RUSTENBURG, South Africa: Uruguay secured a place in the second round of the World Cup finals for the first time since 1990 when they beat Latin American rivals Mexico 1-0 on Tuesday. The result meant Uruguay topped Group A and Mexico also went through on goal difference over hosts South

JOHANNESBURG: South African President Jacob Zuma said on Tuesday he was confident the Soccer World Cup, hosted for the first time in Africa, will boost job creation and economic growth in his country. "The event itself has created such an opportunity that our economy is notgoing to be of

BLOEMFONTEIN: South Africa overcame a dispirited France team, who were reduced to 10 men for more than a hour, to win 2-1 in their last World Cup Group A match on Tuesday but it was not enough to reach the second round. Uruguay, who beat Mexico 1-0, finished top of the group with seven

LONDON:  French Open champion Rafael Nadal was back in the old routine at Wimbledon as he moved into the second round with a 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Japan`s Kei Nishikori on Tuesday. Nadal was in action at the All England Club for the first time since his thrilling victory over Roger

JOHANNESBURG: Kaka has been hampered by injury and a drop in form over the last two seasons but probably the last thing the squeaky-clean Brazilian expected at the World Cup was for his revival to be halted by a red card. Just as he seemed to be returning to something near his peak, Kaka

JOHANNESBURG: A South African court has dropped a case against two Dutch women accused of an illegal promotion stunt by a brewer at a World Cup match last week, the National Prosecuting Authority said on Tuesday. "FIFA was not interested in proceeding with the matter. There was a

BASSETERRE: The second test was meandering towards a draw when South Africa reached 23 for nought at the end of the fourth day in St Kitts on Monday, a lead of 20 over West Indies. Captain Graeme Smith was unbeaten on 13 at the close while Alviro Petersen was eight not out. Earlier,

LONDON: Andy Murray will carry the weight of a nation on his shoulders as he bids to end 74 years of disappointment and become Britain`s first men`s Wimbledon champion since 1936 when he kicks off his campaign on Tuesday. Murray, who fell at the semi-final stage to eventual runner-up

COLOMBO: Indian opener Virender Sehwag will miss the Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka with a hamstring injury. Team manager Ranjib Biswal said Sehwag suffered the injury during India`s three-wicket win over Pakistan at Dambulla on Saturday and has been ordered to rest. Sehwag will

BLOEMFONTEIN: Some of the France team may not want to play against South Africa in their final Group A game on Tuesday following a row over the expulsion of striker Nicolas Anelka, beleaguered coach Raymond Domenech said. Domenech told a Monday news conference that he backed the French

CAPE TOWN: A World Cup fan charged with trespassing after he entered the England team`s locker-room and lectured the squad following a lacklustre 0-0 draw with Algeria will go on trial on Friday. Briton Pavlos Joseph says he wandered by accident into the dressing room while looking for a

COLOMBO: Captain Shahid Afridi blasted 124 off 60 balls to lead Pakistan to their highest one-day international score of 385 and a 139-run consolation victory over Bangladesh in the Asia Cup at Dambulla on Monday. Afridi stole the show, flaying the hapless Bangladesh bowlers all over the

MELBOURNE: Uncapped New South Wales batsman Usman Khawaja was named on Tuesday in Australia`s 14-man squad on Tuesday for next month`s two-test series against Pakistan in Britain. The 23-year-old Khawaja, who was born in Pakistan but moved to Australia as a youngster, was named in the

JOHANNESBURG: Ghana already has one milestone behind it and now it stands a victory away from achieving maybe an even bigger one—sending Germany to its earliest exit from a World Cup. Ghana became the first African team to win a World Cup game on African soil when it beat Serbia 1-0 in

NELSPRUIT, South Africa: The return of two suspended players and the absence of two others could prove to be a deciding factor in Wednesday`s World Cup Group D clash between Australia and Serbia. Australia welcome back arguably their best player in Tim Cahill, who missed last week`s 1-1

PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa:  Chile broke through the formerly impenetrable Swiss defense, and Mark Gonzalez`s goal might be enough to get the South Americans into the second round of the World Cup. Substitute Gonzalez scored on a header in the 75th minute Monday as Chile beat 10-man

RUSTENBURG, South Africa: England`s preparations for their pivotal World Cup meeting with Slovenia on Wednesday have been left in disarray after Fabio Capello savaged former skipper John Terry for challenging his authority. Terry will start Wednesday`s must-win match in Port Elizabeth

JOHANNESBURG: Goals either side of half-time by Barcelona`s new signing David Villa saw Spain beat Honduras 2-0 in their Group H clash at Ellis Park on Monday to put their World Cup back on track. After losing their opening game 1-0 to Switzerland, the easy victory puts Spain on course

IRENE, South Africa: Landon Donovan thinks the best is yet to come for the U.S. soccer team. Yes, 2006 was a disappointment and even the quarterfinal finish in 2002 wasn`t completely satisfying. "The two World Cups I`d been a part of, we hadn`t strung together three consecutive good

JOHANNESBURG: Portugal thrashed North Korea 7-0 on Monday in the World Cup`s highest score so far, restoring some bruised pride for Europe`s stuttering soccer powers and dashing the Asians` chances of progress. Little-known North Korea were back at a World Cup for the first time since