SA Football Fans

Front row seats to the 2010 Fifa World Cup

noreply@blogger.com (Ash) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 18:53:00 +0000

Hi guys(I'm asuming theres still somebody reading this blog)

I know I haven't blogged in a while but seeing as how the World Cup is kicking off tomorrow I figured it would be a good time to start again.
I also got some great news. I managed to get what will most likely be the freelancing job of my dreams. Working as a field reporter for Goal.com at the 2010 Fifa World Cup! I picked up my Media Pass today and im so excited about this once in a lifetime opportunity.

I will be trying to get interviews with fans inside the stadium, well known members of the press and also the football stars of this World Cup. I'll try my best to keep this blog updated as the tournament progresses. The scenes in Town today were already mindblowing as fans from all around the world gathered for a concert at the Cape Town Grand Parade Fan park.

Tomorrow my journey starts....Feel it. It is HERE!

P.S You can follow me on twitter and Facebook

Got my first freelancing Job(s)

noreply@blogger.com (Ash) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:42:00 +0000

I just thought I'd share the news with you guys as it's pretty much official now. I've managed to get my first real writing jobs.

I have actually already started writing for the one website, called Go Football. It's basically an online shop selling Football DVD's, Replica Shirts and other memerobilia.

My first couple of posts are already on the blog so feel free to check it out and let me know what you think. I will also be helping Go Football out with the Social Media side of things rom Facebook to Twitter and just about anything in between so I'm really looking forward to this.

The other job is not yet official so I can't reveal too many details, what I can tell you though is that I will be writing for a very big International brand(the other one, not the one with the stripes) and it will be all about football in South Africa, and to be honest I'm super stoked about this one!

That's it for now, will update you guys with more info as things start taking shape...Have a goood one!

Play Fantasy Football - It's free, fun and a great way to kill time at work

noreply@blogger.com (Ash) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 19:07:00 +0000

The footy season is just about to kick off and that means that all wannabe football managers will be trying their hand at another season of Fantasy Football.

Many football fans are not familiar with the game so I figured I'd do a post to explain just how it works and why it's so much fun!

Fantasy Football gives the regular footy fan the opportunity to show off his superior knowledge of the beautiful game by allowing you to become the next Sir Alex Ferguson or (more likely) the next Luiz Felipe Scolari.

How it Works

Once you have signed up to play the game you will be allocated a transfer budget(100 points) to bring in a squad of 15 players which consists of 2 goalkeepers, 5 defenders, 5 midfielders and 3 strikers. You are only allowed to choose three players from the same team so choose wisely!

After you have ‘bought’ your 15 players you can select your starting 11, captain and formation. The game is based on the actual matches taking place on the weekend and you receive points based on how your player's performed. For example if you select Didier Drogba as one of your strikers and the Ivorian bangs in three goals against Hull in Chelsea's opening game, you will receive points for every gal he scored. At the other end of the pitch clean sheets from your goalkeeper and defenders will also bag you lots of points. I think you get the basic idea but here is a breakdown of the point scoring system

The more points you score, the higher your rank will be and if you manage to end up ontop of the standings at the end of the month or the end of the season you can win some awesome prizes. With the number of player's currently sitting at 967, 810 the chances of you actually winning this thing are slim but it's fun and a great way to keep kill some time at work (I hope my boss doesn't read this)

You are also able to create private league's in which you can take on your friends or colleagues to see who really knows their footy. I've done this for this blog by setting up our own private league which you can join by using this code: 119924-196924

I've just about finalised my team ahead of next weekend's opening fixtures and with this being my third season playing the game I’m feeling confident of doing well this time round. This game requires dedication though, and some tactical awareness or you'll find yourself bottom of the log after the first Gameweek!

Tip: Read the FAQ/HELP section as it pretty much explains everything.

So if you’re keen on playing, head over to the official fantasy football site and join in on the fun....

Football makes a welcomed return!

noreply@blogger.com (Ash) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 17:34:00 +0000

It's been a while since my last post -a month to be exact-so first off I have to apologise to my loyal readers(all 8 of you) for sticking around. I hate making excuses, and it seems like I'm constantly making them these days but the past couple of months have been beyond hectic in my personal life, but I won't bore you with the details.

What I will say though is that it feels great to be back behind the keyboard and hopefully I'll be able to post more frequently with the new season around the corner....

Locally the season is just about in full swing after this week's MTN8 quarter-finals in which Soweto Giants Orlando Pirates and Premier Soccer League Champions SuperSport United were knocked out by Ajax Cape Town and AmaZulu in the first round of Wafa Wafa action. The PSL season will also kick off tonight as defending Champions SuperSport United takes on Gordon Igesund's Maritzburg United, who will once again be likely candidates for relegation.

The PSL season will be very congested as a result of next year's Fifa World Cup which means that teams could find themselves playing up o three times a week!

On the International side of things the English Premier League kicks off in two weeks time but fans will be treated to a certain raiser this weekend as League Champions take on FA Cup winners in the FA Community Shield at Wembley Stadium.

Fans of Italian football will also be getting their first dose of 'competitive' footy as Serie-A Champions Inter Milan takes on Copa Italia winners Lazio on Saturday at the Bird's Nest Stadium in Beijing.

If that's not enough to get you excited there’s also the 'little' matter of the Champions League Qualifiers which will take place on the 18th and 19th of August after the draw for the group stages were held this afternoon. There are some interesting match-ups in store for the fans with Arsenal vs Celtic being the pick of the draw.

Finally, the inaugural Europa League(formerly known as the Uefa Cup) will also be kicking off this month as teams go head to head in a knock-out round to determine who will make it to the Group stages. The first leg of the knock-out round takes place on the 20th of August.

Well there you have it folks, no more pesky pre-season friendly’s. The footy season is back and all is well in the world again.

Cristiano Ronaldo's Presentation at the Bernabeu: Whats all the fuss about?

noreply@blogger.com (Ash) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:30:00 +0000

I was watching Lost as I usually do on a Monday evening, when during an ad break I decided to quickly check out goal.com. I was quite surprised to see a Live Feed for Ronaldo's unveiling as a Real Madrid player but what really took me by surprise was the big fuss that was being made about this event.

Image:Goal.com

According to reports 75 000 Madrid fans made their way into the Santiago Bernabeu, the scene of Real's embarrassing 6-2 defeat against Barca, which some believe sparked Perez' quest to rebuild the Galactico Era.

The Portuguese winger was given a huge welcome which has only previously been seen at Diego Maradona's unveiling at Napoli. Which begs the question. What exactly has Ronaldo done to deserve this type of ceremony? That's a question for another day though as I'm sure I'll only come across as a bitter 'pool supporter for questioning Ronaldo's status as a football 'God'.

Ronaldo's first words as a Real Madrid player were somewhat low key, the player looking intent on just enjoying his special moment. You know, the one he's dreamed about since he was a wee toddler.
"Good evening. I just want to say, I told my friends that I was going to be very natural. Well, I'm just so happy to be here. For me, I have made my childhood dream a reality, which was nothing less than playing for Real Madrid."

"I didn't expect a jam-packed stadium. This is truly impressive!

"Thank you very much, and I'm going to ask you all to say with me - I'm going to count to three - to say Hala Madrid. Ready? One, two, three - HALA MADRID!"

So touching....

He has been handed the number 9 shirt(Raul wears number 7) and said that he was not too concerned about keeping his number 7, which has earned him the moniker CR7. It turned out to be quite an occasion tonight but I still don't see what all the fuss was about, after all Manchester United now posses arguably one of the most feared goalscorers in Europe in the form of Michael Owen.

Good luck to Ronaldo on his new adventures in the Spanish La Liga, the Premier League will miss you....well so I've been told.
PICTURE SPECIAL

The 32-Page 'Brochure' that convinced Ferguson to sign Michael Owen

noreply@blogger.com (Ash) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:08:00 +0000

I don't usually post links but I couldn't stop laughing after reading through the official 32 page Michael Owen 'brochure' that his agents drew up. It's no secret that I'm a Liverpool fan and I'll even admit to worshiping Owen back in the day(I've got the OWEN 10 shirt to prove it!)

I was a bit too young to witness Fowler in his prime thus making Owen was my first Liverpool 'Hero' and it will hurt to see him wearing the Red of Manchester, but that's life I guess and at least we can make fun of him!

I came across this 32 page brochure and It really had me in stitches! Legend has it that Fergie decided to sign Owen after reading this brochure. It introduces Owen as "The Athlete, The Icon, The Ambassador" then goes on to add(in English, Italian and Spanish) that he is "One of the most feared goalscorers in the world". They also claim that Owen is now "fully fit" after playing in77% of Newcastle United's games last season...try telling that to the Toon supporters!

On Page 5 they go on to state that Mickey should be regarded as highly as the likes of Fernando Torres and Cristiano Ronaldo! "Michael Owen is a global Football star. After David Beckham he is the second best known English player in the world" they claim. Guess they've never heard of Wayne Rooney or Steven Gerrard then? Straws. clutching. at.

The rest of the brochure consist of more ludicrous claims and lots of slides showcasing his 'impeccable' goal scoring record(he scored a whopping 8 League goals last season) and some quotes from Doctors claiming that he is now truly cured from all injuries.

No wonder Fergie couldn't resist signing Michael! Check out the complete 32 page Brochure HERE.

I've been lazy.....

noreply@blogger.com (Ash) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:05:00 +0000

I've just realised that I haven't updated the blog in a while. I'm not going to make excuses but I will say that blogging aynt easy.
Many people have the misconception that if you have a blog you can earn thousands of dollars a month in your spare time. They couldn't be more wrong!

Blogging is hard work for very little reward in my opinion but I do this because I love it, well most of the time at least. I haven't been writing the past week because of pressure at work, and it looks like being another hectic month at my new job.
I have however been doing a lot of reading over the past couple of days and I've really enjoyed the content on blogs like soccerlens, epltalk and arseblog (to name but a few).

Great blogs with excellent content. Anyways it got me thinking that I need to step up my game and publish more articles. Let's see how that goes.....

Brazil 3 - 2 USA: Samba Kings pulls off great comeback to win the Confederations Cup

noreply@blogger.com (Ash) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 21:09:00 +0000

Defending Confederations Cup Champions have successfully defended their crown in the most spectacular of ways after coming back from 2 goals down at the break to beat a spirited USA 3-2 at Ellis Park on Sunday evening.

Bob Bradley's USA raced to a shock 2 goal lead at the break after the opening goal from Fulham midfielder Clint Dempsey, and a great counter attacking move finished off with aplomb by Landon Donovan.

Another upset looked like being on the cards but Brazil pulled off a great comeback to deny the Americans their first FIFA senior Tournament win. Luis Fabiano started the fightback with Brazil's first goal 40 seconds after the re-start and the Sevilla striker doubled their lead after Robinho's shot hit the crossbar.
Lucio completed the fight back with the winning goal in the 84th minute with a powerful header from Elano's corner.

It's been a great Tournament, a true Festival of Champions with some amazing games over the three weeks. South Africa have shown the world that we will be ready for next year's 2010 Fifa World Cup....

Here are the big winners of the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup

Winner's: Brazil
Runner's Up: USA
3rd Place: Spain
Golden Ball (Player of the Tournament): Kaka
Silver Ball: Luis Fabiano
Bronze Ball:Clint Dempsey
Golden Boot (Top Goalscorer): Luis Fabiano
Golden Gloves: Tim Howard

It's been a great Tournament, well done to Brazil. Dunga's men have been deserved Champions and will surely be amongst the favourites for the 2010 FIFA World Cup

Brazil 3 - 2 USA: Samba Kings pulls off great comeback to win the Confederatons Cup

noreply@blogger.com (Ash) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 20:44:00 +0000

Winner's: Brazil
Runner's Up: USA
3rd Place: Spain
Golden Ball (Player of the Tournament): Kaka
Silver Ball: luis Fabiano
Bronze Ball:Clint Dempsey
Golden Boot (Top Goalscorer): Luis Fabiano
Golden Gloves: Tim Howard

It's been a great Tournament, well done to Brazil. Dunga's men have been deserved Champions and will surely be amongst the favourites for the 2010 FIFA World Cup

Spain 3 - 2 South Africa: Bafana's Pride and Passion restored despite heartbreaking defeat

noreply@blogger.com (Ash) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 17:02:00 +0000

Spain defeated Bafana Bafana 3-2 after extra time in the Confederations Cup 3rd/4th place Play-off at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg.

Image: Kick-Off

We may have been defeated by the Spanish but the team can certainly keep their heads held high after another spirited performance against the number 1 ranked team in the world. The most important aspect for me was that for the first time in years, the players are playing with pride and passion again, and for this Carlos Alberto Parriera and Joel Santana deserves a lot of credit. Coming into the tournament most South Africans expected the team to fail, after all we have plummeted to a lowly rank of 78th in World Football while also failing to qualify for next year's African Cup of Nations, which will be held in Angola.

This tournament has been a real success for the National Team, with the Nation uniting behind Bafana as they took on the likes of Spain and Brazil. I even had a lengthy chat with our Senior Engineer, a 'whitey'(sorry to bring race into this) on Friday after Bafana's defeat against Brazil. I found myself enthusiastically discussing Mokeona's miss and Alves' winning goal with a guy who hardly ever watches soccer!

Getting back to today's game, South Africa came up against Spain in what is commonly known as the 'Losers Final'. Vicete Del Bosque started the match with a strong line-up consisting of Torres, Villa, Alonso and Cassilas amongst others, desperate to get back to winning ways after their shock semi final defeat against USA. Santana made only one change from the side which faced Brazil, bringing back Macbeth Sibaya for Benson Mhlongo.

The first half was an evenly contested affair as Bafana held their own against the Spanish; Matthew Booth missed a guilt edged chance when he failed to hit the target with his header from Tshabalala's free-kick. Spain then had a good opportunity to open the scoring as Santi Carzola broke into the South African box, only to be denied by a brilliant sliding tackle from the impressive Masilela. Simphiwe Tshabalala tested Casillas with a stinging long range effort which the keeper blocked, but the ball fell to Booth inside the box who fired the rebound wide with the goal beckoning.

Spain should have opened the scoring in the second half when Khune blocked a powerful shot from David Villa, which fell into the path of Barcelona's young star Segio Buqsquets who blasted the ball past Khune only for the assistant referee to incorrectly rule his effort out for offside. The game was looking like it would end goalless but it was to be the day of the substitutes as Katlego Mphela silenced his critics(I’ll be having a large slice of humble pie myself!) with a brilliant opening goal in the 73rd minute. The Sundowns striker showed great composure as he controlled Tshabalala's cross with his knee before firing the ball into the roof of Casilla's net as the Stadium erupted in celebration, 1-0 to Bafana!

Bafana was heading for one of their biggest wins since their 1996 AFCON win over Tunisia, but with only two minutes left on the clock Spain pulled a goal back through substitute Daniel Guiza. A minute later it was 2-1 as Guiza scored in the most spectacular fashion with cross from the right, just outside the box which flew found the back of Khune's net via the upright!

This was a real sucker punch for Bafana as the Spanish came from behind to clinch the match. With fans already starting to leave the stadium, Katlego Mphela scored what will surely go down as the goal of the Tournament with the final kick of the game in the 93rd minute. Elrio van Heerden won a free-kick 35 yards out and with the commentator stating that it will take something "very very spectacular" to beat Casillas from that distance, Mphela fired in an unstoppable shot that flew into the net past a helpless Casillas. The goal sparked mass celebrations inside and outside of the stadium as Bafana took the game to extra time.

The first half ended goalless after Mphela missed a good chance to grab his hat-trick, while Spain were unlucky to be denied a penalty after Mhlongo handled the ball in the box. Spain were not to be denied though as Xabi Alonso scored the winning goal from a free-kick in the 107th minute, clinching 3rd place for the Spaniards while leaving South Africa to ponder on what could have been....

Well done Bafana you've made us proud, even in defeat...

Lazy Sunday Transfer Talk: Man City get Eto'o and Tevez, Arsenal eyes Benzema while Chelsea and Man United fight for Franck Ribery

noreply@blogger.com (Ash) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 16:49:00 +0000

Welcome to another edition of lazy Sunday Transfer Talk, apologies for the late publication but unfortunately I had to attend a wedding today. Without any further ado let’s have a look at what’s making news in the transfer market today….

Manchester City’s Billionaire owners have finally started to flex their financial muscle after the club clinched a deal for Barcelona’s Cameroonian goal machine Samuel Eto’o. The News of the World reports that City and Barcelona have agreed on a £25million transfer fee for the striker.
Barcelona President Juan Laporta revealed in an interview today that City had made a monster offer to Eto’o which will see the striker becoming the highest paid footballer in the world. Eto’o is expected to fly to Manchester on Monday to undergo a medical before being unveiled as Manchester City’s latest signing.

Mark Hughes will further bolster his attacking line-up with the signing of Argentine striker Carlos Tevez. The former Manchester United striker will become one of the Premier League’s most expensive signings ever after agreeing to a £30m fee, which is a bit of an odd case as Tevez currently doesn’t belong to any football club which means that Kia Joorbachian will be pocketing most of the money, if not all. Tevez is expected to sign a four-year deal worth around £140,000 a week on Wednesday.

On the other side of Manchester, Sir Alex Ferguson looks to have some battle on his hands as he tries to secure the services of Olympique Lyon’s Karim Benzema, with The News of The World claiming that Arsenal are interested in signing the French striker for £30million, which the board plans on funding with profits made from Emanuel Adebayor’s expected departure to AC Milan this summer. Arsene Wenger is known to have a preference for young players and the fact that he’s 21 and French means that Wenger could be interested in bringing Benzema to the Emirates Stadium.

Chelsea have also started to throw their weight around after a relatively low-key transfer window period last season. The big news coming from the Bridge is that Carlo Ancheloti has been handed a £100million transfer kitty and the Sunday Express believes that £50million of that will be spent on Bayern Munich’s French winger Franck Ribery! Chelsea will however have to fight off competition for Ribery’s signature from the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester United while also having to convince the German giants to let go off their star player. Something Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge doesn’t seem too keen on doing. He insisted last night that Ribery was not for sale: “Ribery is irreplaceable and is not for sale.

Chelsea will also be returning with for Brazilian wonderkid Pato, with a massive £50million offer on the cards after AC Milan turned down their £45m bid last week according to News of The World. I can’t see Milan turning this offer down but the Italians will be wary of a backlash from the club’s fans after they sold fan favourite Kaka to Madrid. The paper also goes on to claim that the Blues have completed a £19million deal for CSKA Moscow’s flying winger Yuri Zhirkov, 25, who is known as the Russian Ronaldinho.

Liverpool looks set to lose out on their Spanish midfield maestro Xabi Alonso, with the News of The World reporting that Madrid will meet Liverpool’s £25million pound evaluation. This is however dependant on whether or not they manage to lure David Villa to the Bernabeu, if they succeed its very unlikely that Perez will splash out another £25m on a central midfielder, a position where they already have the likes of Lasana Darra and Fernando Gago.

On the other side of Merseyside, Everton has been linked with a move for former Arsenal attacking midfielder Jose Antonio Reyes. Reyes has had unsuccessful spells with the Gunners, Real Madrid (loan), Benfica (loan) and with his current club Atletico Madrid. The Sunday Mirror claims that David Moyes is eying a €4.7 million move for the 25 year old Spaniard who is also being tracked by Ser-A club’s Roma, Milan and Fiorentina.

Finaly, Liverpool striker Fernando Torres has urged Rafa Benitez to bring one of his Spanish team mates to Anfield. Torres believes that Rafa should try and bring either one of David Silva, David Villa or Juan Mata, to Liverpool if they are to end their 19 year wait for a League title.

See you next week....

Paper Talk: All the latest Premier Soccer League Transfer Rumours

noreply@blogger.com (Ash) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 17:57:00 +0000

It’s been a while since I’ve written about the local soccer scene so here is my first installment of ‘Paper Talk’. Paper Talk will be a bi-weekly column where I’ll discuss all the local transfer rumors as reported on by South African soccer publications. Hope you enjoy it and feel free to give feedback….

New Sundowns Coach:Hristo Stoichkov

Patrice Motsepe spotted with new coach Hristo Stoichkov
The guys from Soccer-laduma claims to have spotted Mamelodi Sundowns president Patrice Motsepe dining with the club’s new coach Hristo Stoichkov in a Sandton restaurant. No deal has been signed yet but it is understood that Stoichkov will be taking over the reigns at Sundowns after being recommended to the club by Barcelona! Stoichkov played for Barcelona as a left-winger and won the European footballer of the Year award in 1994 and according to Soccer-laduma negotiations with Sundowns are in an advanced stage.

Zito Ogbonna set to become an Urban Warrior
New Ajax Cape Town coach Muhsin Ertugal reportedly looking at bringing former Kaizer Chiefs striker Zito Ogbonna to the Urban Warriors, this is according to kick-off. Mabhudi Khenyeza has made it clear that he will under no circumstances be working under Ertugal, which means that the club will need a striker to fill the void left by last season’s top goal scorer, and Ertugal has earmarked the big Nigerian as an ideal replacement. The player’s agent has revealed that they are looking for a PSL club for Ogbonna and the player has expressed an interest in working with Ertugal again.(Kick-off)

Masibuzane Zongo impresses at White Hart Lane
Soccer Laduma is claiming that SuperSport United’s talented left winger Masibuzane Zongo, has impressed the folks over at Tottenham Hotspur after recently having trials at the London club. Zongo caught the eyes of scouts after staring for United during Daine Klate’s absence due to injury and now he reportedly left Tottenham’s scouts in awe with his runs and telling crosses. This would be a major move for young Zongo if he pulls it off!

Mbesuma training with Swallows
Former Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns has been spotted training with Moroka Swallows! The big man had a season-long spell with Sundown’s but the Brazilians failed to offer him a new contract after the season ended. The Zambian striker has now been spotted at Swallows by the Siya Crew (Soccer-Laduma) but there has been no confirmation on whether or not he has signed with the Dube Birds. Swallows has released Sandile Ndlovu and could be looking at Mbesuma as his replacement up front.

Khenyeza in high demand
Ajax’s want-away striker Mabhudi Khenyeza is apparently a man in demand after announcing that he wants to leave Ajax. Locally Sundowns are leading the chase for his signature after tabling a bid for him, but it looks like a move overseas will be more likely with teams from the Middle East having shown a strong interest in securing his services. The player himself says that he’s willing to play anywhere as long as he doesn’t have to work with Ertugal, and that his agent is handling everything. (Soccer-Laduma)

Sandilands set to sign for Chiefs
Platinum Stars goalkeeper Wayne Sandilands looks set to complete his move to Kaizer Chiefs this week, according to both Kick-off and Soccer-Laduma. The 25 year old joined Stars from Supersport United four seasons ago and is expected to become Itumeleng Khune’s back-up keeper after Emile Baron’s departure to SuperSport United. He player expressed his excitement at possibly joining Chiefs next season.

Sundowns determined to get Eduardo
It appears as if Mamelodi Sundowns are determined to secure the services of Ajax Cape Town’s Brazilian centre-back Eduardo Ferreira. Their first offer for the defender was turned down by Ajax but Sundowns will reportedly be returning with a new and improved offer for the player who has made t clear that he wants a move to a bigger club. Soccer-Laduma also reports that Eduardo has been fined by the Urban Warriors for reporting two days late for pre season training.

Finally, here are some other rumours making headlines…..

Bloemfontein Celtic looking at signing Pirates’ Tembile Kanno, Lindokhule Mkhananzi and Excellent Walaza (Kick-off)
Hans Vonk will sign a 1 year contract with Ajax from Dutch club Heerenveen. (Kick-off)
Ryan Botha will remain at Moroka Swallows after Julio Leal’s exit from the club. (Soccer-laduma)
SuperSport United’s Bonghani Khumalo looks destined for a move overseas after interest from Macabi Haifa (Soccer-Laduma)

Till next week…

Brazil 1 – 0 South Africa: Brave Bafana defeated by Samba Kings

noreply@blogger.com (Ash) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:09:00 +0000

South Africa came within two minutes of taking South American powerhouse Brazil to extra time in the second semi-finals of the Confederations Cup. It wasn’t to be though for Joel Santana’s men as Barcelona’s rampaging right-back Dani Alves scored the winning goal in the 88th minute from a free-kick on the edge of the box.

Image: Kick-off.com

For the first time in this tournament Brazil were given a hard time as Bafana pressed and hurried them for the entire 90 minutes in what will be a confidence booster for the team ahead of Sunday’s 3rd/4th placed play-off’s.

Bafana dominated the first half but were made to rue the lack of a cutting edge up front as they failed to convert possession into clear cut chances, Aaron Mokoena having the best chance of the game with a header from Modise’s free-kick. The game was heading to extra-time until we gave away a needless free-kick in the 87th minute and the substitute Alves blasted the ball past a hapless Khune in goal, a disappointing finish to spirited performance from Bafana.

Personally I think we’ve made a lot of progress during this tournament, a year ago I would never have bet on Bafana giving football’s super powers Brazil and Spain a run for their money. There are plenty of positives to take out of this Tournament but there’s also a lot to work on during the next 11 months as we prepare for the biggest tournament of them all, the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

I expect there will be calls for Santana and Mokoena’s head to roll from some fans, but I can honestly say that I haven’t seen Bafana playing this well in ages. Bafana will now face Spain in the 3rd/4th place play-off on Sunday before the USA takes on Brazil in the final.

Well done to the Brazilians, tough luck Bafana. You’ve made us proud!

USA 2-0 Spain: Underdogs stun World's Number 1 to advance to the Confederations Cup Final

noreply@blogger.com (Ash) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:56:00 +0000

Spain had not lost a match since November 2006. They were on a record breaking 15 match winning streak. They had not conceded a single goal during this Fifa Confederations Cup....

Those were some of the facts that were rolling off the commentators tongue prior to kick-off, but after another amazing 90 minutes of soccer the USA team turned world football on it's head when they defeated the mighty Spain 2-0 at Bloemfontein Stadium to advance to Sunday's final.

Image: Kick-Off.com

Tonight we witnessed a truly brilliant team performance from USA, the team who after two matches in Group B had 0 points and a goal difference of -5 somehow defied the odds to beat the unbeatable. Coach Bob Bradley's men made their intentions clear early in the match as they tried to show Spain that they wouldn't be content with just defending. Clint Davies had the firts chance when he attempted an overhead kick from inside the box but his effort went narrowly wide. Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan both tested Casilla's with efforts from distance as the Eagles got off to a bright start despite trailing Spain in terms of possession.Torres had Spain's first attempt on goal when Fabregas squared the ball to him, but with too much pace on the cross and an awkward angle Torres could only blast the ball into the crowd for a goal-kick.

It was however in the 26th minute that the game turned on it's head. Villarreal's 19 year old striker Jozy Altidore received a pass from Landon Donovan and the powerful striker expertly shrugged off the challenge from Joan Capdevilla before firing an unstoppable shot at Casilla's, who got a strong hand to it but still failed to keep it out. 1-0 to America and you could sense an upset was on the cards.

For large parts of the rest of the match it was all about USA hanging on fr dear life as the Spanish hit them with everything in their locker, but USA defended brilliantly, Jay DeMerit staring at the back with a serious of last ditch tackles and vital blocks which kept their 1 goal lead safe going into the break.

Spain emerged from the break determined to pull a goal back and probably would have were it not for a series of fine saves from Tim Howard and more goal saving tackles from DeMerit. You could sense that Spain were starting to get frustrated as they pressed forward with attack after attack, and 20 minutes from full-time the USA punished them with a goal from nowhere on the counter. Landon Donovan the creator again , this time playing an inviting cross into the path of Clint Dempsey who was lurking at the far post. Sergio Ramos managed to get to the ball first but he failed to clear the danger and Dempsey capitalized on his slip up to make it 2-0 to the USA.

Spain were now visibly shocked and you you could see that the USA would win this one, even though they lost Michael Bradley in the dieing moments of the match after the midfielder was shown a straight red for a two footed challenge.

The Eagles held on for a memorable win that will see them taking on either Brazil or South Africa in Sunday's final.

Confed Cup: USA completes magical comeback to move into semi-finals!

noreply@blogger.com (Ash) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:01:00 +0000

The USA pulled off one of the biggest comebacks in recent history when they booked their place in the Semi-Finals after beating African Champions Egypt by three goals to nil on Sunday evening in Rustenburg.
It was clear that Group B was wide open but nobody expected the USA to go through to the semi-finals after losing their first their first two matches 3-1 and 3-0. They started the day bottom of Group B, with a goal difference of -5 compared to second placed Italy who had a goal difference of +1. Which effectively meant that USA had to overcome a 6 goal deficit to advance to the semi finals, impossible?

Brazil started the match against Italy in a determined mood and were 3-0 up at the break thanks to two great finishes from Sevilla striker Luis Fabiani and an own goal from Liverpool's Andrea Dossena on the stroke of half-time. This basically meant that Egypt would be advancing if they could avoid defeat by more than 1 goal against USA.
Roger de Sa jokingly said before kick-off that the Americans had already packed their bags but he couldn't have been more wrong! Charlie Davies handed the Eagles a 1 goal lead at the break when he found the back of the net in the 22nd minute.
Michael Bradley doubled their lead on the hour mark after playing a neat one-two with Landon Donovan to send the group wide open! As it stood Italy was now going through instead of Egypt!

Fulham midfielder Clint Dempsey then completed one of the greatest comebacks in a Fifa Tournament when he made it 3-0 to the USA, heading home Jonathan Spector's excellent cross. This meant that if things stayed the same the USA would go through by virtue of having scored 1 goal more than Italy who they were level with on goal difference of -2.

After 90 minutes both games ended 3 - 0, which secured the USA the most unlikely of escapes as they advance to the semi-finals alongside Brazil. Brilliant night of action in what has proved to be a great Confederations Cup thus far. Well done the USA for showing great fighting spirit.

Semi Finals now look like this:
Brazil v South Africa
Spain v USA

After tonights results I wouldn't bet aagainst a South Africa vs USA final!

Walter Mokoena puts his foot in his mouth...again

noreply@blogger.com (Ash) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 12:11:00 +0000

It looks like SABC Sport Presenter Walter Mokoena has yet again gone and put his foot in his mouth after making some very unprofessional comments following Bafana's defeat against Spain last night.

Mokoena who has a history of being 'immature' and unprofessional on National Television, said that Bafana coach Joel Santana should be sacked while also stating that it is time for Bafana captain Aaron Mokoena to go. His parting words last night were:

"Good night and I think we should have a new captain, Aaron Mokoena has never done anything for us, and perhaps after the Confederations Cup a new coach, Joel Santana is not going to take us anywhere.”

While Mokoena may or may not have a point, making such unessesary comments when the whole world is watching is simply unprofessional and immature. He is one of the reasons why many South African soccer fans have stopped watching SABC Sport in favour of the more expensive SuperSport on DSTV. Mokoena can certainly learn a thing or two from SuperSport presenter Robert Marawa, and the SABC as a whole should look at upgrading their production ahead of the 2010 World Cup because to be brutally honest it's pathetic.

Mokoena is no stranger to controversy though, last year the outspoken presenter was suspended by the National broadcaster after joking about how Brazilian footballer Garrincha lost his virginity to a goat. Mokoena was forced to apologise after the public laid a complaint with the Broadcasting Complaints Commission.

I really hope that the SABC gets better presenters and improve on their production quality by the time the World Cup kicks off next year.

Lazy Sunday Transfer Talk: Arsenal sign Vermaelen, Man City get Santa Cruz, United close in on Benzema and Chelsea chase Torres

noreply@blogger.com (Ash) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 09:34:00 +0000

Welcome to another edition of Lazy Sunday Transfer Talk. Let's have a look at what's been happening in the world of English Premier League transfer news...

Belgian defender Thomas Vermaelen became Arsene Wenger's first signing of the summer after completing a £10 million move from Dutch side Ajax Amsterdam. Vermaelen, 23, captained Ajax last season after making his debut for the Dutch giants at the age of 18. He is a left footed centre back who according to Wenger can also play at left back. Wenger certainly seems chuffed with his latest acquisition:

"Thomas is a great signing for Arsenal, and we are all delighted that he is joining us," the Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger said. "Thomas is a solid performer with good experience of Champions League and Uefa Cup football and is also a regular with the Belgium national team.

"Thomas is primarily a left-footed centre-back, but he's multi-functional and can also play at left-back. He is strong technically with a positive winner's attitude and I have no doubt his arrival will strengthen our team. Thomas Vermaelen will be a huge asset to Arsenal."

Moving along, Manchester City have wrapped up their second summer signing after agreeing on a agreed an £18million deal to sign Roque Santa Cruz from Blackburn, as Mark Hughes continues to build a squad capable of breaking into the Premier League's top four. The transfer has not been officially announced yet but it is expected to be made public on Monday according to the Daily Mail. The Mail goes on to add that Santa Cruz will be competing for a place up front alongside the likes of Samuel Eto'o and Carlos Tevez who are also reportedly close to joining Citeh.

Chelsea are also making the news today with the creative folks over at the News Of The World claiming that the Blues are mounting a £50million hunt for Fernando Torres' signature. This comes after news that their original target, David Villa, has been taken off the transfer market by Valencia.

This is could of course just be lazy journalism at it's best after claiming only last week that Manchester United were after Torres, there is however no chance in hell that Torres would leave Liverpool for another Premier League club, after the Spanish striker told reporters in South Africa this weekend that wearing the Red of Liverpool is his greatest honour.

It looks like it will be a frustrating Sumer for the Liverpool supporters with some of Europe's biggest clubs closing in on their best players. The Mirror reports that Chelsea have joined the race to sign £20million rated Xabi Alonso, who has reportedly started discussing personal terms with Real Madrid. Then there are also rumours that Real Madrid has joined Barcelona in the battle to secure the signing of defensive midfielder Javier Mascherano. According to The Times Florentino Perez is prepared to pay £38m for the joint transfer of Mascherano and right-back Alvaro Arbeloa. With Mascherano — who is keen to move to either of Spain’s premier clubs — valued at £30m, the sum would be a record fee for a holding midfielder.

This could see Liverpool without any recognised holding midfielder's in the new campaign, leaving Benitez with only Lucas Leiva in this position. I seriously doubt that the club would sell BOTH Alonso and Mascherano but these day's you can't rule out anything, especially with Liverpool's money troubles.

Manchester United announced on Saturday that they would not be signing Argentine striker Carlos Tevez, and it looks as if Ferguson will now step up his chase for Lyon's Karim Benzema with a £25million offer for the French striker. Lyon told reporters that he is not for sale last week but according to The News of The World, Manchester United believes that a £25m offer could be enough to tempt them into letting go of their star player. Bernard Lacombe, the personal advisor to Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas, has revealed they are anticipating a bid from Fergie. Lacombe said:

"Benzema is with us, but nobody knows what will happen. We didn't think Michael Essien would leave at the time, but when Chelsea arrived with the cheque . . .
"If Manchester United, who as we know have plenty of cash available, want to buy Benzema, then what can you do?"

That’s it for this week’s edition of Lazy Sunday Transfer talk, till next time…

South Africa advance to Semi-Finals of Confederations Cup

noreply@blogger.com (Ash) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:33:00 +0000

South Africa has advanced to the Semi Finals of the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup despite suffering a 2-0 defeat against European Champions Spain at the Bloemfontein Stadium on Saturday evening!

Bafana needed at least a draw against the number 1 ranked team in the World to secure their passage to the semi-finals but on the night the Spanish were just a class above their host. The defeat meant that Bafana had to hope that the tournament's whipping boys, New Zealand could somehow managed to avoid defeat against Iraq in the other match in Group A.

New Zealand did indeed manage to avoid defeat, as they held the Asian champions to a goall less draw at Ellis Park which booked Bafana's place in the semi finals.

I can't tell you how overjoyed I am at the moment because South African football has been craving for a result of this magnitude since our African Cup of Nations win over Tunisia in 1996. Well done Boys, you've made me very proud tonight, but I know I can't speak for everybody else as I'm sure there’s bound to be lot's of complaining and moaning after this result. But I think we need to celebrate this achievement because we have deserved it after our performances in the Tournament. There's still lot that needs to be improved on ahead of our next match, which is likely to be against Group B leaders Brazil.

As for the actual game, Santana opted for his uber-defensive line-up again, recalling Benson Mhlongo in place of striker Terror Fanteni but in fairness to Santana, Bafana never really sat back and we definitely gave as good as we got in an evenly contested first half which ended 0-0.

The second half also got off to a good start , until Aaron Mokoena brought down Cesc Fabregas inside the area in the 50th minute and the referee immediately pointed to the spot. David Villa stepped up but birthday boy Itumeleng Khune pulled off a sublime double save to deny Villa.

The Valencia striker would not be denied though as he opened the scoring two minutes later with a brilliant finish as he beat Khune with a low shot after controlling a cross with his chest. Spain then withdrew Villa and Torres with the game pretty much wrapped up as Bafana looked deflated after conceding. We tried to get back into the match but the result was put beyond doubt when substitute Llorente scored from close range in the 72nd minute after the defence was caught napping from a Spanish free-kick.

That was pretty much game, set and match as all eyes crossed over to Johannesburg where Iraq was taking on New Zealand. Luckily for Bafana the match ended 0-0 which means that Bafana move into the semi-finals alongside Spain.

South Africa's success in this tournament comes as somewhat of a shock considering the bad press that the coach and the team had received prior to it kicking off on the 14th, but this just goes to show that with 50 000 supporters cheering you on anything is possible!

Well done Boys, you've made us proud

Confederations Cup Preview: South Africa v Spain

noreply@blogger.com (Ash) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:03:00 +0000

This is the big one folks. South africa vs European Champions Spain for a place in the semi finals of the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup!

South Africa kicked off their campaign against Iraq on Sunday and were frustrated by the Iraqi's defensive approach a 0-0 draw. I feel that we were very unfortunate not to come away with three points against Iraq but we only have ourselves to blame for not taking our chances. Santana was criticized for starting the match with THREE defensive midfielders, and in the next math against New Zealand the coach used a more attacking line-up which paid off as Bafana ran riot against the hapless 'All Whites', defeating the Oceania Champions by two goals to nil. However were it not for some woeful finishing and excellent saves from the New Zealand keeper the score could easily have been four or five nil.

Spain on the other hand got their Confed Cup campaign off to a flying start when they thrashed New Zealand 5 – 0 in their opening match in Rustenburg. The score line flattered the All Whites who found themselves 4-0 down after only 24 minutes played as Spain showed the fans why they are the number 1 ranked team in World Football at the moment. In their second game against Iraq it was much of the same as the Spaniards dominated the play with crisp passing and great movement off the ball. The only difference in this match however was that the Spaniards were wasteful in front of goal, eventually beating the Iraqi's 1-0 thanks to a second half David Villa header.

The win sealed Vicente Del Bosque's side's place in the semi finals, which could mean that we will be seeing a second string starting 11 on Saturday(if such a thing exists in a team like Spain)

A draw for Bafana on Saturday will be enough to book their place in the semi-finals BUT I believe that playing for a draw against Spain will be suicidal. Joel Santana is renowned for his defensive line-ups but I strongly believe that attack will be our best form of defense in this match. Sitting back and defending against a team with Spain’s attacking abilities will be asking for trouble.

Don't get me wrong though, I'm not saying we have to go at them with everything we have like we did against New Zealand, because with the pace of Fernando Torres and David Villa up front they will definitely hurt us on the counter attack.

Before the match against New Zealand I said we should follow Egypt's example (even though they had lost against Brazil) and after last night's performance against Italy I'm reiterating that statement: Let's follow the example of the African Champions by playing with pride and fighting together as a united for the win. Yes Egypt defended for large parts of the match, but this was only because Italy was going all out in attack, and were it not for some poor counter attacking the Pharaoh’s could have won by more than the solitary goal.

Not many believe that we can get a result from this match against the number 1 ranked team in World Football, but if WE believe in our abilities and play to our strengths then we can pull off the upset of the tournament, such is the nature of the beautiful game where anything is possible.

Let's Get behind Bafana Tomorrow!

The Great Vuvuzela debate: Should Fifa Ban the Vuvuzela?

noreply@blogger.com (Ash) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:07:00 +0000

The Fifa Confederations Cup has gotten off to a great start and despite what many may have thought we have shown that we are capable of hosting one of Fifa’s biggest tournaments. There were concerns about safety and transport ahead of the tournament but so far the only real ‘problem’ has been the Vuvuzela.

International viewers have been complaining about the noise that these Vuvuzela’s make at the games and have started calling on World Football governing body, Fifa to ban them.

I think this will be a HUGE mistake from Fifa, as the Vuvuzela is part of our local soccer culture. If you have ever watched or attended a local soccer match you will have seen the infamous Vuvuzela in action. Critics are saying they are too noisy. I say so what? That is the purpose of the Vuvuzela after all. It is there to get the atmosphere buzzzzing. This is Africa and we are renowned for dancing and singing and generally creating a great vibe at our football matches.

It’s all part of the uniquely South African experience and I’m certain that if our foreign visitors attend the games and experience the electrifying atmosphere they will fall in love with the Vuvuzela.

To me asking the local supporters to leave their Vuvuzela’s at home would be like asking the Liverpool fans not to sing You'll Never Walk Alone, or asking the Brazilian fans not to create the Samba atmosphere at their matches. The World Cup will be held in South Africa so surely people will want to get the South African experience?

Fifa’s English commentators certainly seem to enjoy the festive atmosphere at the stadiums with not one of them having complained about the Vuvuzela.

Sepp Blatter told reporters yesterday that the Vuvuzela will not be banned at the 2010 World Cup, and I for one hope that the Fifa President will stick to his promise. What is your opinion on the Vuvuzela?

Should Fifa ban them or are they part of the uniquely African experience?

South Africa 2 - 0 New Zealand: A Peformance to be proud of from Bafana

noreply@blogger.com (Ash) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:58:00 +0000

Tonight Bafana Bafana made me proud to be a South African Soccer supporter. After all the 'grief' we(SA Soccer fans) have to put up with it was great to see such a positive performance from the National Team.
Tonight the team played like South Africa. The flair, the skill the passion and pace that was lacking in the previous game against Iraq was there in ubandance tonight. The final score may have been 2-0 in favour of Bafana but it could easily have been 4-0 or 5-0 if Masegho had his scoring boots on tonight and were it not for a string of great saves from the New Zealand keeper Moss.

I'm not going to bore you with my usual lengthy match report because I'm sure majority of you will have watched tonight's game. Santana came into this match under a lot of pressure but he will have silenced his critics after this performance. Bafana were buzzing in attack tonight, 20 shots at goal verifies this. But it wasn't just the shots on target which impressed me. It was the way the team played with total belief in their abilities, little flicks and tricks were the order of the night as the likes of Pienaar and Modise ran riot. Tshepo Masilele was an absolute joy to watch down the left flank and he will surely have attracted attention from scouts at the tournament with a man of the match display.

Bernard Parker was the star of the night though against the All Whites. Our new number 17 scored both goals with clinical finsihes either side of half time, taking us one step closer to reaching the Semi Finals of the Confederations Cup. Katlego Mashego missed a couple of sitters but his positional play was amazing and I think he should be given a start against the Spaniards. Another player who impressed me last night was Siphiwe Tshabalala, even though he was only on the pitch for 10 minutes he showed why he is being heavily inked with a move overseas.

Overall it was a great team performance from Bafana, Santana and the supporters at The Royal Bofakeng Stadium. A draw against Spain on Saturday will be enough to book our place in the Semi-Finals.

Bring on the Spaniards!

Confed Cup: Bafana Starting 11 vs New Zealand

noreply@blogger.com (Ash) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 05:35:00 +0000

Big game for Bafana Tonight against New Zealand. This is a MUST win match in my opinion because our chances of beating Spain in our final match are slim to none!
Santana has to go with a more attacking line up evening against the ‘All Whites’ who were thrashed 5-0 by Spain in their first match. The New Zealand side is practically a bunch of part time footballers with only a hand full of them playing overseas

In the centre of the park we can use either one of Kagiso Dikgacoi or Macbeth Sibaya, alongside the creative force of Teko Modise. On the right wing(assuming Sanatana still knows where this is) Elrio Van Heerden or Bryce Moon has to start the match to give us some width. On the left we can go with the skill and guile of Steven ‘Schillo’ Pienaar.While up front I believe that we should stick with Terror Fanteni and Bernard Parker, with Katlego Mashego coming on in the second half, preferably no later than the 70th minute. So here is the team I would like to see tonight:

Starting Line-up
GK-Khune

LB-Masilele
CB-Booth
CB-Mokoena
RB-Gaxa

RW-Van Heerden
DM-Sibaya
CM-Modise
LM-Pienaar

ST-Fanteni
ST-Parker

Go out there and make us proud Bafana!

Fifa Confederations Cup Round 1 Statistics Review

noreply@blogger.com (Ash) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:44:00 +0000

The Confederations Cup 2009 got underway this week and what a week it has been! Round 1 has concluded with all teams having played their first matches.
In total, 16 goals have been scored in the opening round, an average of four per game, have ensured a spectacular start to the FIFA Confederations Cup 2009. This free-scoring opening to the tournament mirrors exactly the start to the 2005 edition, which bodes well given that Germany witnessed the highest-scoring 'Festival of Champions' in history, with an overall average of 3.5 goals per game.
Read the rest of this great post over at The Flat Back Four

Pre-Season Football: The Amsterdam Tournament 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Ash) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:09:00 +0000

The end is in sight for those of you who are sick of watching International football (soccer) with some great pre-season tournaments around the corner.
The Amsterdam Tournament 2009
The Amsterdam Tournament has always been one of my favourite pre-season tournaments and it kicks off next month with the likes of Benfica, Atletico Madrid and Sunderland taking on the hosts Ajax at the Amsterdam Arena.

The Tournament was started in 1975 to celebrate 700 years of the city of Amsterdam's history and it involves four teams, one of which is always the host Ajax Amsterdam. Teams such as Inter Milan, Arsenal, Manchester United, Barcelona and River plate has competed at the tournament in recent years and this year the guests include Portuguese side Benfica, English Premier League’s Sunderland and la Liga’s Atletico de Madrid.

The tournament takes place over a three day period, with the second day being a resting day for the teams. What I really like about the tournament is the point scoring system. Besides the usual three points for a win, one for a draw system, each team is also awarded a point for every goal scored; this is to encourage teams to play attacking football.

The draw for the Tournament was conducted today and this is how the four teams will line-up against each other:

Day 1 - Friday 24th July
7pm: Sunderland vs Benfica.
9.15pm: Ajax vs Atletico Madrid.

Day 2 - Sunday 26th July
7pm: Sunderland vs Atletico Madrid.
9.15pm: Ajax vs Benfica.
*UK Time

There you have it, just over a month away from seeing club footy again…

Italy 3 - 1 USA: Rossi sparks Italian comeback against Americans

noreply@blogger.com (Ash) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 09:11:00 +0000

World Champions Italy came back from a goal down do beat a spirited 10 man USA side by three goals to one another great game of football at Loftus Stadium in Pretoria on Monday night.
The crowed was once again amazing with a very cosmopolitan turn out of black, white, Indian, American and even Asian fans all joining together in celebration of the beautiful game.
The game itself turned out to be a great spectacle with both teams making their intentions clear from the kick-off. Italian centre back Nicola Legrottaglie had the first real chance of match when he found himself with a free header inside the box from a set-piece but the defender failed to hit the target as his effort went wide of the goal.

The USA then had a great chance to open the scoring through Michael Bradley who created some space for himself but with only Gianluigi Buffon to beat the midfielder fired in a tame shot which Buffon comfortably saved. Moments later Jozy Altidore failed to score from a similar position to the one Bradley found him in, but the big striker scuffed his shot which allowed Buffon to make another easy save. This was clearly not going to be a goalless game.

The match was then turned on its head when the referee gave Ricardo Clark a red card for a foolish lunge on Genarro Gattuso. It was a very harsh decision from the referee and a yellow card would have been more appropriate as there was no intent from the midfielder. This meant that USA had to play against the World Champions with 10 men for the better part of an hour!

Italy then a had a goal disallowed when left-back Jonathan Bornstein stabbed the ball into his own net from outside the area but the assistant’s flag was up for offside even though the Italian player never actually touched the ball.
Lucky escape for USA but the Americans didn’t allow their heads to drop and were rewarded for their positive style of play when Altidore earned them a penalty in the 40th minute after the striker cut inside Chillieni, forcing the Juventus centre back to foul him. Landon Donovan stepped up and coolly sent Buffon the wrong way to hand the USA a 1-0 lead at the break.

Italy came back strong in the second half after the introduction of Riccardo Montolivo and Rossi for Marco Camoranesi and Gattuso as Marcelo Lippi added more firepower to his attack. Within minutes of coming on, American-born Guissepi Rossi pulled Italy level after he stole the ball on the halfway line before running at the USA defence to unleash an unstoppable left footed drive from 35 yards out! That strike from the former Manchester United striker will definitely be a contender for goal of the tournament.

The Azzurri then doubled their lead with an even better strike from Roma’s Danielle De Rossi. The midfielder collecting the ball from about 40 yards out to fire in a dipping shot which Howard failed to keep out. The USA may consider themselves unlucky to have conceded two cracking goals like that after all their hard work, but they were still in it up until the 90th minute when Rossi grabbed his second goal of the math with another beautiful goal. This time AC Milan playmaker Andrea Pirlo was the creator, skillfully beating the right back before chipping the ball to Rossi who fired home an unstoppable volley from 10 yard out.

The game finished 3-1 but the score line was slightly misleading after a spirited performance from the Americans.

This really is the festival of Champions...