Elijero Elia breathes life into Dutch campaign

Holland got their World Cup campaign off to the perfect start with a 2-0 victory over Denmark in group E.

Dunga feels heat as the critics circle

If Fabio Capello is feeling unfairly vilified at the moment, he should have been in Dunga’s shoes at Coca-Cola Park last night.

Vuvuzelas vie with pundits in generating hot air and noise

“Where do you stand on the vuvuzela?” is the question on people’s lips at this World Cup — but, of course, the answer is, you don’t stand on it. For the best results, you blow into it from one end. That’s my reading of the unfolding situation on the ground, anyway. And then you continue to blow until such time as you expire or the tournament in South Africa ends, whichever comes sooner.

Young German talent gives England right to fret

Still bruised from their brush with the United States, a group of England players sat down on Sunday night and flicked on the television for a bit of light relief. Then on came Germany.

Barcelona’s change of guard raises stakes over Fàbregas

Barcelona will step up their pursuit of Cesc Fàbregas after Sandro Rosell was declared the club’s new president.

James Anderson believes time should be called on Twenty20 ‘overkill’

Playing too many Twenty20 matches could result in “overkill” for supporters if organisers try to cram the games into the county season, James Anderson, the England fast bowler, warned yesterday.

Benayoun could prompt Anfield exodus

Yossi Benayoun has taken a significant step towards leaving Liverpool for Chelsea by agreeing in principle a four-year contract with the Barclays Premier League champions.

Franz Beckenbauer puts the boot into “kick and rush” England

Franz Beckenbauer, the iconic figure of German football, has accused England of reverting to the bad old days of “kick and rush” under Fabio Capello.

De Rossi rescues a point for Italy

Despite a performance that will not have caused much consternation in the Brazil or Spain camps, Italy ensured their attempt to retain the World Cup did not get off to an ignominious start here last night thanks to another charitable act from a goalkeeper.

Honda earns Japan their first World Cup victory on foreign soil

Cameroon were the first nation to raise hopes of an African World Cup triumph but yesterday they did little to ease fears that the continent will fail to make an impact at its own party.

Fabio Capello must stop being a flaw unto himself

If it was a bad night for Robert Green, it was a calamitous one for Fabio Capello. Because it wasn’t Green who lost his nerve, it was the Italian. He came out for his first match as a manager at the World Cup finals and performed like a swooning virgin. He made a series of bad decisions that cost England two points as they played United States in their first match.

We can recover with more instinctive style

There are no set rules in sport. Even after playing international rugby for ten years, I’m learning all the time about what wins games. I’m learning at Toulon and experiences such as Saturday’s at Subiaco Oval keep that process going.

Lionel Messi on course for glut of goals

Referee: W Stark (Germany). Attendance: 50,389

Asamoah Gyan pops up to bang drum for Africans

Referee: H Baldassi (Argentina). Attendance: 38,833

Shades of Robert Green haunt Algerians

Referee: C Batres (Guatemala). Attendance: 35,000

Andy Murray must try to cast off the shackles at Wimbledon

A year ago, Andy Murray lifted the trophy over his head after five wins in straight sets at Queen’s Club and the photographers were surprised that he could not bring himself to smile much, even though he had become the first British player in 71 years to win the coveted London grass-court championships.

Time for England to match Martin Johnson’s lofty expectations

If England truly believe they are making progress — and the claim was made yet again yesterday as a squad battered in mind as well as body flew from Perth to Sydney — they need to show some evidence of it, ideally during this next week in Australia.

Lewis Hamilton has measure of Red Bulls as McLaren find top gear again

Lewis Hamilton produced a masterful performance yesterday to win the Canadian Grand Prix here for the fourteenth victory of his career. McLaren also secured another one-two in a race that could have a significant bearing on the outcome of this year’s World Championship.

David James opens first cracks in Fabio Capello’s England rule

Read Simon Barnes on Capello's mistakes and live coverage of the World Cup latest at The Times's new website

Joachim Löw’s men on a high after thrashing Australia

Read Simon Barnes on Capello's mistakes and live coverage of the World Cup latest at The Times's new website

Not your typical Germans

You know the old gag about the Germans in hotels being up and out before the rest of us and putting their towels on the sunbeds? Well, it’s different at World Cups, where the Germans are usually still in their hotel beds long after the rest of us, because we are on our flight home while they are preparing for the latter stages of the tournament.

Football with history of conflict

NOBODY seems quite sure why he became known as Yamaha. Some reckon it was because his small flat in Algiers was next to a motorcycle repair shop. Others say he got the nickname for the way he weaved through crowds like a scooter through traffic. His real name was Hocine Dihimi. As Yamaha he was Algerian football’s most famous fan.

United star gets South Korea going with a win

SOUTH KOREA, who previously had won just a single World Cup finals game away from home, this time romped through in a canter. Their two goals could have been doubled or even trebled and it was highly appropriate that the second of them, early in the second half, should go to the Manchester United attacker, Park Ji-Sung.

Green fingers

ENGLAND were denied a victory they just about deserved in their opening World Cup game here last night when a terrible error by goalkeeper Robert Green gifted a goal to the United States and allowed the Americans to emerge with a 1-1 draw that still leaves both teams with realistic chances of qualifying from Group C.

Canada pole for Hamilton

ALTHOUGH Lewis Hamilton broke the Red Bull stranglehold on 2009 pole positions yesterday, he did it by taking a tyre gamble that could backfire today.

Argentina far too good for the sorry Nigerians

ARGENTINA, the squad with the Fabulous Five strikers, the quintet of excellent finishers from Serie A, La Liga and the Premier League, ensured their World Cup began with three points. They are entitled to feel a little miffed at winning by only the narrowest margin. For that, the credit goes to Nigeria’s goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, who was outstanding.

Clueless and hopeless

BIZARRE. Here we had two teams, which between them had all the rugby talents.

England slip up against USA

TO THE Boston Tea Party and Belo Horizonte, the Royal Bafokeng stadium can almost be added. Here was parity that felt a lot like purgatory for Englishmen. England have never begun a World Cup better, scoring brilliantly through their captain, Steven Gerrard, in just four minutes and yet they have seldom ended an opening game at a tournament feeling worse. Robert Green, Fabio Capello’s content

‘Spain is on a different planet’

Soweto art gallery is not the Prado. Its name is spelt in multicoloured letters made from knotted plastic bags that dangle from a string. The sign hangs above an empty tent on a dusty pavement on Chris Hani Road. A few blocks away, side-by-side adverts for an optometrist and a dreadlocks artist are graffitied on a wall. This is non-marketed, unbranded South Africa. The merchandised vuvuzelas

England players are being kept in the dark by manager

Fabio Capello will leave it until the very last moment to name his team for England’s opening World Cup match against the United States in group C this evening as he agonises over the identity of his goalkeeper and the balance of his midfield.