ITALY THE WORLD 'SHAME-PION'

 (Pix top - Italian fans who stayed loyal behind their national team. - Pixs are courtesy of my friend  (sports fotojourno), Kabosh in Johannesburg)
 
ITALY, the World Cup defending champion displayed their worst ever football pattern at international level. They can't even reached the second round of the 2010 World Cup campaign and to make matters worst, they finished last in Group G comprising of Slovakia, New Zealand and Paraguay.
They can't event tamed Slovakia in their last group match...and lost 2-3. They were sent home with the reputation as the 2010 World Cup  'Shame-Pion'.

 Now, it's time for them to wake up. They don't have deadly striker, lacking of young players and still depending with their ageing stars to carry their hopes in South Africa. This is their worst ever outing at the international scene...but...they have loyal and cute fans cheering them throughout the tourney. I believe, their failure in South Africa served as a very good lesson to the Italian who never trust and dare to give their young players a try in the first squad.

GERMANY SENT ENGLAND PACKING

 GERMANY blasted 4 goals into England's net to ensure them a place in the quarterfinals. They won 4-1 with goals coming from Miroslav Klose, Lukas Podolski dan Thomas Mueller (2 goals) while England replied through Matthew Upson.
I think, the game could turned the other way round if England's Frank Lampard attempt in the first half were not denied by the match official, Jorge Larrionda of Uruguay. Lampard's cracking shot from outside the box hit the cross bar and fell behind the goal line but the linesmen denied it. The decision had spoilt England's momentum despite coming back strongly in the second half. Captain, Steven Gerrard were on target (few times) but their moves were well checked by the goalie. They pressed hard to find an equaliser but still find their opponent a hard nut to crack

Some said, England chances to beat Germany are great if Lampard's attempt was allowed by the referee. Well...I don't think so, because England performance at group stage was alet down. They were lucky to be in the group 16. Past record also showed that England's performance in the World Cup was not convincing enough and Germany deserved to win Sunday's match.

  
(Pix top: Lampard and Rooney pay respect to their fans who keep boosting them throughout the campaign.


Pix below: England fans stand still behind their team.
(PIX COURTESY OF MY FRIEND KABOSH IN JOHANNESBURG)

Not so bad Korea...

 SOUTH Korean wrapped up their 2010 World Cup campaign in South Africa with a 1-2 defeat to Uruguay in the second round last night.
They were so closed to make it to the last eight with superb display throughout the match, but failed to utilise their chances. They dominated the game. They pressed Uruguay but still find it hard to find the net.
Well...it was something to be proud off as South Korean are among the top 16 teams in the world. It was their best achievement ever in the World Cup held outside their home soil.
Asian hopes now will be carried by Japan - another team from Asia who made the cut into the last 16. Japan shown great promises with cracking display throughout this tournament to brush aside their opponent.

Pix (left) - Cute Korean fans who turned up to boost their players..

2010 WORLD CUP CRAZE...

 

No worry...my favourite team still on track..

 SOUTH Korea is the team that i followed since their debut in the World Cup. To make it simple and clear - it's my favourite team.
They stamped their class in South Africa with a convincing 2-0 win over Greece in their Group B opening match before going down 1-4 to star-studded Argentines in their second game today.
Although lost to the Argentines, South Korea’s World Cup remains on track.
Defender Cha Du Ri, who was dropped for the side that faced the South Americans due to tactical reasons, said that they still rated their chances.
Ahead of their final group game against Nigeria, the Asians have three points from their 2-0 victory against Greece.
 “It was clear to us from the beginning that the final game would be the decisive game therefore the match against Greece was the important one as it ensured that we still had a chance going into the last game.
 “We managed that and now we want to in our last game use our chance to go through,” the German-based player said.
 Cha said that it was not easy playing against a strong team like Argentina. “If you see what kind of strikers they have on the field, it is unbelievable. A three-goal scorer leaves the field and another world class player comes on.

  “However, I think we showed that they do have some problems in the back and we put them under some pressure and with a little bit of luck they can be beaten.”    He said that their game against Nigeria will be like a final for both sides. “I think both teams will start cautiously.
   “Our game is built on counter attacks, try to get the ball in the middle of the park and then fast breaks. The Nigerians are big and tall, but they have problems against smaller, faster players.”    South Korean captain Park Ji Sung said the side was not thinking about goal difference going into their final game. “We are thinking of winning the match.”    He said that although they had conceded two goals in the second half without reply, he felt they had played better after the break.
 “In the first half we could not show our quality but in the second half our players were more confident and we need to build on that.”

Saingan Cub Prix Semakin Sengit

 

 

NORIZMAN Ismail membuktikan kemenangan di Litar Batu Kawan sebelum ini bukan sekadar nasib apabila meraih gelaran juara buat kali kedua pada Pusingan 4 Kejuaraan Cub Prix Malaysia Petronas AAM di Litar Sepang Utara, Ahad lalu (13 Jun 2010).
Pelumba SCK Honda Racing itu melakukan henjutan terakhir sebaik memasuki laluan lurus menuju ke garisan penamat untuk memintas Md. Zamri Baba (Petronas Sprinta Yamaha AHM) dan Ahmad Fazli Sham (Shell Advance Yamaha Maju) yang berada di hadapannya.
Norizman menamatkan perlumbaan 13 pusingan itu dalam masa 18:28.950s, hanya 0.061 saat di depan Fazli yang mencatat masa 18:29.011s diikuti Zamri di tempat ketiga (18:29.237s).

“Ia adalah perlumbaan paling getir dan sengit dalam sejarah karier perlumbaan saya. Sejak dari mula saingan lagi, cabaran yang diberikan sembilan pelumba di kelompok depan cukup sengit malah saya akui tidak berapa yakin untuk mencapai kemenangan ini.
“Selepas pusingan keempat, saya dapat memahami jentera saya dan ia mempunyai kelebihan di laluan lurus sebaliknya pada saingan di selekoh, ia memberi sedikit masalah buat saya. Dengan itu, saya membuat keputusan untuk memberi kejutan pada saat-saat akhir dan berasa amat gembira kerana berjaya melakukannya.
“Kejayaan ini juga menyuntik semangat dan keyakinan saya memburu podium seterusnya. Mungkin kemenangan di Sepang ini membolehkan saya mengulangi pencapaian hebat musim 2005 lepas,” ujar Norizman mengimbas nostalgia muncul juara Expert musim tersebut.
Kemenangan Norizman di Sepang membolehkan dia memperbaiki ranking keseluruhan apabila kini menduduki tempat kedua dengan 69 mata.
Bekas juara Expert sebanyak dua kali, Fazli masih menerajui kedudukan dengan 76 mata sementara Ahmad Fuad Baharudin (Petronas Sprinta Yamaha AHM) berada di tempat ketiga dengan 59 mata. 
Dalam perebutan anugerah berpasukan, pasukan Petronas Sprinta Yamaha AHM masih mendahului dengan 110 mata diikuti pasukan Shell Advance Yamaha Maju (101 mata) manakala SCK Honda Racing di tempat ketiga (88 mata).
Dalam saingan kelas CP115, pelumba Motul Yamaha YY Pang, Md. Rozaiman Md. Said turut mencapai kemenangan tipis pada aksi perlumbaan akhir untuk memberi kemenangan sulungnya musim ini.
Rozaiman hanya mempunyai kelebihan 0.007 saat di depan pelumba muda, Md. Ramdan Md. Rosli (Petronas Sprinta Yamaha AHM) apabila mencatat masa 15:55.470 saat sementara Ramdan di tempat kedua dengan 15:55.477 saat. Md. Firdaus Musa pula berada di tempat ketiga dengan 15:55.510 saat.
“Ini kemenangan paling bermakna buat saya. Tambahan, sudah terlalu lama saya tidak mengecapi saat-saat manis sebegini. Bagaimanapun, kejayaan ini bukan sesuatu yang mudah. Semua pencabar cukup hebat dan jentera mereka semakin kompetitif.”
Keputusan di Sepang bagaimanapun membolehkan Ramdan memintas rakan sepasukan, Md. Iskandar Raduan untuk menerajui kedudukan keseluruhan hasil pungutan 81 mata diikuti Iskandar (76 mata) dan juara di Sepang, Rozaiman di tempat ketiga (67 mata).
Gandingan Ramdan dan Sharil Izzuwan dari pasukan Petronas Sprinta Yamaha AHM membolehkan pasukan itu menerajui anugerah berpasukan dengan 122 mata diikuti pasukan Petronas Sprinta Yamaha Raceline (102 mata), dan Motul Yamaha YY Pang di tempat ketiga dengan 63 mata.
Dalam saingan kategori Wira, naib juara keseluruhan musim lepas, Mohd. Adib Rosley sekali lagi membuktikan kewibawaannya dalam perlumbaan akhir apabila mengungguli saingan kelas tersebut.
Sekalipun dicabar hebat oleh pelumba muda, Amirul Hafiq Md. Azmi dari awal saingan, Adib tenang untuk melintasi garisan penamat dengan catatan masa 13:26.427 saat.
“Memang saya berazam untuk menang dalam perlumbaan ini. Kemenangan ini membantu menghidupkan peluang untuk saya kembali bersaing dalam senarai kedudukan keseluruhan.
“Begitupun, perancangan pasukan untuk melihat pertarungan antara saya dan Azhar di perlumbaan akhir ini tidak menjadi kenyataan. Namun saya tetap bersyukur, pasukan Motul Yamaha YY Pang berjaya mencatat kemenangan 1-3 di sini,” ujar Adib. 
Kemenangan kedua musim ini membolehkan Adib kembali bersaing dalam perebutan gelaran keseluruhan apabila mengumpul 50 mata dan menduduki tempat kelima selepas pusingan keempat ini. Md Syawalludin Md. Zaki dari pasukan Modenas Forty One Racing masih menerajui kedudukan ketika ini dengan 60 mata diikuti Azhar (57 mata) di tempat kedua dan Md. Fitri Asharf Razali (54 mata) di tempat ketiga.
Perlumbaan seterusnya akan berlangsung di Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu pada  9 dan 10 Julai depan.

Hurry...get your copy of 2010 World Cup Magazine (BM Edition)

WORLD Cup 2010 is just around the corner. The magazine highlighting on the event is also in the market now. The latest is Panduan Menuju Afrika Selatan (BM Edition) published by Pelican Publishing. On sale at a very reasonable price. Get your copy today before stock last. I bought it already and it's very informative..Available at all book stores nation wide...

Oh...Ong TK

PRIME Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak  announced a cabinet reshuffle yesterday (Tuesday, June 1).
Former MCA president, Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat (PIX) who lost to Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek in the Mac MCA election, was dropped (as predicted by most political observers) but, Deputy Finance Minister, Datuk Chor Chee Heung was promoted to a full minister.

 Chor will be the new Housing and Local Government Minister, replacing Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha who switched portfolio to Transport Ministry.
 Also dropped from the newly announced squad was Deputy Youth and Sports Minister, Datuk Wee Jeck Seng. (hmmm...maybe he did not performed to expectation - same fate with England's Theo Walcott who was dropped from the squad to South Africa).
Other appointments announced by PM yesterday were Serian MP, Datuk Richard Riot Jaem as Deputy Foreign Minister and Labis MP, Chua Tee Yong, who is Dr Chua's son, as Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister.
Four senators were appointed deputy ministers namely MIC deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel (Plantation Industries and Commodities), MCA vice-president, Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai (Finance), People's Progressive Party (PPP) vice-president, Datuk Maglin Dennis D'Cruz (Information Communication and Culture) and Gan Ping Shou@Gan Ping Sieu (Youth and Sports).
Those who switched portfolios are Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based minister, Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim  as Deputy Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister; Deputy Home Minister, Jelaing Mersat (Deputy Transport Minister), Deputy Foreign Minister, Datuk Lee Chee Leong (Deputy Home Minister) and Deputy Information Communication and Culture Minister, Senator Heng Seai Kie (Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister).
Hope that the reshuffle will bring a more effective goverment to serve the need of the rakyat.

Walcott not in Capello list to South Africa

  ARSENAL's rising star, Theo Walcott (pix) was left out from Fabio Capello's final squad (comprising of 23 players) to South Africa. The England coach named his final squad yesterday after going through a tough decision. As expected, former England star, David Beckham was also not in the list. Instead of Walcott, Capello picked veteran and and experienced Emile Heskey in the final 23.
England Squad:
Goalkeepers
Robert Green, Joe Hart, David James.
Defenders
Jamie Carragher, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Glen Johnson, Ledley King, John Terry, Matthew Upson, Stephen Warnock.
Midfielders
Gareth Barry, Michael Carrick, Joe Cole, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Aaron Lennon, James Milner, Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Forwards
Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe, Emile Heskey, Wayne Rooney.

GOOD LUCK ENGLAND!

UKRC serius mengesan bakat baru

KELAB Rekreasi Ulu Klang (UKRC) terus memperhebatkan program pembangunan bola sepak.
Agenda terbaru yang bakal dilangsungkan ialah Kejohanan Bola Sepak UKRC bawah 12 tahun pada 6 Jun ini.
Setakat ini, sebanyak 16 pasukan telah mengesahkan penyertaan untuk menyertai kejohanan sehari itu.
Antara yang telah mengesahkan penyertaan masing-masing ialah juara bertahan, Kuala Lumpur Youth Soccer, Bintang Biru (Pulau Pinang), Royal Selangor Club, UKRC A, UKRC B dan Astaka FC, Kuala Lumpur.
Pengerusi jawatankuasa kejohanan, Andrew Gopal berkata, kejohanan yang memasuki tahun kedua itu merupakan platform untuk mendedahkan pemain muda kepada kejohanan yang kompetitif dan pada masa yang sama mengasah bakat yang mereka miliki.
“Selain itu, kejohanan tersebut juga memainkan peranan sebagai satu medan untuk menggalakkan hubungan persahabatan antara satu sama lain.
“Kami juga mahu kemahiran mereka dalam sukan bola sepak diasah daripada peringkat awal agar apabila dewasa nanti, mereka telah benar-benar bersedia untuk melibatkan diri dalam sukan bola sepak,” katanya ketika ditemui pada majlis pelancaran kejohanan itu di ibu negara baru-baru ini.
Menurut Andrew, walaupun kejohanan ini masih ada seminggu lagi untuk dilangsungkan, penyertaan masih lagi dibuka.

 “Mana-mana pasukan yang berminat masih boleh membuat pendaftaran sebelum tarikh tutup pada 1 Jun,” katanya.
Mengenai format pertandingan, setiap pasukan akan dibahagikan kepada beberapa kumpulan dan saingan peringkat kumpulan akan dijalankan secara liga.
Dua pasukan teratas setiap kumpulan akan layak ke pusingan kedua dan dua pasukan teratas pada pusingan kedua akan mara ke saingan separuh akhir.
“Perlawanan akhir akan diadakan pada hari yang sama.
Bagi pasukan yang tidak layak, mereka akan beraksi dalam kategori plate.
Sesungguhnya, usaha UKRC ini yang diterajui Andrew harus dipuji kerana tidak pernah jemu untuk mencari bakat baru dalam sukan bola sepak.
I hope such efforts will bear fruits in future. Good luck UKRC.

PIX info: 1. (Top) - Andrew (fourth from right) with the sponsors for the U-12 tournament this Sunday (6 June).
PIX 2. (Bottom) - Andrew, a proud leader of UKRC.

MY LAST EIGHT PICK FIFA WORLD CUP 2010

 FIFA World Cup 2010 is about to kick off. Come June 11, 'football fever' will hit the whole world. South Africa will be the centre of attraction - being the first African nation to stage the biggest football event on earth. Who will be the world champ? I have strong feelings - this time will be the Argentines from the South American continent; Netherland (Holland) is the best bet from Europe.
Before the biggest event on earth begins, I put my bet on the following teams (who have the potential) to book a place in the quarter finals. Firstly, it should be BRAZIL and ARGENTINA from the South American continent, then, the other slots will likely to be dominated by European countries namely NETHERLAND (Holland), SPAIN, FRANCE (lucky candidate to make it to the final round), GERMANY, ENGLAND and of course defending champ, ITALY. The final is likely to be between ARGENTINA vs ITALY or BRAZIL vs NETHERLAND (HOLLAND). Well, lets see who will advance..