A save from Israeli goalkeeper Dudu Aouate in injury time helped his side earn a 1-1 with Greece in a 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ qualifier.
Greece are now level on ten points with Switzerland in European Zone, Group 2, one ahead of Israel.
Greece took the lead in the 42nd minute, silencing the local crowd when Fanis Gekas pounced on a rebounding shot to put the ball into the Israeli goal from close range.
Israel began the second half with more determination and got the equaliser in the 55th minute, when Omer Golan slotted the ball into the Greek net after being put through by Yossi Benayoun.
The Liverpool midfielder, whose inclusion in the team was in doubt until the last minute due to a leg injury, was carried off in the 77th minute.
Aouate then saved from Gekas in injury time.
The two sides face each other again on Wednesday in Crete
Israel share points with Greece
Comfortable win for Korea DPR
In a one-sided encounter, Pak Nam-Chol put the hosts ahead in the 51st minute before Mun In-Guk struck in stoppage time to make the points safe.
The win moves the Koreans top of Group Two with tenpoints from five games while the UAE remain rooted to the foot of the table with just one point.
The hosts started well with skipper Hong Yong-Jo causing a number of problems for the UAE
defence and his pass found Jong Tae-Se through on goal but Majed Naser did well to deny the striker.Naser then twice denied Jong when the Kawasaki Frontale player was first through on goal before his header was superbly palmed away by the shotstopper.
But there was nothing Naser could do to deny Korea DPR taking the lead in the 51st minute as Pak picked up a pass on the edge of the area, took one touch to steady himself and struck a delightful effort into the top left corner of the net.
Pak shot wide in the 64th minute after Hong had set the defender up while substitute Mohamed Ibrahim sent an effort from distance wide in a rare UAE attack six minutes later.
Mun issued a warning to the UAE in the 78th minute when he rattled the left upright with a shot from distance before the visitors enjoyed a rare spell of pressure in the closing stages as they threatened to snatch a late equaliser. Mun put the game beyond them three minutes into injury time when he smashed home a pass from Ji Yun-Nam.
The people's champions
As the clock ticks down to the next instalment of qualifiers on the road to South Africa, FIFA.com looks back at the individuals and teams that
captured the public's imagination and have become the stuff of legend for their displays during a FIFA World Cup finals.Dance of a lionNo fewer than four times during the 1990 edition in Italy, a crafty little forward from Cameroon by the name of Roger Milla strode towards the corner flag and wiggled his hips to the rhythm of the lambada. Seconds previously on each occasion, the quick-thinking legend had found the back of the net for the Indomitable Lions, helping his team reach the quarter-finals and seducing football lovers the world over in the process. Who would have believed that Milla was 38 at the time and had come into the tournament on the back of a seven-month amateur stint on Reunion Island? Considered no more than an impact substitute when the tournament began, he was still around
four years later to celebrate another goal at USA 1994. Aged 42 by then, he thus became the oldest scorer at a FIFA World Cup finals. Now a FIFA Football Committee member, he maintains that records and distinctions count for little, saying: "Football was all that ever mattered to me."Colombia's bird of paradiseIt was also during the 1994 tournament that another extravagant talent struck a chord with supporters. Sporting a unique shock of blond hair worthy of a record itself, Carlos Valderrama arrived in the US as part of a highly rated Colombian team fresh from their sensational 5-0 qualifying win over Argentina in Buenos Aires.
Football was all that ever mattered to me
The inimitable Roger Milla speaking of his record and lasting moments.
Valderrama and Co ultimately finished last in their group, but El Pibe (The Kid) made a big impression thanks also to his energy and clever passing, all of which helped him become a sensation Stateside. "I was very surprised by the enthusiasm football generated in the United States," he later declared. It was no surprise, then, when he became one of the highest-profile foreign imports in Major League Soccer, making a big contribution to the growth of the game in America.
Eusebio: goals and tearsThe most spectacular contribution to a single FIFA World Cup encounter undoubtedly belongs to Portugal's finest, however. Nicknamed the Black Pearl, Eusebio gave the watching world notice of his extraordinary abilities on English soil in 1966, firstly by firing outsiders Portugal past Brazil with a double against the defending champions during the group stage. Next, faced with Korea DPR in an unforgettable quarter-final contest, the speedy striker notched four goals and added an assist in the space of just 32 minutes, turning a disastrous three-goal deficit into a famous 5-3 win by the time the final whistle blew.
For the 24-year-old from Mozambique, this was the tournament of his life, despite his myriad other achievements. Eusebio found the target nine times in total and fully deserved his Ballon d'Or that year, after Portugal had succumbed to the hosts and eventual champions in the next round. The tears streamed down Eusebio's face after that defeat, but English supporters had long since fallen under his spell and even immortalised his displays with a waxwork at Madame Tussauds.
Who will shine next summer?The history of the global showcase is littered with similar tales celebrating the heroes and offbeat characters of the beautiful game. Diego Maradona at Mexico 1986 and Pele in Sweden during the 1958 tournament would likewise be worthy of mention, as would Mexican goalkeeper Jorge Campos, purveyor of an eccentric fashion sense and inimitable style between the sticks. More recently, the teams from Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago have won over the neutrals courtesy of their refreshing football.
Which other fan favourites have stood out for you? Who are the players who inspire you now and which players can you imagine winning over supporters across the planet at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa? Let us know your thoughts by adding your comments below!
Johannesburg World Cup 2010 Stadiums
Soccer City is the jewel in South Africa's crown, built in 1987 and with a capacity of 94,700 (excluding Media and VIP's) it is sure to offer a great atmosphere for the lucky few that get tickets and hopefully as the stadium to be used for the first game, provide an excellent springboard for a magnificent tournament.
For 2010, the upper tier will be extended around the stadium, an encircling roof will be constructed, new changing room facilities will be developed and new floodlights will be installed.
Ellis Park was constructed in 1982 as a modern, integrated stadium offering outstanding sight lines from every seat. The Stadium stands within a world class sporting precinct, barely 15 minutes' walk from the Johannesburg City Centre, and offers outstanding office, security and medical features.
For 2010, new upper tiers will be constructed behind each of the goals, at the north and south ends of the venue, increasing the net capacity by 10,149 seats to a total 60,000.
Ellis Park will host one quarter final match.
South Africa World Cup lottery scam starts up again
Bogus emails are doing the rounds saying you have won the 2010 World Cup lottery. This is a scam and to be honest not a very good one.
They have even started a very dodgy looking website which on first glance shouldn't be trusted but you never know which is why we're telling you now; do not pass over any personal information of any kind!
The email will tell you that the lottery is sponsored by the likes of Microsoft, Coca Cola, Nokia, MTN and many other companies. It's not true. Do not believe it just because it's on the internet.
We've notified the 2010 Local Organising Committee and lawyers representing the 2010 LOC but that's all we can do to help. Again, do not pass over any personal data, you've not won anything and in passing over personal information you're only going to get fleeced.
If you've not yet applied for World Cup tickets, you better hurry up!
The World Cup might still be over a year away, but your first chance to apply for tickets will soon be gone, unless you want to pay silly money to ticket touts or websites with promises of getting tickets and maybe not getting them.
You have until March 31st to apply on the FIFA website here.
There are going to be another four phases to get tickets but if you are desperate to go, your best chance is if you are involved in all of them and as long as you apply before March 31st, you'll know two weeks later if you've got them.
The other phases will be taking place as follows:
Phase Two: May 4th 2009 to November 16th 2009
Applications submitted during this stage will be processed, subject to availability, on a first come first served basis. Basically, if you don't get on phase one, you need to be up early on May 4th.
Phase Three: December 5th 2009 to January 22nd 2010
This phase is very much like the first one that we are in currently. From the FIFA ticketing website: all correctly submitted applications received during this stage will be considered for allocation. If the number of applications for Match or Team Specific tickets exceeds the number of tickets available, tickets will be allocated by a random selection draw taking place on 1 February 2010. Please note: it makes no difference whether you apply early, on 5 December 2009, or late, on 22 January 2010. Each correctly submitted application will have the same opportunity of being successful in the draw.
Phase Four: February 9th 2010 to April 7th 2010
Like phase two, first come first served, so get up early on February 9th 2010.
Last Phase: April 15th 2010 to July 11th 2010
Tickets will be sold at point of sale and again on a first come first served basis.
Please remember, the only place you can order these tickets is from the FIFA Ticketing website - do not be duped into thinking you can get these tickets anywhere else.
2010 World Cup Qualifying Section - Africa
The CAF will receive six spaces at the 2010 Finals, including South Africa, who qualify as the host nation. This leaves 53 nations competing for the remaining five spaces.
This was narrowed down to 48 teams with a preliminary qualifying round for the smaller nations in late 2007 and 12 groups of four teams were drawn. All group winners and the 8 best runners-up advance to the next stage of the qualifying, where they will compete in five groups of four, with the group winners qualifying for the 2010 World Cup Finals.
As a result of the vast number of games African countries have to play to qualify, the qualifying campaign will also serve to determine qualification for the 2010 African Nations Cup finals. For this reason, South Africa will also participate in the qualifying campaign, however their presence at the 2010 World Cup finals is assured, even if they fail during the qualifying process.
The African qualifying campaign is always very interesting. While the European and South American qualifying is normally fairly consistent and throws up few surprises, a large number of African countries including Togo, Tunisia, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, Nigeria and South Africa have made it to the finals in recent years. With only 6 slots available, it is sure to be an interesting qualifying campaign.
2010 World Cup Football Shirts
New international kit for the finals will be available from late 2009 and we will have full details of all the latest kits as soon as they are available. Keep checking this page where we will link to the latest national team football shirts and jerseys.
Our recommended source for official football shirts is UKSoccershop, who stock jerseys for all nations competing in the finals and offer authentic shirt printing for your favourite player.
Zakumi - a Mascot with attitude
Needless to say, he is extremely proud to be the Official Mascot and determined to be the best host for everyone visiting his beloved country. He symbolizes South Africa and the rest of the African continent through his self-confidence, pride, hospitality, social skills and warm-heartedness.
Zakumi is a jolly, self-confident, adventurous, spontaneous, and actually quite shrewd little fellow. He loves to perform and always follows his instinct and intuition, yet sometimes has the tendency to exaggerate a bit. You will often find him fooling about and teasing people but not in a mean way. He is warm-hearted and caring, and wants to make as many friends as possible.
He loves to play football as it is a great way to connect with others and break down language barriers. He always carries his football around which he will use to invite people to play with him.
Zakumi loves football. At one time he decided to dye his hair green as he felt it would be the perfect camouflage against the green of the football pitch; a bit like his rosette spots are when hunting in the wilderness!He does have one striking weakness. With all his energy, he needs frequent rests. Occasionally, in-between performances on stage, he may suddenly fall asleep on the spot at the most random times! But rest assured, these are only short breaks that a leopard of his calibre needs to recharge his batteries.
Over the last years he has travelled the whole of Africa where the leopard habitat is good (pretty much everywhere from open savannahs, forests, jungles to mountainous areas, even deserts). He has therefore learned to adapt to new environments; enjoying the diversity in nature and people across the African continent
The name ‘Zakumi' is a composition of ‘ZA' standing for South Africa and ‘kumi', which translates into ‘10' in various languages across Africa.
Zakumi's main priority is to turn the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa into one huge, joyful and unforgettable party and show the thousands of international guests the warmth and spirit of the African continent.
"He wants to create a good mood for the fans and raise the excitement for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the first on African soil. He is a proud South African and wants to ensure that the world will come together in South Africa," explained Lucas Radebe, South Africa's football icon and close friend of Zakumi.
South African residents also have the opportunity to register through ticket application forms available at FNB National Bank branches in South Africa, where they will receive a FNB Visa Official Mascot Prepaid Card in exchange for an amount equal to that of the tickets that they apply for."The fervour is already palpable within South Africa and all around the world: everyone wants to take part in this extraordinary event. Our ticketing policy has been drawn up to reflect our determination to ensure that FIFA's flagship competition is accessible to all football fans. We hope that you will come and enjoy the game!" said FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke.