World Cup 2010 - Updates
USA arrive for World cup
The national football team of the United States of America has arrived in South Africa to take part in the World cup set to start on the 11th of June.
The squad touched down at Johannesburg's main airport on Monday before heading off to their team hotel in the town of Centurion, just north of Johannesburg, amid tight security measures.
The Americans will be hoping they can build onto their impressive run in the Confederations Cup last year, where the team defeated one of the favourites for this year’s World Cup; Spain.
National Coach Bob Bradley is confident that the cool conditions in South Africa will help the tournament be a great success.
"I think the weather here is great for football," adding that "It's going to mean that the games are played at a good tempo and we have enough time between now and until June 12 to acclimatize so to that end it will be a great World Cup."
The Americans have a realistic chance of making it beyond the first round, as other than former champions England there is no major threat in the 32 team competition.
Slovenia and Algeria make up the numbers in their group, and Bradley is already eying their twin scalp, yet remains cautious "We certainly know that Slovenia and Algeria are excellent teams and that it will be a tough group but we are looking forward to it," said Bradley.
The squad will be based at the Irene Country Lodge in Centurion and expectedly strict security measures were in force before the team checked in at their hotel.
Security remains a major concern during the tournament amid reports of potential attacks in major games like the England v USA match.
FIFA and South Africa's security agencies have reassured worried fans that the security in the competition would be fool proof.
Interestingly American fans have bought the most World Cup tickets of any of the 31 countries traveling to South Africa for the World Cup.
Ghanians upbeat in Accra
Ghana's national team, the Black Stars has been given a rousing send-off as the residents of the capital city Accra make it to the streets of the city in a festive mood dressed in the national colors - red, yellow, green and black and waving the country's flag.
A mix of traditional Ghanaian music that mixes highlife beats with hip hop, kept supporters dancing late into the night on Friday.
The festivities in support of the team were arranged by the team's long time sponsors, Guinness Ghana Ltd.
Enthusiastic supporters gathered at Accra's International Trade Fair Centre in for a night full dance, music and patriotism.
"This is rallying the whole nation behind the Black Stars to victory, one of the programs that we called out today is a joint initiative with the Ministry of Youth and Sports who have to call all of Ghanaians to visibly demonstrate the support for the Black Stars," said Ama Okyere, Guinness Ghana's marketing manager.
Meanwhile the tournament in South Africa would be a huge challenge for the rank outsiders as Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien is ruled out of the tournament.
The celebrated player was indisposed last week after failing to recover from a knee injury.
Essien picked up the injury during the African Nations Cup in Angola last January.
The tournament was a memorable one for the Ghanaians as they reached the final of the coveted event.
The national team known as “Black Stars” will feature in group D of the World Cup where they are pitted against three-time World Cup champions Germany, Serbia and Australia.
The event in Accra was also attended by government officials. Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Nii Nortey Dua said that Essien’s absence would be felt, yet it was not impossible for the team to do well without him.
"The absence of Michael Essien will affect the team but I believe and I trust the coach to make up amendments and to bring up the other boys, a boy like Prince Boateng, who has just joined the team, to patch up the differences and make the appointment and therefore the difference will be very minimal, very, very minimal, I believe so and I trust the boys who will feature for the nation that they can make it," he said.
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