time in their history. The pressure told and when Benfica’s Oscar Cardozo drove in the winning penalty his manager, Gerardo Martino, burst into tears. Neither...Read More >>

For just the third time in World Cup history, an African team has made it to the quarter finals of the competition, with Ghana following in the footsteps of Cameroon (1990) and Senegal (2002). This has been achieved by having a resolute defence that has conceded just three goals in the four games played in South Africa.

Therefore, while Kevin Prince-Boateng...Read More >>

It’s impossible to predict anything other than a Brazilian win in Port Elizabeth on Friday afternoon. They comfortably came through the so-called ‘Group of Death’ and made short work of a vibrant Chile team on Monday night, thanks to some solid defending and quick attacking play.

As England might care to learn, the five-time winners are stronger as a unit than when...Read More >>

Are the Argentines being overrated by the media and the bookmakers? They came through Group B with flying colours, although Nigeria, South Korea and Greece were not great teams and La Albiceleste were also fortunate that Carlos Tevez’s offside goal was allowed to stand against Mexico.

Perhaps Diego Maradona’s team will get their first real test on Saturday when they meet...Read More >>

Just when everyone was talking about how Brazil would bore their way to the final, they produced their most complete performance of the tournament, featuring a superb midfield display from Gilberto Silva and Danny Alves. Chile, deprived of their first-choice central defenders, were exposed by the first goal, headed home from a set-piece by Juan, and then by the brilliance of...Read More >>

This was the game that saw the belated arrival of Arjen Robben, starting a World Cup match for the first time in South Africa, and scoring a beautifully-worked goal after 18 minutes. When they meet Brazil in the quarter-finals, the odds are likely to favour the Selecao but with Robben in this kind of form, nobody will want to write off...Read More >>

Once more a match turned on a refereeing error, when after Mexico had made a bright start at Soccer City, Carlos Tevez’s opening goal, which looked a yard offside, was allowed to stand. Mexico, who had just seen Carlos Salcido strike the bar from 40 yards, were completely unhinged by the decision, conceded a second when Ricardo Osorio passed straight to...Read More >>

This was not just a defeat by Germany, this was England’s heaviest reverse in any World Cup and drew the curtain down on their worst World Cup of modern times. Yes, they were denied what should have been an equaliser when Frank Lampard’s chip struck the crossbar and bounced back from a yard over the goal-line and yes they played quite well...Read More >>

When Asamoah Gyan kept his balance and shot home one of the goals of the World Cup, the applause could be heard the length of Africa. It was vital for this competition’s credibility that one of the continent’s nations emulated Cameroon in 1990 and Senegal in 2002 by reaching the quarter-finals and this Ghana did. The Black Stars, who took the lead early through Kevin...Read More >>

Argentina may be more fancied to win the tournament, Chile are more exciting and Brazil have more supporters but there is no South American team playing quite as well as Uruguay, a nation of 3.5 million that has made no sort of impact in a World Cup since 1970. Having conceded early when Jung Sung-ryong went for a teasing, low cross from Diego Forlan and...Read More >>

It’s an all-Iberian clash at the Greenpoint Stadium in Cape Town and it could be a lot closer than the odds suggest. While Spain recovered from a Group H defeat against Switzerland to top the section, they still look vulnerable defensively, with Chile creating plenty of first-half chances against them on Friday before being reduced to ten men.

There’s also a big question mark over the form...Read More >>

Japan’s Keisuke Honda had a field day against Denmark on Thursday, helping his team to score three goals, despite only needing a draw to go through from Group E. However, the Blue Samurai might have bigger problems when it comes to breaking down Paraguay.

Gerardo Martino’s team only conceded one goal during their Group F matches and that was an uncharacteristic mistake from goalkeeper Justo Villar. Aside...Read More >>

The Dutch are now unbeaten in over 20 games and they have a 100% record in the World Cup at the moment. Bert van Marwijk’s team have not been specialising in spectacular performances, although it’s all about being effective in this tournament, with Mark van Bommel and Nigel de Jong protecting the defence superbly.

While the Slovaks slotted three goals home against Italy, they should have a...Read More >>

It’s a shame that the match in Johannesburg might be spoilt by suspensions. While Kaka is back for Brazil after that red card against the Ivory Coast, Chile will have to cope without Gary Medel, Waldo Ponce and Marco Estrada, whose foul play against Spain causes them to miss one of the biggest games in the country’s history.

While manager Marcelo Bielsa will still encourage his team...Read More >>

Having begun heroically against Spain, Switzerland’s World Cup fizzled out in the Free State Stadium in a match in which their shortcomings in attack were exposed by a Honduran team that had it been more composed in front of goal might have achieved their first victory in a World Cup. Hakan Yakin’s introduction by manager, Ottmar Hitzfeld, threatened a breakthrough...Read More >>

David Villa’s spectacular, opportunistic goal and a wonderfully-taken strike by Andres Iniesta calmed the nerves that would have accompanied the European champions to the Loftus Versfeld and it was Chile who appeared the far more agitated team. The dismissal of Marco Estrada in the aftermath of Iniesta’s goal and suspensions mean they will face Brazil without their first-choice centre-halves. Spain...Read More >>

Ivory Coast performed exactly as might have been expected. They drew against Portugal, lost to Brazil and beat North Korea but not by enough to qualify on goal difference. They needed to score nine times to go through at Portugal’s expense but managed only three. “Our World Cup is over but we can be proud of what we achieved,” said...Read More >>

When the draw was made, this looked like being an epic clash but Portugal’s 7-0 massacre of North Korea meant that, effectively, both teams were already through and what developed was a disappointing card-strewn encounter in which neither side really impressed. Portugal, who have yet to concede a goal in the tournament or find the net against the two better...Read More >>

Had Australia played like this from the start, they rather than Ghana might have qualified for the knockout stages in South Africa. Instead, in the words of their coach, Pim Verbeek, they were “killed” by the opening 4-0 defeat by Germany. With Tim Cahill restored to lead the Socceroos, Australia looked an infinitely better proposition and was with a trademark header that they took the...Read More >>

Germany as they had expected to, topped Group D but England’s lack of goals ensured they would have a rather harder task of making the quarter-finals than they might have expected. Joachim Low’s side was indebted to a wonderful piece of opportunistic shooting from Mesut Ozil and some fine defending from Philip Lahm to see them through against a Ghana side who also qualified despite not...Read More >>

London Donovan’s reaction in being handed the man-of-the-match award for the stoppage-time goal that ensured the United States would top Group C on goals scored was to break down in tears. It was a hugely emotional night played out in front of former president Bill Clinton and the United States just about deserved their victory. Algeria who finished last in the group and who failed...Read More >>

Finally, but not without a few changes, England produced a performance of substance. Fabio Capello resisted the temptation to drop John Terry after the former England captain had criticised his tactics and selection policy and the Chelsea skipper rewarded his loyalty with a fine performance against a limited Slovenian attack. Once Jermain Defoe, preferred to Emile Heskey struck, the result was never really in question and...Read More >>

After all that was said about them in qualification, Argentina topped their group with maximum points and a combined scoreline of 7-1, resting seven members of the side that overcame South Korea. Mexico, whom they meet in the last 16, will almost certainly possess more ambition than Greece, whose chief ambition seemed to be to stop Lionel Messi from playing. Man-marked relentlessly by Avraam Papastathopoulos, Messi...Read More >>

Nigeria left the World Cup but they are likely to win any prize given for the miss of the tournament when Yakubu somehow contrived to shot wide from three yards out when presented with a glaringly empty net. That summed up Nigeria’s time in South Africa. They took the lead against Greece and South Korea but in both matches squandered opportunities to kill the game...Read More >>

South Africa left the tournament early as many predicted but they left it gloriously. Two goals to the good against a demoralised French side reduced to 10 men it appeared Bafana Bafana had a real chance of going through on goal difference. But then in a rare moment of cohesion, Franck Ribery burst through and his cross for Florent Malouda snuffed out thoughts of the...Read More >>

The cynics suggested that since a draw would have suited both sides, that is precisely what the Royal Bafokeng would see. Not so, Uruguay ensured they would avoid a meeting with their great and dangerous enemy, Argentina with a goal from Luis Suarez two minutes before the interval. Uruguay qualified for the round of 16 without so much as conceding a goal and will fancy...Read More >>

New Zealand’s second taste of the World Cup finished rather better than their first. In 1982 they had come home pointless; here they returned without having lost a game and having finished above Italy. However, left in the air was the tantalising feeling that they could have even qualified. Shane Smeltz and Chris Wood both had chances against a strangely lacklustre Paraguay side and one goal...Read More >>

Like Brazil in 1966 and France in 2002, the holders exited the World Cup at the first available opportunity, although they went out in one of the most astonishing matches this tournament can have seen. Slovakia, who seemingly had the stuffing knocked out of them by New Zealand and Paraguay, suddenly produced some wonderful one-touch football, taking a two-goal lead through Robert Vittek before finally Italy produced...Read More >>

This has been a disastrous World Cup for Africa and not a very good one for Europe. While France and Italy have crashed out and England have stumbled, Holland have moved smoothly through the gears with each performance slightly better than the last. This victory against a Cameroon side that was only too ready to wave the white flag, featured two gorgeously worked goals from...Read More >>

Before this game the Denmark manager, Morten Olsen, said he did not even consider the possibility of losing to Japan. He will be regretting those words and the Danish FA might be regretting giving him a new two-year contract. Defensively Denmark were a shambles, with Thomas Sorensen as fallible as he had been heroic against Cameroon. Japan, whose manager, Takeshi Okada, came in for fierce...Read More >>

Sven-Goran Eriksson admitted that Brazil were a class apart from the Ivory Coast on Sunday, although perhaps we should avoid backing Dunga’s team to win this final Group G game. They need only a draw to finish top of the section and second place might be preferable depending on what happens in Group H later that day.

Kaka will be missing through suspension and Elano might also...Read More >>

A draw will be enough to see the Netherlands claim top spot in Group E and that’s why the bookmakers are prepared to offer bigger odds about the Dutch triumphing in Cape Town. However, manager Bert van Marwijk will want his team to keep the momentum going and they have the attacking weaponry to make life difficult for their African opponents.

While it’s not clear as...Read More >>

It’s something of a surprise to see Ghana as marginal outsiders for this match with most bookmakers, especially as they should have finished top of Group D after missing two glorious chances to score against Germany on Wednesday night.

Milovan Rajevac’s team will be flying the flag for Africa on Saturday night and they seem like a powerful and energetic team that are hard...Read More >>

Forget Brazil, Spain, Argentina or Italy. It’s Uruguay who have kept the most clean sheets in the World Cup to date, with La Celeste shutting out France, South Africa and Mexico to finish top of Group A. While they were only defensive against the French, Diego Lugano and Diego Godin are making sure that goalkeeper Fernando Muslera has little do in between the sticks.

There’s a...Read More >>

Chile manager Marcelo Bielsa has claimed that his team will adopt a typically attacking formation for this final Group H match in Pretoria, although it remains to be seen whether their customary 3-3-1-3 line-up will be in operation. Star striker Humberto Suazo was withdrawn at half-time against Switzerland and he might be on the bench as the south Americans look to try and get a draw.

Spain...Read More >>

Incredibly, Italy will probably go through to the last sixteen with three draws, although they will be desperate to win this match and have an outside chance of avoiding Holland in the last sixteen. The Azzurri have been disappointing in both of their other Group F matches, especially in defence where they have been slack with set pieces.

While it’s tempting to argue that the Italians are...Read More >>

New Zealand proved against Italy that their previous 1-1 draw against Slovakia was not a fluke. The All Whites were expected to be the whipping boys in Group F, although they go into this match in Polokwane with a genuine chance of going through to the last sixteen.

However, manager Ricki Herbert admits that the team are short on quality and this might be in evidence against...Read More >>

Despite scoring against Brazil on Sunday, it appears that Didier Drogba is not fully fit after his fractured arm, although that shouldn’t stop the Cote d’Ivoire from comfortably winning this match the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.

An opening game against Portugal looked as though it would give the Elephants a chance of qualifying, irrespective of what happened against Brazil, although the Iberians’ 7-0 rout of the People’s...Read More >>

How do you turn a defensively-minded team into one that wants to score lots of goals? Especially with record scorer Alexander Frei missing injured and Valon Behrami out suspended? That’s the problem that’s affecting Ottmar Hitzfeld as he looks for a way to score at least two goals against Honduras without conceding.

After all, the central American side kept things tight against Chile to the extent where...Read More >>

Will England come to life after a selection of poor performances during the group stage? While the nation seems to think that Fabio Capello’s team can go all the way after beating Slovenia 1-0, they have not played particularly well in South Africa and big improvement is needed if they are to win in Bloemfontein.

Indeed, it’s puzzling to see the bookmakers quoting Germany at a bigger...Read More >>

While we can’t be sure who will win this game, it’s logical to assume the match at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium will be a low-scoring affair. Danish goalkeeper Thomas Sorenson has already spoken about how the team will need to be patient as they search for a way to break down a spirited and defensive Japan side.

The Blue Samurai achieved a 1-0 victory against Cameroon...Read More >>

Sunday’s second last sixteen match takes place at Soccer City and Mexico will be looking for revenge after being beaten by Argentina at this stage four years ago. While Javier Aguirre’s team deserved to qualify from Group A, they have a couple of flaws which might result in them being second best against Diego Maradona’s team.

Defensively, they are prone to making silly errors, as they demonstrated...Read More >>

There's an exciting 'winner takes all' match taking place at Soccer City in Johannesburg on Wednesday night and it's surprising to see Ghana available at such a big price. After all, the Black Stars have managed four points from their opening two games and their physical style should mean that the Germans are in for a battle.

Miroslav Klose will be suspended for Germany and a failure...Read More >>

It's hard to see beyond a Serbia victory, especially after that win over Germany will have filled Radomir Antic's team with confidence. The White Eagles were transformed from the team that had laboured for long periods against Ghana, with Dejan Stankovic driving them forward and illustrating why he was part of Inter's Champions League winning team.

Milan Jovanovic and Milos Krasic were also superb during the game and...Read More >>

The States were seething with a sense of injustice after a perfectly good goal was scrubbed out by the Malian referee against Slovenia, although Bob Bradley will also be a) disappointed that his team went 2-0 down and b) delighted with the character shown to draw 2-2. Therefore, they will carry some momentum into this match and Michael Bradley illustrated in the last match that America...Read More >>

As Billy Ocean once sang "when the going gets tough, the tough get going" and so it might prove for England on Wednesday afternoon. It's hard to explain how world class players such as Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard performed so badly on Friday night, although a change of personnel and formation could help change fortunes. John Terry has shaken things up by insisting...Read More >>

Despite losing both of their Group B matches, Nigeria have actually played well during the World Cup and that 1-0 defeat against Argentina in Johannesburg might be as close as anyone gets to the Albiceleste this summer. While the Super Eagles deserved to lose that particular match, they were firmly in control against Greece before a moment of stupidity led to Sani Kaita being sent off.

The midfielder...Read More >>

Perhaps we should be careful when it comes to lumping on Argentina to win this final Group B match in Polokwane. Diego Maradona's team are now the favourites to win the World Cup, although we should note that a) they have only beaten Nigeria and South Korea thus far and b) we might see many star names rested for this game. Not that Diego Milito and...Read More >>

Kagisho Dikgacoi and Itumeleng Khune will be missing for the hosts in this final group match, something that must be especially galling for the midfielder as his home town is Bloemfontein. It gives Carlos Alberto Parreira a problem in that South Africa aren't blessed with quality in their starting XI and any squad depth is limited. Nevertheless, the team spirit harnessed by captain Aaron Mokoena is...Read More >>

Mexico have a decision to make on Tuesday night when they line up for their final group game in Rustenburg. Do they go for the three points which would ensure they finish top of Group A, or do Javier Aguirre's team bite the bullet and accept that a draw will see them through to the last sixteen and a match-up with Argentina. It's possible that...Read More >>

Spain have received a lot of criticism for their performance against the Swiss, although there wasn't a lot wrong with La Furia Roja apart from their inability to put the ball into the net. This should change when they take to the field at Ellis Park on Monday night, with the Euro 2008 champions likely to produce an attacking display of football which will surely prove...Read More >>

After a frustrating opening against North Korea, Brazil looked like World Champions at Soccer City and as Sven-Goran Eriksson remarked: “If you beat Brazil you must be almost perfect, especially when Luis Fabiano is coming at you like a train, it is very difficult.” The match was scarred by Kaka’s dismissal after Abdul Keita having been nudged on the shoulder...Read More >>

If Italy’s opening draw, against Paraguay, had given ammunition to Marcello Lippi’s critics, then this embarrassment of a display was a machine gun aimed at the Italy coach.

Frankly, the world champions were fortunate to escape with a draw since the penalty awarded for the mildest of tugs on Daniele de Rossi’s shirt looked harsh. By then Italy were already a goal down as, having talked about New...Read More >>

Even before the knockout stages begin, it seems a fair bet that this World Cup will be won, like all the others staged outside Europe by a South American team, who have yet to lose a match in South Africa.

It may not be Paraguay but after this efficient victory over a dreadfully pedestrian Slovakian side, they will  certainly be appearing in the round of 16. Slovakia,...Read More >>

The front cover of the Fifa brochure for this World Cup has a photograph of Nelson Mandela under the slogan “A time for Africa”. African teams have made a dreadful fist of this tournament, although Cameroon, who aimed 23 shots at Thomas Sorensen’s goal, should have taken something from this game.

As it was, they became the first team to be eliminated. Intervention from the players and the...Read More >>

Once more Australia were reduced to 10 men when Harry Kewell, who was only playing because of Tim Cahill's suspension against Germany handled Jonathan Mensah's shot on the line. It was a harsh decision and gave Ghana their second spot kick of the tournament, which Asamoah Gyan converted just as he did against Serbia. 

However, their keeper, Richard Kingson would have...Read More >>

The draw between Slovenia and the United States should have given England the ideal platform from which to snatch control of this group. Instead, they produced one of their worst performances of any World Cup. Wayne Rooney, who has not scored since Manchester United's elimination from the Champions League in March, looked lost and clashed angrily with England supporters who...Read More >>

Two goals to the good at half time, the smallest nation in this World Cup should have sealed qualification for the knockout phase for the first time following goals from Valter Birsa and Zlatan Ljubijankic. 

However, the resilience of this American team was never better demonstrated in a frantic second half in which they might have snatched victory had Maurice Edu's...Read More >>

Germany missing a penalty must be one of the stories of this World Cup but Lukas Podolski's weak effort was easily dealt with once Nemanja Vidic became the second Serbian defender to give away a handball in successive matches. Milan Jonanovic, who is Rafael Benitez's parting gift to Liverpool scored the decisive goal once Miroslav Klose had, somewhat harshly, been...Read More >>

A result that will have spread laughter across Ireland and gloom from Marseilles to Calais. Everything that was suspected about Raymond Domenech's team came true in Polokwane - which means ‘place of refuge' but which came to be France's tomb in this World Cup. Domenech brought back Florent Malouda, who was left out of the goalless draw with Uruguay but...Read More >>

The 19th match of this tournament was the first that saw a team come from behind to win. This was remarkable enough but the fact that the team was Greece was in its way even more shocking. They had not picked up a point in Euro 2008 and looked a fair bet to do the same in South Africa. And...Read More >>

Those who study the English Premier League might recognise the style of football adopted by Diego Maradona's Argentina - it resembles the Newcastle side forged by Kevin Keegan in the 1990s; committed to attack at all costs but vulnerable defensively. 

The South Koreans probably did not deserve to be battered 4-1. Argentina's first was an own goal and,...Read More >>

It was the night that the vuvuzelas went quiet. For all the support that gathered at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium and for all the passion they inspired across South Africa, Bafana Bafana were completely unable to raise their game when it mattered. Uruguay, who had been no more than moderately efficient against France, outplayed them with considerable ease to record only their second World Cup win...Read More >>

When Gelson Fernandes played for Manchester City, not many in the crowd knew he was Swiss. Well, after the goal that finally set the 2010 World Cup alight, they do now. Switzerland had never before beaten Spain but, under the direction of the great Ottmar Hitzfeld, they were far from lucky; defending with magnificent organisation and even striking the post.

Spain had enormous amounts of possession and...Read More >>

This may have been Chile’s first win in a World Cup finals since they finished third in 1962, but their coach, the perfectionist Argentine, Marcelo Bielsa, was somewhat disappointed. If qualification from Group H is decided on goal difference – and after the shock in Durban this is more likely – then a 1-0 win over Honduras might not count for very much. Honduras, with Carlos...Read More >>

They had come to Ellis Park en masse to witness what was supposed to be a ringing demonstration of Brazilian flair but saw instead why Dunga has attracted so much venom in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro and why no team in this tournament  - not New Zealand, not Japan and not North Korea - can be truly written off.

Until they tired in the...Read More >>

With Brazil lurking in the shadows there was simply too much riding on this game for it to really ignite, although had Cristiano Ronaldo's shot not thundered against the post early in the first half, this might have ignited into a classic.

Ivory Coast's improbable manager, Sven-Goran Eriksson, resisted the temptation to start with Didier Drogba, although when he was introduced the Chelsea striker almost created the breakthrough...Read More >>

The jubiliation on the face of New Zealand coach, Ricki Herbert, and the look of despair from his opposite number, Vladimir Weiss, told the story of this match. Winston Reid's last-minute equaliser not only gave New Zealand their first World Cup point - which is one more than Greece -, but they have dealt a major blow to whatever hopes Slovakia had of qualifying from this...Read More >>

Italy started their defence of the World Cup in rather better shape than most of their critics in the Italian media suspected. Given the draw between New Zealand and Slovakia the next afternoon in Rustenburg, these two sides will back themselves to make the knockout stages.

However, once more the goalkeepers were at the centre of the drama as first Gianluigi Buffon, one of three members of...Read More >>

This was unquestionably the first big shock of the World Cup. Japan had arrived at their opening match in a state of shambles; Cameroon looked quietly efficient and, given Ivory Coast’s group, looked the best bet to be the African team that progressed furthest in this competition. All the calculations were undone by a cross from Daisuke Matsui that Stephane Mbia should have cut out.

Instead, Keisuke Honda...Read More >>

If as everyone suggests, Holland are one of the favourites for the World Cup, then this was not an especially impressive start against a Denmark side that defended dreadfully and attacked sporadically. Handed an own-goal from Christian Poulsen, Holland, derprived of Arjen Robben, struggled to make any inroads until Bert van Marwijk replaced the ineffectual Rafael van der Vaart with Eljero Elia, although it was Dirk Kuyt...Read More >>

There was plenty of fresh German talent on display in the shape of Cacau and Weder Bremen’s young playmaker, Mesut Ozil but it was the old stagers, Lukas Poldolski and Miroslav Klose, who broke through against an Australian side that caved in completely following Tim Cahill’s overly harsh red card. Joachim Low was right to stick with Klose who had disappointed for Bayern Munich this season....Read More >>

A lot of people feared Serbia and quite a few thought Ghana without their inspiration, Michael Essie,n might struggle. As it was, should Serbia fail to beat Germany in Port Elizabeth, the dark horses will be out of the competition after two matches.

Ghana were very direct but until the former was sent off, Aleksander Lukovic and Nemanja Vidic succeeded at keeping them at bay. Zdravko...Read More >>

Robert Green is not the only goalkeeper to have endured a nightmare beginning to the World Cup. Algeria had Faouzi Chaouchi, who completely misjudged a routine shot from Robert Koren to give Slovenia three very unexpected points. Neither side deserved to win. Algeria packed their midfield, employed a lone striker and seldom threatened aggression while Slovenia looked simply ponderous.

Abdelkader Ghezza could stake a fair claim for...Read More >>

Even before the injury to Rio Ferdinand that cost them their captain and best centre-half, it seemed England’s defence and goalkeeper might be their biggest weakness. Robert Green’s glaring error as he somehow allowed  a soft Clint Dempsey shot to trickle through him was the most stunning image of the game; but if he is not world class, neither are his potential replacements, David  James and...Read More >>

If this was to be an indication of how the Argentina of Diego Maradona will approach the World Cup expect to be thrilled. El Diego unleashed a four man attack pivoted around Lionel Messi at a Nigerian defence critically short of match practice. He did not score, although but for some extraordinary heroics by the Nigerian keeper, Vincent Enyeama, he would have done.

Nevertheless, there...Read More >>

This match at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein might not be one for the purists, with both teams eyeing second place in Group F behind Italy. Both sides took their lead in their respective opening matches, although were undone by corners.

Aside from that, Paraguay were pretty successful at keeping Italy at bay throughout the match and they could well stave off the threat of...Read More >>

We are accustomed to seeing Italy prosper from set pieces, although they were undone by a free-kick against Paraguay and it required a goalkeeping error for them to level matters in the opening Group F match.

However, we should expect them to keep a clean sheet against New Zealand, with the All Whites having lots of possession but offering little going forward against Slovakia until a late...Read More >>

North Korea made Brazil look like a very ordinary team at Ellis Park on Tuesday, although that hasn’t stopped the bookies from making Dunga’s team strong favourites to land another maximum haul against the Elephants.

The south Americans boast an excellent defence, although the midfield pairing of Felipe Melo and Gilberto Silva are primarily responsible for protecting the defence rather than foraging forward and that puts...Read More >>

It was mission accomplished for both of these teams in the first match, with Holland managing a relatively comfortable victory against Denmark on Monday. While everyone is talking about the return of Arjen Robben to the starting line-up, it was Eljero Elia who caught the eye as a second half substitute and manager Bert Van Marwijk might turn to the Hamburg player and decide to give...Read More >>

Confidence is a huge thing in football and that’s why we should expect the Black Stars to land another victory at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg. Ghana played very well against Serbia, with the African team controlling the match and getting their rewards when Asamoah Gyan slotted home a late penalty.

They don’t appear to be missing Michael Essien too much and we shouldn’t forget that...Read More >>

It’s possible that Denmark could have achieved a goalless draw with Holland if Simon Poulsen hadn’t headed the ball into Daniel Agger at the start of the second half. The own goal undid all the good work that had been achieved in the first half, although Morten Olsen will be encouraged by how much his team limited the Netherlands on Monday.

The manager will hope...Read More >>

The bookies make the Americans favourite to win at Ellis Park on Friday night, although there shouldn’t be much between these teams, both of whom will feel they have a chance of making the last sixteen after encouraging first game results.

Slovenia edged matters against Algeria and are likely to employ the same ‘safety-first’ tactics which saw them concede just four goals in World Cup qualifying and...Read More >>

Perhaps we didn’t see the real Serbia in their opening Group D match on Sunday. Despite having classy players in every department, it was a stuttering performance from Raddy Antic’s team, who cannot afford to lose in Port Elizabeth on Friday night.

While the bookmakers have pushed their odds on victory right out, this might be an overreaction to Ghana’s 1-0 win and also Germany’s 4-0 victory...Read More >>

England thought that the appointment of Fabio Capello would help to enhance their chances of winning a second World Cup, although it was a stuttering performance against USA which only saw the Three Lions manage a draw. Therefore, it’s imperative that they take all three points from this contest, especially as Germany are likely to play the runner-up in Group C.

England should be too strong...Read More >>

Although France are the better side player-for-player, it's clear that Raymond Domenech does not have a happy camp at this World Cup, with Florent Malouda being dropped for the opening match against Uruguay despite having an excellent season for Chelsea.

It was also surprising to see Sidney Govou start in attack for Les Bleus, given that the Lyon forward has had...Read More >>

Thursday 's second match of the day takes place at the Free State Stadium and Nigeria look like an excellent bet to win the match. Of all the teams that lost their opening game, perhaps the Super Eagles were the most impressive, especially as they only conceded one goal to a star-studded Argentina side.

Let 's not forget that the African side...Read More >>

It's anyone's guess how Lionel Messi failed to score against Nigeria on Saturday. The Barcelona forward continued the excellent form that he's shown all season in the Primera Liga, although Nigeria keeper Vincent Enyeama did pull off some great saves to prevent the 22-year-old from opening his World Cup account.

Perhaps the Argentina striker will have more joy at Soccer City...Read More >>

If no team wanted to lose their first Group A match, then the same certainly applies for the second round of games. While both teams might publicly state that winning is their primary objective at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, a draw might not be a bad result.

Read More >>

The pre-tournament favourites for the 2010 World Cup finally get the chance to prove their worth on Wednesday and the crowd at the Moses Mabhida Stadium should be treated to a rich brand of attacking football. Anyone who questioned Spain’s credentials only had to witness their recent 6-0 demolition of Poland to see that Vicente Del Bosque’s team will take...Read More >>

The Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit could witness a few goals on Wednesday afternoon, especially with an attack-minded Chile in town. Marcelo Bielsa’s team could be a breath of fresh air in the World Cup due to their unique attacking approach, which sees La Roja play three in defence, three in midfield and three in attack.

It appears as though star Chilean...Read More >>

The pre-tournament favourites for the 2010 World Cup finally get the chance to prove their worth on Wednesday and the crowd at the Moses Mabhida Stadium should be treated to a rich brand of attacking football. Anyone who questioned Spain's credentials only had to witness their recent 6-0 demolition of Poland to see that Vicente Del Bosque's team will take some stopping in South Africa.

While Fernando Torres...Read More >>

The Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit could witness a few goals on Wednesday afternoon, especially with an attack-minded Chile in town. Marcelo Bielsa's team could be a breath of fresh air in the World Cup due to their unique attacking approach, which sees La Roja play three in defence, three in midfield and three in attack.

It appears as though star Chilean striker Humberto Suazo is going...Read More >>

They might not be favourites to win the 2010 World Cup, although the Selecao are ranked number one in the world and should take some stopping in South Africa. Kaka appears to be returning to form at the right time, while Luis Fabiano and Robinho are possibly on a par with Torres and Villa when it comes to a dangerous strike pairing.

We can be fairly confident...Read More >>

The Ivory Coast are trying to put a brave face on it, although Didier Drogba is highly unlikely to play against Portugal after injuring his arm in a friendly against Japan. The Chelsea forward is hugely important to the team, although he will have to watch the Elephants try and get something from the game in Port Elizabeth.

Portugal are also missing a key player in Nani,...Read More >>

The mood in the Italy camp was summed up by Fabio Cannavaro, who exclaimed: 'I am confident but I don't know why.' There is plenty of unease among the world champions. Their manager, Marcello Lippi, has been accused of investing too much faith in the ageing men who won him football's ultimate trophy in Berlin. There are injury concerns over Andrea Pirlo and their performances in...Read More >>

During the 2006 World Cup, Italy adopted a typically cautious approach to matches, with all three of their group games yielding two goals or less. Against Ghana and Czech Republic, the team managed 2-0 victories and we could well see something similar at the Greenpoint Stadium on Monday.

Indeed, Paraguay coach Gerardo Martino clearly regards the match against the Azzurri as a 'bonus game', with the south...Read More >>

It's entirely possible that Cameroon might prove too strong for their opponents when the teams meet at Bloemfontein on Monday. It's a worrying sign for Japan that they have hastily arranged a friendly with Zimbabwe just days before this match takes place, with Takeshi Okada still looking for his best starting XI and formation.

While the Indomitable Lions may not have won any of their pre-World Cup friendlies,...Read More >>

Unlike Nigeria and the Ivory Coast, the Cameroon FA at least had the wisdom not to fire their manager in the wake of a disappointing Africa Cup of Nations, despite the fortune they were paying Paul le Guen. In return, Le Guen has overhauled an ageing side, although the weaknesses in defence were horribly shown up by Portugal and Serbia who scored seven times between them....Read More >>

The money continues to come for the Netherlands on the outright market, although first matches at the World Cup are often cagey and Ladbrokes' 1.57 offers little in the way of value about Bert van Marwijk's team winning in Johannesburg on Monday. This is especially when you consider that the excellent Arjen Robben has been ruled out with a hamstring injury.

Better instead to look at backing a...Read More >>

Sir Alex Ferguson once said that one of Dutch football's problems was a tendency towards arrogance and Bert van Marwijk's squad arrive at the Soccer City Stadium with much to be arrogant about. Their qualification campaign was procession; their warm-up fixtures saw Mexico, Ghana and Hungary beaten by a collective scoreline of 12-3. Robin van Persie remarked that they fancied themselves to beat anyone. Van Marwijk...Read More >>

The Germans go into this tournament without Michael Ballack, a player that has featured for the team in the past five major competitions. It's clear that they are a weaker outfit without the Chelsea midfielder, although Bastian Schweinsteiger's conversion from wide man to a central role has happened at precisely the right time.

The Bayern Munich player stepped up to the plate with a recent brace against Bosnia...Read More >>

The loss of Michael Ballack, the man who guided a German side that looked short on obvious quality through two hugely successful World Cups, needs no further explanation. In its own way it is a big a blow as Essien's absence from the Ghana squad. Their manager, Joachim Low, seems determined to squeeze one more World Cup from Miroslav Klose, despite the fact that he has...Read More >>

Friendly matches leading up to the World Cup can often be misleading, although it certainly appears that Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac has been setting up his team not to concede goals or lose matches. The Black Stars' last four competitive games all finished with a 1-0 scoreline and they have also been involved in recent goalless draws with Malawi and Angola.

The Ghanaians will deploy a 4-2-3-1 formation...Read More >>

The loss of Michael Essien, their inspiration in the last World Cup, appears to have shaken Ghana badly. They were swept away 4-1 by Holland in Amsterdam in a match described as a 'lynching' by senior sources in Accra, although they recovered their balance with victory over Latvia. When they arrived in South Africa, they pronounded themselves dissastisifed with thier hotel in Pretoria and moved to another...Read More >>

The Algerian camp has been assailed by uncertainty; they have lost perhaps their best player, midfielder, Mourad Meghri, to injury while their captain, Yazid Mansouri, has been dropped after a series of unimpressive displays that began with a 3-0 defeat to Ireland in Dublin, followed by an unconvincing 1-0 win over the United Arab Emirates. Their manager, Rabah Saadane, is a man in need of good...Read More >>

There are many reasons for thinking that the Slovenians will prove too strong for their opponents at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane. For a start, they finished comfortably ahead of Poland and Czech Republic in qualifying, while Matjaz Kek's team also beat Slovakia home and away to finish second in the group. It's worth noting that just four goals were conceded in ten games and...Read More >>

To those who thought that South Africa would mount the worst display of any host nation since France were knocked out of the opening rounds in 1934, Siphiwe Tshabalaba's stunning shot was a jaw-dropping reply. Had Katlego Mphela not struck the post late in the second half, then South Africa might have pulled off the victory that would have given them one foot in the second...Read More >>

Whoever lost this match was pretty certain to be thinking about return flights from South Africa and after this error-ridden display against a highly entertaining and efficient Korean side, flights between Johannesburg and Athens will be particularly closely studied.

Greece were loose defensively, inspid in attack, where Angelos Charisteas and Georgios Samaras were both substituted and Loukas Vyntra is unlikely to forget the error that presented Manchester...Read More >>

Raymond Domenech has overseen three major tournaments as manager of France and they have all begun with a goalless draw. In 2006, the French were able to recover from a dreadful start to reach the World Cup final while two years later a 0-0 draw with Romania was the shape of uninspiring things to come.

His controversial decision to omit Thierry Henry and Florent Malouda was only...Read More >>

Six months ago, England seemed serenely confident, a mood that has darkened after a series of increasingly unimpressive friendly performances. Even Fabio Capello, a man who seldom shows his emotions, lost his temper after a decidedly limp display against the Platinum All Stars. They are on their third captain of 2010 following Rio Ferdinand’s withdrawal with a knee injury and...Read More >>

South Africa v Mexico Game Preview

Following their 1-0 victory over Denmark in their final warm-up game, which took their unbeaten run to 12 matches, the fears that South Africa might become the first hosts not to progress beyond the group stages have eased. And yet, despite the presence of France , the South Africa manager, Carlos Alberto Parreira...Read More >>

France and Argentina could be vulnerable in the group stages

We can be fairly certain that all eight favourites will not finish top of their groups. Football is not that predictable and, while the likes of France and Argentina might go through to the last sixteen stage, it’s perfectly possible that they could finish second in their section. After all,...Read More >>

Bet365 might be one of the few firms to offer France at odds-against (2.20) but it 's hard to get excited about Les Bleus in this match. The French finished second behind Serbia in qualifying and were fortunate to beat Republic of Ireland in a play-off to reach the 2010 World Cup.

While Zinedine Zidane was the inspiration behind France 's 2006 World...Read More >>

These two teams get the 2010 World Cup under way on Friday 11^th June and we might see the host nation struggling to contain their opponents. Mexico are the team playing the best football in Group A at the moment, having recently beaten Gambia 5-1 and followed up this match with a 2-1 victory over holders Italy.

Javier Aguirre has his...Read More >>

England have had a few problems going into the World Cup and it’s probably best to avoid backing them at the 1.50 available with Ladbrokes and bwin that they beat the USA in Rustenburg. A draw won’t be a bad result for the Three Lions in this opening match, with both teams looking to avoid defeat ahead of matches against...Read More >>

It appears that bookmakers and punters alike have forgotten how much difficulty Argentina had when it came to qualifying for the 2010 World Cup. The Albiceleste are third favourites on the outright market and this must surely be down to the fact that the squad is studded with brilliant strikers, most of whom will be warming the bench.

Indeed, don’t expect...Read More >>

The Greeks have never won a World Cup finals match, nor have they ever scored a goal in this competition. Their only previous appearance was in 1994, although they have won Euro 2004 since then and have made great strides under manager Otto Rehhagel.

Nevertheless, Greece required a play-off victory against Ukraine to reach South Africa and recent friendly results suggest...Read More >>

Greece arrived in South Africa with many fearing they are on course to repeat their woeful display at Euro 2008, where they failed to gain a single point. Otto Rehhagel’s selection of the injury-plagued Christos Patsatzoglou and Giorgios Seitaridis seemed strange and the mood in the Greek camp has not been helped by a 2-2 draw with North Korea followed...Read More >>

France approach their opening game in a state not far off crisis. Their hotel accomodation has been criticised by the French sports minister for being too luxurious, William Gallas is in a sulk because he not been made captain and Thierry Henry has confirmed he will start on the bench. Their final two warm-up games were miserable affairs – a...Read More >>

After all the chaos of qualification, Diego Maradona’s Argentina arrive for their opening game in very good shape. The cancellation of a friendly with the United Arab Emirates has meant Argentina have not played since May 24, which produced a 5-0 rout of Canada in Buenos Aires’ Monumental Stadium. Diego Milito may have injured his ankle in training but the...Read More >>

World Cup Winner – Favourites

Will Spain reign again after Euro 2008 triumph?

Spain are worthy favourites to win the World Cup for the first time in their history, with manager Vicente Del Bosque having an elegance of riches at his disposal.Bet365 offer odds 5.00that the European champions are victorious in South Africa and it’s a price that will...Read More >>

World Cup Top Goalscorer

Villa is a worthy favourite to win the Golden Shoe

This is a very popular market with punters, especially as it’s often difficult to predict which team will win the World Cup when the games get tight towards the closing stages of the competition.

After all, the player that wins the Golden Shoe doesn’t need to be...Read More >>

After their annihilation of North Korea which was the biggest margin of victory in a World Cup finals since Germany put eight past Saudi Arabia in 2002, Portugal can relax, although Deco’s troublesome hip means he is unlikely to play any part against the country of his birth. After the victory in Cape Town, Cristiano Ronaldo said they fancied their chances against Brazil, whom they have beaten just four times...Read More >>

A month ago, it was possible to wonder if all the accolades surrounding Spain might be a little premature. However, the injuries to Cesc Fabregas and Fernando Torres that briefly cast a shadow over their preparations have cleared up and Spain’s form in their warm-up fixtures has been immensely impressive, culminating in a 6-0 thrashing of Poland. However, Spain are...Read More >>

A repeat of the European Championship final of two years ago, with the proviso that the Spanish are not quite as irresistible as they were while Joachim Low’s side are considerably better. Despite their victory in Vienna, the weight of history appears overwhelmingly in Germany’s favour. This will be Spain’s first World Cup semi-final but Germany’s 12^th. Many people expected Vicente del...Read More >>

Despite beginning with three points - which was more than Spain managed - there few who were entirely satisfied with the way the Selecao had begun the campaign. There was little sense of real rhythm at Ellis Park and Kaka, who was taken off after 77 minutes, looked a liability. Dunga has taken some tough decisions before but to omit...Read More >>

Without making too much of a fuss, Holland are quietly emerging as one of the forces of this World Cup. Only Argentina can match their record of having won all their group games and each performance has been slightly better than their last, which is a good guide when it comes to picking teams that will travel a long  way in a tournament. The 2-1 win over Cameroon...Read More >>

The grim news for Argentina's opponents is that Lionel Messi, who has for so long been unable to reproduce his Barcelona form in a blue-and-white shirt, where he averages only a goal every three games, is on fire. He did not improve on that statistic in the opening match against Nigeria, although his display had everything else. And before preparing...Read More >>

Like Slovenia, this is a team that must still be kicking itself for having passed up the opportunity to virtually seal qualification for the knockout stages by failing to beat an Australia side reduced to 10 men. Ghana’s chief problem has been an inability to find the net –so far both their goals have come from penalties given for handball. The other question manager, Milovan...Read More >>

Having won their opening group game, albeit without any real style, the Dutch can afford to give Arjen Robben's foot injury more time to heal. His manager, Bert van Marwijk, said the Bayern Munich playmaker was unlikelyto be risked against a Japan side they should be confident of beating without him. Nevertheless, Van Marwijk is demanding an improvement on the...Read More >>

If Brazil had problems breaking down the People's Republic on Tuesday, then the same must surely apply to a Portugal team who always seem to arrive at major tournaments without a decent striker. Bet365 offer a best price 4/11 that Carlos Queiroz's team land a maximum haul, although we have already seen odds-on selections like England and Spain fail to...Read More >>

Despite having lost their first two games there is the slimmest of chances that the Super Eagles will progress to the knockout phase of a World Cup for the first time since 1998, although they are praying for a commanding performance from Argentina in the other group match. “We are counting on Lionel Messi to deliver for us,” said their goalkeeper, Vincent Eneyeama. Nevertheless even...Read More >>

Along with Germany v England, this is the standout tie of the round of 16, pitting together two of the most exciting sides of this World Cup. Spain, finally,  are where they expected to be, in Cape Town playing the side that finished second in Group G, whom they must have suspected would be Portugal. Nevertheless, although Xabi Alonso should have recovered from a...Read More >>

Argentina’s last meeting against Germany provided the first clue that the shambolic beginning to Diego Maradona’s reign as Argentina manager was a false dawn. Argentina won the friendly in Munich 1-0, strangling the Germans’ possession and winning without being put under any real pressure. Since then, Argentina have looked a different team from the shambolic one that slipped and slid its way...Read More >>

No African nation has exactly excelled but the Cameroon’s display has been probably the deepest low. Strongly-fancied with a stable set-up and a high-class manager, they performed lamentably against Japan, wasted a catalogue of chances against Denmark and became the first African nation to be eliminated. The recriminations have already started with Samuel Eto’o having already begun his campaign against manager Paul Le Guen.

The first team to qualify...Read More >>

Uruguay have never shown more grit than they have in this World Cup. They were the last team to qualify for South Africa and, after a quarter-finals that saw three of the four South American teams fall, they are the last men left standing. This is their first semi-final since 1970 and the requirement is slightly easier now than they were...Read More >>

Nobody expected Fabio Capello’s moment of truth to have come so soon. Given how soon England qualified for this World Cup, it seems astonishing they should have been beset by so many problems. Whether Robert Green, the equally fallible David James or the promising Joe Hart keeps goal at Green Point, none of them is world class. The England manager will also have to decide on...Read More >>

Slovenia are the smallest nation at this World Cup and, should they overcome United States at Ellis Park, they will have achieved the remarkable feat of qualifying for the knockout stages. Nevertheless, they will have to play better than they did against Algeria at Polokwane, where they appeared infected by nerves and owed their 1-0 victory to what would have been the worst goalkeeping blunder at...Read More >>

“Humilated and Pathetic” was the headline on Gazzetta dello Sport when the French took their leave of the World Cup but, in truth, the world champions have not done much better with Fabio Cannavaro, the man who lifted the World Cup in Berlin four years ago, the main target for criticism for the way he allowed New Zealand to take the lead. Marcello Lippi will...Read More >>

The Selecao’s manager, Dunga, may have had plenty of difficulty hiding his dislike of the media circus that accompanies Brazil wherever they go but, apart from concerns over Kaka’s form, their warm-up games have been successful and lucrative. Tanzania paid them close to $4m to turn up and beat them 5-1 in Dar es Salaam, although a similar fixture against Zimbabwe did see keeper, Julio Cesar,...Read More >>

Spain have received a lot of criticism for their performance against the Swiss, although there wasn't a lot wrong with La Furia Roja apart from their inability to put the ball into the net. This should change when they take to the field at Ellis Park on Monday night, with the Euro 2008 champions likely to produce an attacking display...Read More >>

Dunga’s critics might as well accept that Brazil are unlikely to create the fabulous rhythms of the sides created by Tele Santana that seduced the 1982 and 1986 World Cups. And Dunga will point out that these teams did not win the trophy; his model will always be the functional side he captained in the World Cup final in Los Angeles 16 years ago. That said, the final group game...Read More >>

Of all the quarter-finals, none surely is more of a given than this, although to spend any time around the Spanish players you wouldn’t think so. With the Spanish media already debating whether they would prefer a semi-final with Argentina or Germany, Xabi Alonso was forced to make some pleas about over-confidence which may be one of the reasons why...Read More >>

No team, not even Brazil, qualified for the knockout stages with quite as much comfort and style as Argentina and although their route to the final is a tough assent – they are scheduled to face the winners of Germany and England in the quarter-finals -  they have looked a team transformed from the one that stumbled to South Africa...Read More >>

We said that Uruguay always do well in World Cups that end in -0, having won it in 1930 and 1950 and reached the semi-finals in 1970. A semi-final for Oscar Tabarez’s men is very much on the cards in 2010. Their progress to the quarter-finals has been a smooth one with Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez forging one of...Read More >>

This is Holland’s third World Cup final and every one has been on a different continent. Although they do not find themselves playing the hosts in the final as they did in 1974 and 1978, the odds are still against them. The biggest question mark is over the Dutch defence who have not keep a clean sheet since beating Japan...Read More >>

This may be Honduras’ first World Cup for 28 years but they are unlikely to repeat their heroics of 1982 when they drew with Spain and Northern Ireland and were unlucky to go out to Yugoslavia. They were not especially impressive in qualification, losing three out of four games to Mexico and the United States and with much depending on...Read More >>

This time manager Raymond Domenech may listen to his critics and restore Florent Malouda to a side that looked toothless in grinding out a goalless draw against Uruguay in Cape Town. The Chelsea midfielder should at least improve on the woeful service to Nicolas Anelka that so undermined them at Green Point. Defensively, William Gallas has missed training with a...Read More >>

If Nigeria are hoping that Lionel Messi might destroy the Greeks and give them a chance of sneaking through into the knockout stages, they may be disappointed. With qualification certain, Diego Maradona is likely to rest key players and that may include the world’s best footballer. Jonas Gutierrez is suspended and a more conventional right-back in the shape of Nicolas...Read More >>

Diego Maradona is not the only Argentinian manager in this World Cup, although he has cornered most of the publicity. Marcelo Bielsa has forged Chile into a formidable force and Gerardo Martino has done the same with Paraguay. The question is can they become the first nation in this World Cup to overcome New Zealand – something you wouldn’t have thought of asking two weeks ago....Read More >>

It is not just that they beat France that should give Javier Aguirre’s side confidence; it was the manner Raymond Domenech’s team was brushed aside. Having endured the enormous pressure that went with playing the opening fixture against South Africa in Soccer City, this is a young, aggressive Mexico side that does not appear afraid of very much. Their weakness is obvious – a poor goalkeeper...Read More >>

For the first World Cup staged in Africa to have been a success, there needs to be at least one African nation among the quarter-finalists and thus far Ghana, even without Michael Essien, look the likeliest contenders. Their victory over Serbia, which came via a penalty, was solid rather than spectacular, but the goalscorer, the Rennes striker Asamoah Gyan, said...Read More >>

After a stunning fightback against Cameroon, marred by some of the worst defending Daniel Agger said he had ever seen, Denmark have staggered to where they probably expected to be, having to beat Japan to secure qualification for the round of 16. Their back-four has hardly impressed in their opening two fixtures and Morten Olsen’s side will have to face Japan without Simon Kjaer. Nevertheless, with...Read More >>

There's every reason to expect goals from the Tuesday lunchtime clash at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg. New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert has declared that his team are 'going to go for it' in this Group F opener, with the match possibly representing the All Whites' best chance of getting some points.

Slovakia manager Vladimir Weiss has also stated that...Read More >>

 If there were an award for the most spirited team in South Africa, it would be a close contest between New Zealand and the United States, two nations for whom football is very much a sideshow. When Landon Donovan broke down in tears after his winning goal against Algeria, saying that finally he could recover from the disappointments of divorce...Read More >>

The breathless draw with Mexico that kicked off Bafana Bafana’s campaign, not only produced a point, it settled plenty of nerves, especially in a defence that might have been taken apart by Carlos Vela and Giovani dos Santos in the opening exchanges at Soccer City. Bongani Khumalo, a young centre half who distinguished himself alongside Aaron Mokoena, is likely to...Read More >>

Having mounted an astonishing comeback that might have seen them recover from two goals down to overcome Slovenia, the United States now need to beat the weakest team in Group C to qualify for the knockout stages. Nevertheless, as he did after the 1-1 draw with England in Rustenburg, their coach, Bob Bradley has done his best to calm American feelings and prevent a gung-ho attitude...Read More >>

Denmark may have had little luck with Holland's opening goal that ricocheted from Simon Paulsen's head in off Daniel Agger's body, but there was more to their defeat than fortune. Goalkeeper, Thomas Sorensen, was not the only one to point his finger at some dreadful defending while others wondered whether the Denmark coach, Morten Olsen, had been right in throwing...Read More >>

It is time for the big guns with Fernando Torres, Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas all scheduled to start for Spain in a match they probably need to win to qualify. Despite their victory over Honduras, manager Vicente del Bosque was disappointed by the scoreline as David Villa missed a penalty and other opportunities. “We had chances, glorious chances and should have beaten the Hondurans by many more,” he said....Read More >>

Having been pummeled in Cape Town by a rampant Portugal, the world’s most secretive football team is preparing to go to where you suspect they wanted to be all along – home. The Portugal manager, Carlos Queiroz, may have praised the South Koreans for refusing to resort to tough tackling but the man in charge of North Korea, Kim Jong-hun,...Read More >>

Italy have not begun as badly as either France or England but they have been enduring agonies over the state of Gianluigi Buffon's back which will almost certainly prevent the Juventus keeper from starting. His deputy, Federico Marchetti, is perfectly capable, although Giorgio Chiellini has warned him to expect something of an aerial bombardment should New Zealand cross the halfway...Read More >>

It would be hard to think of any major team that has gone into a World Cup match in such a state of shambles and crisis as France. Having gone on strike and refused to train because of the way Nicolas Anelka was sent home for refusing to apologise for his outburst at Raymond Domenech at half time during the 2-0 defeat by Mexico, France...Read More >>

One thing should be certain; the Greeks cannot be as insipid as they were against South Korea. Given that their final match is against Argentina, they have no option but to attempt to go for the win. The trouble is that the 71-year-old Otto Rehhagel's tactics of defending deep and attempting to snatch something on the break or from a...Read More >>

The Slovakians are trying their best to eliminate the bitter aftertaste of Winston Reid's last-minute equaliser that ensured they would fail to seize the opportunity of their must-win game against New Zealand. Reid rather torpedoes the pre-match assertions of Stanislav Sestak that the individual errors that often cost Slovakia precious points had been cut out. He was speaking too soon....Read More >>

Switzerland have a great chance of progressing to the last 16 but depending on what happens in the clash between Chile and Spain, they could equally go out of the World Cup with six points. For a team that did not concede a goal in Germany four years ago, their main problems lies in defence. Philippe Senderos will again be missing and there is still considerable anger about Valon Behrami’s...Read More >>

Joachim Low’s second tournament as manager of Germany has panned out much like his first. In Euro 2008, the Germans, who ended up in the final, won their first and third group games but lost their second to a nation that once made up Yugoslavia. Then it was Croatia, now it was Serbia. Miroslav Klose, one of those rare players...Read More >>

The mood in the Slovenia camp is one of disappointment that they let slip a two-goal lead against the United States that would have secured their qualification. Now, they have to secure a point in Port Elizabeth to make the knockout stages of a major competition. They will have to do without central defender, Marko Suler, who will be replaced by Matej Mavric, whie Nejc Mavric...Read More >>

After a stunning display against Australia, it is all about playing down expectations in the Germany camp while trying to perusade Joachim Low that he might like to reconsider his decision to step down as manager at the end of the tournament. The Bayern Munich forward, Thomas Muller, believes that the 4-0 victory in Durban might have been a little overstated  - it was after all...Read More >>

Five days into the World Cup and this has the makings of the tournament’s first epic clash. With Brazil up next for the Elephants, this is a match that maybe has to be won but which certainly cannot be lost. It will be the first indication of whether the Ivory Coast FA was right to have fired manager, Vahid Haliodzic, and replaced him with Sven-Goran Eriksson....Read More >>

It's something of a surprise to see Switzerland available at big odds to win at Port Elizabeth on Monday afternoon. Ottmar Hitzfeld's team produced a perfect performance to defeat pre-tournament favourites Spain and the strict disciplinarian will now be working on a way to counteract Chile's attacking style.

Although the Swiss rode their luck at times in the opening match, they...Read More >>

For the first time since 1990 Uruguay have reached the knockout stages of the World Cup and  then they got there via a 1-0 win over South Korea. That team was one of many Uruguayan sides that delivered far less than they promised, mostly because they seemed terrified to take any risks. Twenty years ago, they came across Italy in...Read More >>

If Brazil are to reach their seventh World Cup final, then this match against the most technically accomplished team in Europe represents their biggest barrier. Since their elimination by Argentina in the round of 16 in 1990, Brazil have only lost one match between the group stages and the final – against France in 2006. Dunga will be without Ramires...Read More >>

For both teams this is the culmination of a highly successful tournament. But while some might have expected Germany to go this far, nobody counted on Uruguay. Not since 1970 have they been in this position and then they faced the same German opposition in the third-place play off. Then, they were beaten 1-0, a result most would expect now....Read More >>

Nobody who saw this Australian side taken apart by Germany in the opening game at Durban could have thought that Pim Verbeek’s men would have any chance of a place in the knockout stages. Technically, they do, although they will have to beat Serbia and hope Ghana overcome the Germans in Soccer City. To do this, you imagine they would have to keep 11 players on...Read More >>

This was supposed to have been Italy v Cameroon but this has been nothing if not an unpredictable World Cup. Paraguay should be confident of reaching the quarter-finals for the first time in their history but they enter the Loftus Versfeld on something of a downward spiral, with each of their performances slightly worse than their last. Their manager, Gerardo Martino was...Read More >>