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PORT ELIZABETH - The country that gave the world the plastic zipper takes on the nation that invented football and few are discounting tiny Slovenia's chances of ending mighty England's World Cup crusade.

PRETORIA - Much like the character from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Denmark are a strange case.

PRETORIA - A despondent Cameroon captain Samuel Eto'o said his side, the highest ranked African team at the World Cup, had missed a great opportunity to do something special after they exited the continent's first World Cup.

PRETORIA - Denmark striker Nicklas Bendtner may be able to manage 90 minutes in Saturday's Group E match with Cameroon after doctors performed a "miracle", coach Morten Olsen said.

PRETORIA - Youthful Germany are so light on their feet and attack with such speed that the absence of injured Michael Ballack is not being felt, coach Joachim Low said a day after their pulsating 4-0 thrashing of Australia.

RUSTENBURG - Fabio Capello, just a child when England last met the United States at the World Cup 60 years ago, is acutely aware a repeat of that famous result on Saturday would create another sensation.

JOHANNESBURG - Kaka has become almost a forgotten man in the World Cup, with the spotlight in the run-up to the World Cup centred around Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney, Fernando Torres and David Villa.

JOHANNESBURG - FIFA president Sepp Blatter called Nelson Mandela "the most charismatic humanist alive" when Soccer City, venue for the World Cup's opening match, was officially handed over to football's ruling body on Wednesday.

MILAN - Brief news ahead of this weekend's final round of matches in Serie A.

MONACO - Debutant Andrea Cossu was the pick of Italy's fringe World Cup squad candidates on Wednesday when an experimental Azzurri side were held to a 0-0 draw by Cameroon in a friendly in Monaco.

BUENOS AIRES - Striker Santiago Silva stated his case for a place in Uruguay's World Cup squad with two goals in Velez Sarsfield's 4-4 draw with Boca Juniors in the Argentine Clausura championship on Tuesday.

ZURICH - FIFA president Sepp Blatter said on Thursday he would have to face an Asian challenge when he stands for re-election next year.

LONDON - A senior FIFA official charged with pushing through president Sepp Blatter's plans to impose quotas on foreign clubs resigned on Friday.

BUENOS AIRES - Argentina coach Diego Maradona named Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano, Barcelona forward Lionel Messi and Atletico Madrid attacker Sergio Aguero in a squad for a friendly he is banned from taking part in.

HONG KONG - Japan brushed off the effects of jet-leg to beat Hong Kong 4-0 and stay top of their 2011 Asian Cup qualifying group on Wednesday.

COPENHAGEN - Portugal kept alive their World Cup qualifying hopes on Saturday when they held Group One leaders Denmark to a 1-1 draw thanks to Liedson's 86th-minute equaliser on his international debut.

LA CORUNA, Spain - Valencia pair David Silva and David Villa scored two goals apiece to power runaway Group Five leaders Spain to a 5-0 rout of Belgium in World Cup qualifying on Saturday.

BERLIN - Germany beat 2010 World Cup hosts South Africa 2-0 in a firendly on Saturday with playmaker Mesut Ozil setting up a goal for Mario Gomez and netting the other.

ZAGREB - Croatia beat Belarus 1-0 with a first-half goal by Ivan Rakitic in their Group Six World Cup qualifier on Saturday as they held on to second place.

PARIS - France did their World Cup qualifying hopes few favours when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Romania on Saturday.

JOHANNESBURG - Strikers Samuel Eto'o and Didier Drogba scored as Cameroon revived their World Cup qualification hopes and Ivory Coast moved within one point of the finals on Saturday.

LONDON - England coach Fabio Capello was unhappy with the way his team conceded a late goal in their 2-1 friendly win over Slovenia on Saturday, saying they had to concentrate for the full 90 minutes in every match.

LONDON - A Frank Lampard penalty and a well-taken goal from in-form Jermain Defoe gave England a laboured 2-1 friendly win over Slovenia on Saturday in a warm-up for the home team's midweek World Cup qualifier against Croatia.

BRUSSELS - Standard Liege midfielder Axel Witsel has had his suspension for the foul that broke Marcin Wasilewski's leg cut to eight matches on appeal.

LONDON - The race to stage the 2018 World Cup finals is going to be the most competitive ever, Andy Anson, chief executive of England's bid, said on Friday.