JOHANNESBURG: FIFA president Sepp Blatter gave organisers of the Confederations Cup a mark of 7.5 points out of 10 on Monday.

However, FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said transportation, security and other problems must be overcome before next year’s World Cup Finals in South Africa.

Blatter told a news briefing he was impressed by the football and most of the organisation at the two-week tournament.

“I would say you (the organising committee) are at 7.5 out of 10,” said Blatter. “I hope you will be 8 out of 10 by the time of the draw (for the Finals in Cape Town in December) and 10 out of 10 when the World Cup starts.

“But right now you have to do a little bit more.”

He said there were transportation problems linked with accommodation adding, “we do not intend just to hide behind compliments because South Africa is expecting 450,000 visitors next year from all around the world and they are going to need somewhere to sleep”.

Valcke said FIFA were aware of the problems still to be solved.

The draw will be on Dec 4, with the World Cup beginning on June 11 next year and ending on July 11. — Reuters

LISBON: Benfica have signed striker Javier Saviola (pic) from Real Madrid.

The 27-year-old Argentina striker has joined the Portuguese club for three seasons — with an option for a fourth — in a deal worth �5mil, Benfica said on their website.

Saviola fell increasingly out of favour during his second season at the Santiago Bernabeu after joining from Barcelona, scoring one goal in eight appearances.

Saviola scored 12 goals in 44 games for Argentina. — AP

Source - The Star -

JOHANNESBURG (AP) - Brazil’s “Beautiful Game” came alive in the second half Sunday with three comeback goals in a 3-2 win over the United States in the Confederations Cup final.

Luis Fabiano scored two of the goals and Lucio added the third in the 84th minute to give Brazil its second straight Confederations Cup title and third overall.

But it was all looking good for the Americans, playing in the men’s final of a FIFA tournament for the first time, in the first half when Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan gave the team a 2-0 halftime lead.

“You realize why these guys are worth so much at times like this, but it’s still disappointing,” Donovan said. “We are in the position where we don’t want respect, we want to win.”

Brazil really did look like a beaten team in the first 45 minutes, creating little and being constantly stymied by the United States defense and goalkeeper Tim Howard.

During that time, the American attack was stretching the nervous-looking Brazil defense, with Donovan working hard to give his team several scoring chances.

Although that quality play managed to give the Americans a hefty lead, Brazil was not about to let yet another title slip by.

“At halftime, we said there was something lacking, some lack of positioning,” Brazil coach Dunga said through a translator. “We corrected that and we pressured our opponent in the second half and we were able to score a goal.”

Luis Fabiano started the comeback in the 46th minute. The striker collected a pass from Ramires before turning and shooting past defender Jay DeMerit for his fourth goal of the tournament. He added a tournament-leading fifth to equalize in the 74th, heading in a rebound after Kaka’s cross was kicked against the crossbar by Robinho.

“We gave up the first goal so early in second half,” United States coach Bob Bradley said. “We really put ourselves in a tough spot.”

Lucio then delivered the decisive goal in the 84th, heading a corner from Elano past Howard.

“We made more use of the wings and we scored goals,” Dunga said. Dempsey, who also scored in the 2-0 semifinal win over Spain, gave the Americans the lead in the 10th minute by redirecting a cross from Jonathan Spector. Donovan added the second by finishing off some nice passing play with Charlie Davies on a fast counterattack in the 27th.

Spector started the unthinkable after only 10 minutes, running down the right and sending a low cross into the area. Dempsey, who had plenty of room to maneuver, raised his right leg and put just enough of a touch on the ball to alter the direction and send it past a diving Julio Cesar.

Donovan then got possession at his own end shortly after Maicon had sent in a corner for Brazil from the right. The United States midfielder ran up the middle, passed to Davies and then reclaimed the ball from his teammate before beating Julio Cesar.

“They turned the ball over, Ricardo gave me a good pass in the middle,” Donovan said. “I gave it to Charlie and he did a good job getting it back to me. Just did the rest from there.”

The Americans appeared to get some luck in the 60th when Kaka headed a cross from Andre Santos to the near post. Howard stepped back into his goal and knocked the shot off the underside of the crossbar and then grabbed it safely in his arms. Kaka appealed, arguing that the ball had crossed the line before Howard was able to get to it, and television replays appeared to show he was correct.

“I don’t know whether the ball crossed the goal line,” Kaka said. “Maybe the TV images will show. It would have been fantastic for me to score a legitimate headed goal.” Brazil has won eight matches in a row, and is unbeaten in 16. The five-time world champions also won the Confederations Cup in 1997 and 2005.

And in 15 matches against the United States, the Brazilians have only lost once - a 1-0 result in the 1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup. The Americans reached the semifinals at the first World Cup in 1930, and made the quarterfinals in 2002. Besides that, its most famous victory before ending Spain’s record 15-match winning streak in the semifinals was a 1-0 win over England at the 1950 World Cup in Brazil.

“I think people around the world see that we have a good team, we have good players,” Bradley said. “Hopefully we can continue to step forward.”

In the third-place match, Spain fought back to beat host South Africa 3-2 after extra time in Rustenburg.

Source - The Star -

LONDON: English Premier League minnows Hull insist they are serious about trying to lure Newcastle striker Michael Owen to the club, according to reports.

The 29-year-old has said he wants to leave the Magpies following their relegation from the Premiership.

Owen is believed to be the subject of interest from several clubs in the UK and in Europe and would have a price tage of several million euros.

But Hull manager Phil Brown said they will be talking to representatives of the former Liverpool and Real Madrid player this week in a bid to secure his signature.

“I don’t think Michael will go for the best financial offer,” Brown told the Hull Daily Mail on Tuesday.

“I don’t think it’s about that for him at this stage of his career, he’ll want the best offer for his future,” he added.

Hull escaped relegation from the Premiership last month after finishing fourth from bottom, one point above Newcastle. — AFP

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LONDON: Chelsea winger Florent Malouda has agreed a two-year extension to his current contract with the FA Cup champions.

The 29-year-old France international, who had two years remaining on his existing deal, is now committed to the club until 2013.

“I can reveal that I have signed a new two-year deal with Chelsea,” Malouda said. “I am staying. From now on, I have four years left on my contract.

“I know that every time the transfer window opens there are a lot of rumours and I hope in this one people will know what has happened.”

Malouda had struggled to settle into English football following his transfer from Lyon in 2007. But he returned to top form last season, scoring seven goals in 31 games. — AP

Source - The Star -

MADRID: Real Madrid still hope to prise Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso away from Liverpool, director general Jorge Valdano was quoted as saying on Tuesday.

“We have possibilities there but I don’t want to say anything that will make the negotiation more difficult. We will wait a reasonable amount of time,” Valdano told sports daily As.

Valdano said Real could also be interested in another member of Liverpool’s Spanish international contingent, Alvaro Arbeloa, who came through the youth team at Real.

“The lad only has a year left on his contract with Liverpool and this gives us more possibilities,” Valdano said. “He can play in two or three positions and this versatility is good. He is another option to evaluate.”

Meanwhile Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez admits he paid over the odds to land Glen Johnson.

Benitez has agreed to hand Portsmouth £18.5mil to sign the England right-back.

Manchester City’s late attempt to hijack the deal drove the price up and pocketed Johnson a £90,000-a-week, four-year deal.

But Benitez admitted: “Sometimes you have to spend a little bit more.

“You can’t compete in the top four of the Premier League unless you spend some money.

“We were looking for a player of quality and also somebody who is British because of the new Champions League rules. Johnson fits both categories.”

According to UEFA Champions League rules, as of 2009/2010 at least eight players have to be “locally-trained” in a squad which has registered a maximum of 25 players. — Agencies

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