15 people were injured in South Africa before a World Cup warmup between Nigeria and North Korea when thousands stormed the gates of the stadium. One police officer was seriously hurt in the process.
From NBC Sports:
Several fans fell under the rush of people, many wearing Nigeria jerseys. The Makhulong Stadium in the Johannesburg suburb seats about 12,000 fans.
The mayhem happened only five days before the start of the World Cup, the first to be held in Africa.
“At this moment we have 14 civilians that were slightly injured in the process, one policeman seriously injured,” police spokesman Lt. Col. Eugene Opperman said outside the stadium. The injured were being treated at a hospital, he said.
Opperman said tickets for the game were given out for free outside the stadium.
Following the fiasco, FIFA stated is was not involved whatsoever in the organization of the match.
Bottom line: These uncontrolled stampedes need to stop. Just last year 22 people died in the Ivory Coast while rushing to catch a World Cup qualifier.
Goal.com and Coca-Cola have teamed up to count down the Top 50 World Cup memorable celebrations (doesn’t really flow off the tongue) in the spectacle’s storied history. Let’s face it, we’re not all soccer experts (I’m far from it), but this is a great feature to help you learn a bit about the sport’s most important event. Most include videos within the detailed accounts.
And since I haven’t mentioned it already, the 2010 World Cup from South Africa begins June 11.
ESPNsoccernet has a great profile of Giuseppe Rossi, a soccer player who grew up in New Jersey who landed a spot on Italy’s National Team for the 2010 World Cup. Many fans of USA soccer refer to him as “the one that got away,” since he would be a huge asset to the American team.
All that was left from a U.S. perspective was to wait and see how Rossi’s Italian dream played out. He didn’t make a single misstep. In the summer of 2007, Rossi was called in to play for Italy’s U21 team at the European championship. In the summer of 2008, he was called in to play for Italy in the Olympics and ended up the leading scorer in that under-23 competition. By October, it was official. Named to the senior Italian team for a World Cup qualifier against Bulgaria, Giuseppe Rossi became a member of the Azzurri. He would never be allowed to play for the USA.
Whatever people might say about his patriotism, Rossi’s achievement can’t be overstated. Not only is he one of only two players on the Italian squad who weren’t born in Italy, but by playing for Villarreal, in Spain’s La Liga, he’s also one of only two players who don’t earn their living with an Italian club. (That could change soon, as it’s hotly rumored that Rossi is headed back to Serie A this summer.) He has broken into one of the most exclusive clubs in sports, against very serious odds. “Rossi is a little champion,” Italy manager Marcello Lippi said last summer. “He can play with his left foot or right foot. He can play anywhere on the front line, the way Lionel Messi plays for Barcelona.”
High praise, to be sure. But while a spot for Rossi on Italy’s 23-man World Cup roster seems likely, there are no guarantees. Plus, with talented strikers like Antonio Di Natale and Alberto Gilardino ahead of him on Lippi’s depth chart, any minutes he sees in South Africa will likely come off the bench. That might not have been the case had he chosen a different, safer path. Even before the car accident that severely injured U.S. striker Charlie Davies, a forward of Rossi’s quality would have been getting serious minutes for the U.S. “He’s a talented young player,” says Bradley, choosing his words carefully so as not to disparage any of the strikers in his player pool. But Arena can be more blunt. “He’s certainly good enough to play for the U.S.,” says the former coach. “I don’t think there’s any question about that.”
When asked to recall the goal that made him the player American fans love to hate, Rossi gets flustered. He grew up admiring Derek Jeter, and like the Yankees captain, Rossi is a perfectly polite interview who loathes talking about himself. “It was great to score, of course, but if I could have picked any team in the world to score against, the United States would have been my last choice,” he says. “I root hard for America — against anyone but Italy.”
Hopefully he makes the final roster. It will be another cool storyline in what could be a great World Cup. Most Americans will be focused on the early match between Team USA and England, but Rossi may provide some more drama is he gets some playing time.
Back in November, France and the Republic of Ireland met in the second leg of their World Cup play-off qualifier. In extra time, France’s Theirry Henry committed a handball before scoring. The goal propelled France into the World Cup qualification finals. Understandably, many fans of the game were angry. Tensions have eased since then and now Republic coach Giovanni Trapattoni has forgiven the French striker.
From FOXSports.com:
The France international’s handball in the run-up to William Gallas’ decisive goal in November’s World Cup play-off qualifier ended the Republic’s dreams of qualifying for the finals in South Africa.
FIFA’s disciplinary committee ruled this week they had no power to sanction Henry and Trapattoni admits he now has to put the incident behind him.
“The bitterness has passed and what remains is the taste of the good performance and the regret that we didn’t end up in South Africa,” Trapattoni told the programme ‘Dribbling’ on Italian television channel Rai Due.
“With the qualifying round we fought we deserved it.
“But I forgive Henry.”
In his defense, Henry did ask to have the match replayed. It was just an unfortunate outcome for a nation looking for its first World Cup berth since 2006.
Earlier this week at the FIFA World Cup Draw, England and the United States wound up in the same pool. This British press prematurely celebrated, claiming their national team should have no trouble against the likes of Algeria, Slovenia, and their friends from across the pond.
Easy. That’s what the English hacks think of the group. They see virtually no chance of an upset, no chance for the Algerians, the Slovenians or the Americans finishing atop the table.
Alexi Lalas, who played for the U.S. when it defeated England in a friendly in 1993, is unimpressed by it all, at least according to the Sun.
“We can play off the fact that England always thinks they are better than they are,” Lalas said.
Former Slovenian star Zlatko Zahovic was even more scathing.
“For me, England is not one of the favorites,” he said.
“They are a team full of stars and egos. They cannot possibly spend a month and a half together without friction.”
This is the kind of trash talk — bland or not — that the World Cup needs in the following months. Now Landon Donovan needs to hit the podium and lay down some slams.
