| Team | Goals For | Goals For Average | Matches Played |
 Burkina Faso | 21 | 2.3 | 9 |
 Côte d'Ivoire | 20 | 2.2 | 9 |
 Mali | 17 | 1.9 | 9 |
 Ghana | 16 | 1.8 | 9 |
| Team | Goals For | Goal For Average | Matches Played |
 El Salvador | 36 | 2.4 | 15 |
 Costa Rica | 34 | 2.6 | 13 |
 USA | 33 | 2.5 | 13 |
 Mexico | 24 | 1.8 | 13 |
| Team | GF | GFA | MP |
 England | 26 | 3.7 | 7 |
 Germany | 18 | 3.0 | 6 |
 Bosnia-Herzegovina | 18 | 3.0 | 6 |
 Poland | 18 | 3.0 | 6 |
Wellington's Westpac Stadium has been selected as the host venue for New Zealand's World Cup play-off against Saudi Arabia or Bahrain, announced New Zealand Football (NZF).
North Harbour Stadium and Waikato Stadium also tendered bids to stage the 14 Nov match but Wellington won out because of its bigger capacity.
"With a match of this magnitude we need to give ourselves the best possible chance of qualifying," NZF chief executive Michael Glading said in a statement. "If players feel more comfortable in one venue and we can get an extra 8000 fans playing their part, that could just be the edge needed to realise the dream of reaching the World Cup again."
Saudi Arabia and Bahrain play each other home and away in September with the winner to host New Zealand on 10 Oct before the return leg in Wellington. New Zealand have qualified for the FIFA World Cup™ once, in 1982, but advanced to the play-offs this time after winning the Oceania qualifying division. "This fixture is easily the most important football match ever played in New Zealand," Glading said.
It is one of the many tragedies of the apartheid era in South Africa that footballers from the country were denied a chance to perform on the international stage.Yet there were South Africans who did manage to taste international football, but had to represent other countries to compete at that level.
Hodgson the hero
The first real superstar of South African football was Gordon Hodgson, who played in the country's first-ever international against Northern Ireland in Belfast in 1924.
He later went on to play for Liverpool and England and his record of 17 hat-tricks for Liverpool is yet to be broken.
After World War Two, a flurry of South African footballers left to play in England, almost all of them white, who were members of the racially-segregated national side.
Bill Perry played for England and scored the winning goal in the famous 'Matthews' FA Cup final of 1953 when Blackpool came from behind to beat Bolton Wanderers 4-3.
John Hewie was the first South African to play in a FIFA World Cup. Thanks to his ancestry, he was picked to play for Scotland in Sweden in 1958.
The first black footballers to leave South Africa were Darius Dhlomo and Steve Mokone, who made a major impression at Heracles Almelo in the Netherlands. They were major heroes for the black population, who because of apartheid had few role models in their society.
Later David Julius left South Africa because of apartheid and played at Sporting Lisbon. As 'David Juliao', he was capped by Portugal.
South African Albert Johanneson was the first black player to play in a FA Cup final for Leeds United in 1965.
Colin Viljoen and Brian Stein, whose father was an anti-apartheid activist and had to flee the regime, both played later for England at a time when there was no South African national side to represent.
Roy Wegerle, who competed for the likes of Chelsea, QPR and Luton Town in England's top flight, became an American citizen through his wife and competed at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cup finals. His decision to take up the opportunity to play for the USA came just before South Africa's re-admission into international football.
The forgotten footballers
Names like Pule 'Ace' Ntsoelengoe, Kaizer Motaung and Jomo Sono are legendary in South Africa, but their impact on the international scene is negligible.
Had they, however, been exposed to international audiences and competition, who knows how different their futures and profiles might have been.
Ntsoelengoe, who died last year at the age of 50, is generally regarded as the best ever South African footballer. His career alternated between the colours of Kaizer Chiefs and clubs in the North American Soccer League. Two years ago he was inducted into the US Soccer Hall of Fame.
In the late 1960s and throughout the 70s, the NASL in the USA and Canada was only the outlet for top South African talent and Ntsoelengoe was one of many who crossed the Atlantic Ocean to play in the league.
Sono was an understudy to Pele for New York Cosmos and later helped Toronto Blizzard to win the NASL title.
Motaung was the first South African to go the USA and was named Rookie of the Year in 1968. He later came home and started a new club called Kaizer Chiefs, today the country's best supported team.
Since the end of apartheid, South African footballers have had the same opportunities as the rest of the world and players like Lucas Radebe, Benni McCarthy and Steven Pienaar have been able to compete at the highest level.
Indeed, McCarthy is the only South African international to have won a UEFA Champions League medal, with FC Porto in 2004.
It is a very special day tomorrow, when it will be exactly one year to kick-off of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ South Africa, the very first on African soil. The second ticketing phase on a first come, first serve basis will continue until 16 November. FIFA Confederations Cup: Ticketing centres will be open until last minute
The final countdown is on: With only four days to the first match of the FIFA Confederations Cup 2009 on 14 June - with the home team South Africa facing Iraq at Ellis Park - there have been already more than 70 % (this corresponds to a figure of 438,000) sold of the total of tickets available. To cater for the expected last-minute surge of demand, tickets can be purchased (even on match days) at:
The ticket centres will be open from 9am-6pm, seven days a week.
To further assist football fans, a Ticketing Call Centre has been established and fans can call 0832010010 to book their seat at the FIFA Confederations Cup. Please be aware, that there will be no ticket sales at the four stadiums.
What's plastic, a metre long, brightly coloured and sounds like an elephant? It's the vuvuzela, the noise-making trumpet of South African football fans, and it's come to symbolise the sport in the country. It's an instrument, but not always a musical one. Describing the atmosphere in a stadium packed with thousands of fans blowing their vuvuzelas is difficult. Up close it's an elephant, sure, but en masse the sound is more like a massive swarm of very angry bees.
And when there's action near the goal mouth, those bees go really crazy.
To get that sound out requires lip flexibility and lung strength - in short, a fair amount of technique. So be sure to get in some practice before attending a South African football match, or you the sound you produce may cause some amusement in the seats around you!
Vuvuzela supplier Boogieblast offers this advice: "Put your lips inside the mouthpiece and almost make a 'farting' sound. Relax your cheeks and let your lips vibrate inside the mouthpiece. As soon as you get that trumpeting sound, blow harder until you reach a ridiculously loud 'boogying blast'.
The ancestor of the vuvuzela is said to be the kudu horn - ixilongo in isiXhosa, mhalamhala in Tshivenda - blown to summon African villagers to meetings. Later versions were made of tin.
The trumpet became so popular at football matches in the late 1990s that a company, Masincedane Sport, was formed in 2001 to mass-produce it. Made of plastic, they come in a variety of colours - black or white for fans of Orlando Pirates, yellow for Kaizer Chiefs, and so on - with little drawings on the side warning against blowing in the ear!
There's uncertainty on the origin of the word "vuvuzela". Some say it comes from the isiZulu for - wait for it - "making noise". Others say it's from township slang related to the word "shower", because it "showers people with music" - or, more prosaically, looks a little like a shower head.
The announcement, on 15 May 2004, that South Africa would host the 2010 Fifa World Cup gave the vuvuzela a huge boost, to say the least - some 20 000 were sold on the day by enterprising street vendors.
It's a noisy thing, so there's no surprise some don't like it. Journalist Jon Qwelane once quipped that he had taken to watching football matches at home - with the volume turned low - because of what he described as "an instrument of hell".
Cape Town-based music educator Pedro Espi-Sanchis has a different view, however: to him the vuvuzela is a rousing instrument that can, when tuned correctly, play in an orchestra as easily as a flute, violin or cello.
Espi-Sanchis says the vuvuzela is a "proudly South African instrument" with roots deep in local traditional music. He was introduced to it over 30 years ago by renowned South African ethnomusicologist Andrew Tracey.
A fan of football himself, Espi-Sanchis came up with the idea of a vuvuzela orchestra after realising that crowds at a match could coordinate their trumpeting to make music. "I heard the vuvuzelas at soccer games and the sound was not musical at all," he says. "Vuvuzelas need to play rhythms together to really show their power."
In 2006 Espi-Sanchis and Thandi Swartbooi, head of the South African traditional music group Woman Unite, launched a vuvuzela orchestra as part of the Cape Town-based uMoya Music organisation.
Made up of a core group of seven people, with Espi-Sanchis as conductor and soloist on the lekgodilo flute and six musicians each playing a vuvuzela, the orchestra made its first public appearance at the Johannesburg Carnival in December 2006.
Their first performance at a soccer match was at the Nelson Mandela Challenge match at Ellis Park stadium in November 2007, when Bafana Bafana took on the USA.
Espi-Sanchis found an excellent local football fan base to accompany the vuvuzela orchestra. Supporters of Bloemfontein Celtic football club, based in the Free State, "form one of the best fan bases in South African soccer," he says. "In November [2007], we taught 60 of these fans to play seven songs in just five days.
"Each of our six musicians was responsible for 10 fans, and they taught them to play their parts. Celtic fans also taught us some of their wonderful songs, and together we supported Bafana Bafana at the Mandela Challenge by singing and dancing with the vuvuzela orchestra."
"Now we want to bring up a fan base to support our national team," says Espi-Sanchis. "The vuvuzela music can be learnt very quickly ... we want to use the Celtic supporters as models for a national fan base."
Whether or not Espi-Sanchis' ambitions are realised, vuvezalas are bound to play an integral part in South Africa's 2010 celebrations, and World Cup visitors are sure to go home with a vuvuzela or two tucked in their luggage - and a little ringing in their ears ...
SAinfo reporter and MediaClubSouthAfrica.com
After Korea Republic, Japan and Australia booked their places at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ at the weekend, the results on 10 June mean competition for the remaining automatic qualifying spot and two third-place berths should go down to the wire.Meanwhile, there will be no such opportunities for Qatar, who despite bravely holding hosts Japan to a 1-1 draw in their final game, were eliminated after taking only six points from eight qualifiers. Following the lead of the United Arab Emirates, the Qataris became the second side to bow out in the Asian Zone's final qualifying round.
Over Group B, Saudi Arabia's goalless draw in Korea Republic kept them level on 11 points with Korea DPR, though the latter are still ahead on goal difference. Iran, for their part, notched their first win in four games with a narrow home defeat of UAE to keep their faint hopes of reaching South Africa 2010 alive.
Matchday 9 results:
10 June 2009
Group A: Japan 1-1 Qatar; Australia 2-0 Bahrain
Group B: Iran 1-0 United Arab Emirates; Korea Republic 0-0 Saudi Arabia
The big game
Iran 1-0 United Arab Emirates
Ali Karimi (53')
With Iran coach Afshin Ghotbi and his charges desperate to take all three points, Ali Karimi's solitary strike was as crucial as it was spectacular. After a disappointing first half, during which the home side struggled to pierce the visitors' rearguard, eight minutes into the second period former Bayern Munich midfielder Karimi picked up an Andranik Teymourian pass outside area before outwitting a slew of defenders and sliding a left-footed shot past UAE goalkeeper Majed Naser. The win puts the Iranians hot on the heels of Group B rivals Saudi Arabia and Korea DPR, while victory for Ghotbi's side away to Korea Republic in their final encounter would ensure they finish no lower than third.
The surprise
Japan 1-1 Qatar
Ahmed Ali Albinali (2' OG), Ali Yahya (53' PEN)
Qatar went into their final game against Japan needing all three points and plenty of goals to give them a glimmer of hope of a third-place berth in Group A. Coach Bruno Metsu's charges were hit by an early own goal, Ahmed Ali Albinali turning Atsuto Uchida's cross into his own net after only two minutes, but battled back for a spirited draw. It was Ali Yahya who grabbed the equaliser from the penalty spot eight minutes into the second half, but the single point attained meant they now have no chance of overtaking third-placed Bahrain.
The other games
Australia 2-0 Bahrain
Mile Sterjovski (55'), David Carney (88')
With Australia already qualified and Bahrain needing just a point, the game at Sydney began slowly and with few clear-cut chances. The visitors had looked the better side after the interval only for the Socceroos to take the lead when Mile Sterjovski capitalised on a defensive error. And after Bahrain had squandered two decent chances to get back on level terms, Aussie midfielder David Carney put the game beyond any doubt with two minutes remaining by steering Jason Culina's bicycle kick into the back of the net.
Korea Republic 0-0 Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia coach Jose Peseiro must be a relieved man after seeing his side survive a second-half onslaught from Korea Republic to pick up a point at Seoul. The visitors had the lion's share of possession in the first half but the tables were well and truly turned after the break. Despite going down to ten men late on after Ahmeed Ateef's dismissal for a second yellow card, the Saudis very nearly snatched victory with a last-gasp header from Naif Hazazi which flew just over. The draw means the Saudis must win their final game against Korea DPR in Riyadh, with their east Asian opponents needing just a point to go through.
The player
Iran's gifted 30-year-old Karimi proved that when he finds his best form, so do Iran. Author of an inspirational display in his previous outing for Team Melli against Korea DPR, he further cemented his place in coach Ghotbi's heart with a stunning winner against UAE.
The stat
200 - Karimi's decisive strike was Iran's 200th in 36 years of FIFA World Cup qualifying action. The goal also made Iran the first Asian Zone nation to hit the double-century mark.
What they said
"Although they had already qualified for the World Cup, South Korea showed their excellent mentality and made life hard for us. I hope the two teams will meet again in South Africa," Saudi Arabia coach Jose Peseiro.
nineteen-year-old Sarah Brandner, partner of German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger. The fugly Bayern Munich star has had five girlfriends in the past year-and-a-half, but insists that he has found happiness with his latest beau: “she has played a big part in my performances lately,” he insists. Sarah works for Place Models in Hamburg and first met Schweini at a social event in Munich, where she was accompanied by heavyweight boxer Vladimir Klitschko. The pair met again in Ibiza, and it’s been a blond-haired match made in heaven ever since. “Wir sind sehr verliebt” (”we are so in love”) was the key message from a slushy interview she gave to German newspaper Bild recently.
See Sarah Brandner style here :
confederations-cup-ballRules: 4 teams in each group, play against the other teams in their group once, top two teams proceed to the semi-finals and so on.
Australia will have a clutch of English Premier League stars back for next week's clash with Japan as they look to top their 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ qualifying group, coach Pim Verbeek said on Thursday. The Aussies are favourites to claim Group A after a 2-0 win over Bahrain in Sydney on Wednesday and Japan's 1-1 home draw with Qatar, leaving the Blue Samurai two points adrift and needing to beat the Socceroos in Melbourne next Wednesday.
Everton midfielder Tim Cahill was not risked against Bahrain because of injury, while Blackburn enforcer Vince Grella was only used as a second-half substitute. Verbeek said he planned to play his strongest available team against Japan. He is expecting striker Josh Kennedy to recover from injury and skipper Lucas Neill, who has turned down a contract extension offer from West Ham, will return following suspension.
"As far as I know Josh Kennedy and Timmy Cahill will be ready for next week and I didn't want to risk Vince Grella against Bahrain because he was on a yellow card and I needed him for next week," the Dutchman said. "If they are all available I think I will have a very strong team for next week.
"We will have 100,000 people in the stadium next week, who want to see the best available players and we want to be number one in the group so that is why we will try to give everything we have to win that game."
Defenders missing
Verbeek said he will definitely be without defenders Luke Wilkshire and Mark Milligan, who played against Bahrain but have left to play with their clubs in Russia and China this weekend. Senior player Harry Kewell said it was important for Australia, unbeaten in seven final phase qualifying games, to continue winning against regional rivals Japan.
"It's a winning mentality. You want to stick to winning and enjoy that and you want to go into a World Cup winning. You don't want to go in coming off losing matches," the Galatasaray attacker said.
Australia have developed a fierce rivalry with Japan and came away from their away group game in Yokohama last February with a scoreless draw after a disciplined defensive performance.
The Australians scored three times in the final six minutes to overhaul Japan 3-1 in their opening match at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, but the Japanese knocked the Socceroos out in the quarter-finals of the 2007 AFC Asian Cup on penalties in Hanoi. Under Verbeek, Australia have lost two of their 13 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
A brace by Alexis Sanchez helped Chile to defeat ten-man Bolivia 4-0 and move up to second place in South American Zone qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™. Jean Bonsejour opened the scoring a minute before the break with a header from Matias Fernandez' right-wing cross before the hosts added three more goals in a late burst. Mark Gonzalez doubled the advantage with a precise free-kick in the 74th minute, before Sanchez made it 3-0 four minutes later. Sanchez added his second one minute before half-time and his goal-scoring antics earned him a strong challenge from midfielder Ignacio Garcia who was subsequently sent off.
Marcelo Bielsa's side now have 26 points, one less than leaders Brazil and two ahead Paraguay. Brazil beat Paraguay 2-1 in Recife.
Elsewhere, Venezuela and Uruguay drew 2-2 at Cachamay stadium. Giancarlo Maldonado opened the scoring after eight minutes, but Luis Suarez finally brought the Uruguayans level on the hour mark.
Ten minutes later Atletico Madrid's Diego Forlan put Uruguay ahead, but their lead lasted just three minutes as defender Jose Manuel Rey grabbed a point for Venezuela with a powerful free-kick from 25 meters. The result meant Ecuador moved into fifth place following their 2-0 victory over Argentina. They now have 20 points, two more than Uruguay and three ahead of Venezuela.
Finally, in Medellin hosts Colombia beat bottom-side Peru 1-0 to keep them in with a slim chance of reaching fifth place and the play-off. River Plate striker Radamel Falcao Garcia netted the only goal of the match in the 24th minute.
It was the first competitive Colombian goal in 210 minutes, as well as Falcao's first official goal with the national side. Colombia are three points behind fifth-placed Ecuador.
Brazil and Chile are just a step away from the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ after claiming important wins on Matchday 14 of the South American qualifying competition. The five-time world champions beat Paraguay to cement their position at the top of the group with four matches remaining, while La Roja earned a resounding win over Bolivia to climb into second.
