Paul the psychic octopus has predicted Spain will beat Holland and win World Cup 2010 while Germany shall be triumphant in the third and fourth place play-off.

The news will come as a boost to Spain ahead of the World Cup final against Holland at Soccer City Stadium, Johannesburg on Sunday.

The psychic octopus has not made a mistake when predicting the outcome of a football match for two years. On that occassion Paul said Germany would beat Spain in the Euro 2008 final but Luis Aragones‘ team came out on top, winning 1-0.

At this World Cup Paul has predicted all of Germany’s results correctly even including the defeats against Serbia in the group stages and Spain in the semi-finals.

Since correctly predicting Spain’s victory over Joachim Löw’s team Paul has been on the recieving end of a backlash from Germany fans.

However the octoped has got in support in the unlikely form of Sanish Prime Minister Jose Luiz Rodriguez Zapatero who has joked he will provide Paul with a team of boduguards.

Zapatero said: “I am concerned for the octopus. I am thinking of sending him a protective team.”

Spanish environment and fisheries minister Elena Espinosa has also sworn to protect the octopus.

“On Monday, I shall be at the European Council of Ministers and I shall be asking for a [fishing] ban on Paul the octopus so the Germans do not eat him,” Espinosa said.

The octopus had already made it’s prediction for the third and fourth place play-off opting for the mussel in the Germany box. It took Paul just a couple of minutes to decide its adopted nation will beat Uruguay to take third place in the tournament.
Sourced via telegraph.co.uk

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Australian cycling star Stuart O’Grady is in hospital after collapsing at the Valencia MotoGP in Spain.

O’Grady collapsed during a corporate event on Sunday, just after taking a hot lap around the circuit with Australian MotoGP rider Casey Stoner.

Cycling South Australia executive manager Max Stevens said the Saxo Bank rider collapsed while being introduced to other MotoGP riders on the race grid by Stoner.

‘‘Casey Stoner started to interview Stuart and introduce him to these people,’’ Stevens said.

‘‘Stuart couldn’t answer the questions and then he collapsed.’’

Stevens said O’Grady had been admitted to hospital by doctors and was currently undergoing tests to determine the cause of the incident.

‘‘We’ll know more in the next couple of days,’’ he said.

The winner of two Tour de France stages and the Paris-Roubaix one-day classic, O’Grady has had to deal with health-related issues in the past. In 2002, he had surgery to remove a blockage in an artery which had caused a power imbalance in his legs.

While earlier in his career he had problems with an abnormally fast heartbeat.
Sourced via theage.com.au

Popularity: 2% [?]

• World No5 confident he can triumph at Finca Cortesín
• Ernie Els angry he is unable to defend the title

Lee Westwood is the favourite to win this week’s Volvo World Match Play Championship in Spain – and with good reason. Winner of the Portugal Masters two weeks ago, top of the European Tour money list and up to No5 in the world, Westwood has had eight top-10 finishes in nine tournaments since the start of July.

Compare that to his three opponents in the group stage of the new-look event at Finca Cortesin near Estepona. They have each managed one top-10 in the same period.

Ross Fisher of England has missed his last two halfway cuts and has hardly figured since crashing out of the lead with a quadruple-bogey eight early on the last day of The Open at Turnberry.

Jeev Milkha Singh, against whom Westwood opens tomorrow, came seventh in the US this month but before that his last top-10 was in early June – and he had to pull out of the tournament in Arizona last week because of a foot problem.

This time last year Camilo Villegas was No7 in the world and had just won the last two events of the US Tour’s FedEx Cup play-off series. But the Colombian has not won since, is down to 18th in the rankings and prior to an eighth place at the BMW Championship in Chicago six weeks ago, his last top-10 was in March.

That all makes happy reading for Westwood, as does the fact that when he won the Match Play, at Wentworth in 2000, he went on to become European No1. “It feels great to win again,” he said today. “I’d gone over two years since the last one and you do start to doubt yourself a little bit when you get into contention and don’t finish it off.

“There’s still a long way to go in the Race to Dubai. We’re playing for fortunes at the Match Play, the HSBC [in Shanghai next week], Hong Kong and then Dubai.”

First prize this week is more than £675,000, although because of the limited field only £488,000 of it counts towards the Order of Merit.

The Match Play was not held last year for the first time since it was introduced in 1964 and the new sponsor brought about the move from its Wentworth home. The format has changed too. Instead of straight knock-out, the 16 players are divided into four groups and they all play each other to decide the semi-finalists.

All group games are over 18 holes, so in what might be a 4&3 win, for example, the last three holes will still be played and the final margin of victory might therefore be only one hole.

Saturday’s semi-finals and Sunday’s final are standard 36-hole games.

If Westwood does reach the last four, his next opponent would be from Group C, which involves Henrik Stenson, Rory McIlroy, Angel Cabrera and Simon Dyson.

In the other half, the No1 seed Paul Casey, playing his first tournament since 6 August because of a torn rib muscle, is grouped with Retief Goosen, Anthony Kim and Scott Strange, while Group B contains Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer, Robert Allenby and Oliver Wilson.

Ernie Els, meanwhile, has criticised the European Tour’s decision to co-sanction this week’s Singapore Open at the same time as the World Match Play Championship.

With the World Match Play taking a break last year, Els is the defending champion having won at Wentworth in 2007. But due to his contractual obligations to play in Singapore, the 40-year-old will be unable to challenge for an eighth World Match Play title and will instead tee-off at Sentosa in the Singapore Open, which is being co-sanctioned by the European Tour and Asian Tour for the first time.

Els is also still upset after his obligations in Singapore forced him to miss the season-ending Volvo Masters in 2007, meaning his was unable to add to his earnings on the European Tour and missed out on a third Order of Merit title as Justin Rose won in Spain to claim a first.

“The one year the European Tour put the Volvo Masters up against the Singapore Open and I could not play the final event on the European Tour and it cost me the money title,” said Els. “So I was not very pleased about that and the fall-out from that, the criticism I got about European Tour players playing in an Asian event.

“We have got more controversy this week because of the Match Play, which they have put up against the Singapore Open. I do not understand that, it is a tournament I have won seven times.”
Sourced via guardian.co.uk

Popularity: 1% [?]

As the FIFA 2010 World Cup approaching, the intensity of the World Cup qualifying stages is hotting up. Portugal played against Denmark and needed a convincing win to keep their World Cup dreams alive. Unfortunately for them, they only managed a draw of 1:1 and unless something drastic happens it is unlikely that they will get to tour South Africa next year.

Argentina are in a similar position. They faced off against arch rivals Brzail in a clash of the titans. Unfortunately, they too suffered a defeat to the mighty Brazlians of 3:1. Is this the end for Diego Maradona’s team?

The might Spain destroyed Belgium 5-0. This was a supreme showing of their amazing killer abaility.

Here is a round up of yesterdays scores:

Results
05/09/09 22:00    Bahrain    0:0    Saudi Arabia
05/09/09 22:00    Spain    5:0 (1:0)    Belgium
05/09/09 21:30    Argentina    1:3 (0:2)    Brazil
05/09/09 21:30    Chile    2:2 (1:2)    Venezuela
05/09/09 21:00    Israel    0:1 (0:0)    Latvia
05/09/09 21:00    Turkey    4:2 (2:1)    Estonia
05/09/09 20:30    Switzerland    2:0 (0:0)    Greece
05/09/09 20:30    Slovakia    2:2 (0:0)    Czech Republic
05/09/09 20:30    Poland    1:1 (0:1)    Northern Ireland
05/09/09 20:30    Croatia    1:0 (0:0)    Belarus
05/09/09 20:00    Denmark    1:1 (1:0)    Portugal
05/09/09 20:00    Hungary    1:2 (0:1)    Sweden

05/09/09 20:00    Azerbaijan    1:2 (0:0)    Finland

05/09/09 20:00    Armenia    0:2 (0:1)    Bosnia-Herzegovina
05/09/09 19:00    Moldova    Moldova    0:0    Luxembourg
05/09/09 19:00    Russia    3:0 (3:0)    Liechtenstein
05/09/09 18:30    Paraguay    1:0 (1:0)    Bolivia
05/09/09 17:00   Ukraine    5:0 (2:0)    Andorra
05/09/09 15:30    Peru    1:0 (0:0)    Uruguay
05/09/09 15:30    Colombia    2:0 (0:0)    Ecuador

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Now, President Barack Obama has more reason than ever to visit South Africa.

Having agreed to attend the opening game of soccer’s 2010 World Cup, if possible, the president might want to consider a much earlier trip.

Say on Sunday, for instance.

That’s when the United States will be playing in the final of the FIFA Confederations Cup in Johannesburg, the U.S. having reached the championship game by scoring one of international soccer’s all-time upsets on Wednesday night.

Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey scored goals and the defense bordered on the miraculous to earn the Americans a 2-0 victory over European champion Spain before a crowd of 35,369 at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein, South Africa.

That’s the same Spain that is ranked No. 1 in the world, the same Spain that had gone unbeaten in a world-record-tying 35 games, the same Spain that had won a world-record 15 games in a row.

It was a watershed moment for the United States, signaling the team’s arrival on the world soccer stage.

In Sunday’s final, the suddenly high-flying Americans will play the winner of Thursday’s semifinal between Brazil and South Africa.

“I can’t explain it any more than you can,” U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard told reporters. “Sports is funny sometimes, but when you put your mind to something, you can achieve it.”

The U.S. put mind, body and everything else into the colossal upset.

“To beat an amazing team like Spain and make the final, it’s big,” U.S. coach Bob Bradley said. “We played as hard as we could and that’s what it took.”

The opening goal Wednesday came in the 27th minute in near-freezing conditions, when Altidore, 19, used his physical strength to hold off the challenge of defender Joan Capdevila, turned and fired a shot off goalkeeper Iker Casillas that rebounded into the net.

Spain, spearheaded by David Villa and Fernando Torres, two of the most lethal forwards in the world, mounted wave after wave of attacks, but the U.S. packed its defense and held firm.

Spain outshot the U.S. 18-9, including 8-2 in shots on target, and also had 17 corner kicks to three for the U.S., but it was thwarted by a resistance seldom seen from an American squad.

Dempsey scored the killer blow in the 74th minute from close range.
Sourced via chicagotribune.com

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The semi-final teams for the 2009 FIFA Confederation Cup in South Africa is as follows: BRAZIL , USA, SOUTH AFRICA and SPAIN.

USA qualified due to their win over the mighty Egyptians and Italy’s loss to Brazil. South Africa qualified 2nd in their group along with the current number 1 team in the world, Spain.

My bets are with Spain to take on the Brazlians in the final. Lets wait and see.

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This extraordinary Spain team are determined to make history. As dusk descended on the Highveld, the European champions levelled the record for consecutive wins in international football as David Villa’s header gave them victory over Iraq.

A 15th straight win against South Africa on Saturday and Spain will surpass Australia (1996-97), Brazil (1997) and France (2003-04) as the national side with the longest winning streak in football history.

The statistics make formidable reading. This was Spain’s 34th game unbeaten, extending the record they set earlier this month. They haven’t lost since they were beaten by Romania in November 2006. However, there is a bit of bureaucratic ambiguity: for the overall record Fifa do not count losing as penalties as a defeat so they will need to make it 35 against South Africa here in Bloemfontein to draw level with Brazil’s run between 1993 and 1996, which included a shoot-out defeat to Uruguay. That, surely, will tumble too.

Having watched his strike partner, Fernando Torres, score a hat-trick against New Zealand in the previous game, Valencia’s Villa was clearly desperate to get among the goals. He hit the outside of the side-netting with a first-half volley and should have headed in a Xavi corner.

With Iraq defending en masse it was getting frustrating for Villa and Spain, with that record to play for. However, just 10 minutes into the second half, having just missed two more terrific chances, Villa finally put Spain on track and showed why the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Liverpool and Chelsea are eager to sign him.

Joan Capdevila, the left back playing effectively as a left winger, sent in a deep cross from the by-line and Villa, who had split two Iraqi defenders, met the ball with an exquisite glancing header that crept just inside the far post.

Having played effective congestive football, Iraq threatened to end Spain’s streak in the closing minutes. Spain had missed plenty of chances and both man-of-the-match Xabi Alonso and the excellent Sergio Ramos had gone close from range, when Nashat Akram, the Iraq captain, shot just wide from the edge of the box in the closing moments. It will take more than that to stop this Spanish team though.

Match details

Spain (4-4-2): Casillas; Ramos, Marchena, Pique, Capdevila; Cazorla (Silva 67), Xavi, Alonso, Mata; Torres, Villa (Guiza 74).

Iraq (5-4-1): Kassid; Ali Kareem, Khalid, Rehema, Shaker, Abbas; Saeed, Akram, Majeed, Mohammed; Zahra (Mahmoud 82).
Sourced via telegraph.co.uk

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Bernard Parker, the Red Star Belgrade striker, turned the dejection that gripped the nation after the drab goalless draw against the aimlessly inept Iraq into elation when his double strike helped Bafana Bafana wiggle their way back into the hearts of their fans.

# Don’t drop the Cup!

# Confed Cup: It’s do or die

# Confed Cup Special Report

That way, Parker, who unwittingly blocked a goalbound Kagisho Dikgacoi attempt on Sunday, moved from zero to hero.

His opener and Bafana’s first goal of the tournament, crowned a marvelous moment in which Bafana switched defence into attack in an instant.

Midfield workhorse MacBeth Sibaya dispossessed Tim Brown and fed the ball to Steven Pienaar. A quick one-two between Pienaar and Parker ended with the ball into Tsepo Masilela’s path.

The Maccabi Haifa winger left his marker Dave Mulligan eating the grass before feeding a perfect pass on which Parker pounced and fired past Glen Moss.

The 36 598 crowd responded with a rapturous roar and urged Bafana to go for more. The boys and Parker completed his brace when he coolly slotted home in the second half.

He received a standing ovation when he was retired for Siphiwe Tshabalala in the 81st minute.

Bafana are second with four points behind Group A leaders Spain, while winless Iraq (one point) and pointless New Zealand complete the standings. The All Whites the first side to be eliminated from the competition.

Like an army of angry bees Bafana Bafana buzzed all over the pitch to hammer home in the head of their defensively stubborn coach Joel Santana that goals win you games.

And it appears that that fact which is generally regarded as an open secret by soccer supporters has finally sunk in the head of the Brazilian coach.

Under fire from an angry nation, Santana dumped his defensive tactics in the dustbin as Bafana staged a kamikaze on the Kiwis, with a win that warmed the freezing winter night. Benson Mhlongo was dropped for Pienaar, who started from the bench in the opening game.

The decision gave Bafana creative cohesion as the twin attack of Pienaar and Modise forced New Zealand on the back foot from the onset.

Effectively exploiting the width of the pitch, Siboniso Gaxa and Tsepo Masilela wreaked havoc on the wing with their crosses creating huge headaches for the Kiwis.

The duo marauded the flanks with zenith and zeal while Teko Modise partnered Pienaar in turning on the style. There was time for a cheeky ballerina turn by Pienaar, a show me your number from Modise and all round clever play from a team playing with loads of confidence.

They emerged from the tunnel for their warm up singing and clapping hands, showing the kind of spirit South Africans expect from their soldiers.

Bafana need to be more clinical in the last third and find more goals. In fact they did – Terror Fanteni found the net in the first half and so did his replacement Katlego Mashego Both efforts were correctly ruled offside by Mexican referee Benito Archundia.

Still, Bafana created enough to inflict the same if not more, damage that Spain did when they hammered New Zealand 5-0.

The triumph will boost the hosts ahead of the clash with Spain, in which Santana’s men need a draw to make sure of a semifinal spot.
Sourced via thetimes.co.za

Popularity: 2% [?]

Spain would become the first team to qualify for the Confederations Cup semi-finals if they beat Iraq in their second Group A on Wednesday.
The European champions crushed Oceania champions New Zealand 5-0 on Sunday and are expected to extend their unbeaten run to 34 matches, one short of Brazil’s all-time record of 35, when they face the Asian champions at the Free State Stadium (1400 GMT).
A Spain victory would also extend their winning sequence to 14 matches and put them level at the top of FIFA’s all-time list for successive victories with France, Brazil and Australia.
“The record is extra motivation but the most important thing is to get into the semi-finals” said Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque, who is planning several changes to the side which routed the Kiwis.
Iraq played negatively against South Africa to earn a point from a 0-0 draw on Sunday but the hosts will be looking to improve on that performance when they meet New Zealand in Rustenburg (1830 GMT).
New Zealand were outclassed by Spain but the match against South Africa is likely to be tighter. South Africa will be under far more pressure to keep local interest alive in the tournament which has yet to produce a capacity crowd for any match.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter suggested on Monday that tickets should be given away for free to poorer or younger fans so they get the chance to see games.
Sourced via guardian.co.uk

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Spain striker Fernando Torres scored a stunning hat-trick in the opening 17 minutes to inspire Confederations Cup favourites Spain to a 5-0 rout of New Zealand on Sunday.

The European champions stretched their unbeaten run to 33 matches, further goals from Cesc Fabregras and David Villa putting them firmly on top of Group A after hosts South Africa and Iraq drew 0-0 in the opening game in Johannesburg.

The match was virtually all over as a contest after only six minutes when Torres sent in a curling shot from the edge of the penalty area well out of the reach of New Zealand keeper Glen Moss.

The Oceania champions were undone again eight minutes later when Albert Riera and David Villa combined on the left to create the second for Torres.

Villa provided the sweetest cross and Torres steered the ball home with a well-taken shot despite being surrounded by defenders.

Three minutes later Torres completed his hat-trick with a powerful header from Juan Capdevila’s cross and Fabregas’s close-range finish assured Spain of their 13th successive win and 11th straight victory under coach Vicente Del Bosque.

CREATE CHANCES

Spain, who have not lost since Romania beat them 1-0 in a friendly in Cadiz in 2006, continued to create chances with Riera thundering in a shot which Moss did well to save.

Things got no better for New Zealand after halftime when defender Andy Boyens made a mess of the simplest cross from Torres, allowing the ball to run to Villa who had scored a hat-trick in Spain’s 6-0 friendly win over Azerbaijan last week.

That was Villa’s 29th goal in 45 internationals, putting him level with Fernando Hierro as Spain’s joint-second highest scorer, 15 behind Raul’s record haul of 44.

Underlying everything was Spain’s slick passing and movement which provided a treat for the disappointingly sparse but enthusiastic crowd in the 44,000 capacity stadium.
Sourced via reuters.com

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