World Cup Notes: Mandela relative killed after World Cup concert
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — It should have been a moment of triumph — Nelson Mandela, basking in the cheers as Africa's first World Cup opened.
Instead, South Africa's beloved anti-apartheid icon stayed at home with his family Friday in northern Johannesburg during the opening ceremony and game, mourning his 13-year-old great-granddaughter Zenani, who died in a car crash on the way home from a tournament-eve concert in Soweto.
The Nelson Mandela Foundation said the tragedy "made it inappropriate" for the former president, who is 91, to attend the opening ceremony in Johannesburg.
"We are sure that South Africans and people all over the world will stand in solidarity with Mr. Mandela and his family in the aftermath of this tragedy," the foundation said, adding that Mandela "will be there with you in spirit today."
Johannesburg Metro police spokeswoman Edna Mamonyane said the driver of the car had been arrested and charged with drunk driving. Mamonyane said the driver, whom police didn't identify, could also face homicide charges.
"The Metro police found that he was drunk," Mamonyane said. "He lost control of the vehicle and it collided with a barricade."
Police spokesman Govindsamy Mariemuthoo, who earlier said the driver would appear in court for a preliminary hearing Friday, said that had been postponed for further investigations, and that the driver was not being held. Mariemuthoo said that was not unusual.
"It's a decision of the prosecutor," he said.
The Mandela foundation denied reports that the former president's ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was in the car, but said she was treated in a hospital for shock after being told of the fatal accident. She was discharged after a few hours.
She was on the VIP list for the opening ceremony, and a press box official confirmed she was at Soccer City, but the foundation said later that Madikizela-Mandela did not attend.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter and U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, who was in South Africa to lead his country's delegation to the opening ceremony, were among those who offered condolences.
South African President Jacob Zuma, calling Mandela by his clan name Madiba — a term of affection — referred to the death in the Mandela family in an address to the crowd before the Mexico-South Africa game started.
He said Mandela had wanted to be there, "but unfortunately there was a tragedy in the Mandela family."
"But he said the game must start. You must enjoy the game," Zuma added.
Mandela has achieved glory as a politician and human rights campaigner, but suffered many personal tragedies.
In 1969, three years after arriving on Robben Island to serve a life sentence for sabotage, Mandela received a telegram from his younger son, Makgatho, informing him that his eldest son, Madiba Thembekile, died in a car crash.
Prison authorities refused to allow Mandela to attend the funeral.
"I do not have words to express the sorrow, or the loss I felt," Mandela wrote in his autobiography. "It left a hole in my heart that can never be filled."
Thirty-six years later, Makgatho died. Mandela announced his last surviving son died of AIDS-related complications, saying the only way to fight the disease's stigma was to speak openly.
Mandela's family life suffered during years devoted to politics, as an underground anti-apartheid fighter and in prison. Two marriages fell apart, the second to Winnie. He began his 27-year imprisonment only four years after marrying her.
Mandela was freed in 1990. Four years later, his lifelong battle over apartheid won, he became South Africa's first black president. He served just one term, then devoted himself to international causes, including fighting AIDS.
He has announced his retirement and desire to devote time to his family several times. Increasingly, those close to him and other South Africans have said the reward for all he has done for his country should now be freedom from the public's demands.
On his 80th birthday July 18, 1998, he married Graca Machel, a veteran of the anti-colonial struggle in her native Mozambique, former education minister, noted international child rights advocate and widow of Mozambique's first president, Samora Machel.
Graca Machel once told a television interviewer she helped Mandela reconnect with his family. Family photos released by his foundation Friday showed a relaxed and smiling Mandela with Zenani and other great-grandchildren.
Zenani was one of the anti-apartheid icon's nine great-grandchildren.
Blatter consoles Mandela after 'tragic' loss
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — FIFA president Sepp Blatter has written to Nelson Mandela, describing the death of the former president's 13-year-old great-granddaughter in a car crash as "unspeakably tragic."
Blatter says he understands that the 91-year-old Mandela cannot attend the World Cup opening ceremony and the host nation's match against Mexico at Soccer City later Friday.
Blatter says that Mandela will "be with us in spirit for which we are incredibly grateful."
Addressing Mandela as a "most precious friend," Blatter said the entire football world mourned his family's loss.
Zenani Mandela died in a one-car accident after attending the World Cup kickoff concert on Thursday evening at Orlando Stadium in Soweto.
Notebook: Italians to donate prize money
Italy's players plan to donate a portion of their World Cup prize money. As with most such moves in Italy, however, the gesture comes with political undertones.
Captain Fabio Cannavaro said Friday the team would donate an unspecified amount to next year's celebration honoring 150 years of Italy's unification.
Italian cabinet minister Roberto Calderoli recently challenged the team of multimillionaires to make a gesture of good will in a time of financial crisis.
The players' decision to designate the contributions to a celebration of national unity was taken by some as a pointed response to Calderoli. He's also a member of Italy's Northern League, which has long pressed the government to give greater autonomy to the country's regions. The league complains that tax money from Italy's rich north goes to the underdeveloped south.
"It's not a provocation. It was simply the right thing to do, to offer an example in times like these," said Cannavaro, who is from southern Italy's biggest city, Naples. "It's a nice initiative. The national team has always lent its image to help Italy's problems over the years. ... The national team is more about uniting than dividing."
Meanwhile, Germany's team bought 300 tickets for each of its three World Cup group matches that will be distributed to local schoolchildren.
The children from poorer areas in the cities of Durban, Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg will be driven by bus to the games, given food at the stadiums and then driven back. They will be accompanied by their teachers.
The tickets cost the team a "six-digit" figure, according to spokesman Harald Stenger.
SOKKERKOORS: "Sokkerkoors!" headlines local newspaper Polokwane Observer. Soccer fever!
"Finally, after six long years... It's here!," reads the front page of the Northern Review, another daily in the smallest of nine cities hosting the World Cup.
"I can't wait for the tournament to start," said Oniz, a 23-year-old vendor selling newspapers in the heart of the city formerly known as Pietersburg, with a population of just over 500,000.
"I love football but I also think it's great for Polokwane. A lot has happened over the last couple of years. They built the new stadium, a lot of new roads. It has united us and it has brought new life to the city," he said.
Oniz has to speak up because traffic is loud in Polokwane's city center. Many blow vuvuzelas while driving their cars, and a total of 408 taxis branded with the World Cup logo honk constantly to attract potential clients.
The World Cup has been good to Oniz so far. He proudly noted he sold all issues but one of a South African magazine's special edition on the World Cup.
The World Cup is here, albeit just for the opening round of the tournament. Like Nelspruit, Polokwane hosts only four of the tournament's 64 matches, starting with Algeria-Slovenia on Sunday, followed by France-Mexico, Greece-Argentina and Paraguay-New Zealand over the next two weeks.
However, there is a Fan Fest, a huge public viewing area near Peter Mokaba Stadium, where all matches are shown live on a huge screen. It's expected to attract up to 30,000 visitors per day.
Of course, a new 45,000-seat stadium will remain from the World Cup, though Polokwane has no first-division team to play in it.
Also, all the infrastructure in place. Roads, water and energy supplies have all been renewed in a 2-kilometer area around the stadium. And the local airport has tripled its service capacity from 400 to 1,200 passengers per hour.
"These are all major important services for the future of Polokwane," says Ndavhe Ramakuela, director of the local World Cup organizing committee. "The World Cup is an opportunity, a big legacy for our city."
WORLD CUP IN 3-D: Fifty theaters in South Korea will telecast the World Cup live in 3-D.
Ericsson has supplied CJ Golden Village, South Korea's largest multiplex cinema chain, with equipment that will enable the theaters to show World Cup action in 3-D — the first live event ever shown in 3-D in digital cinemas in the nation.
"We are excited about the World Cup being broadcast in 50 cinemas across the country to bring the live 3D experience to a wide audience of soccer fans across South Korea," said Park Roh-chan, general manager of CGV . "Interest in this huge sports event will be even higher this year as South Korea looks to make progress in the competition, so it is vital that the 3D experience we provide to viewers is of the highest possible quality."
THE BALL: As South African supporters made deafening noise around him, Hans-Peter Nuernberg quietly studied Friday's opening match between Mexico and its World Cup hosts.
He studied how the ball bounced, swerved and performed on headers, free kicks and saves, looking for any sign of imperfection.
So far, so good, he said.
Nuernberg is the lead engineer of the 2010 World Cup ball, the Jabulani, which features high-tech innovations designed to correct anomalies in the behavior of fast-moving spherical objects — also known as soccer balls.
"It was fantastic to closely watch the teams while they warmed up (before the game) with the balls flying all over the place in that huge stadium," he said, after sitting close to the pitch at Johannesburg's Soccer City. The game ended 1-1.
"I really enjoyed the match, but of course I closely watched the path of the ball. It was a special moment full of good emotions to see our baby flying perfectly through the air."
Adidas has made the World Cup ball since 1970 and is contracted through 2014.
Its latest edition uses eight panels, down from the classic 32, that are seared together, not stitched, and covered with a rash of tiny bumps aimed at stabilizing flight. The panels are already raised before they are seared together. Also new is the cushioned synthetic material intended to soften impact for headers.
Nuernberg said the new ball was inspired by a dashboard manufacturing process used by car manufacturers.
"I first got the idea in 2002. I went to an industrial fair and then I visited a factory which applied that process. I thought: Why not make a ball like this?" said Nuernberg, who is working on his third World Cup ball project, and says he has dozens of balls lying around his home in Germany.
The Jabulani and close variants were mostly introduced to matches for trials in February and is used for Major League Soccer in the United States.
Feedback has not always been kind. Several respected goalkeepers and players criticized the high-tech ball as behaving unpredictably.
Adidas officials insist the only change is higher performance, and maintain the innovations are here to stay.
Vegas books tab Spain, Brazil World Cup favorites
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Sports books in Nevada consider Spain and Brazil the teams to beat in the World Cup, with Spain a 3.5-1 favorite to win its first title.
Casinos are giving Brazil 4-1 odds and Argentina 11-2 odds to win the global soccer showdown, oddsmaker Tony Sinisi of Las Vegas Sports Consultants said. The firm provides betting odds to 90 percent of sports books in the state.
Sinisi said bettors can gamble on the United States to win the championship at 40-1. That's down from 60-1 previously. The Americans are scheduled to play England in their first group play match on Saturday.
"Those are heartfelt bets," said Jay Kornegay, executive director of the race and sports book at the Las Vegas Hilton. "The top eight teams or so are definitely bets that are made from the head, but once you get to the U.S., I think it's more of a bet made from the heart."
Kornegay says he's still rooting for the United States to win the title — even if it means his casino loses money.
England is a more than 2-1 favorite to beat the U.S., and 6-1 to win the tournament, Sinisi said.
Kornegay and Sinisi said they expect Americans to wager more money on the 32-team soccer tournament this year, but far less than the amounts to be gambled in Europe.
Of course, in the United States, the NFL and college football are kings among sports bettors.
Sinisi said marquee matchups, like the U.S.-England game, will likely draw action comparable to the amounts seen for a typical Saturday game between two good college football teams.
Kornegay said the amount gambled on the late rounds of the tournament would likely compare to a low-tier NFL game.
But Kornegay said he expected betting to increase 20 to 30 percent compared with the 2006 World Cup, in line with previous increases.
He says the World Cup has room to grow among American bettors, helped by increased promotion of the tournament and its broadcasts.
"I've never seen so much hype surrounding a World Cup," Kornegay said.
-- Oskar Garcia
Maradona urges referees crackdown on foul play
PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) — Diego Maradona urged referees to crack down on foul play to allow better soccer to be played at the World Cup.
Maradona said referees should "know the meaning of" fair play and apply it wisely, while FIFA's campaign to eliminate dirty play should be more than just a slogan.
"That's what we have to start with because we will see better football. We will see the stars we want and we are going to enjoy this World Cup," Maradona said. "FIFA has to keep fair play very much in mind ... and the referees have to know the meaning of those words."
Maradona, who scored the infamous "Hand of God" goal against England at the 1986 World Cup, was also the victim of frequent rough fouls during his career. He said fair play can be the basis for a great tournament, with star getting a chance to shine.
"Those who don't want to play football should sit in the stands," Maradona said. "Those who do want to play and who the people want to see play should be able to do so without problems."
Illustrating his point, Maradona recalled a vicious foul against him by Cameroon at the 1990 World Cup in Italy.
"Someone gave me a kick which nearly knocked my head off," Maradona said.
In that same tournament, Maradona lamented a disputed yellow card shown to teammate Claudio Caniggia for a handball in the semifinals against Italy. It was Caniggia's second yellow card of the event and he was forced to miss the final, which Argentina lost to Germany.
"Compared to the Cameroon kick, (Caniggia) was Heidi," Maradona said.
Argentina opens its World Cup schedule against Nigeria on Saturday in Johannesburg.
Australia's Brad Jones won't return to World Cup
MULDERSDRIFT, South Africa (AP) — Backup Australia goalkeeper Brad Jones will not return to the World Cup after leaving the team to return home because of an illness in his family.
Jones left South Africa over the weekend and it has been widely reported in Australian media that his 4-year-old son Luca has been diagnosed with leukemia.
Australia's football federation said Friday that FIFA granted permission to replace the Middlesbrough 'keeper with Adelaide United's Eugene Galekovic, who was cut from the provisional squad. Mark Schwarzer and Adam Federici are the other goalkeepers in the squad.
The Australians are camped at a five-star lodge in Muldersdrift, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) northwest of Johannesburg.
Australia midfielder Carl Valeri has said the team will treat their opening World Cup match against Germany on Sunday in Durban as a"final." The other teams in Group D are Serbia and Ghana.
"Its a tough group, but the Germans are the toughest," the 25-year-old Valeri said. "But our first game is against Germany. We will concentrate on that. We won't go far ahead of ourselves. This is our final."
Schwarzer said the team is confident, but not underestimating the task at hand.
"All expectations are on them (Germany) to win, " he said. "They believe they will win, and they believe they have a right to win. We will just go there and do our best."
-- Enock Muchinjo
Harry Kewell says opponents are wary of Australia
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — After a strong showing at the last World Cup, Australian forward Harry Kewell doesn't expect the Socceroos to take anyone by surprise in South Africa.
They advanced out of the group stage in Germany four years ago before losing in the round of 16 to eventual champion Italy 1-0 after a disputed injury-time penalty.
"I think we surprised a lot of teams at the last World Cup. Obviously it's difficult a second time around," Kewell said Thursday.
Now, opponents are "a lot more wary of the players we have, everyone knows the players individually," the 31-year-old forward said. "I'm quiet sure now a lot more teams have focused in on what we're capable of doing, and, yeah, it's going to be very difficult for us."
Coach Pim Verbeek selected 14 veterans from the 2006 World Cup squad, including Kewell's Galatasaray teammate Lucas Neill, Everton midfielder Tim Cahill and Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer.
Despite the solid core of talent, the Socceroos are not favorites to advance out of a tough Group D in South Africa, where the Australians open play against perennial power Germany.
"I think it's important to get off to a fly at the World Cup, to get three points, so I think let's face it — we've probably hit the hardest team in the World Cup to come up against, especially first off the bat," Kewell said. "Everyone's looking for these angles against the Germans — they're a young team, they need to go forward — but let's not forget when it comes to a big tournament they're always the favorite."
Things don't get much easier for the Socceroos. They play Ghana — a tough matchup even if the Africans are missing star midfielder Michael Essien — and then wrap up group play against a Serbia side that topped its qualifying group, ahead of 2006 World Cup runner-up France.
-- Ryan Lucas
Netherlands winger Robben to join squad Saturday
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Injured Netherlands winger Arjen Robben will join the team in South Africa on Saturday.
Coach Bert van Marwijk told reporters Friday that Robben's recovery is "going well," but he was evasive when asked whether the Bayern Munich player would be fit for Monday's Group E opener against Denmark.
"I haven't seen him for a week. We will see tomorrow," van Marwijk said at the Dutch team base in Johannesburg.
Robben, one of the main reasons Bayern won the Bundesliga title and reached the Champions League final this season, has been doubtful for the World Cup since hurting his hamstring a week ago in a friendly against Hungary.
Van Marwijk didn't call in a replacement, betting on Robben to become healthy in time for the tournament. But with plenty of midfield talent on the squad, van Marwijk may choose to rest him for the opener.
Judging by Friday's practice, Rafael van der Vaart could take Robben's place in the lineup. The coach fielded the Real Madrid player and Dirk Kuyt on the wings and Robin van Persie up front in a formation that seemed to suggest Monday's lineup.
Mark van Bommel and Nigel de Jong took defensive roles in the midfield with playmaker Wesley Sneijder building the attack.
-- Karl Ritter
Lippi finally shows some lineup indications
IRENE, South Africa (AP) — Italy coach Marcello Lippi has finally showed some indications of his starting lineup.
Lippi started Vincenzo Iaquinta, Alberto Gilardino and Simone Pepe in attack during a training match against the Gauteng All Stars on Friday, leaving Serie A scoring leader Antonio Di Natale on the bench.
Italy won 6-0 after two goals from Pepe, one each from Iaquinta and Di Natale — who came on in the second half — and two from another substitute, Giampaolo Pazzini.
Riccardo Montolivo replaced injured Andrea Pirlo in midfield and lined up alongside Gennaro Gattuso and Claudio Marchisio — with Daniele De Rossi missing due to a right calf problem.
Captain Fabio Cannavaro was joined by Giorgio Chiellini in central defense with Gianluca Zambrotta at right back and Domenico Criscito at left back.
Gianluigi Buffon was in goal.
Italy opens against Paraguay on Monday.
Amid crisis, Italy's players to make donations
IRENE, South Africa (AP) — Italy's players have decided to donate a portion of their World Cup prize money to acknowledge the global financial crisis. As with most moves in Italy, however, the gesture comes amid political undertones.
Captain Fabio Cannavaro announced Friday that the team would donate an unspecified amount to next year's celebration honoring 150 years of Italy's unification.
Italian cabinet minister Roberto Calderoli recently challenged the team of multimillionaires to make a gesture of good will in a time of financial crisis.
The players' move — designating the contributions to a celebration of national unity — was taken by some as a pointed response to Calderoli, who is also a member of Italy's Northern League, which has long pressed the government to give greater autonomy to the country's regions. The League complains that tax money from Italy's rich north goes to the underdeveloped south.
"It's not a provocation. It was simply the right thing to do, to offer an example in times like these," said Cannavaro, who is from southern Italy's biggest city — Naples. "It's a nice initiative. The national team has always lent its image to help Italy's problems over the years. ... The national team is more about uniting than dividing."
-- Andrew Dampf
De Rossi presents new injury worry for Italy
IRENE, South Africa (AP) — Italy has another key injury concern just three days before its World Cup opener: Daniele De Rossi.
De Rossi sat out a training match against the Gauteng All Stars on Friday with a right calf problem. Team physician Enrico Castellacci said the midfielder has a chance of being ready for Monday's game against Paraguay.
Another key midfielder, Andrea Pirlo, could miss the entire group phase with a left calf injury.
De Rossi and Pirlo were the only members of Italy's team who did not play against Gauteng. Two other midfielders who had minor injuries, Claudio Marchisio and Mauro Camoranesi, both played without any problems — Marchisio as a starter and Camoranesi as a second-half substitute.
Paraguay striker Cardozo should be fit for Italy
PIERTERMARIZBURG, South Africa (AP) — Paraguay striker Oscar Cardozo is recovering from an ankle injury and could be fit to face Italy next week in the team's World Cup opener.
Paraguay team doctor Manuel Aguilar says the Benfica striker has "not been ruled out of the World Cup, nor has he been ruled out of the first game. ... In fact, he's recovered very well and is doing light training on the ankle."
Paraguay and Italy, who meet on Monday, are in Group F alongside New Zealand and Slovakia.
Iniesta doubtful for Spain's World Cup opener
POTCHEFSTROOM, South Africa (AP) — Injured midfielder Andres Iniesta remains doubtful for Spain's opening World Cup match after training alone during the team's first practice in South Africa.
Iniesta ran individual drills with one of the team's physiotherapists at the North West University sports complex, where the European champions are based for the tournament.
Spain was the last of the 32 teams to arrive and was welcomed with a warm reception Friday from locals.
Coach Vicente del Bosque put the rest of his 23-man squad through an up-tempo session following an overnight flight. Fernando Torres took part with his right knee heavily bandaged as he recovers from surgery.
Slovakia's Skrtel looks fit to face New Zealand
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Slovakia defender Martin Skrtel has returned to normal training after injuring his ankle last week and is expected to be fit for the team's World Cup opener against New Zealand.
The Liverpool center back injured his right ankle Saturday in Slovakia's 3-0 win over Costa Rica in a warm-up match.
Team spokeswoman Marianna Cizmarova said the 25-year-old Skrtel practiced normally with the full squad Friday after having spent a few days training individually.
She said Skrtel's "medical results are OK" and he should be fit to play when Slovakia takes on New Zealand on Tuesday.
Paraguay and defending world champion Italy are also in Group F.
Travolta pays visit to Australia's World Cup team
MULDERSDRIFT, South Africa (AP) — John Travolta showed off some of his dance moves in a visit to Australia's World Cup team Friday ahead of its opening game against Germany.
The movie star is an ambassador for one of the team's sponsors, Qantas, and dropped in on Australia's five-star resort lodge in Muldersdrift, 25 miles west of Johannesburg.
Midfielder Carl Valeri was thrilled with the visit, saying "I watch his movies and I love them. ... It's fantastic really."
Goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer said Travolta "wished us well," and called him "inspirational." Schwarzer said "you just have to look at how the guys were excited to get photos with him."
The Socceroos play Germany in Durban on Sunday. Serbia and Ghana are also in Group D.
German players buy tickets for local children
ERASMIA, South Africa (AP) — The Germany team has bought 300 tickets for each of its three World Cup group matches that will be distributed to local schoolchildren.
The children from poorer areas in the cities of Durban, Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg will be driven by bus to the games, given food at the stadiums and then driven back. They will be accompanied by teachers.
The tickets cost the team a "six-digit" figure, according to team spokesman Harald Stenger.
Elsewhere
Upon further review, DC's Pontius loses hat trick
SEATTLE (AP) — D.C. United's Chris Pontius has lost a hat trick a day after he was credited with one in a 3-2 victory over the Seattle Sounders.
Major League Soccer reviewed the goals in Thursday night's game and credited one to Adam Cristman on Friday.
The play in the 79th minute started when Santino Quaranta sent a free kick toward the left side of the penalty area. Pontius headed a shot across the box toward the far post. Sounders goalkeeper Kasey Keller chased it as Cristman just got a touch on the ball to poke it into the net, giving United a 3-0 lead.
Matejovsky leaves Reading for Sparta
PRAGUE (AP) — Czech international midfielder Marek Matejovsky has joined Czech champion Sparta Prague from second-tier English side Reading.
The 28-year-old Matejovsky has been given a four-year-contract, Sparta said Friday. Further details of the transfer were not given.
Matejovsky, who signed for Reading in January 2008 when the club was playing the Premier League, has played 15 times for the Czech Republic, scoring one goal.
