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The newly -built Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban will hold one of the semi-finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup;. The ground epitomises the architectural conception on display in South Africa and takes its design inspiration from the South African flag, with its grand arch representing the unity of this sport-loving nation. The two legs of the arch on the southern side of the stadium come together to form a single footing on the northern side, symbolizing the new unity of a once-divided country.

The 70,000-seater has been specifically designed as a multi-purpose venue and an amphitheatre complete with a cable car which ascends to a viewing platform at the top of the expansive 350m arch, a astounding 106m above the pitch. From this vantage point, visitors can experience spectacular panoramic views of the nearby shoreline and the city. The roof is attached to the arch by 95mm-diameter steel cables. Each seat of the stadium is spacious and well-situated, providing a clear line of sight to the pitch.

It is a world-class and multifunctional arena situated in the center of the Kings Park Sporting Precinct. Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium will be the jewel in the crown of the Kings Park Sporting precinct. The entire area will feature additional sporting arenas and facilities as well as restaurants, shops, play areas for children and a pedestrian walkway linking the stadium complex to the beach.

The stadium was built on the site of the old Kings Park Stadium. Moses Mabhida, the ground’s namesake, was born in Thornville near Pietermaritzburg on 14 October 1923 into a poor family who were later forced off their land. In 1963, Mabhida was asked by Oliver Tambo while working in Prague rallying support from the World Federation of Trade Unions, to come back to Africa to develop the ANC’s armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK). He underwent military training and became the chief political instructor of new military recruits. He later served as the commander of MK

Group matches to be played in Durban

* 13th June – 8.30pm: Germany v Australia
* 16th June – 4.00pm: Spain v Switzerland
* 19th June – 1.30pm: Netherlands v Japan
* 22th June – 8.30pm: Nigeria v Korea Republic
* 25th June – 4.00pm: Portugal v Brazil

You can find more about the 2010 world cup stadiums, the teams and the Best World Cup Bets at www.bestworldcupbets.co.uk and you can even get a totally free world cup wall chart

The 2009–10 season has been the most successful season in the clubs history. Despite disappointment in the Champions League, the Chelsea Football Club won the Premier League after a 4 gap and retained the FA Cup for the 1st time, and become only the 7th English club to complete The Double of league and cup wins.

The premier league went right down to the wire. Chelsea winning on the last day of the season by hammering Wigan. Chelsea is the best team in England, as the Premier League and FA Cup results show – and it is their togetherness, fostered by Carlo Ancelotti, their manager but ensured by the transfer ban they picked up last year which meant that this squad has stayed unaltered for longer than in previous seasons.

The manager Carlo Ancelotti speaking on the last day of the season looked back at some of the high and low points, saying ‘We lost some games and had a difficult moment after Manchester City and Inter defeats but we moved on very quickly,’ Another of the season low points was the off-field sex scandals engulfing captain John Terry and Ashley Cole which got the tabloid newspapers very crazy

Throughout the season Chelsea have been passably consistent but looking back over the season’s results, Chelsea’s worst form neatly coincides with periods of particularly bad fixture congestion. Those games played in months where there have been six fixtures or less Chelsea have done well, winning 18 of 21 games (86%). In months where Chelsea have had seven fixtures or more performance has was definitely worse, with Chelsea winning just five out of 15 games (33%). Not so good at all.

Chelsea are a well-oiled machine with a ruthless, confident man up front in Drogba. They have been criticised for years for not fielding enough English players but this year Chelsea’s English contingent formed the guts of the club’s success. Of the 28 squad players who have made an appearance so far this season, seven (25%) have been English. Five of those players (Lampard, Sturridge, Ashley Cole, Joe Cole and Terry) have scored a total of 26 of the team’s 91 goals – nearly a third (29%). English players have contributed 35% of all assists. Chelsea’s English players are a gift for the World Cup England team.

If for next season they can add one good midfield stopper and possibly a replacement centre forward with an eye for goal, Chelsea will be a threat in all competitions for a few seasons to come. Maybe next year they will win the Champions League and give owner Roman Abramovich a truly great Chelsea gift.

Harry Kewell is a major injury uncertainty for the World Cup according to Johan Neeskens who is the assistant coach at Galatasaray

The news comes just days before Australia coach Pim Verbeek names his preliminary squad .

Kewell is rumored to have re-injured the groin which he had surgery on in January and is set to miss the Turkish side’s final two games of the season.

The 31-year-old had only just returned after four months on the sidelines, but just two days after his comeback he broke down again – casting a major doubt over his participation in South Africa.

“Right now, I think it’s going to be very difficult,” said Galatasaray assistant coach Johan Neeskens.

“Stage by stage he got better but then he fell back again. He chose to stop training and take treatment. But sometimes after three or four days, if he stops treatment and starts training again, it comes back again.

“He started again with the team a week ago but now in the second week he got some pain and didn’t feel at ease. On Tuesday, he stopped again and couldn’t continue the work because it’s too painful.

“I don’t know if he really is going to make the World Cup at this rate. First of all it’s up to himself and the doctors in Australia. If he cannot participate, it’s a big loss for Australia.”

Verbeek will name a 30-man preliminary squad on Tuesday with a final 23-man group to be revealed on 1st June.

The former Leeds and Liverpool man is expected to be included in the initial party, but his latest injury setback may mean Verbeek will have to leave him out of the final squad.

Australia face a tough Group D alongside Germany, Serbia and Ghana and will step up preparations in a friendly against New Zealand in Melbourne on 24th May.

The Socceroos are 7/1 to top Group D, with Germany fancied at 4/5.

Verbeek’s side will also face Denmark and the United States in Roodepoort at the start of June before their World Cup opener against Germany in Durban on 13th June.

Australia can be backed at 6/1 to win their first match in South Africa, with Germany at 8/15 on the Full Time Result market and the draw 14/5.

To find out the latest and best world cup bets then head on over to www.bestworldcupbets.co.uk

If you’re thinking of advertising your company, you will no doubt have researched into the various tactics which are available to you. Choosing the suitable method of advertising might be extremely tough as each method will offer another level of coverage, success and more importantly-price. So that you can choose the correct method of advertising for your business, you need to firstly think about what your field of business is and the target market in which you are aiming towards. However, in most cases, businesses will probably be aiming to reach as much potential customers as you can, and so will look for an aggressive yet effective way of marketing themselves.

Countless corporations are realizing the huge benefits which come from car advertising, particularly through the usage of car flags. Within our everyday lives, we are going to all see a heavy quantity of cars throughout our daily routine, which in itself teaches you the opportunity which can result from using cars as part of your marketing tactic. However, the amount of money you can potentially make from using car flags will depend on the amount of coverage you are willing to provide yourself with-both from your business and through the help of present customers. Car flags can be employed in two ways: firstly as a promotional strategy on your own vehicles, and secondly by means of existing customers. Using them via your own vehicles could be extremely effective as you can drive around towards the targeted locations, making use of your custom flags as a beacon of your business’ name. On the other hand, with this comes the matter of money spent on fuel and the employees who you’ll need in order to complete this task. Probably the greatest ways in which to improve profits is often through person to person from your past and current customers. In the event you provide your customers with a great service and competitive prices, they are more liable to recommend you to an associate, thus increasing your overall sales. By providing your customers with promotional flags, you are able to increase this further through the application of free advertising. Car flags might be mounted on various areas of the car and this also adds as a small token of appreciation for your customers for their sale with your business. These may also be used if you’re prepared to spend a little extra money. By paying members of the public to display your flags on their cars, this may also greatly increase your exposure.

This form of promotion isn’t much different from other methods you may have researched or tried in past times, however it is one section of which you’ll have great control over. By working on a design of your flags yourself, you’ll be able to ensure that they remain true to the name and nature of your business, as well as use your design to compete with any competition. Using selected colors, slogans and logos, you are able to design something which is fantastic to your business. These will not only help your organization to stand out, but will also help build your brand and identity overall. These flags can also be reused and re-designed during sale seasons and when offering promotional sales as a way to help create your new promotion into more of an event which can be tired along with other forms of advertising such as newspaper and radio advertisements.

We have all seen car flags within our surroundings at some point, whether they are on rival companies vehicles or even simply university and college flags on student cars. The thing is, we notice them and more often that not will be intrigued to read whatever they say, making their message stick within our minds. By using this method of advertising for your business, you can have more attention than you ever thought possible, thus soon see your sales increase to great levels.

City: Johannesburg
Surface: Grass
Capacity: 62,000

Ellis Park Stadium, or Coca-Cola Park, as it was recently renamed after sponsorship agreements , has been the stage for many unforgettable football matches in the South African domestic scene, as well as a few Bafana classics. Coca-Cola Park hosted the final, as well as the opening and closing ceremony of the Confederations Cup, amongst other matches at the venue.

The ground has undergone major changes ahead of the World Cup in preparation for the showpiece event. The west, south and north stands have been revamped with additional seating and a new roof added. New change rooms, VIP, media and medical facilities have all been added. In addition, a new entrance façade to the north stand has been built.

A new, five-level car park has also been completed, which accommodates 1,200 cars. The revamped Coca-Cola Park Stadium seats 62,000 fans, increasing its capacity by almost nine percent from the previous 57,000.

With state-of-the-art media facilities, team whirlpools, top-class VIP areas for dignitaries, accessibility for disabled fans, a new pitch and a top-notch audio-visual setup to keep the fans informed during the game, Coca-Cola Park Stadium in Johannesburg is ready to welcome fans and players at the World Cup.

Facts

- More than 30 000 square metres of concrete was poured into the structure.
- More than 4 500 tons of reinforcement was used in the floor area of 48 000 square metres, and this does not include the seating areas.
- Nearly 500 000 pockets of cement went into the work done over 3,2 million man hours.
- There are about 3,1 million bricks laid at the stadium, 1372 windows of various sizes, more than 4,1 km of handrails and a total of 70 km piping for chairs.
- There are fifty 200 watt speakers, thirty 30 watt speakers & 245 speakers clustered around the stadium.
- Ellis Park is home to one of the country’s most popular club, Orlando Pirates FC.
- The stadium saw South Africa crowned as rugby World Cup champions in 1995.
- In 1987 Ellis Park Stadium was listed on the stock exchange.

History

The stadium was first built in 1928 as a rugby union stadium. It was demolished and rebuilt in 1982, but it was again used exclusively for rugby. It was named after JD Ellis, a Johannesburg city councilor who approved the use of the land for a stadium, setting aside 13 acres. The stadium was used for the finals of the 1995 IRB Rugby World Cup.

Getting There

Parking is problematic due to inner-city congestion. The best option is the free park-and-ride facility, with pick-up points conveniently located around the city and buses constantly running during the event. The Bus Rapid system is another public transport option to use during the tournament, with a route that drops off passengers a few hundred metres away from the stadium, while traveling around the city to pick up and drop off passengers for a fee.

The Doornfontein and Ellis Park railway stations are in the process of being upgraded, adding another element of easy access transport to the stadium, but the safest and most comfortable remains the bus systems. A taxi cab service to one of the drop off points for the park and ride may be the best option to get to the stadium, while picking up a taxi cab from the park and ride facility after the game is also a good idea.

Plus and Minuses

Pluses

- The atmosphere at Coca-Cola Park is often electric, as the venue is used to hosting Johannesburg supporters who turn out for football and rugby in large numbers.

- The Coca-Cola Park sports complex is a huge area containing facilities for various sports codes, and the management of the venue are used to managing big events and large crowd capacities.

- The view from the stands at the stadium is fantastic, with fans able to get very close to the pitch and see their idols from close up, while even the seats at the top of the stadium seem to be towering right above the pitch due to the design.

- Security and infrastructure around the venue has been beefed up, with CCTV cameras and better lighting helping security to keep the area safe, while new transport infrastructure has been built.

- The stadium is not as modern as some of the recently built stadia around the country, but there is a great deal of tradition and history in the venue’s past.

Minuses

- The congestion of the inner city makes traffic a realistic problem around the stadium.

- The open nature of the stadium design means that some of the higher seats in the stadium can be particularly cold in winter, so dress warmly.

- The venue is the home of the Lions rugby side, and the sport has a negative effect on the pitch, as a great deal of damage is done to the grass and the ground needs to be watered more often to promote growth and stop the ground from hardening.

Games to be Played

Coca-Cola Park will have the fortune of hosting seven World Cup matches at the 2010 tournament; with five group stage matches being complimented by a Round of 16 encounter and a Quarter-Final match. The five group stage games will see Argentina take on Nigeria, Brazil clash with Korea DPR and Slovenia come up against USA, while Spain will match up against Honduras and defending champions Italy play against Slovakia.

You can find more about the 2010 world cup stadiums, the teams and the Best World Cup Bets at www.bestworldcupbets.co.uk and you can even get a totally free world cup wall chart

FC Barcelona La Liga Winners celebrations turned ugly as Rioting Fans take over Video

Police arrested 134 people and more than 150 were injured as Barcelona’s Champions League victory celebrations descended into riots.

Around 100,000 people spilled onto the streets of the Catalan capital after Barcelona’s 2-0 triumph over Manchester United in Rome.

But the carnival atmosphere turned ugly after midnight when youths began clashing with police around Las Ramblas, the city’s most famous street.

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Manchester United and England received a boost from Rio Ferdinand  after he came through after 27 minute of Tony Carr’s testimonial match at Upton Park.

Ferdinand has had issues with back and groin problems this season, which have only allowed  him to play in just 11 Premier League starts for United. The England captain made his return after three weeks on the bench as a late substitute in last weekend’s victory over Sunderland.

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Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid 2-1 Result Score Goals 29/04/2010 Europa league semi-finals

Europa League semi-finals return matches Liverpool – Atletico Madrid 2-1 Thursday April 29th 2010, Anfield Road Liverpool, Despite a 2-1 loss at Anfield Road, Atletico Madrid reached the final of the UEFA Europa League Thursday. After 90 minutes the score was 1-0 for Liverpool, in the prolongation both team scored once, giving the advantage to Atletico on the away goal rule.

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Mental toughness is greatly accredited to several factors that should be present in an individual– a definite purpose and a clear sense of direction, a high degree of perseverance, emotional placidness, positive outlook, and tons of  energy.

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Sportsbook odds rank Spain and Brazil at 4-1 to win the World Cup that kicks off in June in South Africa. All of the 32 teams competing had to announce their provisional 30-man rosters by Tuesday. Brazil didn’t include Ronaldinho, Adriano and Neymar. Brazil coach Dunga is sticking to players that helped win last year’s Confederations Cup.

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