JOHANNESBURG: The World Cup Local Organising Committee (LOC) said on Friday that they were not worried about potential trouble in the high-octane last 16 clash between old rivals Germany and England on Sunday.

LOC spokesman Jermaine Craig said that they had been in close contact with both the German and English police but were not expecting any trouble in Bloemfontein.

"We are working closely with the German and English police, but we are sure everything is going to be okay," said Craig.
"The security measures are in place, and we are confident everything will go okay, so far this World Cup has been very peaceful."

Since the beginning of the finals on June 11 there has been no hooliganism at all, though several Argentinian known-troublemakers were refused entry to South Africa by immigration officials.

The last time German and English supporters clashed was at Euro 2000 when they turned the centre of the normally quiet Belgian town of Charleroi into a battlefield.

BDST: 1745hrs, June 25, 2010
SA