Roll or stick

The validity of the decision to leave the roof open at the stadium in Warsaw hosting the Poland vs. England World Cup Qualifier is one for discussion elsewhere. What couldn't be disputed was the action taken by the referee to help him decide whether the surface was playable after heavy rain left water standing in a number of places around the field.

He used the same method used by referees across the world; he went out, in his boots and took a football with him. He tried to replicate the action of the ball during the game by rolling it along the ground, by throwing it in the air to see if it bounced. He threw it with forward spin, back spin and without spin. In the final inspection, he tried to kick the ball without much success.

In each case the ball did not roll as it would do normally during a game, even on a wet surface. That meant that if the game had taken place, players would not be able to pass the ball with any degree of accuracy, nor would the ball be where they expected it to be when they were trying to tackle an opponent nor would it bounce correctly. All of which would have resulted in mistimed tackles which increases the potential for injury and possibly the need for disciplinary action.

So despite what the TV pundits say, the referee followed a sensible course of action to help him decide that the field was not fit. He was bound by competition rules and I believe the pundits showed a lack of respect for the game by behaving in the manner they did. Final point, well done to the Head of the Referee's Committee in Poland for facing up to some aggressive (and unjustified) questioning by the interviewer without losing his cool!

International Break

My start to the season has been stop-start with various family commitments meaning that I haven't been available on as many Saturdays as I would have liked. They also prevented me from attending Day 2 of a new referee's course back in the middle of August.

Professional footballers have suffered from this stop-start nature to their season for a number of years with the introduction of an international window in early September to allow for the playing of "friendlies" and qualifying games for international competitions such as the FIFA World Cup. It seems that the various federations around the world have recognised that no one wants to have an expensive Argentinian international in their team, if he's going to be unavailable for 6 games a season because of international duty and have synchronised their games and competitions to minimise the impact on the domestic competitions.

My own season is entering an international break as I am flying out to Rhodes next Thursday in readinness for my daughter's wedding. I'm trying to get back into training this evening for the last few sessions after my programme was blighted by illness and injury for the last few weeks. Expecting to be in pain tomorrow ...

Howard Webb :We did our best

Taken from Football365.com an interview with Howard Webb, referee of Sunday's World Cup Final which was a tempestuous affair littered with player misconduct throughout, all of which was sensitively managed by the man from Rotherham. The interview is as follows ...

English referee Howard Webb has no regrets over his handling of Sunday's "extremely challenging" World Cup final between Spain and Holland.

The Yorkshireman arrived home from South Africa on Tuesday with his assistants Darren Cann and Michael Mullarkey to a barrage of media interest in their performance in the final at Soccer City in Johannesburg.

Webb has come in for criticism from both the Dutch and Spanish camps after he handed out 14 yellow cards and sent off Holland defender John Heitinga during Spain's fractious 1-0 win.

"Whatever the match, you always hope that the officials won't need to be heavily involved. However, we had to raise our profile in order to keep control," Webb said in a statement released through the Premier League this evening.

"We don't feel that we had much choice except to manage the game in the way we did. We came away feeling satisfied that we'd done a tough job in difficult circumstances to the best of our abilities.

"It was an extremely challenging match to handle, but it would have been so for any referee. It is one of the toughest games we will ever be involved in and we feel that we worked hard to keep the focus on the football as much as possible."

The Dutch players have been widely criticised for their behaviour during the final, during which Bert van Marwijk's side committed a rash of heavy-handed challenges.

Holland were fortunate not to lose midfielder Nigel de Jong to a straight red card in the first half for a high challenge on Xabi Alonso. But, despite Webb's leniency on that occasion, his performance nevertheless incensed the Dutch, and he was confronted by several players after the final whistle.

"From early on in the match we had to make decisions that were clear yellow cards," Webb continued.

"We tried to apply some common sense officiating given the magnitude of the occasion for both sides - advising players early on for some of their tackling, sending players away when they were surrounding the officials, and speaking to their senior colleagues to try to calm them down."

Despite the furore that has followed Sunday's final, Webb insists he has come away from South Africa harbouring "amazing memories".

"It was a marvellous honour to have been selected for the tournament and we had a wonderful six weeks in South Africa," he said.

"The people made us feel really welcome and we've hugely enjoyed the experience of being involved in such an incredible and unique event.

"We left the 2010 World Cup with amazing memories.

"We have been overwhelmed by the support of the public, the media, friends, colleagues, players and managers before and after the final.

"It was a massive honour and a privilege to take charge of the World Cup final. It is something every referee dreams of and to fulfil that dream was a remarkable feeling."

People within the English game have been quick to leap to the defence of the 39-year-old Rotherham official amid the fallout from the game, and Webb himself has no concerns about the overall display of his team.

"Mike and Darren made some terrific calls and I thought the decisions made by my team throughout the tournament were excellent," said Webb. "It's because of the quality of the team work that we were appointed to the final.

"We leave the tournament pleased with how we performed, honoured to be given the final and privileged to have met so many wonderful people in South Africa.

"We're all looking forward to a little bit of a rest and then coming back fresh for the new Barclays Premier League season."

The Final

... kicks off in about 1 minute. Good luck to all involved, especially the English one. Very proud moment for English refereeing and this final looks like it could be a classic.

No commentary tonight, just enjoyment ...

OK maybe a little. I thought this was a "proper" game of football with two very good managers trying to out-think each other. Some refereeing decisions which I didn't entirely agree with, but I could understand why they were made. I thought the teamwork between the officials was fantastic. The goal by Iniesta was sublime. Viva España - los campeones del mundo!

You get nowt for coming fourth

An exciting game to decide the 3rd/4th place play-off with a few incidents that deserve mention - apologies for the lack of detail but it's too hot here in muggy Yorkshire!

The first is the decision by the referee only to caution for an horrendous challenge by a German player in the 4th minute. It looked like casebook serious foul play but the referee, who for my money was too close to the action, went with a caution.

The goals went as follows, Germany scored after a shot was spilled by the Uruguayan goalkeeper, Uruguay equalised before taking the lead. Germany struck back shortly afterwards and then, when I'd wandered off into the kitchen, scored what was to be the winner. The goal scorers tonight took the number of players who have scored five goals during the tournament to four.

Diego Forlan had the opportunity to take the game to extra time but his free kick from around 27 yards struck the crossbar. So Germany finish 3rd, Uruguay 4th and tomorrow it's the big one ... Netherlands vs Spain!

Webb savouring "ultimate honour"

Our hopes and prayers are with Howard Webb, Darren Cann and Mike Mullarkey for tomorrow's World Cup Final. Here they speak about the honour of their appointment (taken from Football365.com).

Howard Webb has spoken of the "ultimate honour" of being chosen to referee Sunday's World Cup final between Spain and Holland.

Webb, supported by his assistants Darren Cann and Michael Mullarkey, will become the first English referee of a World Cup final since Jack Taylor in 1974.

Former police sergeant Webb, 38, told reporters in Pretoria: "We are delighted to have been selected for the game, it is a wonderful honour and a privilege. It is the ultimate honour for a referee.

"We are proud to be representing the English FA as well as FIFA and all the other officials here at the World Cup.

"We will be proud to be able to show the ability and quality of match officials in England when we take to the field tomorrow evening.

"This is the World Cup, and it's massively important for the world. We understand the importance of the game and we will need total focus and concentration.

"We will try to be a calming influence where we can and use all our experience of being involved in big games."

The three fathers of Webb, from Rotherham, Cann, from Norfolk, and Mullarkey, from Exeter, will be at the Soccer City stadium on Sunday to watch the game. The trio of dads, all former refs, have been at all of their sons' three matches of the World Cup so far.

Mullarkey said all three officials were close to tears when they were told they had been chosen for the final.

He said: "We had not been chosen for any of the quarter-finals or the semi-finals so you do start to wonder about things.

"When we were actually told it was an incredible moment. When I was sitting at home watching the 2006 World Cup on television I never envisaged that I would be here doing the final.

Cann added: "This is the culmination of 20 years' hard work and is the greatest honour we can receive as match officials.

"It was a very emotional moment in truth when we were told. When match number 64 was read out and the name Webb that was what we were waiting for. Everything became a blur for a few seconds and neither Mike nor I can remember hearing our names read out afterwards."

Well Done to the team from England

Howard Webb, Darren Cann and Mike Mullarkey have been appointed as the match officials for the World Cup Final between Netherlands and Spain which will be played on Sunday, July 11.

Well done team!

A tale of two halves

Well I'm hoping it's going to be.

The first half of the second semi-final of the World Cup has just finished. There's only been one incident of note and that involved Ozil being challenged as he entered the Spanish penalty area and he went to ground. This took place in the last minute of the half and the referee, who was only 12 yards behind play when the incident occurred, waved away the claims.

So let's hope for a better half ...

We're now 7 minutes in and Germany have made a defensive change to try and counter the attacks by Xabi Alonso who has had two long range shots, the second of which has whizzed past the right hand post of the German goal.

The Spanish seem to be putting more pressure on the German defence and I've switched to the commentary by Chris Moyles and Comedy Dave of Radio One. It's making the game more interesting. Villa has just followed up by trying to pass the ball into the goal, but it bypassed the post. This was quickly followed by and backheeled pass creating a chance for a low cross only 3 yards out but was missed by Villa. The latest action was Ramos missing a low pass into the German goal area. Germany are struggling with 25 minutes to play.

Fantastic save by Casillas from a volley by Kroos after a cross from the left. I'm not sure this one will finish 0-0! And more excitement, Moyles pizza has arrived :-)

At last the deadlock is broken. A corner from the left saw a group of players rise and Carles Puyol headed the ball past Manuel Neuer. Germany try to strike back almost immediately but a long high free kick was gathered by Casillas. Things have livened up dramatically. Let's hope it stays that way for the last 11 minutes.

I lost a post there but David Villa has been replaced by Fernando Torres for the last 9 minutes to run at the German defence. Villa has just tired after a long run into the German penalty area. Pedro made things worse by losing possession after having a 2 on 1 situation with Torres standing with an open goal at his mercy. Germany now have a free kick inside the Spanish penalty arc but waste it.

The Germans are now leaving gaps at the back as they press for the equaliser but Torres has just been tackled to concede a corner. Spain scored from their previous one but this one and the next are played short and no progress made.

The board's gone up for added time and Germany have 3 minutes to draw level. In added time on top of the added time and Germany still can't find a way through ... it's all over - Spain win 1-0.

Netherlands vs Spain on Sunday ... will Howard Webb be in with a shout of that one???

A tale of two captains

The first of the two semi-finals is underway and it's no surprise that the early pressure comes from Netherlands as Uruguay rely on counter attacks to push upfield.

The first half had four interesting incidents. The first was an attack deep into the Dutch right back position. As the ball approached the goal line, it was stopped but the momentum of the attacker and defender carried them over the goal line, where they both fell to the ground. As the defender tried to get up and back on to the field of play, the attacker held him, so the referee stopped play and awarded a direct free kick to the defender. The ball was originally positioned about one yard upfield from the goal line but was then pushed 5 yards before the kick was taken. I wonder if the offence had been the other way around, would the referee have given a direct free kick to the attack, if necessary, awarding a kick from the penalty mark???

Shortly after this an overhead kick by a Careces of Uruguay, close to the edge of the Dutch penalty area, saw him kick De Zeeuw hard on the jaw. There was a brief coming together of players from both sides but it dissipated within a handful of seconds. A couple of cautions later, the game settled back into its intriguing contest.

We then had one of the finest goals of the tournament as Von Bronckhorst moved in from the left wing, from an amazing 41 yards from goal and let fly with a vicious shot which the goalkeeper could only stroke with his fingertips as the ball flew into the top corner of his goal (actually striking the inside of the goalpost on the way in).

This rocked Uruguay back on their heels for a few minutes and then they gathered themselves. Diego Forlan, who already had 3 goals from previous games picked up the ball around 30 yards out and hit a dipping, curling drive which deceived the Dutch goalkeeper, who was wrong footed, and he only managed to flap a hand at the ball before it crashed into the goal. So the game is well balanced and we might see more of the same in the second half.

A brief mention of the coverage of the game by ITV ... Adrian Chiles is an absolute gift to ITV and seems to have a cheery quip for every situation, not least when footage was shown of the crowds in Amsterdam and Montevideo celebrating the goals by their respective teams and some large bass drums appeared from nowhere in the middle of the Uruguayan fans. Fantastic to see ... roll on part two.

The second half took a little while to get going but then another four exciting incidents. The first was a through ball which drew the Dutch goalkeeper out of his penalty area meaning his goal was untended when Uruguay took their shot on goal. Fortunately Von Bronckhorst headed the ball clear.

A Forlan free kick was battered away by the Dutch goalkeeper before Netherlands swept back upfield. A clever interchange of passes saw a good attempt on the Uruguayan goal but then a moment of debate ...

Sneijder took control of the ball on the edge of the Uruguayan penalty area and his shot took a deflection from a defender's shin on the way through. It then passed very (and I mean very) close to the foot of Robin Van Persie, who was standing just about in an offside position when Sneijder took his shot. The assistant didn't adjudge him as interfering with an opponent and I tend to agree with that considering how far out from goal he was (about 8 yards), so he wasn't obscuring the goalkeeper's line of sight. The referee was right behind the shot as well so could also make a good call on that.

Then we had the killer blow for Netherlands as just 3 minutes after Sneijder's goal, a cross from the left was met by a cushioned header by Arjen Robben, which saw the ball spin away from the Uruguayan goalkeeper, stroke the base of the goalpost and nestle gently in the back of the net. So at 3-1 you would expect the Dutch to hold the ball and sit back but no, with just 4 minutes of normal time to play, Arjen Robben has just outrun the Uruguayan defence only to hook the ball into the outstretched hands of the goalkeeper from a couple of yards out.

Hmmm, could we have some excitement at the death? In the second minute of three added minutes, Maxi Perreira has just slipped a low left footed shot through a crowded penalty area to take the score to 3-2 and then we had another couple of minutes added by the referee. We had a period of pinball in and around the Dutch penalty area before the referee, Ravshan Irmatov blew the final whistle.

And there we go, we have the first of the finalists as Netherlands

Foundations to build on

Writing in The Sunday Times, Sir Trevor Brooking reiterates future plans.

Returning home with a dejected England squad on Tuesday morning was a sombre experience.

We had left these shores a month earlier with high hopes. But nothing compares to the low of a humiliating defeat and an abrupt exit. So, once again, the nation is rightly searching for reasons why it happened and how we can prevent it from happening again.

I firmly believe that in Fabio Capello we have a truly world-class coach to lead the England senior team as we now focus on Euro 2012. Meanwhile, my priority is on ensuring that, into the future, the England Manager has the very best talent at his disposal.

I am acutely aware that there are no quick fixes and no easy answers but I am convinced that, put simply, the key to securing this future is that we must have more and better coaches with access to more kids at an earlier age.

The FA invests £1m a week into the grassroots of football but we need the public’s support to drive a sea change away from the outdated image of kids’ football in this country – one driven by results with scant regard for developing future players. In the last two years, we’ve totally revamped all of our coaching courses. A big part of that has been creating the new FA Youth Award. Over 2,000 coaches signed up for this Award in its first year but we need more people to take this course which specifically trains coaches in how to work with young players.

For me, the priority has to be improving skills at a young age, before it becomes too late. Many of your children will have been involved in The FA Tesco Skills programme which has grown significantly in the last year, with over 1.5m 5-11 year-old aspiring footballers enjoying the high quality youth coaching on offer from a network of skills coaches. I’m delighted that this week we got a timely boost with the news that Tesco have extended their support for another four years which means we can recruit more skills coaches and further expand the programme.

This 5-11 age group is key. These youngsters must have mastered the basics skills of controlling the ball in their mini soccer games so they can pass and dribble the ball with confidence. If not, they will struggle to cope with the tactical demands of 11-a-side football once they get into their teens. We have to encourage flair and technique so that as players get older we can teach tactical awareness and good decision-making if we are to stand a chance of competing with other flourishing nations.

At the top level, earlier this summer we produced a new coaching blueprint titled The Future Game which involved significant input from across the professional game and has been extremely well received. This is a vital, and long-overdue, technical guide for youth coaches showing how we need to develop players to contest at the highest level of world football. We must ensure this is delivered as widely as possible. We’re also aiming to produce a grassroots version by the end of the year.

On an annual basis, the number of people qualifying for the top UEFA coaching qualifications in England - the A, B and Pro Licences - is now on a par with all of Europe’s leading nations. Some of football’s biggest names have recognised the quality of our instruction. Gianfranco Zola and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer were learning alongside some talented young English coaches such as Chris Kiwomya, Neil Redfearn and Jason Dodd when I attended our latest Pro Licence course on Friday.

But we must now put in place the support infrastructure for these coaches to ensure their experience and knowledge is shared throughout the football community, right down to the grassroots and youth levels. That is why the concept of a National Football Centre is vitally important for English football. Opening St George’s Park at Burton-upon-Trent would provide the finishing school for producing more home-grown managers and coaches, a place where the coaching community, from England to your local youth team, will have the same access to resources and experience to pass on to their players. We are the only leading football nation without a Centre of this kind, but St George's Park will be something to be proud of - a symbol of national pride and hope for the future.

And there are some sound foundations to build on. At the international level there have been some encouraging signs. Our U17 team performed exceptionally well in winning the European Championship in May following on from appearances in Euro Finals last year from our men’s Under-21 and U19s and women’s U19s.

At The FA there are dedicated people working very hard for the good of our game but we alone cannot provide all the solutions – we need everyone who cares about football to play their part and help us implement our new playing philosophy at all levels.

As an example, if just 1 in 600 of Sunday Times readers took a level 1 basic coaching course and The FA Youth Award, we would instantly double the number of specially qualified youth coaches. Now, wouldn’t that be a fitting response to the disappointment of our exit last Sunday?

Europe Marching On

With the World Cup Quarter Finals drawing to a close this evening, Holland have beaten Brazil, Germany have cruised past Argentina, winning 4-0 this afternoon and Spain have just beaten Paraguay 1-0. This leaves just Uruguay who defeated Ghana last night on kicks from the mark to decide the outcome, to attempt to retain the trophy in South America for another 4 years.

This evening's game between Spain and Paraguay had a few interesting incidents. The first was a long ball played forward towards two Paraguayan attackers, one who was in an offside position and the other was in an onside position. The ball fell to the onside player who controlled the ball and scored. The assistant however had adjudged that the action of the other attacker, in jumping to challenge for the ball, was sufficient to meet the criteria of interfering with an opponent.

Then in an amazing two minutes of play, two kicks from the penalty mark were awarded. The first was for Paraguay who had an attacker held by Pique of Spain. The kick was saved, but at least 3 defenders were encroaching as the ball was kicked. Within 1 minute at the other end of the field Alcaraz fouled Villa of Spain and a kick was awarded to them. The challenge took place 10 yards from goal with only the goalkeeper between the attacker and goal ... so why wasn't the offender dismissed?

The goal was scored but Carlos Batres adjudged that players had encroached and asked for the kick to be re-taken. The re-take was saved but in the ensuing melee another foul was committed on an attacker but was missed by the referee and his assistant.

With 8 minutes to play Spain had a shot at goal which hit the left hand post and rebounded to Villa who again took a shot at goal. The ball hit the right hand post, bounced along the goal line to the left hand post, bounced off that before resting in the back of the net - amazing!

So the second semi final, which will take place on Wednesday will be between Germany and Spain.

Go Ghana or not ...

Dramatic end to their game with Uruguay ...

A dismissal for Suarez after the denial of an obvious goal scoring opportunity by use of the hand saw Ghana awarded a kick from the mark in the second minute of added time at the end of the second half of extra time. Poor Gyan missed the goal and hit the cross bar, the referee blew the whistle and it's going to be kicks from the mark to decide the outcome ... more to follow ...

Tension, tension ... it's 3-2 Uruguay with both sides having missed one penalty ... oh no, they've (Ghana) missed another ... Uruguay can win with this one ... and he's chipped it down the middle ... Uruguay will meet Holland next Tuesday in Cape Town!!!

Return to civilisation

I spent 5 days last week at the Glastonbury Festival in Somerset England. The beard continued to be cultivated ...

While I was there England sneaked into the Round of 16 before being humiliated by Germany at the World Cup. I also managed to see quite a few bands and caught a couple of halves of other games at various venues around the site.

As the quarter finals have kicked off today, there's been a couple of shocks. The first came as Brazil were knocked out by Holland. As things stand at the moment (one hour played), Ghana are taking the game to Uruguay with the score at 1-1 after Muntari put Ghana ahead on the stroke of half time with a wonder strike from 35 yards, before Diego Forlan equalised with a sublime free kick.

My new season is shaping up nicely with a spot booked for me to deliver some training at the 7-6 promotion seminar at County HQ on July 22 followed by the RA-FA Meeting on August 9 at the same venue. Some of my friends have completed their PGMO fitness tests today, so well done to Bob, Andy, Ricky and Ross.

Some of the other lads have had their Supply Leagues confirmed for them and I have to admit, I'm beginning to miss being out on the green bit again. I'm sure pre-season training (starting on July 12) will knock that out of me!

Spoke too soon

It's taken me a couple of days to recover from the abject performance by England against Algeria on Friday. It was truly one of the worst team performances I have seen. Things need to change if they are to beat Slovenia on Wednesday and progress to the next stage of the competition.

Other games have been more exciting, whether it was the defeat of Germany by Serbia after Klose was sent off, the battling display by USA to gain a draw after being 2-0 down against Slovenia or the strong defence by Australia against Ghana after Kewell was sent off, it seems that the competition has finally come alive.

We also have the first team to be eliminated from the competition as Cameroon's defeat against Denmark, after they took an early lead as well, means they cannot qualify for the Round of 16.

I'm now signing off for a few days as I prepare for a trip to the 40th anniversary of Glastonbury. I've not been before, although I have attended other festivals. So it's mud, music, beer and baby wipes from Wednesday onwards ... they also have a 40ft screen on which to show the England game on Wednesday afternoon :-)

Much, much better

What a difference a day makes? It was a day of firsts. The first hat trick of the tournament, the first ever tournament goal for Greece, Mexico's first victory over France and the first day when all three games had a winning and a losing team.

The second round of the World Cup Group games got underway last night with the hosts defeat and continued with a superb display from Argentina. Higuain scored the first hat trick of the tournament as South Korea were on the wrong end of a 4-1 scoreline, despite pegging the Argentinians back to 2-1 at one point.

Next up we had Greece playing Nigeria. Nigeria took a lead but a stupid reaction by Kaita when a throw in went against him, saw his dismissal. Soon after that Greece scored their first ever goal in the World Cup Finals, when Salpingidis hit a shot which was heavily deflected past the Nigerian goalkeeper. Their second goal came in the second half and the match officials displayed excellent application of Law 11. A Greek player was injured, lying in an offside position but outside of the goal area and was certainly not interfering with the defending players. As the shot on goal was made, the goalkeeper saved it but pushed it out to Vasileios Torosidis who scored easily.

Referee, Oscar Ruiz played a fantastic advantage following a challenge just outside the Nigerian penalty area. He allowed play to continue and this found 3 Nigerian attackers facing 2 Greek defenders. A shot on goal by Aiyegbeni Yakubu was blocked and with the goal at his mercy, Chinedu Obasi missed the goal.

The final game of the day produced yet another surprise as France, Champions in 1998, laboured against a well organised Mexico team. The French offside trap was sprung in the 64th minute and Hernandez skipped past the advancing goalkeeper before playing the ball into the empty goal. Their second goal came from the penalty mark following a lunging challenge by Abidal.

So now France face the prospect of beating South Africa in their final Group game and still being eliminated if Uruguay and Mexico draw their game.

Not quite going to plan

Some of the "big guns" of the World Cup have found the going slightly tougher than anticipated over the last 26 hours.

Firstly Brazil, five time winners of the competition and many a school boys inspiration back in the 70s, nearly came unstuck against North Korea. It took them 55 minutes before scoring their first goal and added a second soon after, which was just as well as Korea scored a late consolation goal.

Fast forward to today's games and Chile were the only team who did what was expected when they beat Honduras 1-0, keeping themselves on course for a showdown in their final group game against pre-tournament favourites, Spain.

And so to Spain ... favourites, a team packed full of highly talented players and expected to steamroller Switzerland. Well the Swiss obviously didn't read the script as they ran out 1-0 winners to turn the group on its head. Howard Webb and his team were in charge of this one and there was nothing in the highlights to suggest anything went seriously wrong.

Finally tonight, the hosts South Africa were taking on Uruguay. It is Youth Day, a national holiday commemorating the events of June 16, 1976 when violence erupted and the South African police killed over 200 Sowetan school children. It is a very special day to the Bafana Bafana. The hopes were high for a victory but they were dashed by 3 goals from Uruguay.

The first was a dipping drive from more than 25 yards by Diego Forlan. His second goal came from the penalty mark in the 80th minute. A deflected pass found Suarez alone in the South African goal area where he was fouled by goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune who was dismissed by referee Massimo Busacca.

Forlan turned provider in the very late stages as he passed to Suarez whose cross was met by Alvaro Pereira. The ball glanced off his face, dropped on to his shin and bobbled across the goal line. The hosts are in danger of being the first to go out in the Group stages.

Work gets in the way

I've done my best to keep up with the coverage of the World Cup by listening to the commentaries on Radio Five Live.

It's not been easy as I have to work at the same time and falling asleep is disapproved of. The games have hardly set the world alight. Yesterday, Holland eased their way past a difficult opponent in the form of Denmark. The Danes had taken the game to the Dutch for much of the first half but when they came out for the second half they conceded twice with no reply. A calamitous own goal by Daniel Agger right at the start of the half was joined by a poacher's goal by Dirk Kuyt, following up a rebound off a goal post.

Cameroon, the African team expected to make the biggest impact in tournament, fell to a goal just before half time from Honda. It was his birthday on Sunday and this was probably a great, late present.

Normal service was resumed in the evening as another draw was played out between Paraguay and Italy. Paraguay scored a well crafted goal in the first half but then a disastrous attempt by their goalkeeper to collect a cross, saw the ball fly over his head and poked in by De Rossi with a little over 5 minutes left.

And so to today ... in the lunchtime kick off Slovakia's lead was cancelled out by a New Zealand goal in added time at the end of the second half. This meant that New Zealand earned their first ever World Cup Finals point.

This brought us to the much anticipated clash between Ivory Coast and Portugal. With the prospect of Ronaldo and Drogba on the same field, it seemed that goals might flow. As things turned out, Ronaldo could do no more than hit the post and Drogba, suffering from a broken wrist, did not join the fray until late in the second half. The game then stuttered through to another 0-0 draw.

Tonight's game sees the highest ranked team playing the lowest ranked, as Brazil meet North Korea. This game should see goals, so I'll be settling down for this one in 15 minutes.

Hmmm

Tim Cahill (Aus) who plays his league football in the English Premier League was dismissed tonight for serious foul play when Australia played Germany and the general consensus (and I agree) was that it was a harsh decision.

In truth the game was already lost by the time he got his marching orders. Two Polish born players, Podolski and Klose opened the scoring and made it 2-0 by half time. In the second half Brazilian born Cacau added a third before Muller added a fourth.

The tv commentator made much of the previous disciplinary action taken by Marco Rodriguez of Mexico who issued 2 red cards on three occasions in his domestic season. He also noted that the German team were young (by comparison to previous German tournament teams) and relatively untried. It seems that doesn't matter and the worrying thing for England is that they will meet the winners of this group.

On this showing, it will be Germany who win Group D and that the winners of England's Group (hopefully England) will be happier to meet Ghana, if they manage to progress as Group winners and Ghana finish runners up to Germany.

And that makes three

Lukovic picks up the tournament's third dismissal in Serbia's defeat to Ghana.

His first caution came after the referee, Hector Baldrassi of Argentina, played a good advantage for Ghana in the 54th minute before going back to caution Lukovic. His second caution came in the 74th minute when he held a Ghanian attacker in midfield and the referee didn't hestitate is showing the 2nd yellow card followed by the red card.

Ghana had already been the better team and on pressing the 10 men of Serbia, they forced a stupid handball by Kuzmanovic in his own penalty area. The resultant kick from the mark was struck firmly down the middle of the goal by Gyan and Ghana were on course for registering an African nation's first win of the tournament.

Germany and Australia coming up!!!

2nd one off

Ghezzal of Algeria collected his first caution within a couple of minutes of coming on as substitute. His offence was similar to the holding offence committed by Evra of France yesterday, so it was no surprise when referee Carlos Batres issued his caution.

His second offence was to jump and use an outstretched arm to try and collect the ball as it was flying over his head. Again the referee has no hesitation and completed the dismissal with deliberation. It cost his team dearly as shortly afterwards a scuffed shot from Robert Koren of Slovenia bounced off the Algerian keeper's arm and they lost the game 1-0.

That takes Slovenia to the top of Group C (England's Group) and should mean that Ghezzal, who looked dangerous before being dismissed, will miss the game against England on Friday.