Soccer - Football Scores: November 2009

Ruud van Nistelrooy Best Wallpapers

Ruud van Nistelrooy Picture

Ruud van Nistelrooy Wallpapers

Ruud van Nistelrooy Best Wallpapers

Ricardo Kaka Football Players

Ricardo Kaka Football Player

Ricardo Kaka Poster

Ricardo Kaka Best Action

FIFA branded Sony Ericsson W995 handset to give away

Like a disgruntled ex-partner arriving at your home with 14-inch two-handed pruning shears and designs on your thumbs, life can sometimes take you by surprise.

Take this week. One minute I’m writing a 200-word rant on why The Socceroos is a rubbish nickname; the next I’m giving a phone away.

That’s right, some marketing bod contacted me to offer a FIFA branded Sony Ericsson W995 handset to one lucky World Cup Bafana Bafana 2010 visitor.

You could win the phone for FREE by answering this simple question and leaving your name and address in the Comments box below this post:

Excluding penalties, how many goals did England score in the last World Cup finals?

You have until August 23rd to submit your answer and contact details.

The winner will be announced here on August 24th. Good luck!

If you win the phone, enter your details at www.WinTheTickets.co.uk, including the IMEI number, and you will automatically be entered into a prize draw:

Daily Prizes: 1 x Sony BRAVIA TV

Every day a stylish 40-inch Sony BRAVIA TV is up for grabs.

Weekly Prizes: 2 x pairs of tickets to the 2010 FIFA World Cup

Win two pairs of tickets to a 2010 FIFA World Cup match. Flights and three nights in 4-star accommodation are included.

Grand Prize: 1 x 2010 FIFA World Cup Golden Ticket

This golden ticket entitles the winner to a pair of tickets to every game their country plays – including the final. This once in a lifetime prize includes flights and 4-star accommodation.

PS. If anyone from Sony Ericsson is reading this, I’ve got my eye on your X1 and World Cup finals tickets / accommodation. Just thought you might like to know that.

Early qualifiers for next year Pt 5

Australia

Let’s cut to the chase. Anyone who connives in the use of ridiculous footballing nicknames deserves all the bile they get.

Don’t get me wrong. I think Blue Samurai (Japan) is great, if a little pseudo-pornographic.

In the absence of a witty way to say hallucinogenic cake munching quarter final fodder, Oranjes does for the Dutch.

And who could fail to be impressed by the mighty Les Eperviers (The Sparrowhawks) of Togo? Not me.

However, I draw the line at The Socceroos. If ever a nickname was so false and calculated to make even simpletons puke into a bucket, this surely is it.

First, there are plenty of other animals in Australia which could be appended to the word “soccer”. Koalas spring to mind, as do the grey-headed flying fox and the Sugar Glider (a small arboreal possum which, as its name suggests, can glide between trees).

But my real problem is this. The game we are talking about is “football”, not “soccer”. Get that right and I might take a passing interest in the Flying Footy Foxes next summer.

TV Channel launched football, SA Direct, South Africa, World Cup 2010

Last night I was scanning the Sky channel list looking for something interesting to watch. The listings were bulging with docu-programmes featuring strangers telling each other how to live their lives. Not my cup of tea.

Then I spotted SA Direct (SKY 270). "This is unusual," I thought. "An entire channel devoted to the street thugs instrumental in Hitler's rise to power. Apart from the sheer inappropriateness of the idea, surely this should be on The History Channel alongside Hitler's Bodyguards and Hitler's Sock Darners?"

But the handy information box told a different story. SA Direct is short for Southern Africa Direct, a channel which quickly got to the heart of the matter by promising lots of news and views about next year's World Cup. There is other stuff but I know what I like.

Have a look when you get the chance.

The countdown begins Bafana Bafana, England, football, South Africa, World Cup 2010

The countdown to next year’s World Cup in South Africa starts now. Thanks for joining me on the journey to Soccer City Johannesburg, venue for the final on July 11th 2010.

Incidentally, you’re joining a blogger who compares football-free summers with the scene in Misery where Kathy Bates breaks James Caan’s legs.

I experience similar gut-wrenching pain every two years as the rest of the nation hoorahs its way through the lawn tennis championships and cricket games.

And yes I know we’ve had the Confederations Cup, but it’s just not the same, is it?

Thankfully the football starts again in August, promising much before the international squads muster in May for what is officially known as 2010 FIFA World Cup South AfricaTM.

Here it will be known as World Cup Bafana Bafana 2010. I have decided to do this for two reasons. One, Bafana Bafana or ‘The Boys’ is the nickname of the South African team. Two, I just like it.

That’s enough background. Keep coming back for more on the teams who qualify throughout the summer and autumn. Eventually this blog will include reports, analysis, the World Cup final draw, and lots of other stuff.

World Cup Bafana Bafana 2010 here we come!

AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS ANGOLA 2010: GROUP A

1251715269-a Group A of the Africa Cup of Nations Angola 2010 has Angola, Algeria, Mali and Malawi. According to the November 2009 rankings the teams rank as follows (World, Africa): Angola (94, 20), Mali (47, 7), Algeria (28, 4), Malawi (94, 21).

Malawi is the worst ranked team in the group but as we know, rankings don’t mean anything. (”FIFA’s rankings are not exactly foolproof, and it’s not at all difficult to imagine a team like Ireland or Ukraine beating a team like Portugal or France over two legs come November 14th and 18th“). Did Morocco (67, 12), Guinea (75, 15), Uganda (78, 16), South Africa (86, 17) Senegal (89, 18), qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations Angola 2010?

On 6 July 1993, Rwanda – ranked 119th in the world (then)- sensationally beat Ghana 1-0 at home in Group 5, in a match Ghana’s Black Stars only needed to draw to go to Tunisia (2004 Africa Cup of Nations). But Jimmy Gatete’s 60th minute goal was enough to turn the group on its head and see Rwanda make it to the finals at the expense of one of Africa’s most high-profile sides. Some may say the example is outdated. Fine. Let me give you a recent example. Malawi (94,21) drew 1-1 against Ivory Coast (16, 2).

What the coaches said after the draw:

Angola coach Manuel Jose: “Angola has a strong chance. This is the best of groups we can envisage. We have avoided the ‘big teams’ and it is good for us”

Algeria coach Setif Entente: “I am satisfied with the draw. It’s a good group compared to Ivory Coast’s or Cameroon’s, which are both difficult. I think we have a very good chance to advance to the quarter finals.”

Malawi Coach Kinnah Phiri: “It’s a fair draw for Malawi. It gives us the possibility to qualify. It’s not a group of death. It’s really favorable but we need thorough preparations.” (Do you remember the “which team in pot 1 would you want Malawi to play against?” poll?).

Former Angolan football legend Akwa: “It’s not just Algeria and Angola that could go through, Mali have a good national team and they can give us a lot of problems” he said. However, when asked how far Angola can go, he said “I believe we can reach the final”.

AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS ANGOLA 2010

1251715269-a The draw date for the Angola 2010 Africa Cup of Nations is Friday, November 20, 2009 in Luanda.

The draw of the 27th edition of Africa’s showpiece football event will see 16 teams being divided into four groups for the tourney that spans, January 10-31, 2010.

The three-week tourney, the first of its kind to be hosted by the Southern African country will take place in four cities; Luanda, Cabinda, Benguela and Lobango.

Of the four teams in each of the five Groups, the top three will join hosts Angola for the continental fiesta whilst the group winners’ qualify for the Mundial.

There will be 4 groups, each with 4 teams. Group “A” teams will be based in the Angolan capital, Luanda; Group B – Cabinda, Group C – Benguela and Group D – Lubango.

The group phase matches will span January 10–21 to be followed by the knockout stages set for January 24-25. The semi-finals have been fixed for Thursday, January 28 in Luanda and Benguela, with the third place match also slated for Benguela two days later. Luanda will host the final on Sunday, January 31.

Don’t rule out Malawi. Football is not played on paper. It is played on the pitch. Switzerland are playing against Nigeria tomorrow in the Finals of the FIFA Under 17 World Cup Nigeria 2009. On their way to the finals they beat Brazil, Germany, Italy, et al.

Will We Learn The Reason For Our WC 2010 Failure?

A nice film is coming up that may answer some questions about our poor performances in the WC 2010 qualifiers. Filmmakers from the TV channel Orange Sport were accompanying our team throughout the campaign and filmed the most interesting bits and pieces. The trailer looks really encouraging, I just hope the film itself doesn’t refrain from controversy.

Unfortunately, I don’t have Orange Sport in my local cable TV, but I’m sure that the film will pop up on the net sooner or later. If someone grabs hold of it earlier please provide the links in the comments section.

Other news: Franz Smuda is continuing his fight to strengthen the national team. He’s about to meet Robert Acquafresca’s mother in the next copule of days and discuss her son’s inclusion into the Bialo Czerwoni team. Ewa Murkowska, Robert’s mother, says that Smuda presents a much better approach than Leo Beenhakker as he’s really seriously interested in Acquafresca’s decision. If things go smoothly we may have a new striker for the friendly against Bulgaria next year. Another player that is considered for the national team is Bayer Leverkusen’s defender Lukas Sinkiewicz. He’s already got 3 caps for Germany, but he hasn’t played in a qualifying or a tournament game yet, hence he’s available to play us. Our assistant manager Tomasz Waldoch is to deal with this particular case.

AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS ANGOLA 2010 HOCUS POCUS

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Group games of the Africa Cup of Nations Angola 2010 will be played from 10-21 January 2010. First game will be on January 10 between two of the Group A Teams: Angola (hosts) and Mali. Till then there is really nothing to write home about.

“There is nothing to write about, you say. Well then, write and let me know just this – that there is nothing to write about; or tell me in the good old style if you are well. That’s right. I am quite well.” – Pliny the Younger (62 AD – 114 AD), Letters

From the above “hocus pocus” there is a possibility that one group (or two) may produce two (or four) of the four teams that will make it to the Semi-Finals.

From the above "hocus pocus" which group do you think may produce 2 of the 4 teams that will make it to the semi-finals?

Group A: Angola, Mali, Malawi, Algeria
Group B: Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo
Group C: Egypt, Nigeria, Mozambique, Benin
Group D: Cameroon, Gabon, Zambia, Tunisia
None: Each group will produce one team

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From the above “hocus pocus” which group do you think may produce 2 of the 4 teams that will make it to the semi-finals?(answers)