World Cup hosts South Africa have sacked coach Joel Santana after a miserable run of eight losses in nine friendly internationals. The South African Football Association posted a statement on its Web site on Monday saying that Santana would step down his role with "immediate effect" and added it had been "unanimously agreed." Jairo Leal and Pitso Mosimane will take temporary charge of the Bafana Bafana with the finals in South Africa now only eight months away. The 60-year-old Santana ...

Substitute Jermain Defoe scored two second half goals as England came from two down to draw 2-2 against the Netherlands in a friendly international on Wednesday. Sorry first half defending left Fabio Capello's men facing defeat in the Amsterdam arena, but by the finish they were pushing for victory after an impressive comeback. The Dutch were the first team from Europe to qualify for the World Cup finals and showed their quality in the early exchanges as the visitors struggled ...

Danny Jordaan, the chief executive of the 2010 World Cup organizing committee in South Africa, said in a statement on Wednesday that construction remains on schedule for the tournament despite large-scale strikes delaying building work at stadium sites. About 70,000 workers have downed tools in a pay dispute after negotiations broke down earlier this week, with less than 12 months to go before the finals kick-off. The workers are reportedly seeking a 13 percent pay rise on their $300 average ...

European champions Spain edged out hosts South Africa 3-2 in extra-time to avoid a second embarrassing defeat and finish third at the Confederations Cup in Rustenburg on Sunday. Midfielder Xavi Alonso netted the winner in the 107th minute when his curling free-kick evaded his own players, the South African defenders and unsighted goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune. It was a bitter blow for the home fans, whose side had been on the verge of earning a famous victory ahead ...

A stunning free-kick from Barcelona full-back Daniel Alves with just two minutes remaining proved enough to give Brazil a narrow 1-0 victory over host nation South Africa in Thursday's second Confederations Cup semifinal in Johannesburg. With the match heading for extra-time, substitute Alves smashed home a vicious strike from the edge of the area, after a foul on Ramirez by Aaron Mokeona, as Dunga's side secured a clash with the United States -- whom they have already beaten in the ...

United States captain Carlos Bocanegra has praised his side's work-rate and commitment, as he spoke to CNN from the team bus travelling to Johannesburg to take part in this weekend's Confederations Cup final. Talking to CNN's Sports Anchor Pedro Pinto following the sensational 2-0 victory over European champions Spain on Wednesday evening, Bocanegra said: "We knew it wasn't going to be easy but the guys stuck together and it was really special for us. "We might not be as technically ...

In one of the biggest upsets in international football in recent times the USA beat European champions Spain 2-0 in the first semifinal of the 2009 Confederations Cup in Bloemfontein, South Africa.

Kaka converted a penalty in time added on to give holders Brazil a dramatic 4-3 win over Egypt who filed an official complaint after their Confederations Cup opener at Bloemfontain on Monday. Substitute Ahmed al-Muhamadi was red-carded after handling on the goalline in a desperate attempt to deny Brazil -- and Real Madrid's recent $92million signing Kaka rifled home from the spot for his second goal of the game. But the decision by English referee Howard Webb to award the ...

What are reigning world champions Italy, European champions Spain, and football giants Brazil doing taking on teams like New Zealand and Iraq this month? It sounds like a complete mismatch, but the eight-team FIFA Confederations Cup which starts in South Africa on Sunday, will see these teams pitted against one another in what is a dress-rehearsal of sorts for next year's World Cup. Dubbed by FIFA, world football's governing body, the "festival of champions", the tournament involves primarily the winning ...

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres scored a hat-trick within 11 first-half minutes as Spain thashed New Zealand 5-0 in their opening Confederations Cup Group A match in Johannesburg on Sunday. The victory, Spain's 13th in succession, means the European champions have now extended their unbeaten run to 33 matches, just two short of Brazil's world record of 35 matches without defeat between 1993 and 1996. Spain took a sixth minute lead when Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas slotted the ball to ...