African Nations

Yes, not beating a weakened Ghana will greatly improve Australia's chances of making the last 16.

Will do nothing for them (other than probably get them the 3rd place in the group) if they can't beat the Krauts and Serbs, who are the best teams in the group.

Win and a draw?

Maybe. Maybe not. Can't rely on 4 points to carry you through every time.

South Africa drop striker McCarthy

South Africa's all-time leading scorer Benni McCarthy was one of five players cut from the World Cup hosts' squad on as coach Carlos Alberto Parreira settled on his 23 players for the tournament.

The decision to ditch McCarthy was a major surprise but follows criticism concerning the forward's fitness. Parreira also dropped defender Bryce Moon and goalkeeper Rowen Fernandez in two other surprise cuts.

Parreira sympathised with the players cut from the squad and thanked them for their commitment.

"My heart bleeds for them," he said.

"Put your heads up. Life goes on. We are only allowed to take 23 but thank you very much for your efforts, your attitude and commitment. A team is when somebody shares the same vision, whether you are playing or on the bench."

McCarthy's omission effectively brings down the curtain on a turbulent international career in which he won 79 caps and netted a record 31 goals.

McCarthy played at the 1998 and 2002 World Cup finals but had a stormy relationship with the national side, twice retiring from international football when it conflicted with his club career in Europe, making him a deeply divisive figure in South Africa.

A recent knee injury saw McCarthy play little for English club side West Ham this year and he was criticised when he joined up with the preliminary World Cup squad for being overweight and out of condition.

Sauce

Jon Obi Mikel - has taken himself out of Nigeria squad -as he doesn't want to risk long-term knee damage (and his pay check)

clearly, not made of the same stuff as our Timmo!!

(feel free not to take that personally Chelsea fans)

AT LEAST IT WASN'T BACKFLIPPING GOAL SCORING SUPERSTAR OBAFEMI MARTINS

Nigeria vs Korea DPR overnight.  Nigeria likely to win?  You'd think so, having said that China beat France and Slovenia scraped past us so who knows. loyalgunner2010-06-06 23:13:17

^
^

Nigeria won 3-1

goalscorer: O. Martins

Yeah, I lol'd when he scored.

get on him for Golden Boot
I tell you Forlan @ $40 on the NZTAB has me seriously thinking about revisiting me punishing them ala Suker @$35 in '98

Doco on TVNZ7 now

Wednesday & Sunday at 7.10pm, Thursday & Monday at 9.10am & 1.10pm

Wed 9th, Thurs 10th, Sun 13th and Mon 14th June: Football Fables

The FIFA World Cup will be held in Africa for the first time this June and TVNZ 7 is gearing up for its FIFA coverage with a profile of Africa's global football stars and the hype of the game.

Football is a religion in Africa and every youngster dreams of reaching the English Premier League to become the next Muntari or Essien.

But how exactly does a child kicking a ball in a rural African field end up at a top European Club? What system ensures that, if he's good enough, this youngster will come to the attention of Jose Mourinho or Sir Alex Ferguson? What happens when these sheltered youths leave their familiar comfort zones and experience the culture shock of a cosmopolitan Europe for the first time?

Football Fables goes to Ghana the 'Brazil of Africa' to examine exactly what it takes to make this transition through the eyes of a talented local teenager, a Ghanaian international at one of Europe's most elite football clubs and Manchester United's chief African scout.

With unparalleled access, the documentary sheds light on the strange symbiotic relationship whereby talented and naive young players collide with the murky waters of agents, managers and bureaucrats, a combination which, although far from perfect, manages to produce some of the best players in the world.

Ghana get the first win for Africa this time around - and against the Serbs, which makes it all the sweeter.