The dream for South Africa 2010 is officially over, with Canada dropping a 3-0 decision to Jamaica last night. The CSA blow by blow details are here. The only small detail left is for Dale Mitchell to be replaced. Please, CSA, instill some confidence in us lowly fans - replace the coach. Even you have to realize [. Click to continue reading...

World Cup 2010 Betting

Latest odds from Paddy Power

5/1 Brazil
6/1 Argentina
15/2 Spain
9/1 England
11/1 Italy
11/1 Germany
14/1 Holland
20/1 France
22/1 Portugal
28/1 Russia
33/1 Ivory Coast
125/1 Ireland
350/1 Scotland
1000/1 Wales
1500/1 N. Click to continue reading...

Takeshi Okada resembles a man stuck in quicksand without a rope.

On the surface there appears little reason for panic after Japan came from behind to snatch a 1-1 draw with Uzbekistan in front of 55,142 fans at Saitama Stadium on October 15. Yet the manner of the draw and Okada's increasingly dejected demeanour suggest that the Japan coach is working on borrowed time. Click to continue reading...

European Zone Group 9 leaders The Netherlands face Iceland at Rotterdam's De Kuip Stadium today in a 2010 World Cup qualifying game.



The Netherlands have injury problems with Arjen Robben, Robin van Persie and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink all out and Manchester United keeper Edwin Van der Saar coming out of retirement for the next two games to cover for a crocked Maarten Stekelenburg. Click to continue reading...

All eyes will be on Chiba for the 28th round of the J. League as JEF United welcome Urawa Reds to the Fukuda Denshi Arena.

A month ago JEF United looked certainties for relegation, but Alex Miller's men have launched a late bid for salvation as the Chiba Dogs chase their fifth straight win in this match. Click to continue reading...

It was not quite as astounding as what went on in the global economy, but the week in football was certainly an eventful one.

I was certainly dumbfounded, but perhaps should not have been, by FIFA's woeful CHF 30,000 ($27,500) fine for the Croatian FA after their fans made monkey noises at black England players last month. Click to continue reading...

England's 4-1 thrashing of Croatia in Zagreb stands out from the UEFA World Cup qualifiers, but it is really too early to book tickets to South Africa, or pass judgment on Fabio Capello, who in the title of Gabriele Marcotti's newly-published biography, is "a winner".

The vast improvement on the same fixture two years ago was manifest, but England are still maddeningly inconsistent. Click to continue reading...

On an evening of shock results for away teams in the European zone for qualification for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, England, Scotland, Denmark, and yes, Luxembourg all beat tough teams away.

England, were a different proposition this time around at the Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb, beating Croatia 4-1, thanks to a Theo Walcott hat-trick and a goal from Wayne Rooney. Click to continue reading...

Here, the latest scores from the latest round of 2010 World Cup and African Cup of Nations qualifiers...

The joint qualifying campaign will decide which five teams will join hosts South Africa at the World Cup in 2010.

The qualification process will also decide the 15 teams who will join host Angola to take part at the 2010 African Cup of Nations.

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Let's hope the Dutch game tonight isn't like the last time we met them prior to the World Cup. It ended 1-1 but boy Holland should have beat us 7-1. It was tough to watch. At least the score doesn't matter tonight....yeah right!

MIERLO, NETHERLANDS / SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
6 September 2008

Mixed news from the Qantas Socceroos training camp in Mierlo, Netherlands, where the team is now resting prior to tonight's match (local time) between the Netherlands and Australia. Click to continue reading...

Takeshi Okada is a man under pressure. A poor showing in a recent friendly defeat to Uruguay and some unconvincing performances in the first round of World Cup qualifying has left many wondering whether the former international is the right man to guide Japan to the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Okada took over as Japan coach after Bosnian Ivica Osim suffered a tenure-ending stroke in November 2007. Click to continue reading...

A total of 200 teams have entered the race for one of the 31 places at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa. The preliminary phase, which began in the Oceanian Zone back in August 2007, is now in full swing, with only the Host Nation guaranteed a berth in world football's showpiece event.2008 Match [. Click to continue reading...

ROAD TO 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP SOUTH AFRICA BEGINS SATURDAY ON  SETANTA SPORTS  Portugal in action as part of a live double-header on Setanta Sports TORONTO (September 4, 2008) – The long road for European nations looking to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup begins this weekend when Armenia hosts Turkey Saturday, September 6 at 12 noon [. Click to continue reading...

The entire A-League has been handed a weekend's recess to allow the national team to concentrate on their World Cup qualifying visit to Uzbekistan on September 10, but it turns out only one side will actually be affected by national team coach Pim Verbeek's call-ups.

After finally being convinced to elongate the regular season to allow byes over FIFA-recognised match dates, Australian football authorities must now wonder why they bothered. Click to continue reading...

Last March, I joined a group of bloggers in posting about the need for US Soccer fans to put some pressure on the US Soccer Federation to put together a travel plan for fans who want to travel to Cuba to watch our Rattlers take on los Cubanos in World Cup qualifying later this year. Well, we finally have our answer from the USSF, and what a (hmmm, what is the proper blogger term here) completely flaccid, wussy, tepid, completely unbecoming of a major competitor nation sort of response it is. Click to continue reading...

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Australia play South Africa at Loftus Road, Tuesday 19 August (Maybe Nick Ward will be returning?)

Football Federation Australia - South Africa and The Netherlands to face Qantas Socceroos Monday, 7 July 2008
The road to South Africa for the 2010 FIFA World Cup is being mapped out at Football Federation Australia (FFA) with the announcement today of two prestigious international matches in August and September to kick-off the next stage of the World Cup qualifying campaign as well as qualifiers for the 2011 Asian Cup, courtesy of FOXTEL. Click to continue reading...

If there was a sense of inevitability ahead of the draw for the final round of World Cup qualifying in Asia, neither Japan coach Takeshi Okada, nor Australia coach Pim Verbeek let it show.
Both reacted casually when Japan and Australia were drawn together in Group A, along with Middle-Eastern sides Qatar and Bahrain and potential dark horses Uzbekistan. Click to continue reading...

While the smell of corporate jollies is far less obvious than at the World Cup, that still has not stopped ten brands from trying their best to muscle in on the Beautiful Game again.

A credit card company, villains of the 2006 World Cup, when they managed to persuade FIFA to deny bearers of any rival cards from using them to buy tickets, are one of the terrible ten at EURO 2008, as are an American fast food giant, purveyors of the sort of diet that will never make you a footballer.

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EURO 2008 Quarter-final lineup:Germany v Portugal Croatia v TurkeyNetherlands v RussiaItaly v Spain
Germany v Portugal tonight looks an intriguing contrast of styles.
The Lusitanians will be hoping Cristiano Ronaldo can catch fire in the right way tonight and burn the German defence that was breached twice by Croatia in the group stage. Click to continue reading...

CANADA SETS ITS SIGHTS ON THE 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP SOUTH AFRICA Men's World Cup Qualifier and Women's International Friendly upcoming TORONTO (June 12, 2008) – Canada's national senior men's soccer squad has its sights set on South Africa. All eyes will be on the Stade Saputo in Montréal on Friday, June 20 at 5:30 p. Click to continue reading...

Now Euro 2008 is in full swing, spare a thought for those not invited to the party.

36 European nations failed to make it to the Alps. England might stand out among them, but also missing is 2006 World Cup quarter-finalists Ukraine, plus nations of the calibre of Belgium, Serbia, Denmark, Slovakia, Norway and Ireland. Click to continue reading...

Five days after Mexico beat Ghana 2-1 in London, Hugo Sanchez was fired as Mexico's coach. How so? He had only been in charge a year and a half, so what went so badly wrong?

Under his tenure, Mexico lost the Gold Cup final 2-1 to the USA in Chicago, but that should have been no reason for dismissal since the CONCACAF bragging rights definitively crossed the Rio Grande when the States downed El Tri 2-0 back in the 2002 World Cup. Click to continue reading...

Mexico came from behind to beat Ghana 2-1 at Craven Cottage and might possibly have saved Hugo Sanchez his job as national team coach.

The former Real Madrid and Mexico legend had been on deathwatch all week, after the nation's U23 team, which Sanchez also coaches, failed to qualify for this summer's Olympic Games in Beijing, after losing to Guatemala and drawing with Canada earlier this month. Click to continue reading...

Disappointed Japanese national team players were trying to stay positive Wednesday night in light of their surprising 1-0 loss to Bahrain in World Cup qualifying in Manama.
It was the first loss in seven matches for the Asian giants under new manager Takeshi Okada, but it left the team three points adrift of Bahrain in Asian Group B of qualifying for South Africa 2010. Click to continue reading...

Japan begin their quest to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa when they meet Thailand at Saitama Stadium tonight.

The Blue Samurai warmed up for the fixture by recording a 0-0 draw with Chile at the National Stadium in Tokyo on January 26, before beating Bosnia and Herzegovina 3-0 at the same venue four days later. Click to continue reading...