24th June 2010

Japan beat Denmark 3-1 at Rustenberg stadium today. Rustenberg is off the usual route of tourists to South Africa. Previously, it was conveniently sited on the road to Sun City, a renowned holiday resort in the Magaliesburg district of South Africa. The area is associated with the platinum mining industry of South Africa. The stadium was built for use by the Bafokeng tribe, the richest tribe in the World. The Bafokeng people own the mineral rights to most of the platinum mines in South Africa. The stadium is called the Royal Bafokeng stadium. It shall be remembered by the English especially as the venue where their goal keeper Robert Green made a goal keeping blunder by letting the ball slip through his fingers and into the net for a goal to the Americans.

At the Cape Town stadium, the Netherlands beat Cameroon 2-1. The Cape Town stadium is best appreciated when viewed from Signal Hill which is the hill overlooking the stadium and is part of the Table Mountain range. The spectacular design is best appreciated at dusk as the lights of the city are switched on. The view from Signal Hill also allows the viewer to appreciate the beauty of the rest of Cape Town that is visible from there.

At the Ellis Park stadium, Slovakia caused another major upset in the tournament by beating Italy 3-2.  This was then the end of the Italians at this year’s World Cup. Many other teams would feel relieved by the close to miraculous result pulled off by the Slovakians today. This result then accounted for the two finalists at the last world cup held in Germany. France had exited earlier in the week after their loss to hosts South Africa in Bloemfontein.

Paraguay and New Zealand drew without scoring in the fourth game for today that was played at the Polokwane Peter Mokaba stadium.  The New Zealand team has drawn much admiration from soccer fans for the results that they have achieved at this year’s tournament. I shall remember the fans pulling off their shirts, women included after every match their team participated in.

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