4 years of waiting are now over and the World Cup 2010 has started in South Africa. Travelling Backflip will be putting in the effort to watching every game of the tournament and will be posted thoughts and results on the worlds biggest sporting event. We will have the occasional thoughts coming from Stuart the sarcastic Englishman and Footside from Australia. These guest writers will give us some crucial points of view of the tournament from around the world.

July 11 - Day 32

THE WORLD CUP FINAL

Netherlands vs Spain result 0-1
Andres Iniesta struck the winning goal for Spain in dramatic fashion on the 116th minute to win the World Cup. The Netherlands suffered a third defeat in a World Cup final with the loss and were left heated and angry at some of the refereeing decisions by Howard Webb. Spain, who conceded only 2 goals the entire tournament, deserved their win in a game that was tense and extremely rough. There was an astonishing 14 yellow cards and one red card in the game and the Dutch have voiced their extreme displeasure with how things went down to referee Webb a the end of the match. in all fairness Spain were the better side and the Dutch players who were flying into tackles rashly especially in the first half were giving the ref no choice but to book them. The Netherlands actually had a chance to win this game in regular time when Wesley Sneijder, who went missing in this game, put Robben through clear on goal only to have his shot stopped by the foot of the keeper. Robbens pace troubled the Spanish throughout the game but his final touch was always lacking. Iniesta always looked dangerous throughout and it was only fitting when the ball bounced his way that he strike a great goal to ensure no penalty kicks would decide the final outcome.

Final Report from Stuart in England:

I’m sure like me you were disappointed in the final but at least it didn’t go to penalties.

 I said the Dutch needed to get stuck into the Spanish midfield but they overdid it. Ridiculous challenges from Van Bommell and De Jong earned them first half yellows from Webb, meaning they had to tread carefully in the remaining parts of the game. Eventually all the fouling inevitably led to a second yellow for Heitinga but it could have been any of the seven other Holland players cautioned. Both Robben and Fabregas missed when clean through so a goalless game looked likely.

In the end I thought Spain were running out of ideas and they only eventually scored in extra time after a defensive error.  Iniesta looked the most likely to score throughout so it was apt that he should score after being set up by Gooner Fabregas on 116.

In the end the top ranked FIFA team won the tournament so it was no great surprise.

Overall the competition had some surprising results especially early on. It was, as usual, marred by some poor officials but at least we didn’t have many penalty shoot-outs which always devalues the wins.

Already looking forward to Brazil 2014!

July 9 - Day 30

As the World Cup and all the crazy festivities that go along with such a huge event winds down its time to start reflecting on how great this tournament has been and what the lasting legacy of this World Cup will be for South Africa.

Here is a good article from the BBC on what the World Cup has meant to South Africans.
www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/andrewharding/2010/07/south_africas_world_cup_legacy.html

It seems like it will be a mixed opinion across the country, but if some people can take some pride and confidence from hosting such a massive event with the whole world watching then it must be considered a success.

It looks like Englishman Howard Webb will be reffing the World Cup Final between Spain and Netherlands.
news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8802425.stm

July 7 - Day 28

Semi Finals
Germany vs Spain result 0-1
Spain continued their recent dominance over Germany in major tournaments with a 1 nil win to put them in the World Cup Final for the first time in their countries history. Veteran defender Carles Puyol powered home a set piece header to break the deadlock on the 73rd minute and Spain defended strongly from that point on to finish off the game and send them through to the final. Spain certainly deserved the victory after controlling the game for large stretches and vastly outshooting the Germans who were lacking in attack without their suspended striker Mueller. Spain, who are the Euro 2008 Champions after beating Germany in the final of that competition as well, should have scored a second goal when Glory Hunter Pedro took on 2 defenders only to be dispossessed while Torres remained totally unmakred. It was a tough defeat for Germany who go out of the World Cup for the second consecutive tournament at the Semi Final stage. The Spanish win has now ensured that there will be a first time winner of the World Cup this year and a first time European team winning outside of Europe as well.

July 6 - Day 27

Semi Finals
Uruguay vs Netherlands result 2-3
In a game where the Dutch dominated possession for long periods but looked short on ideas at times, it was 2 goals in 3 minutes in the second half by Stars Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben that put the game away for the Netherlands. The Dutch were heavy favourites going into this game but they seemed tentative and lacking creativity in the opening minutes while trying to break down the defense of Urugauy. Uruguay were well organised and had good hustle on the ball which made the Dutch pass back a bunch in the opening stages. It seemed like a bit of a stalemate might ensue before a fantastic wonder goal by Captain Giovanni van Bronckhorst opened up the scoring for the Netherlands. Minutes later, and just before the half time whistle, Uruguay equalised with a cracking long range shot that should have been saved but was nonetheless impressive. Again the second half started slow and the game was bogged down in the midfield before Robben and Sneijder scored in quick succession to put the game away. The Netherlands will now face the winner of Germany vs Spain in their first appearence in the World Cup Final since 1978.

July 5 - Day 26

Semi Finals Preview
Report from Stuart in England
I thought the quarter finals were superb. Now England are out I can relax and enjoy the football. As you say, the number of surprise results has made this a great competition so far. So much for my Brazil v Argentina final! Both teams showed that under pressure they could not cope defensively and made key errors. The mistake by Cesar killed Brazil. I can imagine if that had been an English player his career would be finished, he would be annihilated by the press, like Beckham in 1998 and Seaman in 2002. As you say a Germany v Holland final would be great but Spain have been so lucky so far that you feel they might nick it. Especially as the Germans wasted at least two goals against the Argies.

Holland v Uruguay
You can't see Uruguay beating the Cloggies especially without Saurez, but who knows after what has happened so far! Uruguay still have Forlan to nick a goal but the Dutch have Sneijder, Van Persie and Robben which will be too much for a weakened Uruguay defence. Prediction Holland 2-0

Spain v Germany
Revenge for the Euro 2008 final seems on the cards for the Germans. The Spaniards have done just enough to beat Portugal and Paraguay courtesy of David Villa goals. If the Germans stop him, like they stopped Messi then the job will be easier. They might miss the suspended Mueller but should still have enough going forward if Schweinsteiger gets enough of the ball.
Prediction Germany 1-0

July 3 - Day 24
Quarter Finals

Argentina vs Germany result 0-4
Germany laid a serious beatdown on Argentina to make the Semi Finals of the World Cup for the second third straight tournament. Inspired by a top quality performance from Bastian Schweinsteiger and 2 goal hero Miroslav Klose, Germany scored 4 goals for the third time this tournament in what can only be described as a devastating attacking performance over Maradonas Argentina. 20 year old Thomas Mueller scored his 4th goal of the tournament in the first few minutes of the game on a set piece header swung in by Schweinsteiger to open the scoring. Going into the break Germany was holding on to their 1 goal lead but you knew Argentina would throw everything at them to get back in the game. Argentina did improve in the second half and created a period where wave after wave of attacks were foiled by a stout German defense. Lionel Messi in particular could not impose himself on the game as he usually does thanks to close marking by Schweinsteiger. This left Argentina to taking long shots from distance and struggling to threaten the German goal despite stretches of possession dominance and numerous shots on target. After repelling Argentinas best efforts to score Germany struck back and punished the South American side. First, Podolski burst into the box down the left and thread the ball across to Klose for an easy tap in. Moments later, with Argentina looking like they knew the game was up, Schweinsteiger weaved his way down the left again and crossed for Friedrich to bundle the ball in the net. By this point everyone could see Argentina were beat but the Germans would not let up. In the final minute of the game Schweinsteiger again made a run forward passed off to youngster Oezil who crossed in to Klose where he volleyed the ball into the net for his 14th career World Cup goal. The Germans put on a great performance and now will play Spain in a rematch of the 2008 European Cup Final that the Spanish won to go to the final of the World Cup.

Paraguay vs Spain result 0-1
David Villa scored another late goal to sneak Spain into their first Semi Final at a World Cup in their countries history. Villas goal in the 82nd minute was his fifth of the tournament and sealed the deal in what was otherwise a disappointing game that had some moments of high drama. Before the tie reached the hour Paraguay missed a prime chance to score when Oscar Cardozo's spot-kick was saved by Iker Casillas. Minutes later Spain was also awarded a penalty shot, Xabi Alonso scored his first effort but was forced to retake the shot because some Spanish players encroached into the area. This was a questionable decision at best and Alonso's second attempt was saved by Goalkeeper Justo Villar who then appeared to foul Cesc Fabregas as he scrambled to collect the rebound. All this drama was a brief flurry of excitement that was lacking during a game that saw relatively few other opportunities. Regardless Spain got the job done and will now play Germany on Wednesday for a place in the World Cup Final.

 July 1 - Day 22

Here are our football experts previews of the Quarter Finals that will be played on Friday and Saturday.

Netherlands v Brazil
Eagerly awaited clash between the flamboyant Brazilian and the pragmatic Dutch styles. The Brazilian’s have struggled in some games , notably against North Korea where they scraped home 2-1, but were excellent against Chile in the second round game. Have not really been tested defensively yet so it is difficult to say whether that is a strength or not. However, opposition defensive blankets put up by the Koreans and later Portugal stifled some of the Brazilian flair so the Dutch, who have yet to concede an open play goal, will pose some problems in that regard. Expect the Dutch to play a counter-attacking style and Brazil to rely a piece of brilliance from Robinho or Kaka to make a breakthrough. Prediction 1-0 Brazil

Uruguay v Ghana
Both teams have probably already exceeded their own pre-tournament expectations. Ghana have the extra pressure of being the sole African survivor and the possibility of being the first semi-finalist from that continent. Forlan and Suarez have led the line superbly for the Uruguayans while Gyan has been excellent for Ghana including a brilliant extra-time winner against the States in the last round. Ex-Spurs midfielder Kevin Prince Boateng has also caught the eye for Ghana. The African’s success has been built on a solid defence so far, but I think this is a step too far. Prediction Uruguay 2-0

Argentina v Germany
This is a repeat of the 2006 game at the same stage, which Germany won on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Argentina had beaten Mexico in the previous round in 2006, just as this time. Despite those bad omens Argentina must fancy revenge with their forward play having been the most impressive in this competition so far, 10 goals making them top scorers, narrowly ahead of the Germans on 9. On that basis a high-scoring game might be anticipated, but with the pressure on, it may be more a tactical battle. German coach Loew out-witted Capello in the last round and may do the same to World Cup novice Maradona. Expect close marking of Messi and probably Tevez as part of the plan. Prediction 1-1. Germany win on penalties (again!)

Paraguay v Spain
Like Uruguay and Ghana, the Paraguayans have probably gone further than they thought they would. Their expertise from penalties got them past Japan but this is a completely different proposition. Expect plenty of Spanish possession and with David Villa seemingly unstoppable a Spanish victory looks inevitable. Spain have improved as the tournament has progressed and even with a surprisingly out-of-form Torres struggling,  it would be a major surprise if they don’t progress in this one. Prediction Spain 2-0

Semi-finals would therefore be Brazil v Uruguay and Germany v Spain setting up a South America v  Europe climax nicely.

Stuart

June 30 - Day 21

This is the first day with no football games being played and with so much action in the last 2 weeks its a wake up call to know the tournament will be over soon. The round of 16 games had some great matches and they have set up some even more mouth watering Quarter finals. The 2 most anticipated games have to be Germany vs Argentina and the Netherlands vs Brazil with all 4 teams looking to be in peak form. Check out this hilarious and nasty video of the German coach Joachim Loew picking his nose then having a snack!

http://www.break.com/index/<wbr></wbr>german-soccer-coach-eats-<wbr></wbr>booger.html

Make sure you have the commentary up and it does not matter what language you speak that is just plain nasty.

Here is the final report from Stuart in England on his countries performance after he has had time to reflect, cry a little and move on:
As the rest of the world carries on paying attention to the world’s better football playing countries, insular England starts it’s self-examination as to why our footballers have once again failed to deliver at a major tournament. Let’s examine some of the possible excuses sorry, reasons.
1.       Fabio Capello – The Italian came in after Steve McLaren, so on that basis did not have much to do to improve on him. An easy qualifying group helped build up an image of some tactical genius. However, under- pressure in the tournament situation, he went back to the basic 4-4-2 formation that most successful teams ditched years ago. He wasn’t helped by injuries and lack of fitness of keys players notably Ferdinand and Rooney, but didn’t help his own cause by playing players out of position (Gerrard) or out of form (Barry and several others). Most damning of all, Heskey, what was that all about? Can the FA now afford to pay him off?
2.       The Players – Of this England squad, 13 had played in at least one previous World Cup finals. Of the remaining 10,three did not play at all (Warnock, Dawson & Hart). Of the other seven, only one (Milner) made his England debut in the last five years. In other words, they were all very ‘experienced’. Unfortunately most of that was experience of failure, so blaming the manager, when most of the current squad have seen off Eriksson, McLaren and probably Capello by consistently under-performing, is misplaced. Perhaps the ‘golden generation’ as it was laughably called at one stage, was not quite so golden after all!    
3.       Premier League – Supposedly one of the best (and richest) leagues in the world, but it does absolutely nothing to support the national team. This is because the Premier  League has no interest or motivation to help England. It is separate from the blundering Football Association, hence takes no action in the recruitment of large numbers of ‘foreign’ players in all the Premier League teams. Tellingly, the top three teams in the league last season contributed only six players to the England squad (Chelsea (4), Man United (2) and Arsenal (disgracefully 0)) whereas German champions Bayern Munich alone had seven players in their squad.
4.       Lack of motivation – The chronic under-performance of England’s key players raised questions as to their motivation. Before the Premier League riches, to earn the money most of the England team are now supposedly getting, it would have required a lucrative move to Italy or Spain. In the past, England players like Gary Lineker and David Platt did just that. Now none of the current squad has experience of playing ‘abroad’ because they have no financial motivation to do so. Equally, they don’t need to impress at the World Cup to attract an overseas club for the same reason.
5.       Lack of young talent/opportunity – As said above, this squad was ‘experienced’, the oldest average age in England World Cup history. Where were the younger players and why have they not come through to the senior squad except for Milner? These current under-21 internationals are indicative of the problem. After Joe Hart the next best young English goalkeeper is Scott Loach and he plays for Watford in the Championship, the second tier of English football. Michael Mancienne plays in defence, but had to be loaned out by Chelsea to Wolves for him to play Premier League games. Similarly, Midfielder Jack Wilshere spent the second half of last season on loan at Bolton as he could not earn a place at foreigner-dominated Arsenal. Striker Daniel Sturridge left Manchester City due to lack of opportunity and now finds himself reserve to Drogba and Anelka at Chelsea. I think you get the picture!
I could go on, but in summary the outlook is very bleak for England. While the Premier League and the FA pull on opposite directions, nothing will change. Sacking Capello will achieve nothing, because as England are ranked ninth in FIFA rankings they did not under-achieve by much!
What is required is some kind of long-term plan, because generally if you keep doing the same wrong things, the outcome will be the same. A minimum quota of English players in each squad is a must, as is the introduction of wage-capping which if not brought in will eventually bankrupt all the clubs. That might halt the inflow of foreign players and allow the young English talent to come through.
PS Nice of Blatter to apologise for the ineptness of the officials vs Germany and he might now ‘consider’ goal-line technology. Wow Thanks Sepp you English hating bastard

June 29 - Day 20

Paraguay vs Japan result 0-0 (5-3 penalties for Paraguay)
Not much to say on this game other than it was dull, certainly not top quality football and ended with no goals and Paraguay going through on penalties. With Paraguays laboured win they ensured that there will be 4 South American teams in the last 8 of the tournament.

Spain vs Portugal result 1-0
Spain survived a tough test from Portugal to book their place into the Quarter finals and a relatively easy draw against Paraguay. David Villa was again the saviour for Spain with a great performance and another crucial goal for his country. It was 2 years to the day that Spain beat Germany in the European Championships and they were not going to let neighbouring rivals Portugal ruin the anniversary. The Spanish had to survive a few a succession of missed chances by Portugal in the first half, but once Villa picked up his own rebound to knock it in they never looked in danger of letting the Portuguese back in the game. Spain have not made it past the Quarter Finals in a World Cup since 1950 and they look favoured to move on if they can keep this form going into their match with Paraguay.

June 28 - Day 19

Brazil vs Chile result 3-0
Brazil comfortably cruised into the Quarter Finals and remain the favourite to lift the World Cup trophy with a convincing win over a disappointing Chile side. From the start it became clear that Brazil would dominate possession with their expert passing and control which Chile really had no answer for. Goals from Juan, Luis Fabiano and Robinho put the match out of reach for Chile and with the exception of the first few minutes where they took the contest to their opponents they were outclassed and looked disorganized. With the win Brazil will now face the Netherlands on Friday who should offer a stiffer challenge.

Netherlands vs Slovakia result 2-1
A superb strike from Arjen Robben and a  late goal from Wesley Sneijder gave the Dutch a deserved victory over Slovakia to move onto the next round. In all honesty the Netherlands were not at their best for most of the game really didn't have to be as Slovakia (who qualified by beating former champs Italy in the final game) worked hard but could not finish their chances. Slovakia only scored with a penalty as time expired and everyone knew the game was over. The Netherlands, who have arguably had an easier ride that other teams so far this tournament, will need to seriously up their game if they plan to progress past Brazil on Friday.

June 26 - Day 16

The final group games that were played out over the last 2 days of the group stage were exciting and disappointing. The shock win by Slovakia over Italy was an exciting game that saw the champions sent home packing. The highly anticipated Brazil vs Portugal game ended up being a sleeper with neither team willing to take a run at each other for outright victory. Now we enter the knockout rounds there are some fantastic match ups that will create some great games. This is where the World Cup really heats up

Uruguay vs South Korea result 2-1
Striker Luis Suarez scored 2 goals and the winner only minutes from time to send his country through as the first team into the Quarter Finals. The game was fast paced and exciting as both teams took an attacking style of play into the game. Uruguay scored first in the first half and seemed to sit back and attempt to protect their lead. South Korea came in wave after wave until the got the equalizer they needed in the 68th minute on a set piece header. Uruguay came out of their shell with urgency and Suarez scored a spectacular curling shot off the inside of the post with only 10 minutes to go in the game to secure a huge victory. 

USA vs Ghana result 1-2 extra time
With a fantastic extra time goal by Asamoah Gyan Ghana became only the third African team in World Cup history to make the quarter finals. Ghana scored first in the first half with a solid low strike that should have been saved by USA keeper Howard. The Americans continued to battle to their credit and look the better side in the second half. Landon Donovan scored a penalty to equalize and that was enough to send the game into extra time.  Ghana took it to the Americans immediately in the third minute of extra-time when Gyan showed strength and composure to control a long ball forward with his chest and bury his strike from a wide angle despite the close proximity of two defenders.

Ghana vs Germany result 0-1
The Germans did just enough to beat a resilient Ghana side who deep down knew that even with a loss they were going to go through to the next round. There were chances aplenty for both sides but they just could not be converted with some poor finishing and blown first touches. One important note was the German midfielder star Schweinsteiger seemed to tweak a hamstring late in the game and was receiving treatment on the sidelines even as the game finished. English fans will be hoping that he will not feature in the heavily anticipated game on Sunday.

June 22 - Day 12

France vs South Africa result 1-2
The underdog hosts South Africa pulled off a huge victory over the controversy hit French team. France were down to 10 men after another harsh decision in the first half on a high elbow but South Africa were certainly the side who wanted it more and pulled of a great win to finish their tournament. France looked terrible and all the off field incidents must have taken their toll. South Africa on the other hand played well and even had a chance to make the knockout rounds near the end of the game with a free kick if they had been able to convert.

Mexico vs Uruguay result 0-1
Uruguay looked the better side in this match that was a little dull as both teams really only needed a draw to make it through to the next round. Mexico certainly looked fragile at the back and will be in tough against any team they face in the next round. Uruguay continued a run of good performances at this World Cup with holding another opponent from scoring. Uruguay tops Group A with this performance and look strong all round as they head into the next round.

Greece vs Argentina result 0-2
Argentina beat a Greek team who just didn't look up for the match to win their 3rd consecutive game and convincingly move on to the next round at the top of their group. Messi had some moments of brilliance in many of Argentina's attacking moves but could not get that elusive goal. Greece never really threatened and went out of the tournament quietly. Argentina will now play Mexico in the next round which is a repeat match of the last 16 round in Germany 4 years ago.

Nigeria vs South Korea result 2-2
South Korea will advance as the second seed in Group B with their hard fought draw against a decent Nigerian side. Nigeria looked better than any previous game and created chances throughout the game after taking the lead early on from a tap in from Uche. South Korea battled back and took the lead before a few shocking missed chances by Nigerian Yakubu. Nigeria seemed to tire in the late stages and the Koreans held on to make it to the next round to face Uruguay.

June 21 - Day 11

An important story has developed over the last day with veteran France striker Nikolas Anelka being sent back to France by the coach after an argument with the coach. The players were so put out with their team mate being sent home they all refused to train the next day!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/<wbr></wbr>fr/-/sport2/hi/football/world_<wbr></wbr>cup_2010/8750302.stm
There are rumours swirling around that they might boycott their final group game! What a complete disaster for French football.

Portugal vs North Korea result 7-0
For a good portion of the first half and the first few minutes of the second half North Korea created some good chances for themselves and had some threats on the Portuguese goal in the rain of Cape Town. However when Simao scored Portugals second goal on the 53rd minute the flood gates opened and didn't stop the onslaught of goals until the final whistle. Simply put this game turned into a shit kicking of North Korea, the worst loss in their football history. Portugal now look set to make it through to the knockout rounds and the game against Brazil later this week will be highly anticipated.

Chile vs Switzerland result 1-0
A goal by Mark Gonzalez in the 75th minute gave Chile the win in a lively game with plenty of fouls and another impressive defensive performance by 10 man Switzerland. With that goal scored on the 75th minute by the South Americans the Swiss had set a new record for the longest run without conceding a goal in World Cup history, and they played with only 10 men from the 30 minute mark. A shocking 9 yellow cards and one red were handed out by the Saudi ref who clearly was out of his depth on the big World Cup stage and with many of his decision questionable it is almost certain his world cup is over. Chile played well and once again played some great attacking football. With their win they look poised to move onto the next round but a big test against Spain still awaits later this week.

Spain vs Honduras result 2-0
The heavily touted Spanish team got their game going at this World Cup with a comfortable win over Honduras. David Villa scored 2 impressive goals to lead his team to 3 points but if Spain could have had some more polished and clinical finishing the scoreline could have been much much higher. The Spanish played with an intensity that was sorely lacking when they lost to Switzerland in their first game as they swarmed all over Honduras. Fernando Torres was woeful in his finishing on the day and had a number chances the usually would have been put away by the world class striker. If the only criticism we have over this game on Spain was they should have scored more its a sign of good things to come for the team and everyone else should watch out if they really hit their potential.

June 20 - Day 10

As most of the world and Africa have been enjoying the entertainment and competition of the World Cup in South Africa the unfortunate people of Somalia have been threatened with death and beatings if they get caught watching the Football. The Islamists who control large swathes of the country have little militia guys who cruise around ensuring the games are not being played because apparently sports in general run contrary to the strict beliefs they hold.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/<wbr></wbr>world/africa/10307512.stm

This kind of narrow minded, ignorant view of life is what alienates much of the world from followers of Sharia Law and strict Islam. Travelling Backflip feels for these people and heartily supports anyone who still takes the risk to feel normal and watch this tournament on their own continent in Somalia.

Paraguay vs Slovakia result 2-0
The first half of this game was quite lively with Paraguay really pushing forward, creating chances and looking much the better side. A goal was imminent from the pressure they were putting on and it was a great one, Paraguays best player of the game Enrique Vera took a good cross pass in the box at full pace and while off balance falling down he struck the ball outside of the boot into the corner of the net. World class goal. Slovakia did not even manage a shot on net in the first half and they looked vastly outclassed. The second half dipped in quality of entertainment was Paraguay didn't keep the same tempo up and Slovakia really didn't have the skills to threaten this style of play. Paraguay did end up grabbing a second goal on a free kick that banged around in the box before Christian Riveros smacked the ball into the net. Paraguay are now in the driving seat to qualify in this group.

Italy vs New Zealand result 1-1
Even though it wasn't a loss for Italy this rresult was quite possibly the upset of the tournament so far. The 5th ranked Champions being held by the 78th ranked Kiwis.
New Zealand scored a quick 7th minute goal when Italian Cannavaro fumbled a New Zealand free kick into the feet of Kiwi Shane Smelz giving the underdogs a huge boost. However New Zealand are really a few classes below the current World Champions and the Italians kept to their game pressing forward and were rewarded with a penalty kick before the 30 minute mark to pull even. The second half started with more Italian domination, they had more corners, more possession and more chances on goal but nothing could break through the remarkably stout Kiwi defense. As the last 15 minutes started to count down it looked like Italy were running out of ideas to break down New Zealand and the Kiwi keeper Pashtun was just amazing making some key saves. This is an upset of epic proportions and now New Zealand has a chance to qualify for the knockout rounds!!

Brazil vs Ivory Coast result 3-1
Brazil finally broke out and played like everyone expected with a great 3 goal performance over Ivory Coast before the game finished in ugly fashion with some horrible referee decisions. The game had both teams in the early stages go back and forth before Luis Fabiano scored a fantastic goal on the short side top corner. It was a great build up with Robinho and Kaka combining to slot the ball through to Fabiano and he scored in impressive fashion. The first half finished with only the one goal by Brazil and there was more Samba magic to come in the second half with Brazil picking up where they left off and creating some good attacking moves. Brazil did score a second goal when Luis Fabiano clearly used his arm to control the ball down and this was the beginning of some very contentious decisions in the match. 12 minutes later Kaka was instrumental in setting up the third Brazilian goal with a great effort to chase down a ball and cross it in to Elano who easily slot away the ball. The defending should have been much better by Ivory Coast on this third goal. The game then became almost farcical with plenty of diving and rolling around by each side. Then a horrendous decision by the ref to Red Card Kaka on what was the most DISGRACEFUL dive by the Ivory Coast player who ran into Kaka at a light jog and collapsed holding his face. Brazilian coach Dunga and the players were rightly furious at how the game ended but they still got the 3 points and will move on to the next round looking very dangerous.

June 19 - Day 9

Netherlands vs Japan result 1-0
The Dutch should have finished the game 3-0 as they had 2 late chances missed or well saved by the Japanese keeper. The first half it must be said was a very dull affair with both teams tentative in going forward. The second half was much better when early on the Dutch midfielder Wesley Snejder scored a cracking shot from outside the box. The keeper really should have done better to keep out this shot as it was right at him but it had so much pace it powered into the back of the net. Japan then threw the shackles off and started attacking. They had a few good chances and some great pressure for stretches of the second half as they tried to come back but the quality of the Dutch team was just too good in the end. The Netherlands now join Argentina with 2 opening wins and they are the best European side so far in this tournament.

Ghana vs Australia result 1-1
With the shock result the day before when Serbia beat group favourites Germany this game meant alot more as the spots in the group were still fully up for grabs. Australia certainly started the game with real purpose and had a couple of really good chances. They then went ahead by a goal when they caught Ghana out of position. However their lead did not last very long as Aussie veteran Harry Kewell was red carded for a hand ball on the line giving Ghana a penalty that was quickly converted. The rest of the game saw chances for both sides even thought Australia was down to 10 men. Ghana has to be disappointed with their performance being up a man for almost 60 minutes and not being able to capitalize.

Report from Footside in Australia:
Once again the story of Australia's World Cup involvement revolves around the dismissal of one of it's key players. I'm not sure if FIFA keep such records, but by my calculation, over the two group games, Australia has only managed to field 11 men for a total of 81 minutes. That surely must be a World Cup record of sorts - no matter how undesirable.
With the upset of Serbia beating the understrength Germans, Group D was finely balanced, with Australia needing the full 3 points to match their rivals. Much was made about the ageing Australian squad taking on the pacey youth of the Ghanaians, and the spirited start to the game yielded an Australian goal on the 11 minute mark.
However almost immediately Ghana returned with a number of forays into the Australian final third, and within 15 minutes a rifled shot struck the goal-line stranded Harry Kewell on the arm. Replays show a slight movement in the arm vindicating the straight red card shown to the out of position striker. The resulting penalty kick was also dispatched, leveling the scores.
With Australia unable to field either of their 2 prefered strikers, and suffering the now familair burden of numerical disadvantage, the Ghanaians should have pushed to close out the game and secure further qualification. Interestingly it was the Australians who took control for large spells of the second half, the greatest chance comming with Luke Wilkshire unable to beat the keeper after being gifted a beautiful through ball.
The Ghanaians also threatened, with Schwarzer forced into a number of diving saves, however the Black Stars were far from convincing, and ultimately the game finished 1-1, elevating the Ghanaians to top of the group and condemning the Aussies to last.
Interestingly Australia still have a mathematical chance of qualification, though this rests on the extremely unlikely proposition that Ghana defeat Germany in their last game.
To the Australian credit, they played a far superior game than the insipid performance put forth against the Germans. The mid week media battering of all-and-sundry, I think galvanised the Australian sqaud, and when confronted again with the red card adversity they were determined not to respond as they had a few days earlier.
This will be the final world cup of a number of Australia's 'golden oldies', and I expect the penultimate game against Serbia to be a draw or a grinding pragmatic win for the Aussies

Cameroon vs Denmark result 1-2
In a back and forth game that was exciting and also shocking at how poorly both defenses played, Denmark was able to pull off a big win and get back in the group. Denmark specifically had terrible defensive breakdowns that could have seen their side down much more than just one goal. A fantastic low driving goal from the left by Rommehdal was pure quality and it proved to be the winner in the 61st minute. Cameroon are now officially out of the World Cup with this loss.

June 18 - Day 8

Germany vs Serbia result 0-1
Another big upset of the tournament was Serbia dispatching Germany in a foul filled game with plenty of cards and a poor red card decision. Germany had chances but just couldn't seem to convert before they went down to 10 men. One of last game goal scores, Miroslav Klose took red carded in a contentious decision on a weak tackle. Milan Jovanic scored on the 35th minute mark with a decent volley but Germany had already wasted a bunch of chances with Lukas Podolski looking particularly suspect. With Germany losing their first Group Game at a World Cup since 1986 they now must beat Ghana to ensure their path through to the next round. Quite a change of fortune since the blowout over Australia.

England vs Algeria result 0-0
This game was frustrating to watch. Rooney is struggling, the team looks disjointed, Lampard can't seem to generate any forward passing and where is Joe Cole!!! There is no width with no decent left winger, Lennon and Wright Phillips look weak.
Report from Stuart in England:

England’s disappointing start to the World Cup continued with a dismal goalless draw with Algeria. Slovenia now top the group despite losing a 2 goal lead to the States in a 2-2 draw. England now have to beat them to qualify and on the evidence of these first two performances that looks unlikely. While we are used to these setbacks it doesn’t necessarily make it any easier to watch and suffer

We knew all was not well when Capello started with Heskey again. We might have got away with that but Rooney is obviously not fit, effectively blunting the ‘strike-force’. We were then reliant on the midfield getting up to support the ‘strikers’ but Gerrard was out on the left to accommodate the pedestrian Barry. As for Lampard, even his greatest supporters must have wondered if it was an imposter in his shirt. Even when presented with England’s best chance he hit a tame effort that the keeper saved comfortably.

Luckily the Algerians did not believe the evidence of their own eyes that England were there for the taking. James in goal flapped as usual but luckily was not forced into any meaningful action.. Capello saved his most perplexing decision for his first substitution taking off Lennon who looked the most likely to create something and replaced him with Wright-Philips who once again failed to deliver a decent cross. He then gave Defoe 15 minutes and Crouch 5 when his original striker selection had mis-fired for 75, bizarre or what?

The headlines will no doubt centre on Rooney who said to the camera as he walked off "nice to see your own fans booing". After his abject display he would have been better keeping his mouth shut and any fans who were booing were probably joined by the millions watching on TV.

The only positive thing is that it is still in England’s own hands. If they beat Slovenia on Wednesday they will qualify but if they end up in second and have to play the Germans it will be their own fault.

USA vs Slovenia result 2-2
This was probably the most exciting and best game of the day even though it still ended in a draw. The first half had all kinds of chances for both teams but even though Slovenia had fewer opportunities they scored 2 nice goals to go into halftime in the dream position up by 2 goals. However the USA showed the kind of resolve it would be nice to see from England when they battled back to tie up the game. The States should have gone up 3-2 when a seemingly good goal was disallowed in the final minutes. The draw keeps Slovenia top of the group and all to play for against England on Wednesday.

Spain vs Switzerland result 0-1
Upset of the tournament so far. Spain, highly touted tournament favourites, were beaten by Switzerland today in a match where they dominated possession but their final attack was missing. With a host of superstars the Spanish team looked like it was only a matter of time before they would break down the Swiss defense early on but time after time their possession passing failed to break through. Then a long ball from the Swiss on the 52nd min to Fernandes was bundled into the net and the upset of the tournament was on. In only their second loss in 49 games Spain almost pulled even when Xabi Alonso unleashed a cracking shot off the bar, but as the Spanish became desperate the game became stretched and Switzerland rang one off the post before the game. As the final whistle went the Swiss had completed an unlikely victory and Spain now has an uphill climb to qualify for the next round.

South Africa vs Uruguay result 0-3
Diego Forlan scored twice as Uruguay proved convincingly that they were the better side of hosts South Africa. South Africa had a few chances throughout the game but most of them were tame and easily contained by the South Americans. Midway through the first half Forlan unleashed a 30 yard shot that was slightly deflected and dipped under the bar, even with the deflection it was an impressive shot considering how few decent long shots there have been this tournament. Fast forward to the 75th minute and Forlan again scored on a penalty which finally quieted the home fans as they streamed out of the stadium.

June 13 - Day 3

Slovenia vs Algeria 1-0 result
- A fairly boring game overall. The goal by Slovenia was weak and really should have been saved. Highlight was an Algerian supporter who climbed to the top of one of the light towers on top of the stadium and had a crowd of police waiting underneath for him to come down for a beating.

Serbia vs Ghana 0-1 result
- An upbeat game with several chances for both sides. Serbia looking the more dangerous team with lots of service into the box from the wings but nothing to show for it. Drama late in the game when a Serbian central defender received a harsh second yellow card and sending off. Up against it, a silly hand ball in the box cost Serbia a penalty kick which gave Ghana the win.

Germany vs Australia 4-0 result
- Germany provided arguably the best game of the tournament so far with a 4 nil thrashing of Australia in a game where the socceroos looked vastly outclassed. Germany is another Travelling Backflip team favourite after spending the last world cup supporting the host nation so todays big game was eagerly anticipated and the Germans showed once again why they are always a tournament favourite. Podolski, the 2006 World Cup young player of the tournament, scored the opening goal in the 8th minute with a cracking left boot. His striking partner Klose had a couple of great chances squandered before he scored a brilliant header from captain Phillip Lahms cross. Up 2-0 at the break Germany came out firing again in the second half and had a host of chances from the youngster Ozil stopped of missed. Then Australian star Tim Cahill was harshly sent off on a straight red card for a bad challenge and Germany comfortably scored 2 more goals before the game was done. Goalkeeper Schwarzer was the only reason the scoreline was not much higher.
Germany were certainly the first team so far this tournament to convincingly look like they should be considered a top contender.

From Footside in Australia:
For a small sporting nation so used to punching above their weight on the international stage, Australia's 4-0 drubbing was a timely reminder of football reality. A reality which was stereotypically delivered with all the efficiency and force of a nation who is rightly considered football royalty.
It was almost contemptous that some local pundits predicted Australia could win this match. Seemingly energised with this delusion, 20,000 people braved the 4.30am kickoff and near freezing conditions to pack an outdoor 'fan fest', while many tens of thousands more took their expectations to their local bars and living rooms.
To put things into simple perspective, consider two facts;
1) Germany has won the World Cup three times
2) Australia, who have only qualified for the finals on two previous occasions, have won only a single game in their world cup final history
The outcome, as already commented by travellingbackflip.com, was comphrensive.
So the balloon of expectation, carelessly inflated by hot air and pushed beyond its weak fabric, burst in spectacular fashion. It wasn't just a loss. It was 4 goals conceded, 16 shots against and 1 man down. The kind of performance which at face value made Australia the worst performing nation in the finals.
And the outrage was blanket-broadcast. Images of disgruntled fans coupled with hysterical sound bytes of shattered dreams and injustice.
All this, as still people failed to credit a wholely superior team with a deservedly superior performance and a scoreline reflective of this.
Australia was never going to beat Germany, regardless of patriotic optimism, this should not have been a surprise. I only fear that the suspension of the talismanic Tim Cahill will be more psychologically detrimental than a four goal loss to the group seeds. Ghana's win in the earlier game makes the equation fairly simple for Australia's qualification hope. A win-win will only suffice.

June 12 - Day 2

South Korea vs Greece 2-0 result
- South Korea created some great attacking football for the first 25 min and were rewarded with goals. The game was quiet from there on out with Greece looking the lesser team as the speedy Koreans pressed forward

Argentina vs Nigeria 1-0 result
- Argentina certainly looked like the better side for most of the match but with 30 min left they decided not too take any chances and just pass the ball around which was disappointing. Nigeria came close in the final minutes but ultimately were denied victory

England vs USA 1-1 result
- Travelling Backflip are big England supporters and with the English missing the 2008 European Cup this was the first game for the national team at a big tournament in 4 years. England looked great for the first few minutes of the game with captain Steven Gerrard scoring on the 4th minute but after that the USA were stout in the midfield and were able to limit England to only a few chances. The USA goal was shockingly weak with a tame shot put on keeper Green who fumbled it into the net. There were certainly questions about the starting England side and their shaky defense but I will let Stuart talk about that

From Stuart in England:
What a surprise, England failed to beat the Yanks and were unconvincing for the most part.
The first mistake was going against one of the basic rules of football, never score in the first five minutes. To be fair Heskey did well to lay the ball off for Gerrard who finished low past Howard impressively. But the Yanks had their chances and if Altodore was any good he would have glanced in the equalizer shortly afterwards. Milner got a yellow and looked dodgy so Capello hooked him off after half an hour and Wright-Philipps who came on did ok but Lennon looked more likely on the other side. Then on 40, Dempsey’s low effort somehow got past Green and it was all square. There were doubts about all England’s keepers pre-tournament and this just brought it home. To be fair Green did quite well to turn Altodore’s effort onto the post in the second half  after he had gone past Carragher with embarrassing ease. He had replaced King, who as predicted by me a few days ago only lasted until half-time before getting injured, what a surprise(not). Heskey’s finishing prowess was shown again when Lennon put him clean through, shooting straight at Howard. Rooney shot just wide but was marked superbly by Onyewu and DeMerit.
Overall, a draw was a bit disappointing but these first game let-downs are nothing new

June 11 - OPENING DAY

South Africa vs Mexico 1-1 result
- Hosts South Africa looked far better than expected and exploited some of the apparent defensive weaknesses of Mexico. Great goal by South Africa a cracking top corner shot

France vs Uruguay 0-0 result
- Poor game all round really, France looked weak and for some reason has Henry on the bench as a sub for this tournament. France had more of the play but Ribery tried to do too much