Mexico 1 Honduras 0
July 2 – The question on the lips of pundits and fans at Levi Stadium, Santa Clara, was “would tonight be business as usual or unusual business?” as Mexico and Honduras met for the right to face the United States in the Concacaf Gold Cup Final on Sunday in Houston.
Spain 5 Portugal 0
July 3 – With an imperious display, world champions Spain waltzed past neighbours Portugal at the Wankdorff Stadion in Bern, winning 5-0 to back up their status as tournament favourites.
They had a record six teams in the tournament but one by one they tumbled out, failing to live up to expectations, dashing the hopes of an entire continent.
The vuvezelas may still be screeching and organisers saying all the right things about the show going on but no-one can ignore the hugely disappointing performances of Africa’s teams at Africa’s World Cup.
By Mihir Bose in Johannesburg
June 24 – South African police and organisers are concerned that England’s match with Germany in the round of 16 match at Bloemfontein on Sunday (June 27) could see German hooligans clash with English ones.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
June 24 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter was today cleared of any wrongdoing after the release of a Swiss court finding which claimed that senior FIFA officials were involved in a major bribery scandal.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
June 24 – Former President Bill Clinton has given the United States bid to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup a massive boost by changing his travel plans so he can continue to support them in South Africa.
June 24 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter has refused to stop the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) holding elections in August by a high-level delegation, including the country’s Sports Minister Isa Bio and former Super Eagles captain Jay-Jay Okocha, who claim that the govering body is corrupt.
By Duncan Mackay in Lausanne
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
June 23 – Jacques Rogge (pictured) today welcomed the possibility of a bid to host the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics from South Africa following the success of the FIFA World Cup.
By David Owen in Johannesburg
June 23 – Ghana kept the African flag flying tonight, securing passage to a second-round clash with the United States, victors over Algeria, on a frigid night at Soccer City.
June 22 – The success of the World Cup in South Africa should encourage other African countries to bid for the tournament, Issa Hayatou, the President of the Confdederation of African Football (CAF) has claimed.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
June 21 – The row over whether FIFA vice-president Jack Warner should be able to combine his role with a senior Cabinet post in the Trinidad and Tobago Government continues to rumble on even though he has been cleared to continue in both positions.
By David Owen in Cape Town
June 21 – Perhaps it will be Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup after all.
Jabulani means “celebrate” in Zulu. But you would have to go a long way to find anyone, anywhere - player, coach or fan - remotely happy when it comes to the controversial ball being used in the World Cup.
After the vuvuzela, nothing has generated greater debate. Watch any game and watch freekicks flying over the bar, outfield players struggling with their control, passes being overhit and goalies fumbling.
June 21 – It cost the Irish Football Association (IFA) £516,000 ($760,000) to get rid of chief executive Howard Wells (pictured), newly published accounts reveal.
By Andrew Warshaw in Johannesburg
June 20 – Alas Poor Raymond…Just after the World Cup began, a headline in one of the South African supplements read, “Everybody Hates Raymond”.
June 19 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter (pictured) has today been officially invited to Downing Street by Britain’s new Prime Minister David Cameron to discuss England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup.
