Hordes of orange-clad Dutch fans and red-bedecked Spaniards were battling it out in Johannesburg ahead of the World Cup final on Sunday.

Millions of African fans mourned the exit of Ghana, their last hope for World Cup glory, while four more nations stepped up to battle on Saturday.

Spain and Paraguay squeezed into the World Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday while Fifa boss Sepp Blatter apologised for two colossal refereeing blunders.

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.

Protesting French players boycotted training on Sunday while on the pitch lowly New Zealand sensationally held World Cup holders Italy.

Argentina lit up the World Cup with its first hat trick on Thursday while fellow Latin Americans Mexico humiliated France.

Italy fought back to avoid an upset against Paraguay on Monday but Japan broke African hearts with their first Soccer World Cup win on foreign soil.

World player of the year Lionel Messi lived up to his billing with a wonderful performance in Argentina’s 1-0 win over Nigeria on Saturday evening.

As many as 200 000 people died in the earthquake that devastated Haiti and three-quarters of the capital will need to be rebuilt.

Thousands of people injured in Haiti’s massive earthquake spent a third night twisted in pain, lying on sidewalks and waiting for help.

Traumatised Haitians slept out in parks and streets on Thursday, fearing aftershocks to the earthquake that flattened homes and buried people.