WORLD CUP 2010

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Terry made big mistake - CapelloEngland defender John Terry has apologised to manager Fabio Capello and his team-mates for publicly criticising the World Cup campaign in South Africa. On Monday, Capello said that his former captain, 29, had made a "big mistake" in questioning training and tactics after Friday's 0-0 draw with Algeria.
England must now beat Slovenia on Wednesday to be certain of progressing.
"It was never my intention to upset the manager or players and if I did, I apologise," Terry told the Daily Mail. "I went into the press conference with the intention of being honest. I was asked a question. Maybe I went too far. England train ahead of crunch match"I have told the manager he has my total support and I would like to stress that I don't believe I have been a disruptive influence in the camp.
"I would now like to put this episode behind me and concentrate on trying to win what is a massive game for England.
"All I was trying to do was stress how it important it is to me to try and win the World Cup."Terry had said on Sunday that the players were going to hold "clear the air" talks with Capello and that while there was no unrest in the camp and that all the players were fully behind their Italian manager, everyone needed to "get off their chests exactly how they're feeling" and if that upset the manager or any player, then so be it.
The Chelsea captain also said that midfielder Joe Cole, who is yet to play in the tournament, was one of only two players - the other being Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney - in the England squad capable of breaking down defences.
Capello said on Monday that Terry should have spoken privately and that his door was always open for the players.

PHIL MCNULTY'S BLOG Any suggestion the coach has let England's squad escape his iron grasp can now be dismissed

Terry was the first player out on the training ground on Tuesday morning as England's players fully turned their attentions to the must-win game against Slovenia.
With Matthew Upson a confirmed starter in place of the injured Ledley King and suspended Jamie Carragher, Terry will have a third central defensive partner in as many games.
England will be eliminated from the World Cup if they are beaten but they could still qualify for the knockout stages with a high-scoring draw in their final Group C game.
However, they would need Algeria to draw with the United States and then goals scored and possibly even the drawing of lots would come into play.

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Uruguay 1 - Mexico 0
 
France   1 - South Africa 2

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Argentina 2  Greece 0

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Yes they always seem to be, I was surprised they lost to Serbia

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http://www.wc2010.virginmedia.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,13052~2077333,00.
 
 
England 1 Slovenia 0

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Italy out
 
 

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Portugal 0 Brazil 0

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Chile 1 Spain 2
 
Both teams through to the next round, with Portugal and Brazil

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Germany 4-1 EnglandGermany march into the quarter finals with a 4-1 thrashing of England - although there will be a debate about goal-line technology Germany may have inflicted a heavy defeat on England but Fabio Capello's men were left to reflect on a controversial refereeing decision when a Frank Lampard shot crossed the goalline.

England's defence looked shaky in Bloemfontein, with Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski scoring before Matthew Upson pulled one back with a header.

Then came Lampard's volley, which went off the crossbar and over the line, only for Uruguay official Jorge Larrionda to wave play on.

The second half at Free State Stadium saw Thomas Mueller net twice as Germany sent England home early from South Africa 2010 and booked a place in the quarter-finals.

Bastian Schweinsteiger was passed fit before the game after a thigh injury and he set up the first chance in this thrilling tie.

His ball over the top broke the offside trap and it needed goalkeeper David James to save well with his legs at the near post when Mesut Ozil got his finish away.

Germany legend Franz Beckenbauer has branded England a "kick-and-rush" team earlier in the tournament but the 20th-minute opener from Germany was pure route-one football.

John Terry and Upson clearly were not expecting Manuel Neuer's goal-kick to go so far, with the ball flying over the centre-back pairing. Klose held off Upson before poking his finish past James.

Only James prevented it from Germany putting the game out of England's reach earlier. He saved from Klose after Sami Khedira's flick and Mueller's pass split the back line again.

But Germany were not made to wait long for their second goal. Klose flicked to Muller and he spotted Podolski free to his left, who defied a tight angle to power his finish through James' legs.

It was chaos in the England penalty area, Klose wriggled through feeble challenges from Upson and Gareth Barry and was rescued by another James save.

It needed something to kick-start England and Upson provided it by heading home from Steven Gerrard's cross.

Then came Lampard's "goal", a delightful volley that came off the bar and clearly crossed the line. Even Capello saw it and started celebrating in the dug-out.

Lampard hit the bar again just after the break with a belting 40-yard free-kick as Capello's men looked to take their anger out on Germany.

But England were made to suffer their worst defeat at the finals of the tournament when Mueller fired home twice on the counter-attack.

Germany (4-5-1): Neuer; Boateng, Friedrich, Mertesacker, Lahm; Khedira, Schweinsteiger, Ozil (Kiessling 83), Muller (Trochowski 72), Podolski; Klose (Gomez 72).
Subs (not used): Jansen, Aogo, Tasci, Wiese, Badstuber, Kroos, Marin, Butt.

England (4-4-2): James; Johnson (Wright-Phillips 87), Upson, Terry, A Cole; Milner (J Cole 64), Lampard, Barry, Gerrard; Defoe (Heskey 71), Rooney.
Subs (not used): Green, Hart, Carragher, Warnock, Dawson, King, Lennon, Carrick, Crouch.
end

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Argentina disposed of Mexico to seal a quarter-final tie against Germany - but Diego Maradona's side were aided by another terrible decision on a day of controversy at the World Cup.
Just as England had been incensed earlier on Sunday when a Frank Lampard shot that clearly crossed the goal-line was not awarded in their match against Germany, so Mexico had the right to feel aggrieved by another example of awful officiating.
Javier Aguirre's side probably edged an engrossing opening phase to the contest, but they never recovered after Carlos Tevez headed Argentina in front despite being yards offside when the ball was played to him by Lionel Messi.
It was a decision that prompted the Mexican side to surround the linesman in the aftermath of the goal being awarded and led to a melee as the referee tried to leave the field at the break.
Mexico's prospects of clawing their way back into the contest faded after Ricardo Osorio gifted possession to Gonzalo Higuain, who slotted home his fourth goal of the competition to give Argentina breathing space by the break.
And Tevez's sensational second-half strike ensured that Maradona's team continued their excellent form in South Africa with their fourth straight win of the tournament.
They can now focus on gaining a measure of revenge on Germany, who knocked them out of the 2006 World Cup at the quarter-final stage after a penalty shoot-out.
But the match will doubtless leave a bitter taste in the mouth for Mexico, who pulled a goal back through Javier Hernandez.
El Tri were intent on avenging their defeat against Argentina in 2006 but have now bowed out of the last five World Cups at the round of 16 stage.
Until Argentina took a grip on the tie by scoring twice in eight first-half minutes it had been a fascinating contest between two sides that were obviously comfortable in possession.
There were some wonderful passages of play as both sides enjoyed periods when they probed their opponent's defensive structure with crisp passing and intelligent movement.
Carlos Salcido crashed a long-range effort against the crossbar and Andres Guardado shot narrowly wide as Mexico found space in front of an Argentina backline that many believe to be a possible weak link in an otherwise gifted side.
There had been relatively little to alarm the Mexican side when Tevez struck his controversial opener, which came after his initial effort had been smothered by Oscar Perez and Messi hooked the rebound back into the box.
The goal clearly rattled the Mexicans, particularly after they saw a replay on the big screen inside Soccer City and surrounded the guilty linesman in angry protest.
Several Argentine players, waiting for the restart, joined the fray, perhaps fearing the goal would be ruled out - and there was confusion inside the ground but Tevez's headed finish stood.
Mexico only had themselves to blame for the Albiceleste's second after Osorio, under no immediate pressure, scuffed a pass close to the edge of his penalty area, allowing Higuain to snatch the ball before rounding Perez and slotting home.
Higuain should probably have sealed Argentina's place in the last eight before the break but headed wide from six yards, while Mexico's Manchester United-bound Javier Hernandez was inches from connecting with a cross in injury time.
The Tevez goal was clearly still a source of frustration and several Mexicans surrounded Italian referee Roberto Rosetti and his team as they made their way from the field.
Within seconds players from both teams, plus the ever-involved Maradona, had formed a scrum that threatened to boil over.
Poor officiating and sloppy play had nothing to do with the decisive third goal, which came shortly after the restart when Tevez rifled the ball into the top corner with an unstoppable long-range effort.
Mexico might have thrown in the towel but continued to press, with Hernandez heading wide again and Gabriel Heinze clearing off the line from substitute Guillermo Franco.
They did pull one back when the previously profligate Hernandez turned beautifully to lose the flat-footed Martin DeMichelis before burying a shot beyond Sergio Romero.
Messi, who had a quiet second half, almost scored his first of the tournament late on after a mazy run but his shot was well saved.

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TomorrowWorld Cup Football Match starts 28.6. 15:00 View Netherlands Slovakia World Cup Football Match starts 28.6. 19:30 View Brazil Chile Day after tomorrowWorld Cup Football Match starts 29.6. 15:00 View Paraguay Japan World Cup Football Match starts 29.6. 19:30 View Spain Portugal

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Holland 2 Brazil 1
 
Uruguay knock out Ghana on penalties

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Germany 4  Argentina 0
 
I won £86 betting on Germany to beat Argentina

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Beckham plays it straightEngland star David Beckham has expressed his disappointment at the Three Lions' lacklustre World Cup displayThe 35-year-old was unable to play his part on the pitch after suffering a snapped Achilles tendon in the run-up to the finals.
He was, however, invited to join the squad as a mediator between the players and the coaching staff, fuelling rumours that he could be considered as a possible successor to present Head Coach Fabio Capello.
Beckham was focussed on a different sport, watching Britain's Andy Murray take on Rafael Nadal in the Wimbledon semi-final, when the FA's announcement that Capello will remain in charge ended speculation that he might move into coaching.
The LA Galaxy midfielder may do so in the future, however, and showed his undoubted passion for the cause in his analysis of England's failings this summer.
"We didn't play at the level we knew that we were capable of," he said.
"Over the four matches we weren't good enough and regardless of the goal that never was, Germany played better than we did over the 90 minutes and deserved to go through.
"Having seen the lads in training, the spirit was good, everyone trained at a really high level.
"It was just disappointing we couldn't transfer that onto the pitch.
"As a team, we have to learn from everything that's happened, come back stronger and play to our potential."

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URUGUAY 2 HOLLAND 3
 The former Arsenal man scored a stunning goal as the Netherlands edged past Uruguay in a five-goal thriller to book Bert van Marwijk's team a place in Sunday's final.

Wesley Sneijder, who destroyed favourites Brazil with two second-half goals in the quarter-finals, also scored before Arjen Robben sparked an orange party in Cape Town.

Netherlands captain van Bronckhorst, 35, will now get a chance to do what Johan Cruyff failed to do - lift the World Cup.

Despite reaching the final in 1974 and 1978, the Netherlands have never won the tournament.

It means the final will be an all-European affair as they will play the winners of Wednesday's second semi-final between and Spain and Germany on Sunday.

Uruguay had been cast in the role of semi-final gatecrashers after Luis Suarez's deliberate handball denied Ghana a last-gasp victory in last Friday's controverisal quarter-final.

So when van Bronckhorst broke the deadlock in the 18th minute from 35-yards, the roar could be hear all the way from Amsterdam to Accra, capital of Ghana.

Van Bronckhorst has represented the Netherlands more than 100 times. But his sixth goal for his country is something he will surely cherish forever after conjuring up a 35-yard left-foot screamer that not even Suarez could have kept out.

With an average age of 28 years and 342 days, van Marwijk opted to field the oldest Netherlands line-up in a World Cup match since 1978.

But instead of building momentum after taking the lead, they surpisingly lost their way.

Uruguay were missing the attacking threat of Ajax forward Suarez, serving a one-match ban following his 'Hand of God' against Ghana.

But like a bolt out of the blue, Oscar Tabarez's side found themselves back on level terms thanks to another wonder goal by Diego Forlan.

The Uruguay captain created space for himself five minutes before half time before arrowing the ball into the net from 30-yards for his fourth of the tournament.

It was just as stunning as van Brockhorst's effort, yet Netherlands 'keeper Maarten Stekelenburg will feel he should have done better.

However, Uruguay's dream was snuffed out by two quick goals in the closing stages.

Sneijder found the net from just inside the area in the 70th minute although there was a hint of suspicion that Robin van Persie was off-side.

But there was nothing controversial about Robben's terrific header that made it 3-1 after Bayern Munich's former Chelsea man connected with Dirk Kuyt's cross to ensure the Netherlands reached the final on the back of six straight victories at South Africa 2010.

Uruguay (4-4-2): Muslera; M Pereira, Godin, Victorino, Caceres; Perez, Arevalo, Gargano, A Pereira (Abreu 78); Cavani, Forlan (S Fernandez 84).

Netherlands (4-5-1): Stekelenburg; Boulahrouz, Heitinga, Mathijsen, van Bronckhorst; Kuyt, van Bommel, Sneijder, de Zeeuw (Van der Vaart 46), Robben (Elia 90); van Persie.