World Cup News

Czech Republic goalkeeper Petr Cech tried to prevent Ghana's Asamoah Gyan being booked for taking a penalty too soon by telling the referee a fan had fooled the striker by blowing a whistle in the stands.

"That's why he took the penalty because somebody blew the whistle," Cech said. "He was not guilty for that because somebody whistled him."

Gyan received the card anyway and will miss Ghana's next match against the United States because of a previous booking.

He converted the first kick but the ref ruled it out because he had not blown for it and Gyan struck the post with the 65th minute re-take.

Rooney to start against Sweden

Wayne Rooney will start England's final World Cup Group B game against Sweden tomorrow, said coach Sven-Goran Eriksson.

Striker Rooney, sidelined for nearly seven weeks after breaking his foot, played the last half-hour of Thursday's 2-0 win over Trinidad and has looked sharp in training.

Eriksson said: "The medical people say he can play more than 45 minutes, so if that is the case then it is better he starts the game than comes on."

Togo reach pay agreement

Togo's World Cup squad said last night they had settled their long-simmering pay dispute with the national football association.

Earlier in the day, the players had refused to leave their base in Wangen until the row over pay and bonuses was settled.

As a result, they missed their scheduled morning flight to Dortmund where the team were due to face Switzerland today.

"We have not actually received the money yet but we were given an assurance by FIFA that it will be paid in the coming week," midfielder Thomas Dossevi said. Dossevi said the players had agreed to lower their initial demands of 155,000 euros each to play and 30,000 euros for each win.

FIFA had earlier acknowledged that it intervened in the dispute after hearing that the Togo players were threatening to boycott today's game.

Michel to leave Ivory Coast

Ivory Coast coach Henri Michel said yesterday he considered their final Group C game against Serbia and Montenegro on Wednesday to be his last in charge, in line with his contract.

"The Ivorian Soccer Federation did not ask to extend my contract, so for me it finishes with the match against the Serbians," the 58-year-old Frenchman told a news conference.

Asked whether he would consider coaching another African team, Michel said: "I have given quite a lot to Africa already."

Yorke - text to victory

Trinidad captain Dwight Yorke intends to text or call as many England players as possible, urging them to win against Sweden and help his country to progress from World Cup Group B alongside the English.

If Trinidad beat Paraguay in their final group match tomorrow and England defeat Sweden at the same time, the Caribbean side will reach the second phase at their first finals if they have a better goal difference than the Swedes.

"I will be texting or will call the boys, like Rooney, Beckham, Ferdinand and Neville," he said.

"To be honest I will text them all if I can get their numbers, but certainly most of them anyway."

Perrotta doubtful for Czech game

Italy midfielder Simone Perrotta is doubtful for Thursday's Group E game against the Czech Republic due to a leg injury.

Perrotta limped through the latter stages of Saturday's 1-1 draw with the US after picking up a leg injury in a challenge with US defender Carlos Bocanegra. He could not go off because Italy had used all three substitutes.

"He suffered a heavy blow to his upper right leg. He may be able to recover but we will have to wait for further tests," said Italy team doctor Enrico Castellacci.

Paintsil wins friends in Israel

Ghana have gained lots of new fans in Israel after defender John Paintsil waved the Israeli flag to celebrate the West Africans' stunning World Cup Group E win over the Czech Republic on Saturday.

Paintsil, who plays for Hapoel Tel Aviv, won friends in the Jewish state both among Israelis and among the immigrant community of Ghanaian workers, many of whom live in an impoverished part of Israel's commercial capital.

"I'm happy and I'm pleased to have made you all happy as well," the gregarious Paintsil told Israel's sports Website ONE in an interview after Ghana's 2-0 win.

"I love the supporters in Israel so I decided to take out the flag. I have played for Hapoel and Maccabi Tel Aviv and the supporters there always made me happy so I wanted to repay them," the report, published in Hebrew, said.