Football news

FIFA have told the US and Algerian squads that they cannot practise at Pretoria's Loftus Versfield Stadium on the eve of their crucial match on Wednesday.

Officials want to protect the pitch, which also is set to host Chile and Spain practice on Thursday and their match on Friday. Heaters have been used to help drying in shaded areas of the field after heavy rain last week.

This is not the first instance of practice bans to protect turf.

Serbia and Germany were denied match-eve practice access at Port Elizabeth's stadium in order to help ensure top grass for their match. Chile and Switzerland were not allowed to train at the same Nelson Mandela Bay venue ahead of today's match.

Ballack backs Germany for last 16

Injured Germany captain Michael Ballack has backed his side to beat Ghana on Wednesday to reach the last 16 at the World Cup, team manager Oliver Bierhoff has revealed.

Having hammered Australia 4-0 in their opening Group D game, Germany slumped to a 1-0 defeat by Serbia on Friday and now must beat Ghana to reach the last 16.

Ballack has shown his faith in the squad by telling coach Joachim Loew he plans to visit the team only after they reach the KO phase.

"Michael has spoken to Joachim and he plans to visit us, but he will only come after the third game and that shows he has every confidence in the team," Bierhoff said.

Ronaldo offers support for Rooney

Cristiano Ronaldo yesterday threw his support behind former Manchester United colleague Wayne Rooney, who has been a shadow of his normal self for England during the World Cup.

Ronaldo said Rooney was a class act but he was surprised that England have struggled in South Africa.

"I'm quite surprised they didn't win," said the Real Madrid star.

"Rooney fights a lot, he tries hard. But England have to try to win something.

"Rooney is playing alone at the front and it is hard when nothing is coming to him. When teams don't play well, it's always the big players' fault."

Monster vuvuzela muted in Cape Town

Authorities in Cape Town have put a sock into plans to honk a 37-metre-long (121-feet) vuvuzela over fears its sound could trigger traffic chaos, a report said yesterday.

The monster instrument, located on an unfinished flyover close to the city's Waterfront shopping area, is said to be the world's biggest trumpet and would have to be powered by the horn of a giant truck.

But South Africa's Sunday Times reported that officials fear the deafening racket could cause mayhem on the roads below.

Even standard-sized vuvuzelas, which measure less than a metre, are said to generate more decibels than a drum or a chainsaw.

Kuyt hopes Gerrard will remain a Red

Dirk Kuyt was disappointed to see Rafael Benitez leave his post as Liverpool boss and hopes the Spaniard will not be followed out of Anfield by captain Steven Gerrard.

"I wouldn't like to see Stevie G go. Everyone wants to keep Stevie at the club," Kuyt told the News of the World.

"He is the captain of the team, he's very important and his heart is bleeding Liverpool.

"So it must be a very good offer or a very good club if he wants to leave. But I don't know what will happen. It's just up to him and the club.

"I have spoken to Stevie while I have been here. We wished each other all the best before the games started but we just talked about football and not his future."

Ibra wants to leave Barca - reports

Barcelona's Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic wants to leave the Spanish side and could return to Italy or move to England, Spain's sports media reported yesterday.

The player has decided to quit the club after ending the season on the substitutes' bench and, according to the Catalan sports daily Mundo Deportivo, he prefers a transfer to Milan over Juventus or Manchester City, the two other clubs which have shown interest.

Rival Catalan sports daily Sport said the 28-year-old would be "ideal" for Milan, who are owned by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. English club Chelsea are also interested in the player, Sport added.

Dressing-room intruder arrested

South African authorities yesterday charged a 32-year-old man with trespass over a security breach which saw a fan give England's misfiring World Cup team a piece of his mind in their dressing room.

Police said they had managed to trace the suspect, named as Pavlos Joseph, to a hotel in the Camps Bay area of Cape Town where England played out a lacklustre goalless draw against Algeria on Friday night.

Joseph made a brief appearance before Cape Town magistrates and was granted bail of 500 rand (about €55) to appear back before the court today to face a trial.

On reaching the team's dressing room on Friday Joseph told the players: "You are a disgrace", the Sunday Mirror reported yesterday.

Joseph said he was looking for the toilet after the game when he mistakenly found his way into the dressing room.