LONDON: Roger Federer said he was not worried by his shock defeat against Lleyton Hewitt on Sunday in Halle even though a disturbing trend is developing for the Swiss. Suddenly, players that he had long held in his pocket are beating him and, with Wimbledon fast approaching, arguably the

DURBAN: South African police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at hundreds of workers protesting over pay in the early hours of Monday outside the stadium where Germany had just trounced Australia in their World Cup opener. Riot police sporting body armour, helmets and guns chased

RUSTENBURG: New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert leads his team into their opening Group F match against Slovakia on Tuesday hoping to spring a surprise and erase painful memories of the 1982 tournament in Spain. As a 21-year-old defender in New Zealand`s only previous World Cup appearance,

DURBAN: Germany began their quest for a fourth World Cup in devastating style Sunday with a thumping 4-0 victory over Australia in their opening Group D match. With a fluent performance fitting for the first match of the tournament at the magnificent Moses Mabhida stadium, the youngest

DURBAN: Germany coach Joachim Loew is confident his team can avoid the fate of France in being frustrated by a defensive-minded opponents when they take on Australia in their opening World Cup encounter on Sunday. France were held to a goalless draw by Uruguay in their tournament opener

DHAKA: Soccer fans ran riot through different areas of the capital city on Saturday night in a violent protest as power outages shut them off from the World Cup match between Argentina and Nigeria. The protestors ransacked vehicles in Jatrabari, Mirpur, Bangshal and Sabujbagh areas after

JOHANNESBURG: Along with Portugal`s Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi`s ball skills are one of the most eagerly awaited sights of this World Cup. Interest in Argentina is equally focused on ever-controversial manager Maradona. The inexperienced and quixotic coach`s questionable decisions were

JOHANNESBURG: Diego Maradona`s Argentina dispelled doubts about their World Cup-winning potential as they put a poor qualifying campaign behind them to beat Nigeria 1-0 with a brilliant performance from Lionel Messi on Saturday. Argentina scored early in the Group B game through defender

RUSTENBURG: England manager Fabio Capello will talk to Robert Green before deciding whether to keep faith with the goalkeeper whose embarrassing gaffe on Saturday handed the United States a 1-1 draw. Green let a simple shot from Clint Dempsey slip through his hands and trickle into the

JOHANNESBURG: Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk`s side face two dangers when they start their World Cup Group E campaign at Ellis Park on Monday -- opponents Denmark and the possibility of being too confident. The Dutch, who sealed a place in the finals after winning all their

JOHANNESBURG: Lionel Messi answered the key question for Argentina with a display full of artistry and guile in Saturday`s 1-0 win over Nigeria, showing even without scoring himself he can carry the team at this World Cup. While his coach Diego Maradona did his utmost to grab the

CAPE TOWN: Holders Italy, written off at home as no-hopers to retain their world title and traditionally slow starters, are in danger of being caught napping by in-form Paraguay in their Group F opener on Monday (7:30 p.m. British time).Coach Marcello Lippi has kept faith with the bulk of

PORT-OF-SPAIN: South Africa took control of the first test against West Indies on Saturday after pacemen Dale Steyn, who reached 200 test wickets, and Morne Morkel had skittled the hosts for 102 on the third day. South Africa, with a first innings lead of 250, declined to enforce the

PORT ELIZABETH: South Korea chalked up the first win of this year`s World Cup finals with a fluent 2-0 victory over a Greece side that paid a heavy price for defensive frailties in their Group B opener on Saturday. The Koreans, who reached the semi-finals in 2002 as co-hosts, scored a

JOHANNESBURG: Spain`s Group H opponents have one simple problem at this World Cup -- how do you score goals if you cannot get the ball off them? An uncannily gifted generation of midfielders can pass the best teams in the world into submission and Switzerland, Chile and Honduras will

BERLIN: World number two Roger Federer closed in on his sixth Halle Open title with a tough 7-6 6-4 win over local favourite Philipp Petzschner in the semi-finals in Germany on Saturday. Federer, knocked off the number one spot by Rafael Nadal this week, will meet Lleyton Hewitt in the

RUSTENBURG: A shocking schoolboy howler from England goalkeeper Robert Green gifted the United States a goal as the two sides tipped to qualify from Group C battled to a 1-1 stalemate at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium on Saturday. Green, 29, winning only his 11th England cap after being

DHAKA: Host South Africa shared points with Mexico in the opening match as the World Cup football 2010 kicked off at Johannesburg Soccer City Stadium Friday amid a pan-African symphony.The match ended with a 1-1 draw.The home team showed a very enthusiastic performance as the 82nd team of

JOHANNESBURG: Argentina`s Lionel Messi, potentially the tournament`s most exciting player, takes the stage for the first time on Saturday after South Africa launched a spectacular opening to the continent`s first World Cup. The globe`s most watched sports event met all expectations on

JOHANNESBURG: Dedicated South African soccer fans braved freezing weather to queue overnight in a last-minute scramble to get tickets for Friday`s opening match in the first World Cup finals to be held on African soil. The queue outside the FIFA ticket office in the upmarket Sandton