Germany 3 Uruguay 2, the penultimate match of South Africa 2010 has the world on the edge of their seats

Game number 63 of 64 in South Africa turned out to be the game of the tournament. The World Cup final between Spain and the Netherlands at Soccer City tomorrow can't possibly live up to the throbbing mayhem of Germany 3, Uruguay 2 in Port Elizabeth.

There have been times when the third-fourth play-off has been a limp addendum to the tournament. Not this time. Not in South Africa, where the pleasant surprises just keep on coming.

With the Golden Boot up for grabs, my young player of the tournament Thomas Mueller opened the scoring, following up on Bastian Schweinsteiger’s shot. Fernando Muslera did his best to get a grip on that dastardly Jabulani ball, but Mueller was there for the rebound after 19 minutes.

Schweinsteiger, who scored twice in this game four years ago, then got caught in possession - Diego Perez produced a dream sliding tackle, came up with the ball, and found Luis Suarez. He let Edinson Cavani loose and the veteran German goalkeeper Hans-Joerg Butt was beaten for the equaliser after 28 minutes.

Uruguay, with Luis Suarez roundly booed for his handball against Ghana (can’t agree with that, we would all have done the same as he did), refused to recognise their status as Africa’s pariahs. And just as Mueller had joined Holland’s Wesley Sneijder and Spain David Villa on five goals, so Diego Forlan did the same.

Again Suarez was involved, this time his cross found Forlan – like Mueller included in my World Cup XI http://neal-collins.blogspot.com/2010/07/world-cup-xi-best-and-worst-of-south.html - and his bounced-volley beat Butt.

By now we knew this was no ordinary game. Only three times in this World Cup had sides come back from behind – Holland’s quarter-final victory over Brazil at the same ground was the most notable – and both sides simply threw themselves into the fray.

With 56 minutes played, Uruguay keeper Muslera failed to get new Manchester City signing Jerome Boateng’s cross – he may have been impeded by a defender, but he should have crashed him out of the way – and there was Marcell Jansen to make it 2-2.

With Boateng charging from left back to right wing and the vuvuzelas reaching fever pitch, we had to have a winner. And we got one eight minutes from time. Uruguay failed to clear a German corner and the ball sat up beautifully for Sami Khedira – another of Germany’s great young immigrant stars – to head home.

But still it wasn’t over. Drenched by rain and sweat, the players stormed up and down at the end of a month of absorbing football. And the game of games at this tournament so nearly ended in drama. With the last kick of the game, Forlan the formidable, looped a free-kick on to the bar.

The Jabulani, which will be replaced by a unique “Jo-Bulani” ball for the final, just wouldn’t come down another inch.

Germany had taken third again. But Uruguay go home with their heads high. What a night. Another great night at South Africa 2010. Please Spain, don’t stifle the Dutch tomorrow. Take them on, go for goal. Make it another night to remember for the Rainbow Nation and 600 million people across the globe.

Bottoms up for Robben and the Dutch as Arjen insists: I won't allow us to lose the World Cup final

Aarjen Robben won’t let Holland lose the World Cup final. It’s as simple as that. Caught with his trousers down (see great Getty Images picture) after an epic 3-2 semi-final win over Uruguay in Cape Town last night, Robben has no intention of dropping his guard in the final at Soccer City on Sunday.

Haunted by memories of their two successive World Cup final defeats at Germany 74 and Argentina 78, losing is simply not an option for Robben, who was unable to prevent Bayern Munich going down to Inter Milan in the Champions League showdown seven weeks ago.

Robben, who scored a glorious header to seal last night’s epic semi, said: “This Dutch team is simply a great squad. We had a good look at each other before the game... and I was convinced we'd win.

"We’re nearly there. We need only one more victory now. I’ve already lost a big final with Bayern and I won't let that happen again.

"If Germany turn out to be our next opponent, I'll be even more motivated. I can't afford to lose against Germany, because my team-mates at Bayern will make fun of me all season."

Cape Town’s Green Point Stadium was awash with Orange by the time Robben scored the third goal, his second of the tournament after his late arrival with a hamstring injury. By then Wesley Sneijder and captain Gio van Bronkhorst had already given the Dutch a slender 2-1 advantage after Diego Forlan’s equaliser.

Uruguay pulled back a late goal but by then forlorn Forlan had been recklessly substituted and Uruguay had given up the fight.

Two of the smallest nations in the world – Holland are ranked 134^th in the world on land mass while Uruguay are 90^th – contrived to produce a fitting showdown in Cape Town, the city established by Dutchman Jan van Riebeeck in 1652.

South Africa, boasting over ten million people who still speak Afrikaans or “kitchen Dutch”, were unanimously behind the Oranjes after Uruguay’s cynical efforts had deprived both Bafana Bafana and BaGhana BaGhana of an African representative at this glorious tournament.

The last surviving Latin American nation were at it again last night, diving about, falling over, generally making a nuisance of themselves. But credit to Uruguay, who only qualified for this tournament on a play-off against Costa Rica after finishing fifth in the CONMEBOL qualifying group, they gave it a good shot.

With big guns Brazil and Argentina out, they fought hard to end the Dutch record of 25 successive unbeaten outings. But as I said two months ago, this Dutch side – with Sneijder and Robben the form players in Europe last season – were always a good outside bet at 12-1.

Cape Town, treated to awful 0-0 draws between Uruguay and France followed by England and Algeria early in the tournament, can now boast the highest-scoring venue of this World Cup. And the men in orange, unbeaten in qualifying, have now set a new record of 14 games without defeat in a single tournament, not to mention ten wins on the trot.

Unheralded coach Bert van Marwijk said: “Unbelievable. When I took this job two years ago, I said to the players, “we're on a mission, and we just have to believe in ourselves”. We're only a small country but we're through to the final again after 32 years, that's just unbelievable.”

And perhaps most telling of all, with Brazil lying in their wake and Germany or Spain to come, he added: “I love beautiful football, but I also want to win.”

Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez sighed: “It was the right result and it was a match worthy of the World Cup semi-finals. I'm proud of my players. We're disappointed, but we've shown everyone who wrote us off beforehand that we're not very far off the top.

“We gave it our best shot, but it wasn’t quite enough.”

Neal Collins is in South Africa to promote his book A GAME APART. For more details see www.nealcollins.co.uk.

It's Argentina v Germany in Cape Town and the real World Cup may start right here

Just down the road from me at the Velmore Estate, the Germans have left for Cape Town and their biggest challenge of this World Cup. Argentina in the quarter-final at Green Point on Saturday. Some game.

In 1986 and 1990, these two old rivals contested the final. Germany won a forgettable showdown 1-0 in Rome amid much referee-pushing and controversy.

This World Cup can’t afford another debacle like that. Too many games – Spain’s tired win over Portugal, Paraguay’s penalty shoot-out defeat of Japan – have left fans hoping for better.

I think they are be about to see that as the quarter-finals roll out across South Africa.

The Germans, normally such thorough planners, have had a few set-backs here. First came news that their luxurious Velmore base near remote Erasmia had no planning permission and had been built on the Hennops River flood plain.

They got over that, settled in... and crushed Australia 4-0 in their opening game. But then came a shocking 1-0 defeat against stubborn Serbia and everything was back in the balance. Their final group win over Ghana sent them through as Group D winners against Group C runners-up England.

A cracking 4-1 win dismantled the old enemy, with Wayne Rooney and Co travelling home in disgrace after “that” goal from Frank Lampard was disallowed, in the style of 1966.

And now the German’s topsy-turvy campaign moves to Cape Town, 1,000 miles south, a two-hour flight... where they must meet Argentina, who boast perhaps the most talented squad at this World Cup.

Argentina have been preparing about 20 miles away at Pretoria University’s High Performance Centre. South Africa’s administrative capital has been buzzing with Argentines for three weeks now. They’re everywhere, lapping up the South Africa experience.

And while England, France and Italy went home under a cloud, the atmosphere under the slightly crazy Diego Maradona has been awesome. At the end of every training session, dodgy Diego lines up his five-a-side losers and allows his victors to pelt their victims proffered bottoms with a firmly struck Jabulani.

It may be a super light World Cup ball, but boy it can sting. But cigar-puffing Maradona’s levity appears to work a lot better than the strict discipline and unsmiling regime of Fabio Capello and Ramond Domenech.

Capello appears to have avoided the chop for misreading the World Cup campaign, Domenech may yet face the guillotine for his part in France’s nearly pointless appearance at this World Cup.

But for Maradona, who has been bitter criticised throughout qualifying, everything is turning up roses.

After struggling to emerge from the exhausting CONMEBOL qualifying campaign in fourth place, Argentina started with a 1-0 win over Nigeria, then came wins over South Korea and Greece. Along with Holland, they were the only perfect group winners with nine points, scoring seven goals and conceding just one.

Then came a rousing 3-1 win over Mexico in their first knock-out game at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday. Argentina appear ready to join the Latin American party at this World Cup, with a CONMEBOL nation contesting every quarter-final.

Like Ghana, Holland and Spain, the battle to overcome Latin American opposition and reach the last four is about to begin in earnest.

Maradona refused to get involved in a war of words with the Germans, saying simply: “They said I had no idea about how to coach. But suddenly I am winning matches and I am still the same guy."

But how about this from Germany’s Bastian Schweinsteiger. He witnessed the unseemly row after a clearly off-side Carlos Tevez goal in the win over Mexico and said: “You could see their behavior at half-time against Mexico. When you look at their body language and gesticulations, the way they try to influence the referees, they have no respect. It's their mentality and character, and we'll have to adjust.”

And this from Thomas Mueller, scorer of two goals in as many minutes in the epic win over England. Maradona thought he was a ball-boy when they first met, and Mueller growls: "Now I have won two titles and played in the Champions League with Bayern, so a few things have changed. As a coach I can't judge him but the results and the convincing way Argentina are playing means he is doing things right.”

Germany, fielding their youngest World Cup squad in 70 years, are the unpredictable side in the last eight. Maradona’s once-inconsistent squad appear to be the dominant force. For once, I’ll back the Germans. But only because Maradona is bonkers!

Neal Collins is in South Africa to mourn for England and promote his first novel A GAME APART. See www.nealcollins.co.uk.

The first penalty shoot-out of the World Cup: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM8TJJ6RIqo

To see him perform at the National Arts Festival on July 4, go tohttp://www.computicket.com/web/event/neal_collins_a_game_apart/148367625.

Ghana 2 USA 1: Africa have their heroes, but the American dream is shattered

While 23 million Ghanaians go off into the night to celebrate, 305 million Americans are left with their heads in their hands. About 20,000 of them were among the 33,000 at the Bafokeng Sports Palace last night, stunned. The World Cup tends to do that to even the most powerful of nations.

A night of high drama ended Phokeng's involvement in this fascinating World Cup - and the USA's. Though it will be absolutely no consolation to the brave US and their huge army of travelling fans, it produced a result South Africa 2010 desperately needs.

With five African nations crashing out with two wins between them, Ghana carry the hopes of a continent as Africa's first World Cup hits the squeaky bottom phase.

The Americans came back from beyond once more, but they couldn't do it twice. A rousing crusade is over. The American dream of global dominance with the round ball remains incomplete. But they'll be back.

And they'll be ready to go that extra step. Legend has it that Landon Donovan, the son of a semi-professional ice-hockey player, demanded to play soccer when he was seven.

His mother Donna took him along and he scored six goals. So far, after 21 years and two World Cup finals, he has scored five including his penalty in Phokeng. And that's the most any CONCACAF player has ever managed. Quick, dogged and determined, Donovan epitomises the grit that drives this vastly-improved US side.

But he's not alone. Michael Bradley, son of coach Bob who got it so wrong with his starting line-up against Ghana last night, never stops running. Fulham's Clint Dempsey was hacked down countless times, but never lost his rag, never lost his hunger.

But even that wasn't enough. So what do we make of Ghana, the Black Stars who carry the last African flag into the quarter-finals? The name itself means "Warrior King", this was the home of the much-feared Ashanti tribe and the first African nation to declare itself free of British imperialism in 1960.

They've always been a bit special... and they proved it again without Michael Essien, their Chelsea talisman, who pulled out injured before the tournament.

Richie Kingson, regarded as the third best goalkeeper at Wigan last season, showed just why he's looking for a new club. He was immense when the Americans, having reshuffled their side, began putting the pressure on.

Early on, it was all Ghana. Bradley started with Ricardo Clark rather than Maurice Edu but it was Clark who was dispossessed after just five minutes. Portsmouth's Kevin-Prince Boateng, the man who famously crocked Germany captain Michael Ballack at the FA Cup final, did the robbing.

And blow me, he took the ball, whisked past Watford's Jay DeMerit and struck it low with his left foot past Everton'sTim Howard. Great goal and the start of serious Ghanaian dominance. After half-an-hour the Africans had 64 percent of the possession. And we were starting to understand why captain DeMerit has told Watford he's looking for a new challenge.

But while Sulley Muntari, Ghana's best player after Essien, languished on the Ghana bench, Bradley made his changes. Outnumbered in midfield, he pulled Clark off after just half-an-hour and put Edu on up front.

It worked a charm. The US came right back into it, chance after chance falling to Jozi Altidor, the one-goal Hull striker last season, and Edu.

They had to wait too long for the equaliser though. Just over an hour was gone when Dempsey scurried into the area and Jonathan Mensah pulled him down. I thought he may have got a touch on the ball, but in the book he went and Donovan stepped up to take the penalty.

The US pushed and pushed for the winner but with Kingson dominant, we were into extra-time. It looked for all the world as if the Americans would go on to win it... but somebody forgot to tell Asamoah Gyan.

Scorer of two goals out of three for Ghana so far, the 24-year-old from French club Rennes bundled past Carlos Bocanegra and smashed a glorious left foot shot past Howard from just inside the box.

The final minute saw the two goalkeepers go head to head, literally, as Howard went up for a corner only to be denied by the courageous Kingson. Does Arsene Wenger have his number?

Donovan lamented afterwards: "Soccer is such a cruel game. One minute you're on top of the world, the next you're at the bottom of the mountain. We were a little bit naive at times and you can't do that at this level."

With Argetina or Mexico next up in the quarter-finals, Gyan said simply: "I am the happiest man in the world."

To see the Gyan goal and hear US coach Bob Bradley's summing up, see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1ubvWHu97U

Soweto, the ultimate World Cup destination: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mUVdUk0GMQ. Includes fantastic dancing lady and the ultimate World Cup companion!

Neal Collins is in South Africa to marvel at the South Americans, pray for England... and promote his first novel A GAME APART, the real story behind this World Cup. For more information see www.nealcollins.co.uk.

Capello opts for Upson and slams Terry as tensions rise before Slovenia showdown

England coach Fabio Capello has bowed to the pressure and agreed to name his side early before the must-win World Cup clash with Slovenia on Wednesday – and he has already confirmed West Ham’s Matthew Upson will replace Liverpool’s Jamie Carragher at centre-back.

Capello has also slammed former captain John Terry for his comments at a press conference on Sunday. The Generalissimo, reasserting his authority in an increasingly tense camp, said: "When you speak, you have to speak privately. This is a big mistake - you have to speak with me and the players."

With Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand ruled out just before the tournament and Tottenham’s Ledley King injured in the opening Group C clash against the USA, Capello has little choice other than Spurs Michael Dawson, who arrived as a late replacement for Ferdinand.

Carragher, who reversed his international retirement to be here, was booked after coming on during the 1-1 draw against the US and picked up a second booking in the awful 0-0 draw against Algeria in Cape Town on Friday.

His suspension left Capello confirming: "Upson will play because he always played with John Terry and I probably will change some others."

Capello has come under pressure from the media and players – notably former captain Terry – over his decision not to name his side until two hours before kick-off in South Africa. Curiously though, the Daily Mail found out 24 hours before the Algeria game that Portsmouth veteran David “Calamity” James was to take over from West Ham’s Robert “Phokeng” Green in goal.

That suggests the players have always known the team some time before kick-off – and it was just a matter of plugging the leaks.

Capello, who has been unusually animated on the sideline throughout, could be seen to have bowed to the pressure after Terry spoke of “arguments” in the camp on Sunday. The Italian has also spoken of the “pressures” of this World Cup, and fears he has “wasted two years” of preparation.

Capello’s mood won’t be helped by former England full-back Paul Parker coming out in support of Dawson rather than Upson, who struggled with the Hammers in the relegation fight last season. Parker said: "God knows why Dawson wasn't in the original squad - but he should replace Carra against Slovenia without a shadow of doubt.

"Michael Dawson was playing well for his club at the end of the season yet he picked (Matthew) Upson, who just hasn't been playing well."

Critics are also calling for the end of Frank Lampard’s ragged World Cup campaign. Though he scores 20 goals a season for Chelsea, he struggles to make an impact next to Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard for the Three Lions. Others argue Aston Villa’s Gareth Barry, rushed back into the side after injury, is still not 100 percent.

Alternatives include James Milner, give just 32 minutes to prove his worth against the US, Michael Carrick, the Manchester United central midfielder who likes to sit deep and spray it around, or Chelsea’s Joe Cole, curiously over-looked on the left throughout this tournament.

Neal Collins is in South Africa to promote his first novel A GAME APART. For more details see www.nealcollins.co.uk .

He is also appearing at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown next month. For tickets, see http://www.computicket.com/web/event/neal_collins_a_game_apart/148367625

Day eight wrap-up: Great Danes, Sad Socceroos, Double Dutch, Anelka Banished and Rooney Apologises

On the day Nicolas Anelka was sent home by France for insulting coach Raymond Domenech and Wayne Rooney apologised to England’s long-suffering fans, the World Cup provided unexpected late night thrills here in Pretoria.

I suspect not many changed their Saturday night party schedule for Denmark versus Cameroon at the Loftus Versfeld rugby stadium but hey, you might have been converted. A chilly night on the Highveld provided only the second come-from-behind victory of the tournament in 26 games as Denmark pulled off a 2-1 win. It could have ended 10-10.

The two no-hopers in Group E, after a literally and figuratively pointless opening round, provided seriously entertaining fare. It nearly rivalled the USA’s 2-2 draw with Slovenia (we won’t mention the injustice of that scoreline, it’s already been discussed at length) and Greece’s 2-1 win over Nigeria.

Cameroon struck early through the great Samuel Eto’o, formerly of Barcelona, now of Internazionale in Milan. The man who threatened to withdraw from the tournament when he was criticised by the legendary Roger Milla, really looked like Africa’s top player again, rousing the crowd and the continent with a great first-half display.

After just 10 minutes, the former African player of the year benefited from another mistake from Danish defender Simon Kjaer. After his own-goal in the 2-0 defeat against Holland, he played a terrible cross-field pass, picked up by Achille Webo.

He squared for Eto’o, who made no mistake to slot past Thomas Sorensen. And that was just the start. End-to-end stuff ensued, with Eto’o hitting a post and Dennis Rommedahl cutting repeated swathes through the Cameroon defence.

Somewhere in the middle of all the excitement, Arsenal’s lanky goal-misser Nicklas Bendtner slid in on a Rommedahl cross to level after 33 minutes.

A breathtaking first half was followed by a dramatic second. After 61 minutes, Rommedahl was at it again. Charlton fans may remember his searing pace – he played 75 games for them between 2004 and 2007. Undimmed by 31 years of being knocked over by stolid left backs, he tore past Jean Makoun and bent the winner past Hamidou Souleymanou.

Cameroon, desperate to prove a force in Africa’s first World Cup, hammered away at Sorensen’s goal for the last half-hour. But Africa’s highest-ranked nation in South Africa – they’re 19^th- couldn’t produce the leveller. Like Nigeria, they have no points after two games – it’s been a tough tournament for the continent.

Day eight of an increasingly absorbing World Cup opened with Holland joining Argentina as the only sides definitely through to the knock-out stages. Their 1-0 win over Japan was no classic but the magnificent Moses Mabhida Stadium was packed to the rafters with Orange shirts celebrating a second-successive win for their side.

The Dutch fans had closed the motorways between Pretoria and Durban – a five-hour, 400 mile drive through the snow-covered Drakensburg mountains – as they travelled in convoy to follow their side on Thursday.

Bayern Munich’s Wesley Sneijder scored the only goal after 53 minutes. His firmly struck shot with the light Jabulani ball which appeared to deceive Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima, who could only deflect the shot off his palms and into the net.

Japan coach Takeshi Okada, who looked close to tears at times during the game, said: “Our players tried everything they could. I'm really sorry for our supporters.”

Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk wasn’t fooled. This was hardly a classic case of Dutch total football. He said: “You've got to be happy about winning your first two games. But we can play better than that, and we'll have to.”

Then Ghana and Australia fought out a no-prisoners 1-1 draw in front of 33,000 at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium – a result which leaves the Soccceroos hanging on by their fingernails.

Ghana saw off Serbia in their opening game while Australia were beaten heavily, 4-0, by Germany. But day seven saw Serbia shock the Germans 1-0 – Group D really may stand for Death.

The Aussies went ahead through the lively Brett Holman after just 11 minutes but disaster struck 14 minutes later. Harry Kewell blocked a goal-bound shot on the line with his right arm and was sent-off despite pleading “look at the big screen, I didn’t mean it” as Italian referee Roberto Rosetti produced his red card.

Asamoah Gyan stuck away his second penalty of the tournament and it looked like Ghana would take control – but by the death it was 10-man Australia who were doing all the pushing.

Aussie boss Pim Verbeek said: “I’m proud of the players – playing with a man less for that long is not easy. We’re still in the race but it’s going to be difficult now. We need to win against Serbia and score at least three or four goals. Ok, that’s the job.”

Look, I know I rattle on about these things but, unbelievably, they want me to speak at South Africa’s National Arts Festival on July 4. Yes, it’s ridiculous. Me? Arts? Anyway, here’s the details if you can make it:http://www.computicket.com/web/event/neal_collins_a_game_apart/148367625

Italy are the bottom line for one Quintin Marais, midfield dynamo for Centurion Blues!

France and South Africa may face a humiliating exit from the World Cup, but it could have been worse. At least nobody lost their trousers.

Who suffered that embarrassment in the process of attempting a diving header in front of the world’s press? He’s not a Bafana Bafana star… just a 26-year-old local midfielder who was asked to join the Italian training session at Southdowns on Thursday.

Quintin Marais, son of two of my best friends from our schools days at Lyttelton Manor High, is now something of a media star, given the coverage which has been beamed around the world. He is the central midfield dynamo for local club Centurion Blues. But that doesn’t quite prepare you for training with Italy, even if you are part of the local Van Rooyen clan.

I’ve known Quintin since he was a boy. Gave him a ring this morning. He told me: “I can’t believe what happened! I went for a dive header and my trousers came down – everyone was laughing.

“But look Neal, it was great man. I used to work at Southdowns and my boss game me a call to come train. All my friends are so jealous. I still can’t believe it. Training with the Azzuri, high-fiving with Gennaro Gatusso, one of my heroes. I’ll never forget my day with the Italians!”

But enough of that. Here’s the account Quintin sent me, written from the heart:

“Here is a story I think all of you will appreciate! Might not believe it but it’s true! Ok so I have to tell you what happened to me yesterday! Eat your hearts out!

“Now, as you know Italy have made Centurion their home base for the world cup where they train at Southdowns

“So yesterday at around 11ish Wian (who is actually my ex boss) called me from Southdowns – told me I have 10 minutes to get there, the Italians are a player short and Marais must come fulfill the role!

“Oh my Lord! – At first I told Wian to stop joking but no – the real deal!

“So I drop everything at work – rush off home to get me boots and off I go

“I get there – heavy security – get escorted to the kit room, get dressed quickly - they kit me out proper!

“Now the Italians were already training when I got there and apparently the bloke who was supposed to help them out was late or stuck in traffic or something!

“So the first person who came into Wian’s mind was Marais! Niiiiiiiccce!!!

“Anyway – get kitted up and off I run to Mr. Lippi who called me on…. No warm up – just get cracking son!

“He greets me with some Italian saying and the whole team crack themselves with laughter – not like I was phased – I just lag (laughed) with them! I mean I’m just happy to be there!

“Moving on… Run on and straight into ‘piggy in the middle’ for those who of you play footy will know what that means.

“After that most of the guys greeted me including Gattuso who I called ‘bulldog’ to the amusement of all his team mates

“We then did some attacking play where the ball gets crossed and the other 3 get into the box to slot it… so this was quite cool! I’m lovin it!

“So we go through the paces a few times… but with this one specific one - Marais gets into the box for the diving header which was squandered but at the same time lost my rods (trousers)!

“But when I say lost my rods…I mean kaal gat (for English readers: Bare Bottom)! All the press/photographers started laughing so I just ran back as if nothing happened and carried on as usual. LOL!!!

“All of them wanted to chat to me afterwards but I was I was not allowed to… oh well!

“Anyway – long story short Marais trained with the world champs and it was probably the most awesome 40 minutes or so of my entire life!

“They all signed a shirt for me afterwards too which is cool – so the Italians are not so bad ey… actually lekker (nice) bunch!

“Here is a link below of my story that’s probably all around the world today. It’s also at the bottom of page 26 in ‘The Star’ today.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20100617/ten-uk-soccer-world-italy-student-eaebf69.html

or google: student shows some cheek to train with champs Italy

Enjoy

Regards

Quintin

Italian stallion!

See the Italian World Cup base: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spzCX3CXdYA

Mexico 2 France 0 and Thierry Henry can only sit on his hands

Okay, here’s the Group A scenario. France and South Africa, for obvious reasons, will be desperate to beat each other when they conclude their currently winless campaigns in Bloemfontein on June 22. They have only a point apiece to show for their efforts so far.

About 500 miles away in Rustenburg, Uruguay will play Mexico. Both have four points. And the bitter truth for 1998 champions and 2006 runners-up France and hosts South Africa is this: if the Americans play out a quiet goalless draw, it doesn’t matter who beats who at the Free State Stadium.

I tell you one group of neutrals who may have had smiling eyes last night as Mexico produced this nightmare scenario with a 2-0 win over France. The Irish. They were put out, as I might have mentioned before, by Thierry Henry’s outrageous handball which clinched the play-off in Paris last November.

And there he was in at a packed Peter Mokabe Stadium in freezing Polokwane yesterday, in his beanie hate, reduced to the role of spectator. A mere bench warmer, on a night when warmth was at a premium. Left to sit on his hands, as it were.

The Hand of Frog unable to alter this cruel state of affairs. The inquest into Raymond Domenech’s final weeks in charge will begin in the morning, with gusto. Laurent Blanc takes over Les Bleus after this World Cup and, from what we’ve been hearing, he can’t arrive too soon.

What was last night all about? The French, like many others, appeared to scared to hit their free-kicks with any va-va-voom because they keep ballooning over the bar. That’s understandable, a trend in a tournament when the infamous Jabulani leaves us without a single undeflected long-range goal.

But not to trouble the Mexican goalkeeper all night? Frightening, with a side full of millionaires. Mexico, a team of terriers, simply made them look like has-beens. Or never-weres. The Republic of Ireland could hardly have been worse. And we know what a craick their fans would have had over here.

Mexico deserved victory, if only for the sheer tempo at which they played this one. A sharper linesman might have called Javier Hernandez off-side when he broke clear in the 63^rd minute to beat the goalkeeper and score.

But then Eric Abidal upended Pablo Berrera and the fussy Saudi Arabian referee Al Ghamdi gave the spot kick. Veteran sub Cuauhtemoc Blanco, with the longest run-up you’ve ever seen for a penalty, rammed it home.

Tottenham’s Giovanni Dos Santos, currently on loan at Turkey, was simply magnificent. Harry Redknapp must give the Mexican Billy Whizz another go. Bayern Munich’s Franck Ribery flattered to deceive, unable to make anything work down the left for France. Chelsea’s Florent Malouda was invisible, Arsenal’s Abou Diabi absent.

Another fascinating night. An absorbing day seven. We’ve had 14 goals in four second round games after the dour opening clashes. This is how it’s going to be from now on. Life and death. Until, perhaps, the fateful game between Mexico and Uruguay. That may be drawn and quartered.

And now the French, like the hosts, must sweat until June 22. When even a win may not be enough.

Switzerland 1 Spain 0 and the 2010 World Cup has the shock it so badly needed. Forget the Vuvuzelas, try a cow bell!

Nobody expects the Spanish inquisition. They do now. Don’t you just love this game? This World Cup? We’ve sat for days waiting for a shock, a pulse-racing moment. We’ve seen South Korea beat Greece 2-0, we’ve seen North Korea push Brazil and lose 2-1.

But blimey, nobody expected an under-strength Switzerland to beat Spain, the reigning European champions, officially the second best side in the world, unofficially the favourites for the 2010 World Cup.

In the first half they played like typical Spanish matadors from La Liga. All pretty passing and 72 percent possession, cloaks flying, glittering blades flailing about. But no true footballing passion, no hunger for the goal. Like so many in this tournament so far, they were reluctant to take risks, push on.

And then the moment of all moments for Swiss football. The men from the mountains haven’t beaten Spain in 18 attempts. The fancy-pants millionaires have lost just once in 48 games (though they did lose to the US at the Confederations Cup here). And then Gelson Fernandes got the goal that shook the world.

How do I describe this great goal? A mess? Lanky Swiss striker Eren Derdiyok fell over a long ball, long-lasting goalkeeper Iker Casillas and the elegant Gerard Pique fumbled about a bit so Fernandes stuck it in, like a true centre-forward the mud and thunder of a Sunday League brawl. Only this was Durban, in front of 60,000 in the magnificent Moses Mabhida Stadium.

What a truly wonderful moment. Chris Waddle, the former England international, said on the BBC: "You can't explain what's happened out there - that's the wonder of football. Switzerland have had one chance, they've taken it, and otherwise all they've done is defend. Fair play to them. Saying that, there's a fair while to go yet."

I love this game. Mission Impossible this was, and the Swiss barely got a touch in the first half, kicking everything that moved, even their own players.

With Andreas Iniesta playing out of his skin, Spain were never going to lie down. They threw on Liverpool’s Fernando Torres next to David Villa, the £37m Barcelona signing who has forgotten how to shoot with this superlight Jabulani ball. Then Xabi Alonso crashed in a shot from outside the box, but it thudded off the bar, the nearest we’ve seen to a long-range goal all week.

But with the cow-bells of the Swiss competing with the Africa Vuvuzelas, Derdiyok’s long legs weaved a way through at the other end, and the world’s 24^th best side hit the post. Ooooh. Don’t tell me this World Cup lacks atmosphere... you could cut it with a violet Vuvuzela at that point.

Spain, with all those Barcelona and Real Madrid stars, were chasing the game. Given Chile’s win over Honduras in Nelspruit earlier in the day, defeat was out of the question for Vincente del Bosques superstars. So who do they take off? Iniesta, unquestionably the best player we have seen in action here so far. But no place for Arsenal’s benched superstar Cesc Fabregas, as Spain turned to Pedro.

You couldn’t take your eyes off this one. Enough of the Italians meandering, the Portuguese struggling, the goalkeepers throwing the ball in the net.

This was World Cup football at its finest. But the Swiss, without their three finest players – Stefan Frei, Vallon Behrami and Phillipe Senderos who was injured crashing into his own player in the first half – simply refused to buckle.

With ten to go Jesus Navas crash one inches wide of Diego Benaglio's right-hand post. But even Jesus wasn’t going to save this Spanish armada.

Steve von Bergen, on for Senderos, didn’t miss a header in a congested penalty area. Benaglio got a glove to anything and everything.

And then the whistle. Spain beaten. Otto Hitzfeld hugging everyone. The spaniards had 24 shots on goal, nada, nix, nothing to show for it. And amid the hullaballoo, there was Fernandes, grinning.

You wanted something special? You got it!

Neal Collins is in South Africa to promote his first novel, A GAME APART. To find out more, see www.nealcollins.co.uk.

Brazil 2, North Korea 1, but let's not go nuts just yet

Even the world’s greatest side needs a right back sometimes. After 56 minutes of Brazilians going nuts in a near-freezing Johannesburg, it was left to Maicon to break North Korean hearts with a curious cross-shot which whipped in from the narrowest of angles.

He’s Brazilian. I’d never accuse him of scoring by accident. But God, how we needed that goal. No side has even been ranked as low as 105 in the world and qualified for a World Cup finals. No side has ever had so many players break down in tears during the anthems.

But those gritty Communists, in keeping with their nation, simply refused to accept the current world order (damn those imperialist capitalist running dogs). FIFA’s rankings may have five-time World Cup winners Brazil at the very top, but it didn’t look that way for an hour last night last night.

Not until Maicon Douglas Sisenando (born 26 July 1981 in Novo Hamburgo, Rio Grande do Sul) produced his bit of magic from right back, dashing down the line to crash his shot past a bemused goalkeeper Ri Myong-guk. We clearly expected, like all his team-mates and most spectators, a cross from that angle. Still, the BBC are calling it “a goal of great beauty”.

Much like the Ronaldinho free-kick which beat David Seaman from 150 miles out in 1998, we will give another Brazilian the benefit of the doubt.

There was no doubt about Elano’s second in the 72^nd minute. The former Manchester City man, put through brilliantly by my Man of the Match Robinho, simply passed the ball beyond Myong-Guk to seal the game. Beautiful. Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVRlcgFFGTY.

There was still time for Ji Yun-Nam to pull one back for the Koreans, who were over the Ban Ki-moon. But despite their best efforts, and a late rasper over the bar, the world order prevailed. Shame.

But that’s still only 23 goals in 14 games. The only shots from outside the box have been scuffed efforts which crawled through the goalkeepers arms, as England’s Robert Green and Algeria’s Fawzi Chaouchi may recall.

God, it’s been dire. Not a decent free-kick. A single memorable long shot from Cristiano Ronaldo which hit the woodwork in the largely uneventful 0-0 draw against the Ivory Coast.

Plenty of unpunished diving, three red cards, thousands of lateral passes, dozens of over-hit crosses and corners.

Can we blame the ball? It’s called Jabulani or happiness, but it appears to cause unhappiness whenever it balloons over the bar or bobbles on surfaces which appear to cut up, particularly on the coast. And we can’t blame the altitude for the lack of thrills because tonight’s was the fourth sea-level showdown.

Showdown? Even that’s revving it up a bit. Siphiwe Tshabalala’s left footed strike, the first of the tournament for the hosts against Mexico, still ranks as the best but you’d see a couple of them every week on Match of the Day after a Saturday’s Premier League action.

Ji-Sung Park’s effort in South Korea’s surprise win over the Greeks wasn’t bad, and there was drama in New Zealand’s last minute equaliser against Slovakia earlier in the day.

But really, with all the money they’ve spent, all the effort they’ve made, all the abuse they’ve taken, these poor Vuvuzela-blowing South Africans must wonder what they’ve done to deserve such meagre returns on the field.

Robinho’s multiple step-overs at Ellis Park hardly served to warm a near-full house at Ellis Park, where 55,000 sat through temperatures dipping below three degrees. Kaka was kak, as they might say in South Africa, frequently losing possession and ridiculing his £56m price tag.

Tomorrow we have Spain, the world’s second best side and most people’s favourites, playing anonymous Switzerland, ranked at 24, in Durban at 3pm. And the other two sides in Group G, Honduras (38) and Chile (18) play the first game at Nelspruit’s beautiful Mbobela Stadium at 12.30pm.

But perhaps we’ll have to wait until South Africa and Uruguay meet at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria in the 7.30pm clash to see real fireworks. There’s is the first of the second round games in the group stages. These opening games are the ones nobody wants to lose. It’s a case of throwing flamboyance to the wind, safety first.

Germany and Argentina look the strongest teams around, but these are just the first wayward shots of the war I guess. A dreadfully phoney war.

Neal Collins (nealcol on Twitter) is in South Africa to promote his World Cup novel A GAME APART. For more information www.nealcollins.co.uk.

Ivory Coast and the Toure brothers leave Portugal firing blanks

Confession time. Some of us Arsenal fans have a passion for Kolo Toure, the man mountain who holds the Ivory Coast back four together.

His brother Yaya, who is about to join Kolo at moneybags Manchester City, is also high in my affections. Arsenal had Yaya as a kid, and quickly put on their books after a fraternal trial though he played for a club in Belgium.

Yaya was allowed to go to Barcelona, where he has established himself as one of Europe’s top African stars. Kolo, one of Arsenal’s title-winning Invincibles six years ago, has decamped for the Abu Dhabi-funded rebuilding process at Eastlands. Soon, if the reports are to be believed, they will both be together at City.

The pair of them made Portugal, ranked a too-lofty No3 in the world, look very ordinary in a rain-swept Port Elizabeth.

The first Group G game followed the general binary pattern of this otherwise faultless World Cup. A bit of a burst early on, then caution as both sides attempted to avoid defeat. Tomorrow, when South Africa take on Uruguay at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, we hope the real action will begin as Group A moves into the second round of fixtures.

Truth is, losing your first game at the finals just isn’t acceptable. That’s why the scores so far read 1-1, 0-0, 1-0, 2-0, 1-1, 0-1, 4-0, 0-1, 2-0, 1-0, 1-1, 1-1 and 0-0, only Germany’s four-goal win over Australia relieving the monotony for these soggy fans who travelled so far.

The Portuguese community in South Africa, something of a lost tribe, number over a million. Most of the 42,000 braving the rain at the brand new Nelson Mandela Bay stadium had travelled 1,000 miles from Johannesburg for the rare chance to wave their flag with pride.

Sadly, apart from their idol Cristiano Ronaldo hitting a post from distance early on, they had little to celebrate.

Ronaldo was harshly booked soon afterwards and apart from a free-kick with the ultra-light Jabulani ball which flew over the bar like all the others in this tournament, they had little else to cheer.

Instead it was Ivory Coast, ranked 27 in the world, who were comfortably the dominant side, though they had to wait over an hour for the arrival of their talisman, Didier Drogba, who was given permission to play with a cast on his broken arm shortly before the game.

The two Toures shone throughout, as did Arsenal’s Emmanuel Eboue. Some may have been thrilled at the sight of a quintet of Chelsea stars – Kalou, Drogba, Ferreira, Carvalho, Deco. But a win was not to be in a pitch cutting up badly. By the close it was a Drogba-inspired Cote d’Ivoire who were putting all the pressure.

But there was no magic moment to lift this game. Barely a save at either end, and we will have to wait for Brazil later tonight to provide the magic this tournament so richly deserves. Ranked No1 in the world, surely the five-time world champions can give North Korea, at 105 the lowest ranked side at the finals, a good old-fashioned tonking in Group G’s second showdown?

The opening match of day five saw New Zealand grab their first-ever point in the World Cup finals. Winston Reid headed the last-gasp equaliser for the All Whites after Robert Vittek had put Slovakia ahead.

But with Paraguay and Italy drawing 1-1 the night before in Cape Town, both these side will struggle to emerge from Group F after another less than heart-stopping 90 minutes.

Ivory Coast boss Sven Goran Eriksson, the former England and Mexico coach, said: “Nobody wants to lose a game like this. We had some half chances and it was good to bring Drogba on.

“As a team we defend very well. We still have one point. Next we have Brazil, let’s see what we can do.”

Neal Collins (nealcol on Twitter) is in South Africa to promote his first novel A GAME APART. For more information see www.nealcollins.co.uk. If you think the Scottish bagpipes should be banned rather than the Vuvuzela, seehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1hrMRk5FnY.