Carlos Tevez struck twice as Argentina set up a rematch of their 1986 and 1990 World Cup finals with Germany, beating Mexico 3-1 in their second round match in Soccer City on Sunday.
Diego Maradona clambered over reporters at a packed news conference on Saturday to embrace friend and former Napoli team-mate Salvatore Bagni before saying his Argentina team should beat Mexico at the World Cup.
A blast was heard across Johannesburg on Sunday followed by a plume of smoke, visible from the Soccer City where World Cup matches are being played, but South African police said it was a routine test.
Maradona had overlooked Higuain for a long time even when he was in brilliant form for Real Madrid. The coach was sceptical about the striker's commitment to Argentina after he turned down the chance to play for the under-20s at the 2007 Youth World Cup. However, with the noose around his neck as Argentina struggled in the qualifiers, the talismanic coach called up Higuain for the last two in October and 'Pipita' did not disappoint with two good performances and a goal.
Manchester City's Premier League home match against Arsenal has been postponed because players from the London club have had contact with the owner of Greek side Olympiakos Piraeus, who has contracted the coronavirus. Meanwhile La Liga matches will be played without fans for at least the next two rounds of fixtures to try to stop the spread of the coronavirus, the Spanish league said.
South Africa woke up with a smug satisfaction on Saturday despite only drawing in the opening World Cup match.
Drummers and dancers wowed fans at South Africa's Soccer City stadium in a glittering prelude to Friday's World Cup kickoff, but Nelson Mandela's absence after a family tragedy cast a cloud over the party.
Nelson Mandela, 91-year-old former South African president, firmly intends to make a brief appearance at Friday's World Cup opening match, organisers and his family said on Thursday. But World Cup chief Danny Jordaan told reporters the decision on whether Mandela will appear at Soccer City for South Africa's encounter with Mexico would be determined on the day.
The setting is unique but a succession of pre-tournament injuries and the lessons of past World Cups outside Europe suggest the football at Africa's first finals will resonate to familiar Latin rhythms.
Brazil gave a glimpse of the Latin American flair they will bring to the World Cup in South Africa with a 3-0 warm-up win over Zimbabwe on Wednesday, a victory tempered by an injury to goalkeeper Julio Cesar.
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Jubilant Ukraine reach Euro 2024 finals with Iceland win
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Lionel Messi has overtaken Cristiano Ronaldo as the world's best player and could take Argentina to the final of the World Cup, coach Diego Maradona said.
Lionel Messi scored in his third consecutive match for Inter Miami in a 3-1 victory over Orlando City.
Ghana's Serbian coach Milovan Rajevac is still fuming after Uruguayan striker Luiz Suarez stopped a goalbound shot with his hand on the line in the last minute of extra time in their World Cup quarter-final.
As Vicente Del Bosque's high flying La Furia Roja side get ready to take on Bert Van Marwijk's industrious and effective Oranje at Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg on Sunday, rediff.com takes a look at a few players who can make a difference to the eventual outcome.
British referee Howard Webb has been named by FIFA as the man in charge for Sunday's World Cup final between Spain and Netherlands at Johannesburg's Soccer City.
A headed goal by defender Carles Puyol carried Spain to their first World Cup final on Wednesday when they beat Germany 1-0 in the semi-finals.
Ghana's dreams of becoming the first African side to reach a World Cup semi-final will depend on their ability to keep at bay the formidable attacking duo which has propelled Uruguay into the quarters. The Ghanaians carry the hopes of a continent hosting its first World Cup, but any burden of expectation is far out weighed by the need to keep a close check on the ability of Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez when they meet in their quarter-final tie in Johannesburg.
Give Argentina a two-goal head start and the result will not be in much doubt, as Mexico discovered when a dreadful decision and a defensive mistake smoothed a World Cup quarter-final path for the twice winners. Surging with the self-confidence Diego Maradona seems able to transmit directly from the touchline, Argentina found life absurdly easy for much of a 3-1 win at Soccer City in Johannesburg on Sunday.
A thundering strike on the hour by Germany's Mesut Ozil gave the three-times World Cup winners a 1-0 win over Group D rivals Ghana at Soccer City on Wednesday and a place in the second round.
Brazil coach Dunga faces his former mentor Sven-Goran Eriksson on the touchline when the five-times world champions meet Ivory Coast in a mouthwatering World Cup Group G clash at Soccer City on Sunday.
The first hat-trick of the World Cup finals from Gonzalo Higuain carried Argentina to a convincing 4-1 victory over South Korea on Thursday, putting the South Americans within touching distance of the last 16.
Ivory Coast captain and key striker Didier Drogba, who fractured his forearm 11 days ago, said he was ready to be included in the starting lineup for the match against Brazil later this week.
Argentina coach Diego Maradona will see a familiar foe in the opposing dugout when his side face South Korea in their second Group B match at Soccer City on Thursday.
Strong contenders the Netherlands launched their FIFA World Cup campaign with a scrappy 2-0 victory over a fighting Denmark in their Group E opener on Monday.
Netherlands needed a lucky own goal and a late strike by Dirk Kuyt to get their World Cup campaign off to a winning start with a 2-0 win over Denmark in their Group E match at Soccer City on Monday.
Hosts South Africa were held to a 1-1 draw in front of almost 85,000 fans at Soccer City in the opening match of the 2010 World Cup on Friday.
South Africa and Mexico are likely to go on the attack in the opening game of the World Cup on Friday, hopefully ending a run of cagey and often dour starts to the finals. Against a backdrop of fevered enthusiasm and the deafening noise of vuvuzelas at Johannesburg's cavernous Soccer City, an entertaining tone for the tournament is likely to be set by two teams who are much better going forward than defending.
The former England goalkeeper ends a 13-year stint with Arsenal.
South Africa re-opened its showpiece Soccer City stadium to a glittering fanfare on Saturday, marking the last of the 10 World Cup venues to display its readiness ahead of the tournament. South African President Jacob Zuma cut a ribbon on the pitch and declared the venue open before the kickoff of the South African FA Cup final.
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Leicester City suffered a frustrating night on the south coast as they were held to a 1-1 draw in the Premier League
FIFA secretary-general Jerome Valcke has said that South Africa is still not ready to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals, nearly 100 days ahead of the start of the tournament.
Newly-formed New York City FC will begin their preparations for their Major League Soccer (MLS) debut with two friendly matches in Manchester next month, Manchester City said on Tuesday.
Images from the soccer matches played across Europe on Saturday.
Before the game, a few protesters handed out fliers outside the stadium where Man City played local outfit Kitchee.
Russia will host the 2018 World Cup finals in 12 venues spread across 11 cities.
Benzema was Al-Ittihad's first signing since winning the league title for the first time since 2009 with compatriot Kante expected to join him
