15,000 volunteers for the 2010 Soccer World Cup needed

Mernat Mafirakurewa, AfricaNews reporter in Johannesburg, South Africa

South Africa requires a total of 15,000 volunteers for the 2010 Soccer World Cup to be hosted in that country. Local organising committee head, Danny Jordaan (LOC) said volunteers would be recruited from across South Africa, the continent and the rest of the world. Applications close on August 31 2009.

The LOC's volunteer department will then conduct interviews with pre-selected applicants in January and February 2010.

“The volunteer programme is an excellent way to get involved in South Africa and Africa's once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of hosting the world's biggest sporting event," he said. In total volunteers are required in 16 functional areas – accreditation, marketing, media, protocol services, spectator services, transportation, administration, environmental services, welcome and information services, information technology and telecommunication, language support, rights protection programme, logistic services, hospitality and ushering services and volunteer management.

Anyone who is 18 years or older on March 1, 2010 and has a good command of the English language can apply to be a volunteer. The application form is available on FIFA.com at www. FIFA.com/volunteers2010.

Jordaan said it was the volunteers that make the world cup happen as they would assist from ushering people to their seats, assisting the media and foreign language speakers among other duties.

Multilingual volunteers will also be needed. Logistical and administrative matters, including transportation, information technology and telecommunications, will also need volunteers. Foreign pre-selected applicants will have telephonic interviews.

For those without Internet access there will be a number of venues across the nine World Cup host cities where members of the public will be assisted to apply for the volunteer programme.

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source: http://www.africanews.com/site/15_000_volunteers_needed_for_2010_world_cup/list_messages/26071

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All I got was this stinking jersey?

The US had the lead 2-0 in the Confederations Cup in South Africa, but lost to Brazil 3-2.

Regardless of the loss, this was the best that the US team has done in International soccer in years. Hats off to both the US and Brazilian national soccer teams.

US President Barack Obama holds a soccer jersey given to him by Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (R) before a round table session at the G8 summit in L'Aquila, Italy July 9,

Source: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2009-07/10/content_8407065.htm


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Obama to visit Ghana

Posted on Wednesday 8 July 2009 - 14:17



Ghanaians are proud to be the first people in Sub-Sahara Africa to host revered US President Barack Obama. He lands on the shores of the former Gold Coast on Friday to strengthen the relationship between the two countries. The visit has caused chagrin in Kenya, the home of Obama's father. However, Obama only met his father only once when he was very young. Obama has relatives in Kenya and has visited the country before.

Already there are giant bill boards and paraphernalia of him from the streets to the market centres in the capital Accra. People are selling dresses and under wears with the name and picture of Obama on them. Ghanaians are planning a mammoth and thunderous welcome for the US president right from the Kotoka International Airport to the principal streets.

The people AfricaNews spoke to in this video generally hope that Obama would help Ghana with her economic problems inspite of the challenges the US is facing now.

http://www.africanews.com/site/Obama_in_Ghana_3/list_messages/25893

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US beats Spain in huge upset

USA caused another sensation at the FIFA Confederations Cup South Africa 2009, beating European champions Spain 2-0 to book a place in their first-ever world final. The Spaniards controlled possession at Bloemfontein's Free State Stadium, but the USA, losers of their first two games here in South Africa, played a brave and spirited 90 minutes in freezing temperatures, pulling off a historic victory with goals in each half from Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey.

Bob Bradley's side made a lively start to proceedings, surging into attack early against their illustrious adversaries. Young Charlie Davies, rewarded with a second straight start by the coach in attack, was causing havoc at the Spanish back. His audacious overhead volley nearly caught out Iker Casillas before bouncing wide in the seventh minute.

Carlos Bocanegra, back in the team and wearing the captain's armband for the first time at these finals, went close shortly after with his head and Dempsey tried his luck from distance.

After a slow start, though, the European champions began to assert themselves and take control of possession, Barcelona creator Xavi leading the way. Cesc Fabregas saw his shot in the 12th minute fly over the bar, while Fernando Torres and David Villa both went close to opening the scoring.

Despite Spain's superior technique and pedigree, the ambitious, almost insolent, North Americans stole in and took the lead. After a lovely bit of interplay between Dempsey and Davies, Altidore shook off his former Villarreal team-mate Joan Capdevila to meet a fine through ball and slam home from 18 yards. Casillas got a palm to it, but the Real Madrid goalkeeper simply could not deal with the power in the strike.

The Spaniards continued to dictate the pattern as the half wore on. As the men in red chased their equalizer, Liverpool striker Fernando Torres was again denied, this time by a fine kick-save from Tim Howard with just seconds to go in the half.

Spain emerged from the changing rooms with renewed vigor, Villa turned brilliantly in the box after five minutes but Howard again was equal to the effort.

A bit of desperation looked to be creeping into the Spanish attack near the hour-mark. Villa, Torres and the ever-present Xavi were trying to force their way through an increasingly cohesive US rearguard, marshalled by giant center-back Oguchi Onyewu.

Last-ditch tackles and heroic blocks were coming to define the American resistance. Sergio Ramos slammed off the post in the 64th minute as Spain's pressure was beginning to look irresistible. Bradley brought on midfielder Benny Feilhaber for striker Davies, hoping to shore things up with a little under half an hour to go.

Against the run of play, though, it was the Americans, not the Spaniards, who got the crucial goal. Clint Dempsey, fresh off scoring the third goal in the win over Egypt that saw the US through to this semi-final, took advantage of a rare error by Ramos to poke home an opportunistic goal from close range. The celebrations that followed were in perfect accord with the historic nature of the goal, and the eventual 2-0 victory over the reigning European champions and the world's No1ranked team.

The States will now play in their first-ever final at a major international competition, taking on the winner of tomorrow's semi-final between hosts South Africa and runaway favorites Brazil. However, they will line up in the ultimate match without holding midfielder Michael Bradley who was sent off with three minutes remaining for a two-footed lunge.

Sources:

www.fifa.com/confederationscup/matches/round=250120/match=66213/summary.html

 
codewordwatermelon.blogspot.com/2009/06/usa-shocks-spain-2-0.html

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US soccer team defies odds to reach semis of Confederations Cup

(South Africa) The US claimed an unexpected Confederations Cup semi-final spot, by beating Egypt 3-0 in Rustenburg and profiting from an equally heavy defeat for Italy at the end of the group matches.

In a dramatic finale to Group B, the US went through in second place on more goals scored than world champions Italy, who lost 3-0 to Brazil in Pretoria.

The US finished with a goal difference of minus two along with the Italians but scored four goals in the group to Italy's three.

The Americans now play Spain in the first semi-final on Wednesday.

Egypt were last in the standings with a goal difference of minus three. Egypt had earlier defeated the world champion Italian team.

Comeback kings

It was an amazing comeback by the US, made almost surreal by a crowd seemingly unaware of what the US team had done.

The US had started the day in last place after two defeats in their first round matches, scoring a single goal and conceding six, and only a fervent fan would have given them a chance to making the final four.

A scrambled goal by Charlie Davies in the 21st minute gave the US a deserved half-time lead after a busy opening period but they entered the field for the second half with energized, having learned that Brazil were 3-0 up on Italy.

The Americans, who suffered two harsh dismissals in their two previous matches, must have thought their hard luck was continuing when the New Zealand referee Michael Hester waved away appeals after a shot from Jozy Altidore was clearly handled off the line by Hani Said six minutes into the second half.

But they continued to press forward and captain Landon Donovan dragged a square pass into the path of Michael Bradley for the second goal.

The 63rd-minute strike was followed eight minutes later by a third and decisive goal as Clint Dempsey got his head to a cross from Jonathan Spector.

Egypt threatened rarely after that and looked a pale shadow of the team that had beaten Italy on Thursday and narrowly lost to Brazil in a seven-goal thriller last Monday.

The absence of injured striker Mohamed Zidan proved costly although the African champions did have the early initiative, including a bizarre goalmouth scramble in the 13th minute when the ball ricocheted around as if it were in a pinball machine.

english.aljazeera.net/sport/2009/06/2009621222047392293.html

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