Fifa praised SA for pulling off the World Cup’s group matches without incident, as the second round kicked off with Ghana the continent’s last hope.
Carlos Alberto Parreira has been moving swiftly to put his spin on the national side’s performance, seeking to establish a positive legacy.
The do-or-die stage of the World Cup starts on Saturday with the US plotting to dash African dreams and Uruguay hoping to extend Latin America’s run.
Switzerland and Honduras drew 0-0 in their final Group H game with chances missed at both ends as the two sides were eliminated.
An inspired David Villa scored one sublime goal and created another for Andres Iniesta as European champions Spain beat 10-man Chile 2-1.
At Friday’s goalless draw between Portugal and Brazil in Durban, Brazil captain Lucio was masterful in containing Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo.
Portugal joined Brazil in the last 16 of the World Cup on Friday after the pair drew 0-0 in their final Group G game.
Bafana could have fared better in the World Cup given the support the team received before the tournament, former coach Jomo Sono said on Friday.
We all got high on Bafana euphoria and bought into the delusion that it was all going to be okay. And it’s that kind of insanity that keeps SA sane.
In the latest in a series of World Cup surprises, another traditional winner has been sent home after the first round.
Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz fully expects his team’s final Group G clash against star-studded Brazil on Friday to be a "beautiful game".
President Zuma is planning to hold a summit of national leaders during the World Cup to focus the world’s attention on the importance of education.
President Jacob Zuma says the World Cup must focus attention on "education for all". But will his summit in the last week of the tournament do that?
England will face Germany at a World Cup for the first time since opera and Paul Gascoigne’s tears started a renaissance for the game in these islands
Of the six African teams at the World Cup only Ghana have adapted to the hard-working demands of modern football tactics.
Whatever you make of Bafana Bafana’s World Cup performance the team still has a lot of work to do, writes <b>Mark Gleeson</b>.
World Cup chief organiser Danny Jordaan is not the only member of his family to benefit from the tournament.
A 2-1 loss to The Netherlands confirmed what Cameroon already knew: That the Indomitable Lions were out of the World Cup with barely a roar.
The electricity supplier bought 1 110 top-range World Cup tickets for its executives, but it is still in wage negotiations with its employees
Japan advanced to the second round of the World Cup on Thursday when they beat their direct rivals Denmark 3-1 in Group E.
Côte d’Ivoire need to score a hatful of goals against North Korea to have any chance of reaching the World Cup second round
The Netherlands maintained their 100% record in the World Cup on Thursday when they finished on top of Group E after a 2-1 win over Cameroon.
Two goals from Robert Vittek stunned the Italians at Ellis Park and helped Slovakia to a 3-2 victory that turned the football world upside down.
Paraguay qualified for the last 16 of the World Cup despite being held to a goalless draw by a well-organised New Zealand.
Holders Italy made a humiliating exit in the World Cup group stage when they lost 3-2 to Slovakia on Thursday having been largely outplayed.
Thierry Henry met Nicolas Sarkozy at the Elysée palace on Thursday as the president demanded answers over the French team’s humiliating exit.
Four years may not seem like a very long time, but in technology terms, they’re equivalent to several lifetimes.
Johannesburg street sellers were raking it in at the start of the World Cup, but now that Bafana has crashed out, business has slumped.
North Korea’s star striker Jong Tae-se admitted on Thursday that he had spent the day after the 7-0 World Cup Group G hammering by Portugal in a state
Erratic power supplies have long been an accepted part of life in Zimbabwe, but football fans had hoped the World Cup in SA would provide respite.
Japan won’t settle for a draw in Thursday’s World Cup showdown with Denmark even though a point will be enough to qualify for the second round.
Paraguay want to become party poopers in Polokwane on Thursday and end an amazing showing by New Zealand at the Soccer World Cup.