Under20 World Cup Groups DrawnEngland given tough group

England have been handed a tough draw this morning after the Group Stages were drawn for the Under-20 World Cup Finals which is being held this year in Columbia.
England begin their campaign against North Korea but then have to play Mexico and arguably the best team at Under-20 level Argentina.
Brian Eastwicks side haven't covered themselves in glory in the past. The best the U20's have achived was a third place finish, beating Australia in 1993. Argentina on the other hand have won five of the last eight competitions so will no doubt be favourites to lift the trophy this year.
Mexico are five-time quarter finalists so are no mugs but England who could play Jack Wilshere, Jack Rodwell and Danny Welbeck should have enough to get past them and then there's North Korea
In the 2010 World Cup North Korea gave their all but just didn't have the skills or experience to put their stamp on the tournament and that is what is expected from their kids.
We are still waiting for the line-up to be completed. One game has yet to be played. New Zealand play Solomon Island for the final place which will see them in Group B with Portugal, Cameroon and Uruguay.

Do you think we should send in the big guns and go for glory or should the Premier League be the main priotity and let the likes of Wilshere and Rodwell get a pre-season under their belt ready for the new season.
Leave a comment.

Group Stages:

A) Colombia, France, Mali, South Korea
B) Portugal, Uruguay, Cameroon, New Zealand/Solomon Islands
C) Australia, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Spain
D) Croatia, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Guatemala
E) Brazil, Egypt, Australia, Panama
F) Argentina, Mexico, England, North Korea

Tournament begins July 29th until August 20th

Aussie Trotter Leaves Job For Cup Semi

The FA Cup Semi Final might have been a game to forget for Bolton Wanderers supporters but one fan who lost more than most was 50 year old Ian Wagstaff.

A life long Wanderes fan, Ian lives in Australia so getting to games is as difficult as it gets but when Wanderers made the semi final he wanted to be there.

After a long drawn out encounter to find a ticket 'Waggy' finally got his dream ticket, a chance to see his beloved club at Wembley, but there was to be a problem. He couldn't get the time of work, so he did what any other supporter would've done, he quit his job!!!

He told us "I've been a Wanderer all my life. I've watched them in every league apart from the Premier League. I told my boss I wanted to go, but he said we were too busy. I told him I was going anyway. It's not every day you get the chance to watch Wanderers at Wembley."

Unfourtunately this story doesn't have a happy ending. Ian got to see his team at Wembley but Bolton were beaten 5-0 so it ended up being a nightmare trip home for 'Waggy' who not only witnessed his side emphatically beaten but now he has to find himself a new job.

After all this though, if Bolton find themselves back at Wembley you can bet he would do it all over again.

Bolton fans was Ian Wagstaff mad for quitting his job for the semi-final or does he deserve a pat on the back for commitment, let us know your opinion.

Japan - Kings Of Asia Australia 0 Japan 1 (Lee 110) (AFTER EXTRA TIME)

Japan became the first team to win the AFC Asian Cup four times as Tadanari Lee's goal in the second period of extra time clinched a 1-0 victory over Australia at Khalifa Stadium.

Lee struck after 108 minutes of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2011™ final when he volleyed home Yuto Nagatomo's left-wing cross.

Australia, though, had their chances to claim a maiden continental triumph and will reflect on Harry Kewell's second-half miss when one-on-one with Japan keeper Eiji Kawashima as particularly crucial.

The Socceroos had the game's first opportunity when following a slick move, Carl Valeri fed Matt McKay but he sliced wide of the far post.

Mark Schwarzer then almost presented Japan with the opener when he tried to prevent the ball going behind for a corner but only succeeded in kicking it straight to Nagatomo but the defender's long-range effort sailed over the bar with David Carney scrambling back to cover.

McKay's neat backheel released Brett Holman down the right but nobody could get on the end of the winger's fizzing low cross before Japan keeper Eiji Kawashima did well to push Kewell's close-range header away in the 18th minute after Tim Cahill had met Carney's corner on the far side of the box.

Kewell then guided Luke Wilkshire's cross from the right over the bar before the striker was off target from a narrow angle when he latched on to Cahill's knockdown from Neill's diagonal ball just after the half-hour mark.

Ryoichi Maeda was presented with a sight of goal nine minutes before the interval after Yasuhito Endo had laid-off Keisuke Honda's incisive pass into the forward's path but he fired over from just outside the box as the first-half ended goalless.

Australia came agonisingly close to taking the lead two minutes after the break when, after Kawashima misjudged Wilkshire's cross, the ball hit the bar and then Cahill but bounced up into Maya Yoshida's chest on the line as Japan cleared.

Kewell lashed over from inside the six-yard box before Japan almost broke the deadlock in the 65th minute when Nagatomo created a yard of space before delivering a beautiful left-foot cross that Shinji Okazaki glanced just the wrong side of the post with Schwarzer rooted to the spot.

Kewell then spurned the best chance of the game six minutes later when he latched onto a long ball and raced clear on goal but Kawashima denied him with an outstretched right leg.

The Japan keeper was alert to save at Kewell's feet after Yasuyuki Konno under-hit a backpass and Carney saw a shot inside the box deflected over the bar late on as normal time ended goalless.

Australia had two opportunities in quick succession in the first period of extra time. First, McKay played in Kewell but the ball broke to Brett Emerton, who curled a left-foot shot just wide.

Substitute Robbie Kruse then almost made an immediate impact but his header from Emerton's cross was clawed away by a desperate Kawashima from under the bar.

The winning goal finally came after 108 minutes when Nagatomo surged down the left and his cross picked out Lee unmarked eight yards from goal. The substitute waited for the ball to drop before executing a left-foot volley that gave Schwarzer no chance as it found the back of the net

The Australian keeper then held Endo's free-kick before Carney struck a set-piece into the wall from just outside the area as Japan clung on for a famous victory.


Australia: 01-Schwarzer, 02-Neill, 03-Carney, 04-Cahill, 06-Ognenovski, 08-Wilkshire, 10-Kewell, 14-Holman, 15-Jedinak, 16-Valeri, 17-McKay SUBS USED: 07-Emerton, 22-Kilkenny, 23-Kruse
Japan: 01-Kawashima, 04-Konno, 05-Nagatomo, 06-Uchida, 07-Endo, 09-Okazaki, 11-Maeda, 14-Fujimoto, 17-Hasebe, 18-Honda, 22-Yoshida SUBS USED: 02-Inoha, 03-Iwamasa, 19-Lee

Cahill Gets Australia Off To A Flyer In Asian CupIndia 0 Australia 4 (Cahill 11,64 Kewell 24, Holman 45)

Two goals from Tim Cahill saw Australia make a winning start to their 2011 AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2011™ campaign with a 4-0 victory over India at Al Sadd Stadium on Monday. 

Harry Kewell and Brett Holman also got on the score-sheet in a Group C encounter that Holger Osieck's side dominated throughout in stark contrast to their Asian Cup debut four years ago, when Cahill's stoppage-time equaliser scraped a 1-1 draw with Oman.

It took Australia just 11 minutes to break the deadlock. Brett Emerton collected the ball in acres of space down the right and advanced into the box unchallenged before his low cross picked out the onrushing Cahill and the Everton forward side-footed home with ease inside the six-yard box.

India looked to reply and NP Pradeep saw a long-range effort easily held by Mark Schwarzer before Climax Lawrence shoot horribly wide when he had time and space on the edge of the box.

Cahill had a header ruled out for offside and Kewell fired straight at keeper Subrata Paul from Holman's lay-off before the Galatasaray midfielder doubled Australia's advantage in the 25th minute with a fine effort.

Picking up Luke Wilkshire's short pass, he turned and took a couple of steps before unleashing a swerving low drive with his left foot form 25 yards that found the far bottom corner beyond a diving Paul.

Cahill then somehow contrived to waste a golden opportunity for his second goal on the half-hour mark when a deflected shot fell into his path three yards out but with just the keeper to beat, his weak poke hit Paul and spun wide.

The India custodian then did well to tip Cahill's dipping 25-yard snap effort over the bar after he had brought down a long diagonal ball on his chest with aplomb before Australia extended their lead in first-half stoppage time when Holman met Emerton's cross ahead of Paul to nod in the third.

A slick Australia move ended with Cahill scuffing a shot wide of the far post nine minutes into the second period and Emerton was also off target as Australia continued to dominate.

Cahill eventually claimed his second and Australia's fourth when he rose highest to meet a free-kick from the right and planted a header into the far corner. Kewell then almost grabbed his second but a curling shot was just the wrong side of the post.

The game petered out after that although Sunil Chettri threatened a late consolation for India but was unable to control a long ball over the top and Schwarzer came out to smother as Bob Houghton's side were soundly beaten


Line Ups:


India: 01-Paul, 05-Anwar, 07-Pradeep, 11-Chhetri, 12-Mandal, 17-S.Singh, 18-Rafi, 19-G.Singh, 20-Lawrence, 22-Nabi, 23-Dias Subs Used: 08-R.Singh, 09-Yadav, 16-Wadoo
Australia: 01-Schwarzer, 02-Neill, 03-Carney, 04-Cahill, 05-Culina, 06-Ognenovski, 07-Emerton, 08-Wilkshire, 10-Kewell, 14-Holman, 15-Jedinak Subs Used: 09-McDonald, 11-Burns, 17-McKay

Australia 2 Serbia 1

Scorers: Cahill (Aus), Holman (Aus), Pantelic (Srb)

Attendance: 38836

Australia got the win they wanted in Nelspruit on Wednesday night, but not the number of goals they needed as the Socceroos were eliminated from Group D on goal difference behind Ghana. Germany, 1-0 winners over the Black Stars in Johannesburg, topped the group on six points, while the Aussies and Ghanaians finished on four and the Serbians three.

Budweiser Man of the Match Tim Cahill was back in the team, after being dismissed in the ultimately decisive 4-0 opening loss to the Germans, and it was the Everton man who scored the crucial opening goal of the match on 69 minutes. Substitute Brett Holman doubled the lead just four minutes later before Marko Pantelic pulled one back late on to set up a grandstand finish.

Both teams approached the encounter at the Mbombela Stadium knowing they needed to win and the game started at a high tempo. Serbia's Milos Krasic was an early danger down their right wing, testing goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer at his near post inside the first five minutes. In the 12th minute, Krasic had an even better chance when sprung free in the box by Milos Ninkovic's defence-splitting pass after an Australia corner, but the CSKA Moscow man took it too wide and could not get his shot on target around the advancing Schwarzer.

Krasic then turned provider, finding Zdravko Kuzmanovic streaking into the area, but he fired well wide when he might have done better in the 16th minute. Another pass from the right in the 23rd minute picked out Branislav Ivanovic, who pulled the ball back well from close range, but Schwarzer reacted quickly to save with his out-stretched left arm. The onslaught against Australia left-back David Carney continued in the 34th minute as Ivanovic crossed to a loosely marked Nikola Zigic, but the Serbia striker did not connect cleanly and the ball slid off his head. Four minutes later, Krasic did have the ball in the back of the Australian net, but he was narrowly offside.

The two best chances of the first half for the Asian Zone representatives fell to Cahill, but the Everton midfielder headed wide just after the half-hour mark and then lost his footing in the 39th minute after Carney had picked him out all alone in the middle of the Serbian box. But Pim Verbeek's side came out with more purpose in the second half and two long-range efforts put a lump in Serbian throats. First, Jason Culina blazed wide from 25 yards after the defence failed to clear a free-kick, and Bresciano then stung the goalkeeper's hands with a blast from just outside the area when given too much space.

And though the Serbians continued to create chances as well, with Zigic firing over from close range and Kuzmanovic heading over from near the penalty spot, it was the Aussies who found the net. Again talisman Cahill was the inspiration, showing more determination to leap over the defence and head in a long cross. As Serbia pushed for the equaliser, Australia produced another moment of brilliance, this time from Holman, who picked the ball up near his halfway line and screamed in a long-range shot low into Vladimir Stojkovic's goal.

With their South Africa 2010 hopes slipping away, the eastern Europeans battled forward and second-half substitute Zoran Tosic was a constant threat. It was his hard shot that was spilled by Schwarzer, and fellow substitute Pantelic was first to the ball for an easy score. Remarkably that meant that the Serbians could have gone through with another goal, but despite some goalmouth opportunities, they did not force a save from Schwarzer, although Culina did have a one-on-one bravely saved by Stojkovic at the other end in the final moments.

Ghana 1 Australia 1

Scorers: Gyan (Gha), Holmann (Aus)

Attendace: 34812

Ghana were held to a 1-1 draw by ten-man Australia at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium, but moved to the top of Group D with four points from two matches. The west Africans could not take advantage of the first-half dismissal of Harry Kewell to claim maximum points, but managed to lift themselves above Serbia and Germany in the section.

Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac was forced to reshuffle his rearguard due to an injury to Isaac Vorsah, with Jonathan Mensah, who had sufficiently recovered from injury, forming a centre-back partnership with Lee Addy. For his part, Australia coach Pim Verbeek made no fewer than four changes to the side that had been overrun 4-0 by Germany. Harry Kewell started in place of the suspended Tim Cahill up front, with left-back David Carney brought in for Scott Chipperfield. In midfield, Richard Garcia and the injured Vince Grella were replaced by Mark Bresciano and Brett Holman respectively.

After some nervy opening exchanges in front of the watching Germany coach Joachim Low, the Socceroos got the first chance of note on 11 minutes and they duly converted it. Mark Bresciano’s powerful free-kick from 30 yards was only parried by Richard Kingson, with the ball falling kindly for the onrushing Brett Holman, who gleefully fired in the first goal of the tournament for the Aussies.

Ghana struggled for fluency early on and they had to wait a further ten minutes for their first serious attempt on goal, with Andre Ayew’s shot from the edge of the area stopped only by a crucial Lucas Neil interception. However, the Black Stars soon restored parity in a moment that proved a hammer blow to Australia's hopes. Asamoah Gyan equalised from the spot after Kewell was adjudged to have stopped Mensah’s shot with his right arm – the Socceroos No10 earning a red card on his long-awaited return after injury. Prince Tagoe then had a chance to put his side into a lead minutes later, but he drilled the ball well wide of the left post.

Ghana surged forward in search of their second goal with half-time approaching, and Kevin-Prince Boateng’s shot from the right side of the area only narrowly failed to find the mark, Mark Schwarzer making a fingertip save. The Black Stars began the second half where they left off in the first, with Kwadwo Asamoah and Gyan trying their luck from distance.

Fleet-footed forward Quincy Owusu-Abeyie was brought on for Tagoe just before the hour, but the Ghanaians could not find a breakthrough against a resilient Australia defence. For their part, Australia called on Joshua Kennedy in an attempt to take control in the air and they had chances to win the match. Substitute Chipperfield headed over from a Luke Wilkshire cross and Wilkshire himself spurned a glorious opportunity after 72 minutes, shooting straight at Kingson. The Wigan Athletic goalkeeper then did well to stop a volley from Kennedy.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, Australia kept on attacking and Verbeek also sent on striker Nikita Rukavytsya for Wilkshire. At the opposite end, though, the Black Stars might have scored a late winner but Mensah’s header went just wide of the right post and Owusu-Abeyie’s curling shot was tipped over by Schwarzer.

Germany 4 Australia 0

Scorers: Podolski (Ger), Klose (Ger), Muller (Ger), Cacau (Ger)

Attendance: 62,660

This match was the first for the new generation of German footballers and one thing I noticed when I saw the squad for the World Cup was the fact no German footballer was plying his trade outside the Bundesliga.

They were going up against an aging Australia, this was said to be their last chance of any glory before Australia would have to take a leaf out of Germany's book and find a new generation of players and it was the old folk from down under that had the first chance after 3 minutes, Lucas Neill's header found Richard Garcia and his shot from 8 yards was blocked on the line by Lahm.

4 minutes later and it was Germany that took the lead.  Lukas Podolski was found running unmarked into the area and hit a ferocious shot that even though Mark Schwarzer managed to get a full hand on it the ball still found the back of the net.

Germany took a hold on the match from here and Australia struggled to make any impact, the German defense was just to well orchestrated, in fact after 23 minutes Germany should have made it 2-0. Podolski made a run down the left, whipped in a cross and somehow Klose missed from 3 yards but it wasnt long before Germany did make it 2-0.  A long ball upfield from Philip Lahm and the Australian goalkeeper was in no mans land and Miroslav Klose made amends for his earlier miss by heading in.  From here it seemed to be game over already.

Germany seemed to be toying with the Australians and ready to score at will and in the 30th minute Mesut Ozil flicked the ball over Schwarzer and the ball seemed to be going in but Socceroo captain Lucas Neill managed to clear and keep Australia in the game.

The second half began with a booking for Lucas Neill who managed to knee Klose in the back and 3 minutes later they had a penalty appeal turned down.  Mertesacker looked to have handled but it was accidental and the Mexican referee was right to turn the appeals away.

In the 55th minute Tim Cahill slid into Schweinsteiger in what looked an innocuous challenge but the referee Marco Antonio Rodriguez obviously thought otherwise as he showed Cahill the red card effectively killing the game off for Australia.  From this moment the Germans smelt blood and attacked the Australian defence at will.  Mark Schwarzer earned his money tonight.

67 minutes Germany made it 3-0.  Great interplay by Klose and Podolski who played in Muller who kept his composure and put it past the desparing dive of Schwarzer, now it was time for the Germans to introduce Brazilian born striker Cacau and within 2 minutes he scored with his first touch tapping in from 3 yards out scoring his first goal for his adopted country.  Was there to be more embarrasement for Australia. All 4 German strikers had scored today so Joachim Low obviously thought it was right to introduce a 5th.  Mario Gomez replacing Ozil.  Could he complete a full set of strikers scoring? Unfortunately not but woith this performance tonight Germany have proved their many doubters wrong.  They will be a force in this World Cup.  An amazing performance.

Germany: 1. Neuer, 3. Friedrich, 6. Khedira, 07. Schweinsteiger, 8. Ozil, 10. Podolski, 11. Klose, 13. Muller 14. Holger Badstuber, 16. Lahm, 17. Mertesacker

Subs Used: 19. Cacau, 21. Marin, 23. Gomez

Australia: 1. Schwarzer, 2. Neill, 3. Moore, 4. Cahill, 5. Culina, 7. Emerton, 8. Wilkshire 11. Chipperfield, 13. Grella, 16. Valeri, 19. Garcia

Subs Used: 14. Holman, 15. Jedinak, 17. Rukavytsya