edkaini753
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Really glad that ghana won the match
Super Enthusiastic match
Goodbye USA....now go back to home
Super Enthusiastic match
Goodbye USA....now go back to home
2010 FIFA World Cup
- Thread starter plugwater
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Psychic Octopus picks Germany to beat Argentina
...Correctly picked the winner of Germany's four matches so far
...Correctly picked the winner of Germany's four matches so far
plugwater
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World Cup 2010: South African police detain Paris Hilton for 'possessing marijuana'
Miss Hilton, great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton, the founder of Hilton Hotels, was allegedly escorted by police from the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth just before 8pm tonight and taken to a nearby police station.
She is alleged to have been in possession of an unspecified amount of marijuana while watching Holland's World Cup quarter-final victory over Brazil.
Provincial Head of Detectives in Port Elizabeth, Mark Magadlela, confirmed that Miss Hilton had been at the Mount Road Police Station but had been released.
A spokeswoman for police at Port Elizabeth, Brig. Marinda Mills, declined to confirm the name, but said a high profile person was appearing in court on drug-related charges.
"This person is appearing in court right now. We cannot reveal information about her until she has appeared in court. I am here with the individual in court, we're waiting for the court to start," Mills told the Associated Press.
A local radio station in Johannesburg said Hilton was detained outside the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium, after watching the quarter-final match between Holland and Brazil.
A police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity said Hilton was caught with an unspecified amount of marijuana.
"She was found in possession of some amount of dagga," the officer said, using the local name for marijuana. "We don't know how much. It's a high profile person, only the top cops are dealing with it," he said.
Miss Hilton, had flown into South Africa in a private jet to watch the quarter-final match.
"Had so much fun at the game today. What a match! I love South Africa," she said on her Twitter account earlier today.
In May 2007, Miss Hilton was sentenced to 45 days in jail for violating her probation following a conviction for a drink-driving offence.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...in-Paris-Hilton-for-possessing-marijuana.html
Miss Hilton, great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton, the founder of Hilton Hotels, was allegedly escorted by police from the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth just before 8pm tonight and taken to a nearby police station.
She is alleged to have been in possession of an unspecified amount of marijuana while watching Holland's World Cup quarter-final victory over Brazil.
Provincial Head of Detectives in Port Elizabeth, Mark Magadlela, confirmed that Miss Hilton had been at the Mount Road Police Station but had been released.
A spokeswoman for police at Port Elizabeth, Brig. Marinda Mills, declined to confirm the name, but said a high profile person was appearing in court on drug-related charges.
"This person is appearing in court right now. We cannot reveal information about her until she has appeared in court. I am here with the individual in court, we're waiting for the court to start," Mills told the Associated Press.
A local radio station in Johannesburg said Hilton was detained outside the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium, after watching the quarter-final match between Holland and Brazil.
A police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity said Hilton was caught with an unspecified amount of marijuana.
"She was found in possession of some amount of dagga," the officer said, using the local name for marijuana. "We don't know how much. It's a high profile person, only the top cops are dealing with it," he said.
Miss Hilton, had flown into South Africa in a private jet to watch the quarter-final match.
"Had so much fun at the game today. What a match! I love South Africa," she said on her Twitter account earlier today.
In May 2007, Miss Hilton was sentenced to 45 days in jail for violating her probation following a conviction for a drink-driving offence.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...in-Paris-Hilton-for-possessing-marijuana.html
plugwater
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So its going to be the first world cup for European teams outside Europe then. If spain win against germany the final will be contested between the nations which have never won the WC before. So my prediction would be 1-0 for Spain as it has become their favorite scoreline in this world cup.
nandu
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Spain reach first World Cup final
Spain's Carles Puyol, left, scores during the World Cup semifinal between Germany and Spain in Durban, South Africa, on Wednesday. Puyol's header gave Spain the victory and its first appearance in a World Cup final.
Spain grasped their place in a World Cup final with Holland on Sunday by proving that they can stop being their elaborate selves when different methods are essential. A disappointed Germany will be stunned that they should have conceded a goal at a set-piece, when Carles Puyol headed home after 73 minutes.
His side were more at ease thereafter and Pedro squandered an opportunity to extend the lead. This, even so, is an emerging Germany line-up that will be more formidable still in the next few years. Spain took care and their own team selection was altered as they avoided acting out of mere habit. One of their best attackers enjoyed just an eventual cameo.
A night that poses a challenge such as this can question every assumption. Vicente del Bosque, for instance, had previously been determined to nurse Fernando Torres into form and fitness following the knee surgery in the spring, but the Liverpool forward had not made his mark in the earlier knockout matches at this tournament. In Durban he returned to the substitutes' bench for Spain.
David Villa was pushed into the lone attacker's post and Pedro came into the side as one of the three support strikers. The latter was one of seven Barcelona players in the starting line-up, with three more from Real Madrid. The task of representing the remainder of La Liga fell to Joan Capdevila of Villarreal.
While the dominance of the two principal clubs lacks romance, it does ensure that the members of the line-up are well-acquainted, even if David Villa's switch from Valencia to Camp Nou was only completed recently. Of course, many of the side had also kept company with one another while lifting the Euro 2008 trophy. They had beaten Germany in that final with a goal from Torres.
His initial absence did not appear to blunt Spain in the initial phase of the evening. With six minutes gone, for instance, Pedro had fed Villa for an attempt that was blocked by the goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. At that stage, Germany's ambitions were either very modest or made to appear so as Spain then dictated the terms of the play.
It says much for the expectation where Del Bosque's line-up is concerned that some have been displeased with them regardless of the progress to this occasion. Perhaps the passing had been a little too studied and there was an endeavour to raise the tempo early in the semi-final. Germany, then, were vigilant as they aimed to take the sting out of Spain.
There were moments that would have heartened the manager Joachim Löw after the opening half-hour had been negotiated. The midfielder Piotr Trochowski, introduced for the suspended Thomas Müller, hit a good shot that had to be turned behind by Iker Casillas.
At that stage, Löw's schemes were once more looking well-laid and Spain had been denied the stimulus of an early breakthrough. Much as Del Bosque's men can play with sublime technique the superiority is sometimes echoed only weakly in results. The previous two fixtures in the knockout phase had each been won by a single goal.
There is a precariousness to ambitions based on such fine margins. Having failed to damage Germany, Spain might have been in deep trouble on the verge of the interval. Mesut Ozil broke free and the pursuing Sergio Ramos caught him with a challenge from behind, although the contact had occurred just before the Germany midfielder entered the penalty area.
Spain could not have been content with their efforts. For all the artfulness, the best opening for them had originated with a cross that Andrés Iniesta whipped over treacherously from the right in the 14th minute, but Carles Puyol could not meet it cleanly and the header went over the bar.
The second half opened with a more direct approach from Del Bosque's men. Since this is Spain, nothing coarse was entailed, but the attacking looked more intense and Xabi Alonso got himself into positions for drives that went wide on each occasion. All the same, it scarcely amounted to a reign of terror and busy as Pedro had been the case for Torres, a genuine striker, grew stronger.
If there was pleasure for Spain in that spell it arose from the knowledge that they had pinned down Germany. Indeed, good openings started to appear. Iniesta got possession in the inside-left channel and his cut-back was nearly turned in by Villa. There was more intent and a higher tempo to Spain's work for a period.
The unease of Löw had been apparent in his replacement of the left-back Jérôme Boateng and Trochowski with Marcell Jansen and Toni Kroos respectively. The latter soon had an effect when he volleyed Lukas Podolski's cross, even if the effort was too close to Casillas. This may be a rather new Germany line-up, but the tenacity showed that the traits of its predecessors are preserved.
When the breakthrough for Spain came it took an unlikely form. In the 73rd minute, Xavi's corner kick was met with a thudding header by Puyol from 10 yards and Neuer was powerless to reach it. The impact had been made at last, in a manner that underlined the adaptability of Del Bosque's squad.
http://thehindu.com/sport/article504812.ece
Spain's Carles Puyol, left, scores during the World Cup semifinal between Germany and Spain in Durban, South Africa, on Wednesday. Puyol's header gave Spain the victory and its first appearance in a World Cup final.
Spain grasped their place in a World Cup final with Holland on Sunday by proving that they can stop being their elaborate selves when different methods are essential. A disappointed Germany will be stunned that they should have conceded a goal at a set-piece, when Carles Puyol headed home after 73 minutes.
His side were more at ease thereafter and Pedro squandered an opportunity to extend the lead. This, even so, is an emerging Germany line-up that will be more formidable still in the next few years. Spain took care and their own team selection was altered as they avoided acting out of mere habit. One of their best attackers enjoyed just an eventual cameo.
A night that poses a challenge such as this can question every assumption. Vicente del Bosque, for instance, had previously been determined to nurse Fernando Torres into form and fitness following the knee surgery in the spring, but the Liverpool forward had not made his mark in the earlier knockout matches at this tournament. In Durban he returned to the substitutes' bench for Spain.
David Villa was pushed into the lone attacker's post and Pedro came into the side as one of the three support strikers. The latter was one of seven Barcelona players in the starting line-up, with three more from Real Madrid. The task of representing the remainder of La Liga fell to Joan Capdevila of Villarreal.
While the dominance of the two principal clubs lacks romance, it does ensure that the members of the line-up are well-acquainted, even if David Villa's switch from Valencia to Camp Nou was only completed recently. Of course, many of the side had also kept company with one another while lifting the Euro 2008 trophy. They had beaten Germany in that final with a goal from Torres.
His initial absence did not appear to blunt Spain in the initial phase of the evening. With six minutes gone, for instance, Pedro had fed Villa for an attempt that was blocked by the goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. At that stage, Germany's ambitions were either very modest or made to appear so as Spain then dictated the terms of the play.
It says much for the expectation where Del Bosque's line-up is concerned that some have been displeased with them regardless of the progress to this occasion. Perhaps the passing had been a little too studied and there was an endeavour to raise the tempo early in the semi-final. Germany, then, were vigilant as they aimed to take the sting out of Spain.
There were moments that would have heartened the manager Joachim Löw after the opening half-hour had been negotiated. The midfielder Piotr Trochowski, introduced for the suspended Thomas Müller, hit a good shot that had to be turned behind by Iker Casillas.
At that stage, Löw's schemes were once more looking well-laid and Spain had been denied the stimulus of an early breakthrough. Much as Del Bosque's men can play with sublime technique the superiority is sometimes echoed only weakly in results. The previous two fixtures in the knockout phase had each been won by a single goal.
There is a precariousness to ambitions based on such fine margins. Having failed to damage Germany, Spain might have been in deep trouble on the verge of the interval. Mesut Ozil broke free and the pursuing Sergio Ramos caught him with a challenge from behind, although the contact had occurred just before the Germany midfielder entered the penalty area.
Spain could not have been content with their efforts. For all the artfulness, the best opening for them had originated with a cross that Andrés Iniesta whipped over treacherously from the right in the 14th minute, but Carles Puyol could not meet it cleanly and the header went over the bar.
The second half opened with a more direct approach from Del Bosque's men. Since this is Spain, nothing coarse was entailed, but the attacking looked more intense and Xabi Alonso got himself into positions for drives that went wide on each occasion. All the same, it scarcely amounted to a reign of terror and busy as Pedro had been the case for Torres, a genuine striker, grew stronger.
If there was pleasure for Spain in that spell it arose from the knowledge that they had pinned down Germany. Indeed, good openings started to appear. Iniesta got possession in the inside-left channel and his cut-back was nearly turned in by Villa. There was more intent and a higher tempo to Spain's work for a period.
The unease of Löw had been apparent in his replacement of the left-back Jérôme Boateng and Trochowski with Marcell Jansen and Toni Kroos respectively. The latter soon had an effect when he volleyed Lukas Podolski's cross, even if the effort was too close to Casillas. This may be a rather new Germany line-up, but the tenacity showed that the traits of its predecessors are preserved.
When the breakthrough for Spain came it took an unlikely form. In the 73rd minute, Xavi's corner kick was met with a thudding header by Puyol from 10 yards and Neuer was powerless to reach it. The impact had been made at last, in a manner that underlined the adaptability of Del Bosque's squad.
http://thehindu.com/sport/article504812.ece
nandu
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SPAIN CROWNED WORLD CHAMPION
Andres Iniesta finds key for Spain to beat Holland
Spain's Gerard Pique holds the World Cup trophy as the team celebrates their historic win in the final against the Netherlands at Soccer City in Johannesburg, South Africa on Sunday.
JOHANNESBURG: A late goal from Andres Iniesta gave Spain victory over the Netherlands at the death of a cynical and ill-tempered final.
To Spain the glory of a World Cup triumph in which they prevailed over a deplorable Netherlands side that was reduced to 10 men when the English referee Howard Webb eventually dismissed the Dutch defender John Heitinga with a second caution in the 109th minute. Cesc Fabregas, on as substitute, fed Andres Iniesta to score the winner seven minutes later.
An unforgettably ugly World Cup final ground its way to a penalty shoot-out, after offering cautions in place of goals. The Netherlands were overwhelmingly the guilty party, with eight bookings to Spain's four. Although football was not wholly excluded, chances were shunned and the Spain right-back Sergio Ramos put a free header high from a corner kick in the 77th minute.
A little later, Arjen Robben broke clear for Holland but Iker Casillas saved at his feet. The goalkeeper's team-mates had not been incisive enough until the very end.
The mayhem and nastiness of the occasion was an encumbrance for Spain, who will have visualised a wholly different type of game. It was potentially unsettling that victory should be seen as their destiny considering that they had never even reached the final before. Vicente del Bosque's side, for that matter, have developed a highly individual style founded on exceptional technique that exhausts and demoralises opponents as a midfield of supreme artistry confiscates the ball.
Possession
The flaw lies in the fact that possession can be an end in itself for Spain. European champions though they might be, the team began its World Cup programme in South Africa with a defeat by Switzerland. They went behind then and a single goal sufficed for the victors. That occasion must have been prominent in the thoughts of the coach Bert van Marwijk and the Netherlands players. It can certainly be agreed that adversity of another sort lay before Spain in Johannesburg.
There had been an expectation that the Dutch would be much less respectful than the young Germany side that lost to Spain in the last four. The Netherlands have a hard-bitten air and Mark van Bommel, the defensive midfielder, is utterly at peace while making enemies. Curiously, the Bayern Munich player attracts the bulk of the animosity despite the fact that it was his abrasive colleague Nigel de Jong, of Manchester City, who was suspended from the semifinal.
Van Bommel did collect a caution here but notoriety was being dispersed liberally. His yellow card was the third of four that Webb had flashed by the 22nd minute. The teams had a pair apiece by then and there was a kind of parity as an initially nervous the Netherlands settled down. De Jong took up old habits unacceptably later in the first-half, but escaped with a yellow card after landing his studs in the chest of Xabi Alonso.
The midfielder was unscathed, but Spain had a fragility of sorts. Fernando Torres, out of form since a knee injury in March, was again among the substitutes. That had not left the team toothless, but they had to step out of character for the semifinal, when the centre-back Carles Puyol scored the single goal with a pounding header at a set-piece.
As it turns out, the direct approach may not be as alien to this side as we suppose. Ramos leapt to connect with a Xavi set-piece after four minutes and Maarten Stekelenburg was fully extended to parry to his right. The finer points of open play were forgotten before the interval.
Spain, as anticipated, had more polish but the final assuredly did not gleam. Intrigue lay, after a further foul or two, in speculation as to how close Webb had come to giving Van Bommel a second yellow card.
Menacing
The Netherlands were also menacing in laudable ways. A prepared move for instance involved Arjen Robben pulling back a corner to an unmarked Van Bommel, but the midfielder miscontrolled his attempt. That was in keeping with the shabby character of the final then, but the Dutch may have found satisfaction in being in contention against Spain. In the 45th minute, the goalkeeper Iker Casillas had to be alert to turn behind a Robben effort that could have sneaked past him at the near post.
Whatever was said at half-time did not lead to many people changing their way. Before an hour was completed, it had been necessary for Webb to caution Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Johnny Heitinga of the Netherlands.
Spain's Andres Iniesta scoring the winning goal in the extra-time against the Netherlands in the World Cup finals.
Van Bronckhorst is captain, veteran and cultivated left-back but not even he could rise above the ugliness.
The tone might have altered swiftly with a goal that looked likely in the 62nd minute. Wesley Sneijder suddenly introduced artistry with the lovely pass that freed Robben and the winger attempted to take care, yet Casillas got his right leg in the path of the shot and conceded merely a corner. It was a spell in which Holland were in the ascendancy.
The better moments made it all the more infuriating that Webb still had to keep reaching for a yellow card. For convenience sake, he would have been as well keeping it in his hand at all times. Football did break through now and again, with Spain squandering an excellent opportunity.
A piercing cross from the substitute Jess Navas went through the legs of Heitinga, but David Villa met the ball cleanly and it was deflected for a corner. By that stage both sides must have understood the unpalatable nature of the final, with the Netherlands the principal offenders, but it was beyond them to mend their ways. - c Guardian News and Media 2010
http://www.hindu.com/2010/07/12/stories/2010071287750100.htm
Andres Iniesta finds key for Spain to beat Holland
Spain's Gerard Pique holds the World Cup trophy as the team celebrates their historic win in the final against the Netherlands at Soccer City in Johannesburg, South Africa on Sunday.
JOHANNESBURG: A late goal from Andres Iniesta gave Spain victory over the Netherlands at the death of a cynical and ill-tempered final.
To Spain the glory of a World Cup triumph in which they prevailed over a deplorable Netherlands side that was reduced to 10 men when the English referee Howard Webb eventually dismissed the Dutch defender John Heitinga with a second caution in the 109th minute. Cesc Fabregas, on as substitute, fed Andres Iniesta to score the winner seven minutes later.
An unforgettably ugly World Cup final ground its way to a penalty shoot-out, after offering cautions in place of goals. The Netherlands were overwhelmingly the guilty party, with eight bookings to Spain's four. Although football was not wholly excluded, chances were shunned and the Spain right-back Sergio Ramos put a free header high from a corner kick in the 77th minute.
A little later, Arjen Robben broke clear for Holland but Iker Casillas saved at his feet. The goalkeeper's team-mates had not been incisive enough until the very end.
The mayhem and nastiness of the occasion was an encumbrance for Spain, who will have visualised a wholly different type of game. It was potentially unsettling that victory should be seen as their destiny considering that they had never even reached the final before. Vicente del Bosque's side, for that matter, have developed a highly individual style founded on exceptional technique that exhausts and demoralises opponents as a midfield of supreme artistry confiscates the ball.
Possession
The flaw lies in the fact that possession can be an end in itself for Spain. European champions though they might be, the team began its World Cup programme in South Africa with a defeat by Switzerland. They went behind then and a single goal sufficed for the victors. That occasion must have been prominent in the thoughts of the coach Bert van Marwijk and the Netherlands players. It can certainly be agreed that adversity of another sort lay before Spain in Johannesburg.
There had been an expectation that the Dutch would be much less respectful than the young Germany side that lost to Spain in the last four. The Netherlands have a hard-bitten air and Mark van Bommel, the defensive midfielder, is utterly at peace while making enemies. Curiously, the Bayern Munich player attracts the bulk of the animosity despite the fact that it was his abrasive colleague Nigel de Jong, of Manchester City, who was suspended from the semifinal.
Van Bommel did collect a caution here but notoriety was being dispersed liberally. His yellow card was the third of four that Webb had flashed by the 22nd minute. The teams had a pair apiece by then and there was a kind of parity as an initially nervous the Netherlands settled down. De Jong took up old habits unacceptably later in the first-half, but escaped with a yellow card after landing his studs in the chest of Xabi Alonso.
The midfielder was unscathed, but Spain had a fragility of sorts. Fernando Torres, out of form since a knee injury in March, was again among the substitutes. That had not left the team toothless, but they had to step out of character for the semifinal, when the centre-back Carles Puyol scored the single goal with a pounding header at a set-piece.
As it turns out, the direct approach may not be as alien to this side as we suppose. Ramos leapt to connect with a Xavi set-piece after four minutes and Maarten Stekelenburg was fully extended to parry to his right. The finer points of open play were forgotten before the interval.
Spain, as anticipated, had more polish but the final assuredly did not gleam. Intrigue lay, after a further foul or two, in speculation as to how close Webb had come to giving Van Bommel a second yellow card.
Menacing
The Netherlands were also menacing in laudable ways. A prepared move for instance involved Arjen Robben pulling back a corner to an unmarked Van Bommel, but the midfielder miscontrolled his attempt. That was in keeping with the shabby character of the final then, but the Dutch may have found satisfaction in being in contention against Spain. In the 45th minute, the goalkeeper Iker Casillas had to be alert to turn behind a Robben effort that could have sneaked past him at the near post.
Whatever was said at half-time did not lead to many people changing their way. Before an hour was completed, it had been necessary for Webb to caution Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Johnny Heitinga of the Netherlands.
Spain's Andres Iniesta scoring the winning goal in the extra-time against the Netherlands in the World Cup finals.
Van Bronckhorst is captain, veteran and cultivated left-back but not even he could rise above the ugliness.
The tone might have altered swiftly with a goal that looked likely in the 62nd minute. Wesley Sneijder suddenly introduced artistry with the lovely pass that freed Robben and the winger attempted to take care, yet Casillas got his right leg in the path of the shot and conceded merely a corner. It was a spell in which Holland were in the ascendancy.
The better moments made it all the more infuriating that Webb still had to keep reaching for a yellow card. For convenience sake, he would have been as well keeping it in his hand at all times. Football did break through now and again, with Spain squandering an excellent opportunity.
A piercing cross from the substitute Jess Navas went through the legs of Heitinga, but David Villa met the ball cleanly and it was deflected for a corner. By that stage both sides must have understood the unpalatable nature of the final, with the Netherlands the principal offenders, but it was beyond them to mend their ways. - c Guardian News and Media 2010
http://www.hindu.com/2010/07/12/stories/2010071287750100.htm
