World Cup 2010 Blog: “LiveBlog: South Africa vs Mexico (Plus Opening Ceremony)” plus 9 more

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• LiveBlog: South Africa vs Mexico (Plus Opening Ceremony)
• Preview: Uruguay vs France
• South Africa World Cup Diary – June 10
• Daily Dose: June 10th, 2010 – Shakira Good, Tutu Better
• The World Cup Blog Accountability Brackets (With Bonus Podcast)
• Preview: South Africa vs. Mexico
• Pele Taps Brazil & Spain, Destroys Brackets The World Over
• Soundoff: Who Will Win the World Cup? More Importantly: Why?
• Three Pre-World Cup Thoughts
• Podcast: England vs USA Preview

LiveBlog: South Africa vs Mexico (Plus Opening Ceremony) Posted: 11 Jun 2010 01:45 AM PDT Welcome to the WorldCupBlog liveblog of South Africa vs. Mexico in World Cup Group A, the first match of the 2010 World Cup. Make your comments before, during and after the match in the liveblog window. We will add videos of the goals when they come in, and a feed of trusted Twitter accounts either broadcasting from the match or talking about it is available at the bottom of the page. Read up on the match with our South Africa v. Mexico preview. Goal/incident videos: (here when we have them) Vela offside call: Don’t just take our word on the match. Check out match comments from Twitter accounts that we’ve carefully selected for our South Africa vs. Mexico list: Fan Resources   South Africa Team Blog | Follow on Facebook | Follow on Twitter South Africa Jerseys | South Africa Tickets   Mexico Team Blog | Follow on Facebook | Follow on Twitter Mexico Jerseys | Mexico Tickets

Preview: Uruguay vs France Posted: 11 Jun 2010 12:43 AM PDT THE BIG PICTURE It’s every bride’s worse nightmare: the bridesmaid is more attractive than the woman in the big white dress tying the knot. South Africa and Mexico will be a wonderful show engulfed by the buzzing stadium and on the back of the opening ceremonies, but this is the ‘paper game’. France has some of the biggest names at the Cup and Uruguay has an attack that even South American nations dream of (Brazil and Argentina are perfectly pleased with the status quo, however). Not quite the purists’ dream, it still has the potential to flow rock back and forth, particularly if Oscar Tabarez’s wingbacks plan to go kamikaze and open up space in the back, and goals could be had aplenty. It could be quite the show, with a bit more focus on the pitch. WHAT'S AT STAKE Group A: This seems to be the hardest group to project, with the hot Mexico (form, not culinary temperature) and hosts South Africa making this one of the true four horse races on paper, so though it’s an overused cliché: every game does count. But it may just mean a bit more for the psychology of France, given the way the nature of qualification (notice how skillfully ‘the way they handled…’ was avoided), their friendly loss to the footballing colossus China and the general aura surrounding lame duck Raymond Domenech. A loss and they might be starting the Laurent Blanc early – real early. Bet on Uruguay v. France SQUADS   Uruguay: GK: Muslera, Castillo, Silva; DF: Lugano, Godin, Scotti, Victorino, Caceres, Fucile, Pereira; MF: Eguren, A Pereira, Gargano, Perez, A Fernandez, Lodeiro, Rios, Gonzalez; FW: Suarez, Forlan, Abreu, Cavani, S Fernandez   France: GK: Lloris, Mandanda, Carrasso; DF: Sagna, Evra, Gallas, Abidal, Squillaci, Planus, Clichy, Reveillere; MF: Diarra, Toulalan, Malouda, Gourcuff, Diaby (Arsenal); FW: Henry, Anelka, Gignac, Ribery, Govou, Cisse, Valbuena KEY MATCHUP Half joking, half for serious it should probably be Hugo Lloris versus the Jabulani. France have had more trouble with adidas’ latest mad creation, with China’s physics-defying swerve felling Hugo in their final friendly and a bounce boggling Steve Mandanda against Costa Rica. But the real matchup is just ahead of Llories where France have one of the best fullback pairings at the World Cup but have suffered in the center recently. In Gallas and Abidal, they have two high-quality defenders, but two who’ve seen their share of injuries this season – Gallas hasn’t played a competitive game in months. Next they’ll get to see their share of Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez, one of the best strike pairings in South Africa, who will exploit any space they’re afforded, or any needles Walter Gargano feels like threading. There are shades of a circumstantial mismatch here, made worse if Gallas fancies the opposition box as he’s apt to do. OUR PREDICTION The opening game of 2002 keeps knocking on the door, asking to come in, and we say let’s embrace her (blindly, too): France will shock the world again…by winning 3-1. Uruguay have yet to enjoy the friendly African soil, last playing May 26th in Montevideo, and though France were Jabulanied by China, it’s still some degree of match fitness. The game will be ugly and muddled in the first half, but France will take advantage of set pieces and get a late third to hammer the predictably rusty nail into the Uruguayan coffin. [Bonus prediction: 'Jabulanied' lands in Merriam-Webster by 2011.] FAN RESOURCES   Uruguay Team Blog | Follow on Facebook | Follow on Twitter Uruguay Jerseys | Uruguay Tickets   France Team Blog | Follow on Facebook | Follow on Twitter France Jerseys | France Tickets WATCH THE MATCH Match begins at 8:30pm local time (2:30pm EST) on BBC (UK) or ESPN (US). Check our list of global World Cup broadcasters for other channels showing the tournament, or watch the match online.

South Africa World Cup Diary – June 10 Posted: 10 Jun 2010 11:33 PM PDT Being in South Africa for the tournament gives us an opportunity to share some unique moments from the 2010 World Cup. We hope you enjoy these short videos and photos. Today I went hunting for Aussies. I’d been told that there were over 2000 compatriots living in a tent city inside a cricket stadium. I had to investigate. Turns out it’s true and I spoke to a few of them outside to discuss Australia’s chances in their first game against the almighty Germany. Looks like a draw would satisfy some fans. Personally I think we can sneak a win. For more video from the World Cup in South Africa, visit video.worldcupblog.org

Daily Dose: June 10th, 2010 – Shakira Good, Tutu Better Posted: 10 Jun 2010 10:10 PM PDT Shakira performed the official World Cup song at the Kick-Off concert today, but 78 year old Archbishop Desmond Tutu (below) stole the show. He also has more Nobel Peace Prizes than Shakira. So 2-0. Photo: AFP/Getty Images Referee blog is back, with discussion of the new penalty rule (Referees World Cup Blog) World Cup 2010 cheaters XI (The Spoiler) “In a purely footballing sense it would be an absolute tragedy for the game if England were to win the World Cup.” (Soccerlens) Is Serbia the real deal? (Zonal Marking) Follow Sepp Blatter on Twitter. If you like. (@seppblatter) Rigobert Song makes an early bid for World Cup best hair trophy (Cameroon World Cup Blog) Only idiots attempt to predict a World Cup (Off the Ball)

The World Cup Blog Accountability Brackets (With Bonus Podcast) Posted: 10 Jun 2010 08:09 PM PDT At various times during this competition you will hear from Daryl and myself “just as I predicted”, “told ya so” and “nanner nanner nanner” as we ride around WCB Global Headquarters on our imaginary horse using whatever shirt we may or may not be wearing as our imaginary lasso. Well, not entirely true: ‘ At various times’ should read ‘On the impossibly unlikely rare occasion we get something right’. Some call them predictions, we’ll call them accountability brackets. At any rate, they’ll prevent us from making predictions after the event has already happened. We’ll save that for Andy Gray. chris: I did everything possible short of hiring a voodoo master or Jean-Claude Van Damme (high leg kick) to stop myself from predicting Brazil v Spain – even after Pele said it (no one’s fault but my own, I know) – but each various road and boulevard breaks down that way. I can’t be at fault for that, right? (Maybe.) I like Serbia. A lot of people I know like Serbia. I also like Germany. There’s a trend here, can you spot it? Teams that pull from tough groups, and I think Group D is the toughest even without Essien leading the Black Star supernova, have a tremendous advantage in preparation which suits well for the next round. Conversely as an Italy fan I was a bit devastated when they drew the two long straws taped together – also known as Group F. They’ll still draw Spain, because old acquaintances are destined to be renewed somehow, and once again they will lose. Thus there is Spain, whom I was initially predicting to do poorly. Many, many people seem to forget they’d won a European Championships before, back in the swingin’ 60’s, so their curse lies solely in the World Cup realm. Of course then I saw that goal from Planet España against Poland and immediately put them in the final shortly before trademarking my first born: Xavi David David Iniestia Silva Hernandez. (He’ll be brilliantly technical and adored by the masses, yet still won’t be able to get on the amusement park rides. Tragic.) But ultimately I think a South American dynamo will take his team upon his back, as he’s been known to do for club in the past, and chauffeur them to the promised land: Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite. Better known as Kaka. He and Brazil will be too strong, too solid, too good. And then Robinho will get his sex. Round of 16: France v South Korea – France England v Germany – Germany Netherlands v Slovakia – Netherlands Brazil v Chile – Brazil Argentina v South Africa – Argentina Serbia v USA – Serbia Italy v Cameroon – Italy Spain v Portugal – Spain Quarterfinal teams: Germany v France – Germany Netherlands v Brazil – Brazil Argentina v Serbia – Serbia Italy v Spain – Spain Semifinal teams: Germany v Brazil Serbia v Spain Finalists: Brazil, Spain Winner: Brazil. (2-1, Ricky double.) Daryl: If you only know one thing about me, know this: I’m a coward. I’m terrified of predictions, mostly because history has shown me I have a very very high chance of being wrong. I’ve had a team of statisticians study me, and they found that my predicting something results in a tangible decrease in the probability of that event taking place. So rather than do a bracket by myself, I’ve attempted to share the blame with three other people. Below you’ll find a podcast recorded with my three Total Football Soccer Show co-hosts, in which the four of us sit down with the World Cup Blog Bracket and argue until we come up with a bracket by consensus. Click play below to listen: You can find more episodes of the show via iTunes. Here’s how that bracket looks: Round of 16: Mexico v Nigeria – Mexico England v Serbia – England Netherlands v Paraguay – Netherlands Brazil vs Chile – Brazil Argentina v France – Argentina Germany v USA – USA (somehow) Italy vs Cameroon – Italy Spain v Portugal – Spain Quarterfinal teams: England v Mexico – England (on pens) Brazil v Netherlands – Brazil Argentina v USA – Argentina Cameroon v Spain – Spain Semifinal teams: England v Brazil – Brazil Argentina v Spain – Argentina Finalists: Brazil, Argentina Winner: Brazil. To be clear those aren’t my picks. Unless they turn out to be accurate, in which case they’re definitely my picks. You’ve still got time to enter your own picks into the World Cup Bracket competition, but you’ll need to hurry. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Preview: South Africa vs. Mexico Posted: 10 Jun 2010 04:11 PM PDT THE BIG PICTURE This is it. After years of planning and worrying, the first World Cup on African soil starts here, with hosts South Africa taking on Mexico. No host country has ever failed to advance past the first round, and with France on the horizon, the Bafana boys may very well need something from this game to keep that record going. But Mexico has reached the knockout rounds of the last four World Cups, something only three other countries can say. Should be a cracking start to the tournament. WHAT’S AT STAKE Group A: The first match of the group stage sets the tone, and a win or at least a point is vitally important. For both teams, obviously, but maybe more so for South Africa. If the hosts make a losing start then all that pre-tournament optimism starts to deflate. If they avoid defeat it increases. Big question will be: Where do the goals come from? All time top scorer Benni McCarthy was not selected, but Mamelodi Sundowns striker Katlego Mphela has found the net regularly in recent friendlies. If he can keep that going, South Africa are suddenly a much more dangerous team. Read our South Africa team profile for more. For Mexico it’s all about the youngsters settling in and oldsters keeping up: How quickly will starlets like Carlos Vela, Gio dos Santos and Javier Hernández settle into their first World Cup? How long will the grand old man Cuauhtémoc Blanco last before tiring? Read our Mexico team profile for more. As well as the on-field events, there’s the perception of this World Cup at stake. What will the crowds be like? Will the vuvuzelas be enjoyable or intolerable? Will everything go smoothly? Let’s hope for a great start to a great World Cup. Bet on South Africa v. Mexico SQUADS   South Africa: GK: Khune, Josephs, Walters; DF: Gaxa, Ngcongca, Mokoena, Booth, Khumalo, Sangweni, Masilela, Thwala; MF: Modise, Davids, Letsholonyane, Sibaya, Khuboni, Dikgacoi, Pienaar, Tshabalala; FW: Moriri, Parker, Mphela, Nomvethe; Coach: Carlos Alberta Parreira   Mexico: GK: Perez, Ochoa, Michel; DF: Marquez, Osorio, Rodriguez, Salcido, Moreno, Aguilar, Juarez, Magallon, Torres Nilo; MF: Guardado, Torrado, Castro, Giovani dos Santos; FW: Barrera, Bautista, Medina, Blanco, Vela, Hernandez, Franco; Coach: Javier Aguirre KEY MATCHUP Steven Pienaar is Bafana Bafana’s most gifted player. For South Africa to succeed, they need Everton midfielder Pienaar to have an influential game and make something happen. Bad news is that if Pienaar plays right wing for South Africa (as he often does) then he’ll be up against Mexico’s very accomplished and very experienced Carlos Salcido, who plays in the Eredivisie for PSV. It’s a stretch to say the match turns on that matchup, but it will definitely be a factor. Unless Pienaar plays more centrally. In which case the key matchup is still Pienaar vs whoever is marking him. He’s that important. OUR PREDICTION Mexico has to be considered the stronger side, but home pitch means a lot, and a little help from the referee isn’t unheard of for the host country either. We’re calling this one a 1-1 draw that will keep both sides alive in the hunt for knockout qualification. LIVEBLOG Follow the match highlights as they happen on the South Africa v. Mexico LiveBlog. Come by and join the discussion throughout the match. FAN RESOURCES   South Africa Team Blog | Follow on Facebook | Follow on Twitter South Africa Jerseys | South Africa Tickets   Mexico Team Blog | Follow on Facebook | Follow on Twitter Mexico Jerseys | Mexico Tickets WATCH THE MATCH Match begins at 4:00pm local time (10:00am EST) on ITV1 (UK) or ESPN (US). Check our list of global World Cup broadcasters for other channels showing the tournament, or watch the match online.

Pele Taps Brazil & Spain, Destroys Brackets The World Over Posted: 10 Jun 2010 02:40 PM PDT There are two absolutes in football: i. The ball is round. ii. Pele is wrong about everything. So if you’ve filled out your bracket, get ready to cringe. And if you have’t…what’s wrong with you? Pele has spoken on his feelings regarding this World Cup, and in the process put the Pele hex on a couple of teams dominating brackets: “At the moment, we have Spain in Europe and Brazil in South America. They are the two best teams — no doubt.” Everybody and their sister has Brazil and Spain somewhere in or near the final it seems, but now it simply won’t happen – just ask fellow Brazilian legend Ronaldo: “We all know Pele is known for making wrong predictions about everything. It usually happens the opposite of what he says.” If that means the total opposite, will we now have a South Africa v North Korea final, the two teams at the opposite end of the FIFA ranking spectrum? Does Ronaldo perhaps know something about FIFA we don’t? (Or already do.) Of course taking advice from Ronaldo – he of drug-induced TrannyGate fame – renders this a double negative. Which means everyone should just fill out their brackets as desired, say a little prayer – not in front of FIFA – and duck for cover.

Soundoff: Who Will Win the World Cup? More Importantly: Why? Posted: 10 Jun 2010 01:10 PM PDT We are less than 24 hours away from kickoff in South Africa. Hopefully you’ve got everything you need to watch the World Cup. We’ve been through predicted all the group stages, and hposo now one big question remains: Who will win the World Cup? More importantly: Why? It’s easy to pick Spain or Brazil. It’s not so easy to say why Spain and not Brazil or vice versa. Plus there are 30 other teams in this tournament, some of whom could very realistically lift this trophy. So, please share your predictions in the comments: 1. Who will win the World Cup? 2. Why?

Three Pre-World Cup Thoughts Posted: 10 Jun 2010 11:26 AM PDT The World Cup is nearly here. So before the big kickoff arrives I just wanted to share three things that are rattling around my head. Mostly I’m thinking about making sure to enjoy the World Cup. First: We wait four long years for each tournament to arrive and then it absolutely flies by. Yes, the World Cup is a month long. But with multiple games a day that month seems to happen in fast forward. So what I would say – to myself but to everyone else also – is to watch every game you possibly can. Every game. Obviously your team’s games are the most important to you. And the big games (I’m thinking Portugal vs Brazil) will get everyone’s attention. But there are 64 games in the World Cup and no way of knowing which game will be spectacular. New Zealand vs Slovakia might not look all that exciting on paper (or computer screen) right now, but it could be the game where something magic happens. Don’t voluntarily miss a single moment. Because the next one is a whole four years and one month away. Second: I’m going to try and check my cynicism at the door before entering World Cup 2010. For example, I’m not going to complain about the announcing on ESPN no matter how bad it gets. Mostly because I nearly gave myself an aneurysm stressing about Dave O’Brien in 2006. This year I don’t care. Another example: South Africa hosting is going to be different than Germany hosting. It’s a different country. I plan to enjoy the differences. Even the vuvuzelas. I’m not going to complain that the games are on early either. Even though I hate getting up early. It’s a good excuse to drink in the morning (though mostly coffee for the morning games, otherwise there’ll be some sort of intervention before the Round of 16). Last, but not least: I want to rather soppily but very sincerely wish everyone good luck. I know that not every team can win it and that only half the teams in South Africa will even get past the first round. But success is relative. If a team like New Zealand or North Korea wins a game, or maybe even gets a draw, then that will go down as an achievement. So whoever you support I hope your team makes you proud over the next month.

Podcast: England vs USA Preview Posted: 10 Jun 2010 10:26 AM PDT Hopefully you’ve read our England vs USA preview post with your eyes. Now we have an England vs USA podcast preview for your ears. Our smellovision preview will be a long just as soon as the technology is invented. Get to it Dyson. In this 29 minute episode of the Total Football Soccer Show podcast, you’ve got three USA fans (host Taylor of USA World Cup Blog fame, plus Josh and Albert, vs one England fan (that’s me). A little unfair maybe, but we also have a phone interview with Luke Moore of London based podcast The Football Ramble to balance things out a little. Topics include pre-match rituals, the English media’s perception of the US team, the American media’s treatment of the World Cup, and then predictions for the game itself. Click play below to listen to the show, which was broadcast on Richmond Independent Radio earlier today. Subscribe to future episodes of the show via iTunes. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

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