Outgoing Italy coach Marcello Lippi insists he is to blame after the 2006 winners were sent crashing out of the 2010 World Cup in the group stages.Italy finished bottom of Group F after a 3-2 defeat by Slovakia on Thursday. I take all responsibility for what happened, said the 62-year-old, who is to be succeeded by Cesare Prandelli. If a team turns up with terror in their heart and legs, and is
Paul Le Guen has quit as Cameroon coach following their dismal performance at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.The Indomitable Lions lost 2-1 to Netherlands on Thursday to cap a miserable Group E campaign which also featured defeats to Japan and Denmark. My contract is coming up, and it was clear all along I would stop now, said former Lyon and Rangers boss Le Guen, whose men finished bottom o
BEIJING - China did not qualify for the World Cup, but the country is stillmaking an appearance in South Africa.An ambitious Chinese solar company, thecountry's first World Cup sponsor, has placed advertising in all the stadiums ina bid to give its brand a worldwide boost.Yingli Green Energy Co.'s sponsorship deal allows it to show its logo ofYingli Solar, in Chinese and English, on electronic p
NEW YORK - Even though the United States' dramatic World Cup victory overAlgeria came on a weekday morning, people who wanted to follow it were able to.A record number tracked the match online and on mobile devices, according toESPN, which streamed the game and provided running updates on its websites.The success across all platforms for a daytime event could have implicationsfor how future Olym
JOHANNESBURG - Ghana will carry the hopes of Africa when it takes on theUnited States in the World Cup round of 16 on Saturday.The Black Stars are the only African team to have survived this far, withthe Ivory Coast needing a bundle of goals in its last group stage match Fridayto advance.Cameroon, Nigeria, Algeria and host nation South Africa have all beeneliminated in the first World Cup in Afr
Nigeria captain Kanu has called time on his international career following the Super Eagles' exit from the World Cup in South Africa.Portsmouth striker Kanu had already hinted before the finals that this could be his last major tournament. For me it's a farewell on the same continent it all started, he said after Nigeria ended bottom of Group B.Kanu, who won the first of his 80 caps against Swed
CAPE TOWN, South Africa - It took Arjen Robben only 10 minutes to show theworld that he is back, and the Netherlands' star-studded attack looked all thebetter for it.Robben, on as a substitute after recovering from a hamstring injury, set upthe Netherlands' winner in a 2-1 victory over Cameroon at the World Cup onThursday.The ball was on the right wing, 40 meters from goal and all seemed harmles
BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa - Switzerland captain Alex Frei says the gapbetween traditional football powers and the rest of the world is shrinking.The Switzerland striker pointed to defending champion Italy's 3-2 loss toSlovakia on Thursday, and says 'there aren't just underdogs and favoritesanymore.' Switzerland pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the tournament so far,beating European cha