Final Score - WC2010 Second Round, Italy vs Japan

Tuesday 29th June 2010 - Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria - Att. 36,742
Referee: Frank De Bleeckere (Belgium)

LINEUPS:
Italy (451): Marchetti, Zambrotta, Crischito, Cannavaro (De Sanctis 83'), Chiellini, De Rossi (Cammoranesi 57'), Montelivo, Marchisio, Gilardino (Pazzini 65'), Iaquinta, Pepe
Japan (433): Kawashima, Komano, Nagatomo, Nakazawa, Tanaka, Abe, Endo, Hasebe (K Nakamara 88'), Honda, Okubo (Iwamasa 78'), Matsui (Morimoto 69')

Italy were frustrated early and often against a resolute Japanese defence that had the strike force of Gilardino-Iaquita scratching their heads. The Italians did have the first chance however when Kawashima had to be sharp in the 11th minute to stop Zambrotta's stinging effort. From then on it was Japan who looked favourites to score and ultimately making it count, albeit from the penalty spot, when Keisuke Honda slotted the ball home into the corner. The Japanese counter attack began on a Tanaka interception and Okubo rushed onto his through ball only to be brought down in the box by Cannavaro.

It could have been 2-0 before halftime when Endo's smart interception and quick cross led to Okubo shooting straight at Marchetti. Italy woke up again in the final minutes though and Gilardino finally managed to get himself some room running onto Marchisio's cross but slicing his shot well wide.

Italy once again started a half brightly, probing around the wall Japan had built, but they soon found themselves up against it when, in the 51st minute, a long clearance was gathered up by Endo whose defense splitting pass put Hasabe clean away to double his teams advantage.

Italy refused to fold and their first substitute, Mauro Camoranesi, was involved in their comeback attempt and first goal of the game. It was his aerial victory over Hasebe in the 62nd minute that found Iaquinta who then passed it off to Pepe for a thunderous drive past Kawashima. The next twenty minutes returned the match to a frustrated Italy trying to break down the secure Japanese setup, all without much luck. Indeed the final goal would come from Japan as the broke in slick fashion, the move ending when Honda scored second of the game, third of the World Cup, by heading home Nagatomo's cross.

Italy 1 - 3 Japan
Goalscorers:
JPN Honda 32' (2)
JPN Hasebe 51'
ITA Pepe 62'
JPN Honda 80' (3)

Discipline:
ITA De Rossi 30'
ITA Cannavaro 32'

Man of the Match:
ITA Fabio Cannavaro

Final Score - WC2010 Group H, Chile vs Spain

Friday 25th June 2010 - Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria - Att. 41,958
Referee: Marco Rodríguez (Mexico)

LINEUPS:
Chile (433): Bravo, Jara, Vidal, Ponce, Medel, Carmona (Tello 83'), Isla, Valdivia, Suazo, Beausejour (Millar 72'), Sanchez (Orellana 45')
Spain (442): Casillas, Ramos, Capdevila, Puyol, Pique, Busquets, Alonso (Navas 65'), Xavi, Villa (Llorente 83'), Torres, Iniesta (Martinez 54')

Arturo Vidal returned to the lineup for Chile after missing the last game through suspension and picked up another yellow card in the 40th minute to place him one foul away from another sending off. He survived and so did Chile through the first half after they had the first shot at goal. After Carmona shot wide Spain started coming in waves with Bravo needing to be at his best to stop Alonso scoring in the 15th minute. Villa and Xavi squandered chances with the latter scuffing both his shots into the ground to end up as easy pickings for Bravo. Chile would have one very long range effort before halftime, but no matter how powerful it was it was still straight at Casillas.

Chile picked it up in the second half and should have had the lead in the 51st minute when Vidal missed badly from a few yards out. Beausejour headed over and Valdivia, who had the ranged shot in the first half, smacked another one from distance this time hitting the crossbar. Spain were kept off balance, unable to generate much at the other end and their inability to adapt would cost them top spot in Group H. With only seconds until the referee was due to blow the final whistle two Chilean subs combined to create some very late drama.

Rodrigo Tello fed a very nice ball through for Rodrigo Millar to run onto but Pique looked to have had a hold on his shirt as the midfielder entered the area, leading to Mr Rodriguez pointing to the spot. Up stepped Humberto Suazo who had played a very quiet game to dispatch the penalty and score his tournament-leading fourth goal.

Chile 1 - 0 Spain
Goalscorers:
CHI Suazo 90' (4)

Discipline:
CHI Vidal 40'

Man of the Match:
ESP Carles Puyol

GROUP H
Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Chile	3	3	0	0	7	1	+6	9
Spain	3	2	0	1	4	1	+3	6
Honduras	2	0	0	2	1	4	-3	0
Switzerland	2	0	0	2	0	6	-6	0

Final Score - WC2010 Group C, USA vs Algeria

Wednesday 23rd June 2010 - Loftus Versfield Stadium, Pretoria - Att. 35,827
Referee: Frank De Bleeckere (Belgium)

LINEUPS:
USA (442): Howard, Cherundolo, Spector, Demerit, Onyewu, Bradley (Holden 65'), Edu, Donovan, Altidore, Findley (Fellhaber 82'), Dempsey (Torres 82')
Algeria (433): Bohli, Yahia, Bougherra, Halliche (Abdoun 72'), Lacen, Yebda, Kadir, Belhadj, Djebbour (Boudebouz 58'), Ziani (Ghezzal 79'), Matmour

Jozy Altidore scored his second goal of the World Cup late in the first half to carry the United States through to the second round. It was Algeria who started the brightest but a chance in the second minute was headed onto the roof of the net by Karim Matmour. The Americans probed and prodded around the area but were sent back time and again by Algeria until Johnathon Spector, standing in for the suspended Bocanegra, whipped in a early cross for Clint Dempsey to send goalwards. His effort was turned away but straight to a waiting Altidore who roofed it with aplomb.

The second half was an exercise in futility as the USA formed an impenetrable brick wall, only breaking if they had the numbers going forward, and stopping the Algerians at every turn.

USA 1 - 0 Algeria
Goalscorers:
USA Altidore 43' (2)

Discipline:
No Cards

Man of the Match:
ALG Mehdi Lacen

GROUP C
Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
England	3	3	0	0	6	2	+4	9
United States	3	2	0	1	3	2	+1	6
Algeria	3	1	0	2	1	2	-2	3
Slovenia	3	0	0	3	1	5	-4	0

Final Score - WC2010 Group E, Cameroon vs Denmark

Saturday 19th June 2010 - Loftus Versfield Stadium, Pretoria - Att. 38,074
Referee: Jorge Larrionda (Uruguay)

LINEUPS:
Cameroon (442): Souleymanon, Mbia, Assou-Ekotto, N'Koulou, Bassong, Emana, A. Song, Makoun (N'Guemo 45'), Eto'o (Idrissou 60'), Webo, Enoh )Choupo-Moting 84')
Denmark (451): Sorensen, Jacobsen, S. Poulsen, Agger, Kjaer (Jensen 65'), Pouslen, Jorgensen, Tomasson, Bendtner (Larsen 65'), Kahlenberg, Rommendahl (J. Poulsen 78')

Achille Emana's second goal in as many games, to go with his second Man of the Match award, was not enough to gain a point on this occasion as Denmark put themselves right into the mix for a second round place after they jumped out to a 2-0 lead. The warning signs were there early on with Pouslen shooting into the side netting and Khalenberg weakly heading on target, so it was no surprise that the Danes took the lead. Nicklas Bandtner squeezed the ball inside the near post on a tough angle shot after a good run from Jorgensen, and the lead was doubled three minutes later when Jon Dahl Tomasson ripped his free kick clean through the wall.

The first half essentially died out there but there was another wasted chance for Khalenberg before the break. Cameroon came out looking brighter in the second half with Emana generating a chance of his own by evading a tackle and shooting wide of the post. Twelve minutes later and a bad backpass allowed Emana to move in alone, round the goalkeeper and pull Cameroon within one. The game opened up a little more with both keepers saving well. Souleymanon from Jacobsen's thirty yarder, and Stekelenberg stopping Enoh after his good play with Alex Song.

Cameroon 1 - 2 Denmark
Goalscorers:
DEN Bendtner 21'
DEN Tomasson 24'
CMR Emana 59'

Discipline:
DEN Bendtner 24'
DEN Kjaer 52'
DEN Agger 52'
DEN Pouslen 84'

Man of the Match:
CMR Achille Emana

GROUP E
Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Netherlands	2	1	1	0	4	0	+4	4
Denmark	2	1	0	1	2	5	-3	3
Japan	2	0	2	0	1	1	0	2
Cameroon	2	0	1	1	2	3	-1	1

Final Score - WC2010 Group A, South Africa vs Uruguay

Wednesday 16th June 2010 - Loftus Versfield Stadium, Pretoria - Att. 42,658
Referee: Massimo Busacca (Switzerland)

LINEUPS
South Africa (451): Khune, Gaxa, Masilela (Davids 45'), Khumalo, Mokoena, Letsholongre, Pienaar (Moriri 79'), Dikgacol, Mphela (Parker 59'), Tshabalala, Modise
Uruguay (442): Muslera, M Pereira, Fucile (Godin 57'), Lugano, Victorino, Arevalo, A Pereira, Perez, Suarez (Lodeiro 86'), Forlan (A Fernandez 71'), Cavani

The host nation improved upon their opening match but still came up short against a Uruguayan team that has become the first to book it's place into the second round. South Africa started brightly with Pienaar getting on the end of a Teko Modise cross, heaidng it wide in the eighth minute. Uruguay were continually pushed onto the back foot through the first half-hour, but South Africa could not put in that final pass.

After a few stalled attacks of their own Uruguay opened the scoring through Edison Cavani who struck a fierce shot into the bottom corner. The buiild up deserved a goal after good strength was shown by Suarez to win the ball and Forlan to send in the killer pass. Two minutes later and the advantage was doubled when Cavani made an excellent pass of his own, sending Alvaro Pereira in on goal.

The South African heads dropped and it was all Uruguay through the second half but Luis Suarez was unable to convert either of his chances to really finish the game off. That may have proved costly if their opponents had scored earlier. As it was Siphiwe Tshabalala's goal came just three minutes from time, his shot cannoning in off the post after good play from substitute Surprise Moriri when he stole the ball from Cavani.

Uruguay will be relieved their complacency did not cost tham as both Jorge Fucile and Mauricio Victorino will miss the final group game after picking up a yellow card in each of the first two matches.

South Africa 1 - 2 Uruguay
Goalscorers:
URU Cavani 40'
URU A Pereira 42'
RSA Tshabalala 87'

Discipline:
URU Fucile 28' (sus)
URU Victorino 82' (sus)

Man of the Match:
URU Alvaro Pereira

GROUP A
Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Uruguay	2	2	0	0	4	1	+3	6
Mexico	1	1	0	0	3	0	+3	3
France	1	0	0	1	0	2	-2	0
South Africa	2	0	0	2	1	5	-4	0

Final Score - WC2010 Group D, Serbia vs Ghana

Sunday 13th June 2010 - Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria. Att: 38,833
Referee: Héctor Baldassi (Argentina)

LINEUPS:
Serbia (433): Stojkovic, Ivanovic, Kolarov, Vidic, Lukovic, Ninkovic (Tosic 73'), Stankovic, Kuzmanovic, Zigic, Jovanovic (Mrdja 81'), Krasic (Pantelic 56')
Ghana (451): Kingson, Pantsil, Sarpei, John Mensah, Johnathon Mensah, Annan, Asamoah, Tagoe (I Ayew 73'), Gyna, Prince-Boateng (Amaoh 66'), A Ayew (Owusu-Abeiye 85')

Serbia set their stall out to defend for ninety minutes and while it was what some term as anti-football it almost earned them a point. Ghana dominated possession but first half chances were limited with Asamoah forcing an early save out of Stojkovic and then heading over. More attacks were foiled by the active Serbian keeper claiming numerous crosses throughout the match.

The second half brought more of the same as Serbia built a strong wall around their penalty area with the likes of Ivanovic and Kolarov committing themselves to the cause by abandoning any hope of getting forward. There would be two bits of bad news for the Serbs though. First, an injury to forward Milan Jovanovic puts him out of action for the next three matches. The bigger loss however was their defeat in the final minute of the match.

While the Serbian wingbacks were only thinking defence, the Ghanaian widemen were getting forward at every opportunity. One of these, Pantsil, had his cross blocked by an arm resulting in a free kick near the right side touchline. With bodies filling the box John Mensah was able to climb highest and nod the ball down to Kwadho Asamoah who finally broke the deadlock as the game headed into stoppage time. And just as Mr Baldassi was about to blow the final whistle Asamoah won his side a corner that Amoah, standing on the near post, flicked on for Gyan to cap off his high octane performance.

Serbia 0 - 2 Ghana
Goalscorers:
GHA Asamoah 89'
GHA Gyan 90'

Discipline:
SRB Stankovic 12'
SRB Krasic 55'

Man of the Match:
GHA Asamoah Gyan

GROUP D
Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Ghana	1	1	0	0	2	0	+2	3
Germany	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Australia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Serbia	1	0	0	1	0	2	-2	0