World Cup - General News

drunken_master · World Cup - General News

Harry Kewell could miss Australia's crucial World Cup match against Croatia on Thursday if he is suspended for an outburst against a referee after Sunday's 2-0 loss to Brazil.

Kewell will have to explain his postmatch comments to a FIFA disciplinary panel after German referee Markus Merk complained the Australian winger insulted him.

It was in the "referee's report that (Kewell) insulted the referee. It's been taken up by the disciplinary committee," FIFA spokesman Markus Siegler said Monday. "He must now reply by (today)."

Kewell played the entire match in the opening 3-1 win over Japan and went on as a second-half substitute against Brazil on Sunday when the score was 1-0.

The Liverpool forward was clearly upset by a number of calls that went against Australia. Merk called Australia for 25 fouls against only nine for Brazil.

Australia plays Croatia in Stuttgart on Thursday and needs at least a tie to advance to the next round. This is the first postmatch incident case the disciplinary panel is handling at this World Cup.

drunken_master

Flag-waving apology

Ghana's Football Association apologized after Israel-based defender John Pantsil pulled out an Israeli flag while celebrating during Saturday's 2-0 victory over the Czech Republic.

"It was an action out of naiveté and we apologize to anyone who was offended. It will never happen again," Ghana FA spokesman Randy Abbey said. "He was obviously unaware of the implications of what he did. . . . He's extremely popular in Israel and he wanted to thank the fans who traveled to see him play."

Pantsil, 25, plays for Hapoel Tel Aviv. He pulled out a small Israeli flag during a goal celebration at Cologne Stadium.

Abbey said that there had been complaints to the Ghana FA, but did not elaborate.

drunken_master

Relying on teammates

Zinedine Zidane, the three-time world Player of the Year, needs his French teammates to rally in their next game if he's to avoid ending his career on a low.

The 33-year-old, who is retiring after the tournament, got a yellow card during Sunday's 1-1 draw with South Korea, ruling him out of the next game against Togo on Friday - Zidane's 34th birthday. France must win for a chance of advancing.

drunken_master

Forged tickets

A 23-year-old man from England has been arrested with 91 forged tickets in his possession.

Frankfurt police said the man, whose name was not released, was taken into provisional custody over the weekend at Frankfurt airport after police received a tip.

drunken_master

Owen worry for England

An injury to Michael Owen took the gloss off England’s qualification as Group B winners in Cologne, as the striker was stretchered off in the first minute of England’s 2-2 draw with Sweden.

The 26-year-old striker twisted his right knee as he attempted to provide a pass to Ashley Cole. He was attended to on the touchline by members of England’s medical team before heading to the dressing room.

Ice was applied to the joint and it was reported that a brace was also applied to his injured leg. According to the English Football Association, Owen will have a scan in Cologne on Wednesday morning.
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drunken_master

Allback scores 2,000th goal

A significant FIFA World Cup™ milestone was reached this evening when Sweden’s Marcus Allback headed home the tournament’s 2,000th goal in his team’s 2-2 draw with England.

It is now almost 76 years since Frenchman Lucien Laurent fired the first goal of the beautiful game’s greatest tournament in Montevideo on 13 July 1930, and in the years since we have all witnessed some magnificent, truly unforgettable goals en route to the reaching of new goalscoring landmarks.

In scoring goal number 2,000, Allback certainly succeeded in joining an exclusive club, one that also numbers among its members the illustrious likes of Angelo Schiavio (ITA, 100th in 1934), Gerd Muller (FRG, 800th in 1970), Gary Lineker (ENG, 1,300th in 1986) and Christian Vieri (Italy, 1,900th in 2002)

drunken_master

FIFA to pay Togo bonuses

FIFA have stepped in to end the row over Togo players' pay demands by agreeing to pay the squad's bonuses directly.

The players had threatened to boycott their remaining World Cup matches because they feared the Togo football federation would not keep their promise to pay the bonuses after the tournament.

FIFA have now agreed to pay the players' bonuses directly rather than pay the federation first and leave it to them to pass the money on to the squad.

The action means Togo's last match against France on Friday in Cologne will now go ahead although after their 2-0 defeat by Switzerland yesterday the west African side are unable to qualify for the next round.

FIFA communications director Markus Siegler said: "It is in the form of an advance to Togo, so the situation should now calm down."

The players wanted £110,000 (R1 432 177.88 ) each to play in the tournament, plus £21,000 (R273 410.64) each for a win and £11,000 (R143 214.33) per draw.

I thought it was an honour to play for your country. instead of playing, they spent more time fighting for cash Sad

drunken_master

Ghana FA: 'We are here for football'

Ghana Football Association officials have apologised after Hapoel Tel Aviv defender John Pantsil waved an Israeli flag to celebrate the World Cup win over the Czech Republic.

Spokesman Randy Abbey said Pantsil wanted to thank the people who had travelled to support him.

Abbey added: "He is unaware of international politics. We apologise to anybody who was offended.

"We promise that it will never happen again.

"He did not act out of malice for the Arab people or in support of Israel. He was naive...we don't need to punish him.

"We are not in support or against Israel or the Arab nations. We are here to do football, we are not here to do politics."

Two Birds

drunken_master

Graham Poll hands player three yellow cards

English referee Graham Poll gave a Croatia player an extra chance on Thursday, showing him three yellow cards before finally sending him off after blowing the final whistle of a World Cup match against Australia.

Poll showed Croatia's Josep Simunic his first yellow in the 62nd minute in a bad-tempered match.

In the 90th minute, with two other players having been sent off, Poll showed Simunic another for a foul, but did not then show him a red card and send him off as he should.

Poll did not appear to be aware that he had already booked Simunic.

Between the 80th and 90th minutes, Poll sent off Croatia's Dario Simic and Australia's Brett Emerton.

Three minutes later, Poll blew the final whistle - the 2-2 draw putting Australia through and eliminating Croatia.

Simunic spoke to Poll, who looked angry, pushed him away with one hand and showed the defender a yellow card for the third time and then the red card.

Referees are permitted to show players a red card after the final whistle if they commit a sending off offence.

Poll came under severe pressure from Croatia players during the match and was pushed at least twice.

Emerton will miss Australia's second round match with Italy while Poll risks missing out on the July 9 final - though he would do anyway were England to be in it.

DGT

Two Birds

You are rite DGT,It is really bad for football as the second yellow card equals to a redcard.His act has had an impact on the game and results thereof.

FIFA should act or its silence will bring the beautifull game into disrepute.
the world is watching!!!

Two Birds

drunken_master

Australia would have been entitled to replay its decisive World Cup clash against Croatia had they been beaten and failed to qualify for the second round after English referee Graham Poll's failure to send off Croatia's Australia-born defender Josip Simunic for two yellow card offences.

The game's governing body FIFA confirmed on Friday - the day after the Socceroos' gripping 2-2 draw with Croatia which ensured Australia reached the knockout stages of the world's biggest sporting event for the first time - that because of Poll's blunder the result would not have stood had Croatia won and qualified for the second round at the expense of Guus Hiddink's team.

Simunic was finally sent off in the match but not until just seconds before the final whistle when Poll issued him with a third yellow card but he remained on the pitch for six minutes longer than he should have.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter was aghast that such a mistake could be made in such a crucial World Cup match and said the two English linesmen or the fourth official should have immediately alerted Poll to his mistake.

Lebo

drunken_master

Robinho out of Ghana match

Brazil's Robinho will not play against Ghana today in the second round of the World Cup because of a right thigh injury.

The striker, who had medical tests in Cologne, Germany, after being injured in Saturday's training, is not seriously hurt, the Brazilian Soccer Confederation said yesterday.

"It was a small problem," Robinho said. "I'll continue treatment and, God willing, I will be available for next Saturday's match if Brazil gets past Ghana."

Brazil doctor Jose Luiz Runco said there was a "great possibility" that Robinho would be available for the quarterfinals.

"We have ruled out the possibility that he won't be playing in this World Cup again," Runco said.

Runco said the full extent of the injury wasn't known until the results of an MRI were received. He said Robinho likely would return to practice as soon as tomorrow if Brazil beats Ghana.

drunken_master

Angolans welcomed home

The Angolan squad returned from the World Cup to a euphoric reception in Luanda, one usually reserved for champions.

In its first World Cup, Angola lost by 1-0 to Portugal and drew by 0-0 with Mexico and 1-1 with Iran to finish third in Group D with two points.

But 50,000 people in the capital welcomed the Black Antelopes with posters saying "Thank You" and "We're Special," and went on to dance and sing all night at the Cidadela Desportiva sports pavilion.

drunken_master

New South Korean coach

South Korea hired Pim Verbeek of the Netherlands as the national soccer team's head coach, replacing Dick Advocaat.

Verbeek, 50, worked as the national team's assistant coach in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups.

The Koreans went out in the first round of this World Cup.

drunken_master

Beckham Stands Down As Captain

An emotional David Beckham has announced that he is stepping down as England captain following yesterday's World Cup exit at the hands of Portugal.

Beckham had to withdraw early in the first half due to injury and had to watch on as his team lost on penalties yet again.

The Real Madrid ace has now decided to pass on the captain's armband, but there seems no intention that he'll be retiring from International football.

"I have lived the dream," Beckham told Sky Sports News. "I'm extremely proud to have worn the armband and been captain of England, for that I will always be grateful."

"It has been an honour and privilege to captain my country but I feel the time is right to pass on the armband as we enter a new era under [new coach] Steve McClaren.

"I came to this decision some time ago and I had hoped to announce it on the back of a successful tournament."

drunken_master

Rooney After Ronaldo Revenge

England striker Wayne Rooney is looking to exact revenge on his Manchester United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo following Saturday’s penalty shoot-out defeat to Portugal.

Rooney was seething that Ronaldo appeared to help get him sent-off for stamping on Ricardo Carvalho by rushing over to the referee to protest.

A furious Rooney apparently had to be restrained from barging into the Portugal dressing room after the game.

And The Sun quotes an insider as saying on Sunday: "At breakfast in the hotel this morning, Wayne said he would split him in two and smack him in the head. Who can blame him?

"He is determined to settle the score in his own way and there is nothing anyone can do about it."

drunken_master

Henry Flabbergasted By Brazilian Marking

Apart from the uncanny ability to raise their game and be Brazil’s regular executioner at the World Cup finals, France couldn’t believe their luck in being given ample room to manoeuvre by the five-time World champions.

In 1998 two corners allowed almost identical flashing headers by Zidane as the number 10 rose above a Brazilian defense that simply didn’t defend. Vieira then set Petit up for an easy-as-pie counter-attack as the whole Canarinha stampeded forward naively in search of a goal.

Henry voiced his surprise – almost bordering on astonishment – that he was left so very alone by the seleção players in Frankfurt. After all, the goal was the first Zidane-Henry combo that laid to waste rumours that they had a rocky relationship.

"Now the debate’s over [about the two players not playing well together]. I’m really happy that I scored; more so because it was from a Zidane pass, because I’ll never have to answer questions about our ability to play together any more", smiled the Arsenal number 14.

Henry went on to raise his eyebrows so high as to almost disappear into his scalp "They [Brazil] somehow completely forgot about me, not once but three times”, before adding that "normally in that sort of move you can’t get close and end up taking pot-shots from 20 metres out, but this time I was at point-blank range."

drunken_master

Brazil Booed On Way Home

The self same seleção that landed in Germany with the label ‘clear favourites’ stamped across the Canarinha shirt has been given a rough send off by furious fans as they left their hotel in Germany. After a campaign that must go down in history as the poorest skill:results ratio in Brazilian World Cup history.

A sizeable contingent of irate Brazilians gathered at the entrance to the plush Arabella Sheraton hotel in Frankfurt, bombarding the players that came out – many with i-pods or mobile phones as their only shield against the tirade – with insults such as "pipoqueiro, pipoqueiro!" (literally popcorn maker; referring to cowardly players who shy away from tackles and hard work) and "mercenário!" (mercenaries).

The German police had to hold back the more distraught fans; some making a break for players they wanted to take to task for performances that were below sub-standard, and a handful actually wanting to get autographs from the discredited squad.

Roberto Carlos was a particular target; the left-back being considered one of the villains of the piece for his total absence at Dida’s far post that left Thierry Henry comfortable enough to bang in the winner. Many supporters echoed his 1998 failings that had resulted in the corner that Zidane took advantage of in 1998.

The Brazilians screamed "vergonha!" (shame(ful)) at the left-back as he tried to quickly make it across the hotel lobby, the player opting for a discrete side exit and a taxi to the airport before a short flight across to Madrid. The coaching staff were left alone except for withering stares, and are expected to land in Brazil this morning. Their reception is bound to be less than friendly.

drunken_master

Eriksson Defends Walcott Decision

Sven-Goran Eriksson has defended his decision to take Theo Walcott to the World Cup.

The Swedish coach came under fire for selecting the untried Walcott and then not playing him in any of the games.

"I am sure I took the right players, and not for my benefit,” said Eriksson, who only travelled with four strikers.

"It will have served Walcott extremely well for the future. He has been to a World Cup, knows how it is and it will be very good for him in his career."

And should he have taken the more experienced Jermain Defoe?: "I don't think so. If I had thought so I would have picked him.

"I've seen him 15 or 20 times this season and I have to take the best players who I think will be good for us in the future."

drunken_master

Davids Attacks Holland Tactics

Edgar Davids has angrily hit out at the tactics deployed by Holland in their second round exit at the hands of Portugal.

Marco van Basten’s side had two sent-off and numerous players booked in that bad-tempered 1-0 defeat to Portugal.

But Davids, who was left out of the squad, told the News of the World: "It's ironic that under one of the most refined players of all time, the Dutch showed it is capable of brutal assaults on the pitch.

"Dutch football has lost its innocence. Even though there were a lot of provocations from the Portuguese side, there's simply no excuse for what happened.

"We can all get carried away - it happened occasionally with me - but this was something different."

Many will find Davids' comments ironic given that he is no angel on the pitch and has had numerous red cards in his own career.