D8 GROUP A


Mexico in good shape following 2-0 win over struggling France


“Chicharito” was too big for France. Mexico’s Javier Hernandez, whose nickname means “Little Green Pea”, emulated his grandfa- ther by a scoring a World Cup goal against France. One major difference: his was in a victory. Substitutes Hernandez and Cuauhtemoc Blanco each scored in Mexico’s 2-0 victory, leav- ing El Tri needing only a draw to reach the next round. Hernandez ran onto Rafael Marquez’s pass as


the French defense stopped, believing Hernandez was offside. He dribbled around goalkeeper Hugo Lloris before guiding the ball home in the 64th minute. Hernandez’s grandfather, Tomas Balcazar, scored for Mexico against France in the 1954 World Cup, but El Tri lost. “I remembered my grandfather in the locker


room,” Hernandez said. “I haven’t spoken to my family yet, they’re my main motivation. “Thank God I could score. More importantly, we could win against a team we hadn’t been able to beat in a long time.” Blanco put in a penalty kick in the 79th minute


after Eric Abidal fouled another substitute, Pablo Barrera.


Abidal was caught out of position on both goals while playing center half instead of his usual left back. “We feel a great disappointment and sadness,”


France Coach Raymond Domenech said. “We struggled. At the moment I really don’t have an explanation for it. “We should still be proud enough to look for- ward to winning our next match. There is still an infinitesimally small chance that we will go through.” Mexico next plays Uruguay, which also needs a


draw to advance. France has only one point and has to beat South Africa and hope Mexico and Uruguay don’t tie their match in Tuesday’s final group games.


GROUP B


Greece breaks through The Greeks claimed their first World Cup win


by rallying to beat 10-man Nigeria, 2-1. Vassilis To- rosidis poked home a loose ball in the 71st minute after a mistake from Nigeria goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama to make history for Greece, which had lost all four previous World Cup matches, includ- ing three in 1994. “We badly wanted this, because we’d never


even scored a goal in the World Cup before,” Di- mitris Salpingidis said. “I can’t say whether we’ll make it out of the group. But I can say that we’ll leave with our heads held high.” Nigeria opened the scoring in the 16th minute


at Free State Stadium when Kalu Uche’s curling free kick from 35 yards deceived everyone, partic- ularly goalkeeper Alexandros Tzorvas, who moved the wrong way. But the game changed in the 33rd minute when Nigeria midfielder Sani Kaita was shown a straight red card for kicking Torosidis. To advance to the second round, the Greeks al- most certainly must get at least a draw with pow- erful Argentina on Tuesday.


GROUP B Higuain, Argentina cruise


With Gonzalo Higuain scoring a hat trick and Lionel Messi in the thick of the action, stylish Ar- gentina is on the brink of advancing. The Albiceleste beat South Korea, 4-1, as their fans outcheered the vuvuzelas, giving them six points off two victories. Argentina is alone in first place, three points ahead of both South Korea and Greece with a game left in group play.


— From news services THEY SAID IT


“We’re not going to go out of this tournament without winning a


match.” — France winger Florent Malouda


ELISE AMENDOLA/ASSOCIATED PRESS “We’re not going to go into it taking anybody lightly just because maybe the rest of the world doesn’t know their names,” U.S. captain Carlos Bocanegra says. Americans expected to be more assertive world cup from D1


Last fall, with Prime Minister Borut Pahor pledg- ing to polish the players’ boots if they qualified for South Africa, the Green Dragons finished second be- hind Slovakia in group play, conceding just four goals in 10 matches, before upsetting Russia in a two-game European playoff. “Our squad has achieved a great evolution,” Coach


TODAY ON TV 7:30 a.m. Germany vs. Serbia » ESPN, ESPN Deportes, Univision


10 a.m. Slovenia vs. United States » ESPN, ESPN Deportes, Univision, WXTR (730 AM)


2:30 p.m. England vs. Algeria » ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, Univision


on washingtonpost.com/gog


Where to watch. Take a look at Going Out Guide’s full rundown of the best places in the


area to catch all the World Cup action. washingtonpost.com/gog


GROUP A WL T GFGAPt


Uruguay 1 0 1 3 0 4 Mexico 1 0 1 3 1 4 France 0 1 1 0 2 1 So. Africa 0 1 1 1 4 1


Yesterday’s Scores Mexico 2, France 0


GROUP B WL T GFGAPt


Argentina 2 0 0 5 1 6 So. Korea 1 1 0 3 4 3 Greece 1 1 0 2 1 3 Nigeria 0 2 0 1 3 0


Yesterday’s Scores Argentina 4, So. Korea 1 Greece 2, Nigeria 1


Matjaz Kek said. “This is not the most important match, but it is a great match [that] can solidify Slo- venia in the global map of football. . . . We haven’t just come here to be tourists.” Aside from two domestic-based players, the Slo- venian roster includes players scattered throughout 11 European leagues, including circuits in England, Italy, Germany and France. Individually, none can influence a match to the degree of Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard or Steven Gerrard for England last Friday against the United States in Rustenburg. Collectively, however, the Green Dragons pose a


threat. “There is nothing flashy about them,” Donovan


said. “There are not a few players like with England where you go, ‘We need to 100 percent stop that play- er or else we are in trouble.’ They are just going to be solid.”


GROUP C WL T GFGAPt


Slovenia 1 0 0 1 0 3 U.S. 0 0 1 1 1 1 England 0 0 1 1 1 1 Algeria 0 1 0 0 1 0


Today’s Matches


U.S. vs. Slovenia, 10 a.m.


England vs. Algeria, 2:30 p.m.


GROUP D WL T GFGAPt


Germany 1 0 0 4 0 3 Ghana 1 0 0 1 0 3 Serbia 0 1 0 0 1 0 Australia 0 1 0 0 4 0


Today’s matches


Germany vs. Serbia, 7:30 a.m.


Slovenia earned its first World Cup victory Sun-


day, 1-0 over Algeria on Robert Koren’s shot from dis- tance in the 79th minute that was misplayed by goal- keeper Fawzi Chaouchi. Koren, the captain and mid- field general, was recently released by the English club West Bromwich Albion after 31


⁄2 seasons. The Americans are almost certain to employ more


assertive tactics than they exhibited against tech- nically superior England. To augment the attack, a lineup change or two might be in the works. Maurice Edu, a two-way central midfielder, and Jose Torres, a clever possession player who flourished in a friendly against Turkey on May 29, are prime candidates. “Is there still another group game? Sure,” goal-


keeper Tim Howard said. “We’ve got to go all out and try and get this result. If we end up getting the draw, okay. Then we can worry about the last game. But it is a game we need to win, and we need to push to win.” U.S. notes: Three starters — defenders Steve Che- rundolo and Jay DeMerit, and forward Robbie Fin- dley — are carrying yellow cards, and with another Friday, would serve a one-game suspension against Algeria. . . . The Americans trained at Ellis Park on Thursday, their first visit since losing to Brazil, 3-2, in the Confederations Cup final last July. goffs@washpost.com


GROUP E WL T GFGAPt


N’lands 1 0 0 2 0 3 Japan 1 0 0 1 0 3 Cameroon 0 1 0 0 1 0 Denmark 0 1 0 0 2 0


GROUP F WL T GFGAPt


Italy 0 0 1 1 1 1 Paraguay 0 0 1 1 1 1 N. Zealand 0 0 1 1 1 1 Slovakia 0 0 1 1 1 1


TODAY’S CAN’T-MISS MATCHUP


England vs. Algeria, 2:30: England’s World Cup opener against the United States last weekend was the sixth consecutive match in which star striker Wayne Rooney failed to score. While there is little threat to Rooney’s starting spot, criticism of strike partner Emile Heskey has grown, with Coach Fabio Capello considering replacing the Aston Villa player with Jermain Defoe.


washingtonpost.com/soccer


Live video chat With D.C. United assistant coach Ben Olsen, an ex-U.S. national team member. live. washingtonpost.com/world-cup.html


Soccer Insider Get all the latest updates from Washington Post reporters. washingtonpost.com/


soccerinsider


World Cup explorer Interactive map with news, schedules, rosters and standings for all 32


teams.


Historical database Searchable World Cup historical database dating from 1930.


U.S. Team Biographical and professional background of all 23 U.S. team members, with photos and video interviews.


Scores For final score updates from every game, text "SOCCER" to 98999.


S


KLMNO World Cup 2010 sion.”


World Cup has provided economic boost, delivered promise of further uniting South Africa


by Liz Clarke


johannesburg — It has been an inauspicious start for the six African nations competing in the 2010 World Cup, who have produced one victory, two draws and five losses among them. Ghana stands the best chance of advancing to the


final 16. And the prospects of host South Africa, the Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Cameroon and Algeria are grim. But in the view of former president Nelson Man- dela, the man most responsible for bringing the first World Cup to African soil, the tournament has suc- ceeded because of the economic boost it has given South Africa and its promise of further uniting a country and continent that still bear scars of divi- sion.


So said Mandla Mandela, the eldest grandson of South Africa’s first democratically elected president, in an interview Thursday. “Looking at the World Cup and the impact it has had on our community and our country, he is fully satisfied with the investments that have been made on infrastructure,” Mandla Mandela said of his 91- year-old grandfather. “That alone has enabled us as a country to have a steady economy through this reces-


Regarded as the father of the new South Africa,


Mandela canceled plans to attend the World Cup’s June 11 opening match following the death of his 13- year-old great-granddaughter Zenani Mandela, killed in a car accident on her way home from a cele- bratory concert the night before. He made his first public appearance since the day


before the tournament began when he attended her funeral service Thursday at the chapel of St. Stith- ian’s College in Johannesburg, looking drawn and frail. Inside the chapel, relatives and friends recalled a charming, beloved, big-hearted girl. But the most moving tribute, according to the Sowetan news- paper, came from Zenani’s mother, Zoleka, whose re- marks were read on her behalf. “I should have allowed you to choose your own


hairstyles, listened to you when you said I wasn’t lis- tening, gave you more hugs and kisses,” her tribute read, the paper reported. “I should have helped you more with your homework and left you to leave your room in a mess. If I do all that now, would you come back to me . . . even if it’s just for one more day? I need you to come back to me so that I can hold you in my arms. I miss you so much.” Given the family’s loss, Mandla Mandela said his


grandfather would not attend the World Cup final on July 11 but continue to follow it as he has from the outset, present in spirit. Amember of South Africa’s parliament, as well as


chief of the Mvezo Traditional Council, MandlaMan- dela, 36, wore his black suit of mourning when he ar-


FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2010


WASHINGTONPOST.COM/SOCCER Keep tabs on the latest updates from the United States’ game today against Slovenia.


Mandela is pleased with impact of tournament


rived at Johannesburg’s upscale Melrose Arch dis- trict Thursday for a fundraiser to benefit the resi- dents of the village where his grandfather was born. That region, like the vast majority of South Africa’s


rural villages, hasn’t benefited from the building boom leading up to the World Cup in the same way host cities have. Johannesburg, for example, now boasts a high-speed commuter train; Durban recent- ly opened a new airport. Mvezo, in South Africa’s impoverished Eastern Cape region, where roughly 70 percent live in pover- ty and few have electricity and clean drinking water, lacks a high school and health center. Those are among the needs MandlaMandela hopes to address through an arts project dubbed “2010: Africa Salutes You.” It’s a series of 32 limited-edition prints that bear his grandfather’s signature and a Keith Haring- style graphic, set against the national flag of the vari- ous World Cup participants, of a soccer ball and a team captain raising a trophy in the shape of the Af- rican continent. “It is a project that is close to the heart of my


grandfather and the Mandela family,” Mandla Man- dela said.


So, too, is the World Cup. “It is our time, now, as Africans,” he added, “to


showcase to the world who we are and rid ourselves of the conflict that has put a negative face on Africa for the past decades. Our priority is to put out the message of nation building. To unite our people un- der a peaceful umbrella.”


clarkel@washpost.com


GROUP G WL T GFGAPt


Brazil 1 0 0 2 1 3 Iv. Coast 0 0 1 0 0 1 Portugal 0 0 1 0 0 0 No. Korea 010 1 2 0


GROUP H WL T GFGAPt


Chile 1 0 0 1 0 3 Swit’land 1 0 0 1 0 3 Honduras 0 1 0 0 1 0 Spain 0 1 0 0 1 0


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