England win World Cup tie on penalties shock

That’s right, some England players do know how to take a penalty... at the Homeless World Cup in Italy.

People who are homeless and socially excluded are enjoying a once in a lifetime opportunity to represent their country and change their lives forever.

This annual international football tournament was first held in Graz in 2003. 18 national teams took part. Just six years later and 48 nations have come together for Milan 2009.

The event now supports grass roots football projects in over 60 nations and works with over 25,000 homeless and socially excluded people throughout the year.

Teams from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland are squaring up against the likes of Argentina, Germany, South Africa and Spain.

They play Street Soccer on courts 22m long by 16m wide. The maximum number of players on a team at any one time is four (three outfield and one goalkeeper). Halves last 14 minutes and winning teams receive three points. Drawn matches are decided by a sudden-death penalty shoot out.

In this year’s tournament England advanced through the Preliminary stage after winning four games and scoring 37 goals in Group D.

Yesterday the Secondary group stage saw England draw 3 – 3 with Rumania before winning a thrilling penalty shoot out. Earlier in the day the team had lost 4 – 2 against Portugal. Matches against Hungary and the Ukraine take place today.

After the Secondary stage, the teams are split into six groups of eight according to their results. England will be hoping to become one of the top eight ranking sides to play for the official Homeless World Cup trophy.

Let’s hope the players involved in a penalty shoot in South Africa can cope just as well.

For more on the Homeless World Cup visit http://www.homelessworldcup.org/

Biting nails, baiting the French, and looking away as Keane misses (again)

Continuing the look ahead to next month's World Cup qualifiers

Europe: Group Six

Free scoring England have 26 goals and 21 points to their name after 7 wins from 7 games. So why am I still biting my nails? Because Croatia can still get 23 points if they win their remaining three games, one of which is against England on September 9th. If the unthinkable were to happen and England were to draw their other two games, the group would be tied. Then the boffins at FIFA will scratch their heads before closely scrutinising the goal difference situation and wondering out loud why a bloke in England running an obscure footy blog was ever worried.

Forthcoming fixtures:

September 5th

Ukraine - Andorra

Croatia - Belarus


September 9th

England - Croatia

Belarus - Ukraine

Andorra - Kazakhstan


Europe: Group Seven

If France beat Romania next month, the clash in Belgrade four days later will take on special significance. Beat Serbia and the French would jump into top spot on 19 points. Am I alone in thinking this would be a travesty? Les Bleus have scored eight goals and conceded six in their six qualifying games so far. They only beat the Faroe Islands 1 – 0 and, by some accounts, could have lost. This is hardly the France of Platini, Tigana and Giresse; of Henry, Vieira and Zidane. Sad but true.

Forthcoming fixtures:

September 5th

Austria - Faroe Islands

France - Romania


September 9th

Faroe Islands - Lithuania

Romania - Austria

Serbia - France


Europe: Group Eight

Only one point separates the top two, so this group could still be up for grabs if The Republic of Ireland actually starts winning games. Over to you, Robbie Keane. Three wins and four draws have seen them cling on to Italy’s tatty coat tails, but somehow you feel this form won’t be good enough to secure an automatic place. That said, if they can’t beat Montenegro or Bulgaria, should the Republic be going to South Africa anyway? Watch out for the (possible) crunch game between the Irish and the Italians on October 10th in Dublin.

Forthcoming fixtures:

September 5th

Bulgaria - Montenegro

Cyprus - Republic of Ireland

Georgia - Italy


September 9th

Montenegro - Cyprus

Italy - Bulgaria