My Daily Inquirer

At least nine people have died in pair of bombings that struck a restaurant and a rugby ground in Uganda's capital as patrons gathered to watch Sunday's World Cup final, police said.

Nine people died and five were wounded at an Ethiopian restaurant in Kampala, police spokeswoman Judith Nabakooba said. But there was a yet-undetermined number of fatalities and injuries at a rugby field where other fans gathered to watch Sunday night's match between Spain and the Netherlands, Nabakooba said.

Earlier, police indicated that at least 40 people had been killed in the two bombings.

The bombs went off within 25 minutes of each other shortly after 10 p.m. (3 p.m. ET), as fans gathered in both locations. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for what Nabakooba called "definite acts of terrorism."

Islamic militants battling Somalia's U.N.-backed transitional government have threatened attacks on Uganda and Burundi, which contribute troops to an African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia. But Nabakooba said the investigation of Sunday's bombings is not yet focused on any specific group.

(CNN) -- FINAL RESULT: Spain 1-0 The Netherlands

Spain win the World Cup for the first time as an extra time goal from Andres Iniesta gives them a last-gasp victory over the Netherlands in the final at Soccer City.

A game littered with no less than 13 yellow cards and one red is settled by a moment of magic by the Barcelona midfielder after being played in by substitute Cesc Fabregas.

116 minutes: The goal all Spain and most neutrals have been waiting for as Andres Iniesta breaks the deadlock after clever work by Cesc Fabregas. 1-0 Spain. Iniesta is booked for his celebration but that hardly matters now.

115 minutes: Sneijder's free kick takes a double deflection but Spain escape with a goal kick.

110 minutes: Gregory van der Wiel becomes eighth Dutch player to be shown a yellow card.

108 minutes: Heitinga pulls back Iniesta and is the first man to be shown red, hardly surprising after a night of 11 yellow cards. Dutch down to 10 men but Spain waste free kick.

HALF-TIME IN EXTRA TIME: Goalless still. Penalties looming. Fernando Torres comes on for Villa for the final 15 minutes with Spain hoping he can work his magic when it matters.

104 minutes: Van Bronckhorst's career has ended with his substitution just before the end of the first half of extra-time. Edgar Braafheid comes on

100 minutes: Navas shot deflected wide by van Bronckhorst and into side netting.

98 minutes: Superb defending from van Bronckhorst keeps out Iniesta just before Dutch make subsitution as De Jong departs to be replaced by Rafael van der Vaart.

96 minutes: End-to-end goalmouth action and from a Dutch corner Joris Mathijsen is nearly an unlikely scorer.

95 minutes: Fabregas could have become super-sub as Iniesta puts him in the clear but Stekelenburg makes a superb save in the Dutch goal.

92 minutes: Strong Spanish appeals for a penalty are waved away by referee Howard Webb.

Extra time starts and we are perhaps 30 minutes away from the agony and uncertainty of penalties.

FULL-TIME: Still goalless and we're heading for extra-time. Both sides have had gilt-edged chances in the second half, with Robben twice denied by Casillas when clean through and Villa and Ramos going close for Spain.

86 minutes: Cesc Fabregas second Spanish subsitution for Alonso in an attacking move by Vicente Del Bosque.

82 minutes: Robben outpaces Puyol who does just enough to hinder his progress and Casillas gathers the ball. Robben is unhappy that he is not awarded a free kick and receives a yellow card. We are into double figures now.

81 minutes: Iniesta nearly squirms his way through but is denied by a last-ditch tackle from the Dutch man of the tournament Sneijder.

77 minutes: Iniesta has been subjected to some tough tackling all night and after another strong challenge from van Bommel extracts a little revenge and sees yellow. Almost losing count now but that's the ninth and apparently an unwanted World Cup record.

76 minutes: A totally unmarked Sergio Ramos meets a corner from just a few meters out and sends it over the crossbar. Everyone's head in hands !

71 minutes: Dutch make first change with Kuyt replaced by flying Eljero Elias.

69 minutes: Spain's best chance of the match quickly follows as Navas crosses for Villa, but sees his effort blocked by Heitinga, who had made the original mistake to let him in.

66 minutes: Perhaps a sign the Dutch are getting on top as Capdevila is forced to trip van Persie and sees yellow.

Casillas with a miracle save to deny Robben! Great chance squandered, tweets CNN's Ben Wyatt

GRAAAAAAANDE IKEEEEER!!!!!!. is the reaction of the Real Madrid official tweeter.

61 minutes: Golden, golden chance for the Dutch. Robben sent clean through by Sneijder and he must score but for a crucial touch by Spain keeper Casillas who sticks out his right leg to divert the ball for a corner.

60 minutes: First change of the match with Jesus Navas on for Spain in place of Pedro who has faded after a promising start.

55 minutes: Spain hearts in their mouths as Villa left writhing on the floor and John Heitinga goes into the book, number five for the Dutch.

53 minutes: Dutch captain Giovanni Van Bronckhorst marks his final game with a yellow card.

48 minutes: Puyol attacks the ball from a corner and it leaves Joan Capdevila with a chance but he fluffs his volley. Pity.

We're underway in the second half and fingers crossed for some goals and more entertainment to grace a World Cup final.

HALF-TIME: Goalless at the break in the 19th World Cup final which has seen five yellow cards with Nigel De Jong of the Netherlands lucky to still be on the pitch after a reckless challenge on Xabi Alonso.

Spain made the brighter start Sergio Ramos going close twice, but the Dutch finished the half looking a little stronger although winning few friends for their robust approach.

45 minutes: Dutch finish half on a high note as Arjen Robben's shot is tipped away by Casillas.

37 minutes: Pedro sends a shot wide after a promising attack but it's hardly a feast of attacking football.

Half an hour gone and after a promising start the 19th World Cup final is turning into an attritional battle with plenty of fouls, some unpleasant.

That's an outrageous challenge from De Jong. He's lucky to still be on the pitch. Alonso is lucky not to have cracked ribs, tweets a hot-under-the-collar CNN Armchair fan Matt Booth.

How is de Jong not sent off there?? Reckless challenge.. Again..tweets Stuart Holden and as a Premier League player with Bolton he should know.

27 minutes: How is de Jong not sent off there?? Reckless challenge.. Again.. Nigel De Jong takes out Alonso with a chest-high tackle and like van Bommel might have seen red on another day. Reckless.

22 minutes: Now Ramos has gone into the book for a sliding tackle on Kuyt. 2-2 on cards.

21 minutes: Mark van Bommel clatters into Andres Iniesta and is perhaps lucky just to escape with a yellow card.

17 minutes: Wesley Sneijder into action for first time with a low shot which might have tested Iker Casillas who safely gathers.

16 minutes: Spain central defender Carles Puyol joins van Persie in Howard Webb's book.

14 minutes: Further sign of Dutch frustration as Robin van Persie booked for a clumsy tackle.

See the latest tweets on CNN's Twitterbuzz

10 minutes: Ramos waltzes down the Dutch right and sends in a vicious cross shot which is cleared for a corner and in the follow up Xabi Alonso's cross finds David Villa who shoots into the sidenetting.

Looks like the jubilani for the final has gold rings instead of green and red. I wonder if this one works any better? CNN's armchair fan Matt Booth tweets rather cynically !

Seven minutes: First shot of the match for the Dutch - a long-range effort from Dirk Kuyt but Spain look the more menacing side by far.

Four minutes: Spain nearly take an early lead as Sergio Ramos sees his header tipped away by Maarten Stekelenburg.

The deciding match is upon us. SPA is the better side but I still believe HOL will win. Atmosphere at Soccer City has been electric all day, tweets CNN's Pedro Pinto

Teams are out the anthems have been played. Now let's get down to the action.

Nelson Mandela is in the crowd. WOW tweets CNN's Ben Wyatt.

Latest team news: European champions Spain left star striker Fernando Torres on the bench for the World Cup final against Holland as coach Vicente Del Bosque opted for the same starting line-up that beat Germany in the semifinals.

Young Barcelona winger Pedro will play up front again alongside the prolific David Villa.

As expected, the Dutch made two changes to their side from the one that beat Uruguay in their semi-final.

Ajax right-back Gregory van der Wiel and defensive midfielder Nigel de Jong, who both missed the win over Uruguay, returned after serving one-match suspensions.

Teams:

Netherlands: Maarten Stekelenburg; Gregory van der Wiel, John Heitinga, Joris Mathijsen, Giovanni van Bronckhorst (capt); Mark van Bommel, Nigel de Jong; Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder, Dirk Kuyt; Robin van Persie

Coach: Bert van Marwijk (NED)

Spain: Iker Casillas (capt); Sergio Ramos, Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique, Joan Capdevila; Sergio Busquets, Xabi Alonso; Andres Iniesta, Xavi, Pedro; David Villa

Coach: Vicente Del Bosque (ESP)

Referee: Howard Webb (ENG)

Source: CNN

France's tumultuous World Cup campaign ended in dismal fashion on Tuesday as the former world champions were beaten 2-1 by hosts South Africa in their final group game in Bloemfontein.

Both South African goals came in the first half while French midfielder Yoann Gourcuff was sent off following a clash with MacBeth Sibaya to deal another early blow to France's slim hopes.

France's nightmare ends but South Africa fall short

French preparations for the match had been overshadowed by an apparent collapse in relations between coach Raymond Domenech and his players, with captain Patrice Evra left out of the side after apparently clashing with Domenech and other coaching staff and officials.

South Africa's win was not enough to prevent them becoming the first World Cup host nation to be eliminated before the tournament's knockout stages, with Mexico advancing alongside group winners Uruguay despite losing 1-0 to the South Americans.
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But the real misery was for French fans who saw their team -- traditionally among the strongest national sides in world football -- become one of the first to be eliminated from the World Cup amid turbulent infighting and allegations of treachery.

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Striker Nicolas Anelka was sent home after confronting Domenech at halftime during France's 2-0 defeat by Mexico last week.

Evra was then involved in a public training ground dispute with the squad's fitness coach on Sunday and is reported to have led dissent over Anelka's expulsion from the squad, with the entire squad boycotting the training session.

Adding to the confusion, French team director Jean-Louis Valentin then publicly announced his resignation to the media, while French sports minister Roselyne Bachelot has been in France attempting to mediate between Domenech and his players.

But on Monday night Bachelot told journalists the French players had "tarnished the image of France," according to French sports newspaper L'Equipe.

In an indication of the extent to which relations had broken down between Domenech and his squad, the coach on Monday described this players' decision to strike as "unspeakably stupid," and called their actions "an aberration and an imbecility."

Pedro Pinto: Heads should roll for French farce

"Nobody can behave in such a way in the dressing room or elsewhere and high-level sportsmen and women have to lead by example through football," Domenech told reporters.

"We tried to convince the players that what was happening was irregular, that their actions were unspeakably stupid. I told myself this masquerade had to be stopped. No way would I back this action."

CNN Senior International Correspondent Jim Bittermann in Paris said French fans, pundits and politicians were attempting to outdo each other in their criticism of the French squad.

"One of the words we've heard is divas to describe the team and chaos to describe the situation," said Bittermann.

"It's the image of the French society now, it's a bad example for the youth -- terrible," one Parisian woman told CNN.

"They're paid players. Whatever happened in their team it's not the right time to go on strike," said another.

France's problems at the World Cup had exacerbated long-standing dissatisfaction with the controversial Domenech, who is due to step down as national coach after the tournament to make way for former World Cup-winning defender Laurent Blanc.

France won the World Cup on home soil in 1998 and reached the final under Domenech four years ago in Germany, losing on penalties to Italy after star player Zinedine Zidane was sent off for head butting Italian defender Marco Materazzi.

But France has struggled to replace the Zidane generation, which also won the European Championship in 2000. They only qualified for South Africa by virtue of a tight playoff win over Ireland, sealed with the help of Thierry Henry's handballed assist for William Gallas' goal.

Exit at the group stage in South Africa marks their second successive failure in the opening stages of a major tournament after they crashed out of Euro 2008 without winning a match.

Posted by Jessie James

The opening ceremony of the 2010 World Cup got under way Friday in Johannesburg ahead of the first game of the world's greatest sporting spectacle between South Africa and Mexico.

A global audience of hundreds of millions is expected to watch the match from Soccer City stadium, which kicks off at 4 p.m. local time (2 p.m. GMT).

The big kick-off was preceded by a spectacular ceremony inside the impressive 94,000-capacity arena where fans were treated to a dazzling array of dancers in traditional tribal costumes, as well as music from performers such as Grammy winner R Kelly, South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela and Nigerian star Femi Kuti.

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"I've heard so many great stories about Africa. To be here in this way, performing at the World Cup, there's just no words for this," Kelly told FIFA.com. "Any time you get the chance to be part of something this big and historical, it's definitely very special."

Fans making their way to the stadium on Friday were dressed in the yellow jersey of the South African team and carrying vuvuzelas -- a plastic horn favored by South African football fans -- and the country's post-apartheid rainbow flag.

Many displayed homemade banners, one reading: "49 million South Africans vs. 11 Mexicans." Another said: "I believe we can win the World Cup! Because this is a country of possibilities."

Fans ready for South Africa vs. Mexico Video

The month-long tournament, which takes place every four years, marks the World Cup's first visit to the continent of Africa in its 80-year-history. Ten venues around the country will host 64 matches, culminating in the final on July 11 at Soccer City.

Thirty-two teams are taking part with world champions Italy defending the title they won in Germany four years ago. European champions Spain and five-times winners Brazil are considered the favorites. As well as the hosts, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Cameroon and Algeria are carrying African hopes.

Stars players such as the current world footballer of the year Lionel Messi of Argentina, Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, Brazil's Kaka and England's Wayne Rooney are hoping to follow in the footsteps of former legends such as Pele and Diego Maradona by writing their names into World Cup history.

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South Africa's team -- who rank just 83rd in the world -- face a massive challenge if they are to avoid becoming the first host nation to be eliminated in the first round. South Africa have won just one match in their two previous appearances at the World Cup.

After Mexico, they also face France and Uruguay, who play each other later Friday in Cape Town. The top two teams from each of eight four-team groups advance to a knockout round of 16.

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But star midfielder Steven Pienaar said the "Bafana Bafana" -- the South Africans' nickname -- would strive to make their supporters proud.

"We have a big game against Mexico, that is all that is on my mind now. Our dreams have to come true," Pienaar told FIFA.com. "We have been waiting for this game."

CNN's Pedro Pinto said the South Africans, coached by Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira, could draw inspiration from previous impressive performances by African sides in World Cup opening games.

In 1990 Cameroon shocked world champions Argentina and Senegal matched that feat against France in 2002.

The tournament could be the loudest World Cup ever due to South African fans' habit of turning up to matches with vuvuzelas -- a plastic horn which has atttracted criticism from some players and officials because of its ear-splitting noise levels.

"I can only imagine the sound that will erupt if South Africa score. It will be crazy," said Pinto in Johannesburg.

Will you be following the World Cup? Send videos, stories, photos

South African President Jacob Zuma and Archbishop Desmond Tutu will attend the opening match but former South African president Nelson Mandela will be missing after the death of his great-grandchild in a car crash early Friday.

Zenani Mandela, 13, died while returning home from a World Cup kick-off concert in Soweto. In the circumstances it would be "inappropriate" for the 91-year-old to attend, said the Mandela Foundation's Sello Hatang.

Mandela, an icon of black South Africans' struggle against white rule, played a key role in bringing the World Cup to South Africa and FIFA President Sepp Blatter said he would be "be with us in spirit."

"The entire football family mourns with you and your family, and today we stand by their side," Blatter wrote in a letter to Mandela.

The World Cup is the world's biggest sporting event with FIFA, football's governing body, predicting a cumulative TV audience for the tournament of more than 26 billion viewers.

Just seven countries have won the World Cup, which was first staged in Uruguay in 1930. Brazil have won five times (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002); Italy four times (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006); Germany (as West Germany) three times (1954, 1974, 1990); Argentina twice (1978, 1986), and England (1966) and France (1998) once each.

South Africa

South Africa put the finishing touches to its World Cup preparations, rolling out the continent's first high-speed rail link on Tuesday, as organisers told critics it was time to put doubts aside.

Final preparations for World Cup in South Africa

Final preparations for World Cup in South Africa

The three-billion-dollar Gautrain began whisking passengers from Johannesburg's international airport into the uptown Sandton district, just three days before the tournament begins.

The 100-mile-an-hour link will be one of the key legacies of the tournament and is intended to show that Africa can build transport facilities to rival those of anywhere in the world.

"I have been in Johannesburg just for one hour -- the airport and here -- but I really thought this was a first world service," Costa Rican football journalist Gustavo Jimenez told AFP as he stepped off the train at Sandton.

"That's not only because of the facilities and the building, but also because of how much effort they are putting in to helping users," he added as a security guard helped him hail a taxi to take him to his hotel.

In fact, security guards outnumbered passengers, reflecting the desire by authorities here to deflect fears that a country with one of the world's highest crime rates is no place to stage the world's biggest sporting event.

Tickets from the airport to Sandton cost around 13 dollars, a small fortune for most South Africans but much cheaper than the cost of a taxi ride.

And while traffic snarl-ups mean the journey usually takes around an hour, the Gautrain will cover the distance in around a quarter of that time.

Strikes and subsidence problems have ensured that only the terminus at Sandton, a swanky suburb which is home to the Johannesburg stock exchange and a massive shopping mall, has opened in time for the World Cup.

But the train will eventually take passengers into the central business district, the suburb of Rosebank and onto Pretoria, the seat of government.

The highway between Pretoria and Johannesburg is the busiest in the country and the journey can be a two-hour commute at rush-hour, but the same trip on the Gautrain should take just 42 minutes.

Michael Bettendorf, a 27-year-old investment banker from Trier in Germany was another impressed passenger.

"It's more modern than the trains in Trier. It's comparable to the trains in the big cities in Germany, but really new," he said.

Worries over crime, transport infrastructure and accommodation have dogged the build-up to the tournament ever since South Africa was granted the right to stage the World Cup six years ago.

But Sepp Blatter, president of football's world governing body FIFA, told reporters that while the first-ever World Cup on African soil would not be without its flaws, it was time to be swept along by World Cup fever.

"Be conscious of the fact that we are in Africa, even if South Africa is the best organised country on the continent. You can be critical -- that is your right -- but admit that you really feel something here," he said on Monday.

"This World Cup will be marvellous and we are looking forward to the kickoff," said Blatter. "This will be a fantastic World Cup."

"Everywhere, one can feel, even you journalists, I hope, that this World Cup is very special, the first on African soil," Blatter said, before Friday's kick-off between the hosts and Mexico.

As well as the Gautrain opening, a new train station is opening for football fans in central Cape Town.

Authorities in Johannesburg were also sealing off roads in the downtown area where a giant fan park will play host to thousands of supporters unable to hunt down a ticket for Friday's opening.

Source: News

Posted by Jessie James