Uruguay have been the biggest villains of the 2010 Fifa World Cup. They sent home team Bafana Bafana packing in the Group Stages. If that wasn’t enough, they followed it by ending the hopes, in most controversial circumstances one might add, of the continent’s last team — whom the fans here had cheered as their own even naming them Baf-Ghana Baf-Ghana.

Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez has reminded his team they still have a job to do at the World Cup despite their agonising 2-3 semi-final defeat to the Netherlands.
The South Americans failed in their bid to make their first final in 60 years but still have to lift themselves for a third-place play-off against either Germany or Spain on Saturday in Port Elizabeth.

Dutch striker Robin van Persie has admitted he is desperate to win the World Cup on Sunday to follow in the footsteps of his hero Maradona.
The Netherlands are bidding to win their first World Cup title and after beating Uruguay 3-2 in Tuesday’s semifinal, will now face either Germany or Spain in Sunday’s finale at Johannesburg’s Soccer City.

Jan van Riebeeck, founding father of Cape Town, first left his tulip-laden homeland for this port paradise 358 years ago. On Tuesday, the Dutch coloniser’s successors reclaimed this town as their own, beating Uruguay 3-2 in the semifinal to enter the World Cup Final for the third time.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst has only one better way to say goodbye for good. That is to score in his last competitive game as well, and finally give The Netherlands the World Cup.

Uruguay talisman Diego Forlan played the World Cup semifinal against the Netherlands with an injury that forced coach Oscar Tabarez to substitute him before the end.
Forlan, who on Tuesday ruled out a return to the English Premier League, quashing the hopes of Spurs boss Harry Redknapp, was carrying the knock from the start.
“From the first minute Forlan had a problem. He was injured and could not continue,” Tabarez said of the Atletico Madrid striker.
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Total Football is now passé. Bert van Marjwik’s Holland is all about total entertainment.

A feeling of watching a match between Bayern Munich and Barcelona will be unmistakable when Germany take on Spain in the semi-final of the World Cup at Durban on Wednesday. The combined strength of players from the two big European clubs in both squads is 15.

A senior play gets injured and the replacement fills in admirably. What happens when the senior player returns? If it’s the Australian cricket team, no matter how great the performance the senior player will automatically win back his spot.

Bull-fighting is a rage in Spain, but the team that are on a bullish run at the World Cup are Germany. The Germans have everything on their side __ momentum, goals, age, and history. Neutral fans not only admire Germany these days; they also love the exciting young team in South Africa.