A merciless Portugal tore North Korea to shreds in a 7-0 rout on Monday, putting them within reach of the knockout rounds and eliminating the Asian nation from the World Cup.

The England fan who barged into the team’s dressing room and berated players for their poor showing against Algeria was “only looking for the toilet,” he told a British Sunday newspaper.

When Portugal and North Korea meet in Cape Town in Monday’s Group G duel, the world’s most publicity-hungry player will be pitted against the most private team of the tournament.

England’s star players are struggling to cope with the pressure of a World Cup according to coach Fabio Capello who is hoping they can pull themselves together for the crunch match against Slovenia.

A woeful England failed to find the killer touch in a disappointing 0-0 draw with Algeria on Friday, putting them under huge pressure to beat Slovenia in their final World Cup group game.

The World Cup is on course to become a watershed event for social media networking, but popular microblogging site Twitter has been struggling to cope.
So popular has the platform become since its launch in 2006 that even Fifa president Sepp Blatter has opened an account to “connect with football fans” during the tournament — twitter.com/seppblatter.

England go into Friday’s Group C qualifying match against Algeria with a point to prove — not just to their doubting supporters after an underwhelming 1-1 draw with the US, but to German legend Franz Beckenbauer.

Reigning champions Italy needed a goalkeeping blunder to come back for a 1-1 draw with Paraguay despite dominating Monday’s opening Group F match in Cape Town’s Green Point stadium.

You either love them or you hate them and the vuvuzela is stirring up some impassioned debate on Facebook, YouTube and other sites online.
The one-metre long plastic trumpet is as essential an item to South African fans as getting decked out in the national colours or painting one’s face and they have been out in force in the opening days of the tournament.

Reigning champions Italy begin their title defence on Monday evening, in a Group F clash with a confident Paraguay that is fraught with danger.
The game in Cape Town’s Green Point stadium is the toughest test for the Italians in a group that also includes New Zealand and Slovakia. Qualification seems certain, b