It's just not cricket

More used to bat and ball than Deco and Ronaldo, it is not the first time that football has been staged at the 'Bullring' of course... Scottish clubs Rangers and Aberdeen played there on a tour just a few seasons ago.

So with all other viable venues unavailable due to the impending World Cup, the match was staged there in front of a passionate and impressive turn-out of Portuguese fans, with just the faintest aroma of Chouriço sausage hanging in the air.

The scoreline hardly mattered, but it was 3-0 to the European side, though they did need two late-ish goals to give it that emphatic look. Portugal's coach Carlos Queiroz, once boss of Bafana Bafana, was born in Mozambique and so the game held a special significance for him.

It won't be our fault if we get knocked out

Former England captain John Terry has been lining up his side's excuses for their quarterfinal exit on penalties already on Tuesday, claiming the adidas Jabulani ball and the altitude at their Rustenburg base were making life difficult for them.

England open their Group C campaign against the USA in Rustenburg on Saturday so Terry and co had better get used to both, before they move on to sea level and Cape Town and Port Elizabeth for their remaining pool matches.

Kim Jong-il's boys are ready for Brazil - well, that's what they say

You have to admire the optimism of the North Korean side, which has been followed around by the western media with the kind of curiosity usually reserved for the discovery of new species in the animal kingdom.

I guess that is not surprising when the team says things like "we can beat Brazil", but then most of the squad had never seen a cellphone prior to their departure for South Africa (honestly!).

Finally, it was great to read an interview with World Cup LOC head-honcho Danny Jordaan on Tuesday.

I don't think the majority of the country understands the debt of gratitude we owe this man, who literally spent years away from his family spanning the globe and eating countless airline meals as he campaigned to win the bid to host the World Cup for South Africa.

What's more, he is an unassuming character who shies away from the limelight, and a true gentleman to boot. He deserves all the praise he gets from the tournament and more.