Iraq celebrates football victory

A historic moment for Iraq's football team and the Iraqi nation

Thousands of Iraqis have spilled onto the streets to celebrate their football squad's Asian Cup victory, firing guns into the air despite a government ban.

Iraq beat Saudi Arabia 1-0. Celebratory gunfire was heard in Baghdad, where authorities had banned vehicles and urged fans not to gather.

It was feared crowds could be targets for bombers. Some 50 people died in attacks after Wednesday's semi-final.

Correspondents say Iraq's progress has temporarily united the divided country.

The team includes Sunni and Shia Muslims, as well as Kurds.

Thousands of Iraqis, who had been following the match in Indonesia on television, rushed into the streets of the capital and other cities to celebrate.

The crowds in Baghdad included members of the security forces. Guns were fired into the air despite an earlier warning by the authorities that any such displays would be punished.

"It's a huge success for Iraq and it's a very, very good news for Iraq," Iraq's national security adviser Mouwaffaq al-Rubaie told the BBC.

"You should come to see the jubilation and the joy which is spreading all over Baghdad's streets now. People are pouring in, hundreds of thousands of people are pouring into the streets."

Meanwhile, at the stadium in Jakarta, the BBC's Lucy Williamson said the atmosphere was electric.

She said there was huge sympathy and support in Indonesia for the Iraqi team, for their difficulties in training and the continuing violence at home.

Football fever

Earlier, the Iraqi authorities banned the use of vehicles in Baghdad until 0600 (0200 GMT) on Monday in an effort to prevent a repeat of the bloodshed which followed the semi-final win.

The crowds in Baghdad included members of the security forces

A similar ban was also imposed in the northern city of Kirkuk.

Military spokesman Brigadier General Qassim Moussawi said they wanted to stop "terrorists, Sunni extremists and criminals from targeting the joy of the people".

Iraq surprised the football world by beating tournament favourites Australia, and then former winners South Korea in Wednesday's semi-final match.

Wild celebrations followed that victory, with crowds dancing in the streets and waving the national flag.

But the party was brought to a bloody end as insurgents detonated bombs in two parts of Baghdad, killing about 50 people.

Hammers angry at Tevez move claim

Tevez saved West Ham from relegation last season

West Ham have dismissed claims that striker Carlos Tevez is set to complete his move to Manchester United.

Representatives for the Argentine, 23, say he will have a medical at Old Trafford on Wednesday when he returns from Sunday's Copa America final.

But West Ham are said to be bewildered by the latest statements on the future of Tevez, calling them irresponsible.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson remains "hopeful" a deal can be reached to take the striker to Old Trafford.

He said: "I think we have got the player - we think he's our player and are very hopeful.

Personal terms have been agreed... Carlos feels confident now he is a Manchester United player Tevez's agent Kia Joorabchian

"Everyone was excited when we thought we could get Tevez. He's exciting, his form is fantastic and at 23 he can get better."

Personal terms are understood to have been agreed and United have agreed an initial loan deal to sign Tevez.

The Premier League has insisted West Ham, who hold Tevez's registration, must receive the majority of the fee rather than Kia Joorabchian, who owns Tevez's economic rights.

A spokesman said: "Any deal for Carlos Tevez has to be done directly with West Ham United.

"They hold the registration and we will not transfer the registration unless a deal is done directly with the club."

West Ham were only allowed to keep playing Tevez last season after assuring the Premier League all third-party clauses in the player's contract had been severed.

But Joorabchian is confident he is on sound legal footing to push the transfer through.

"We don't see any problems. I spoke to United on Thursday and they are confident they will have him registered next week," said Joorabchian.

"Carlos will come on Tuesday, have a medical on Wednesday at United and hopefully we will have administrative issues sorted next week.

"Personal terms between Carlos and United have been agreed in full. He feels confident now he is a Manchester United player."

Joorabchian said the time was right for the former Corinthians striker to leave Upton Park.

"Carlos is a bit sad as, in terms of West Ham, he felt very attached to the club last season," he added.

"He helped them out of the relegation battle but he is a sportsman, he doesn't understand the administrative bits and pieces.

"He knows he is not fighting with West Ham or demanding anything.

"He loved his time there and it was mutually agreed he would be there for a year and he has served his year.

"He feels confident now he is a Man United player."

England bid for World Cup benefit

By Bill Wilson Business reporter, BBC News

Mr Caborn will speak to Fifa boss Sepp Blatter later this year

Successfully bringing the 2018 Fifa World Cup to England would create a "golden decade" for sport and provide a massive boost to the national economy, says the man charged with securing the event.

Former Sports Minister Richard Caborn is now charged with bringing the World Cup to England, should Fifa decide that Europe will host the tournament 11 years from now.

Huge benefits

The World Cup can bring a feel-good factor too

"There will be huge economic benefits if we get the 2018 World Cup, particularly as sport is such a massive business now," the central Sheffield MP told the BBC website.

"You can look at the investment that will go into work around sporting facilities, and other sectors that would strongly benefit would include the tourism, transport and communications sectors.

We are all making sure we are in a position to move very quickly Richard Caborn, World Cup ambassador

"The World Cup is also very different from the Olympics as it would go round England, with games being played in all of the regions, such as in the North West and North East.

"So it is fair to say that the regions would benefit economically too, not just London and the South East."

A report cited by the European Union estimates that sport in Europe generated more than 400 bn euros ($550bn; £271bn) in 2004, accounting for 3.7% of the EU economy and providing work for 15 million people.

And the German economy was given a boost when it hosted the 2006 World Cup, with thousands of fans spending money on hotels, transport, food and drink, and consumer goods.

Shoestring budget

Unlike when he was a minister, with an army of civil servants to help him, Mr Caborn is working pretty much on his own at present.

"At the moment we have got a couple of people working for me in Whitehall, and that is it.

"There is no real budget to speak of, as we do not know whether the event will held in Europe and are waiting on Fifa's decision."

Fans from around the world gave the German economy a lift in 2006

Fifa has not made a decision yet as to whether the 2018 World Cup will be held in Europe, as it debates how to implement its policy of rotating the tournament around the continents.

"Fifa will determine which continent the 2018 World Cup will go to in November," he said.

"But if it comes into Europe then we will work very closely with the Football Association (FA), as we did with the London mayor's office on 2012, and set up a company to handle our bid.

"Fifa will then call for expressions of interest, open a candidate file, and make a decision," the Sheffield United supporter said.

'Confidence'

In the meantime he is making sure the Football Association is ready to act, should the Fifa decision be favourable.

"I met FA chairman Geoff Thompson last week. We are all making sure we are in a position to move very quickly when any announcement is made.

The commercialisation of sport, especially football, has moved at a pace that no one could have envisaged Richard Caborn, World Cup ambassador

"If it comes to England then we would have a long lead-in, pretty much similar to what we had with the Olympics.

"This could be a golden decade for sport in the UK, and with all the spin-off benefits to the economy that would bring too."

He also said that lessons learned during the 2012 Olympics would be a great help to staging a World Cup in 2018.

"And the confidence that hosting the Olympics has brought would be repeated if we secured the World Cup," the Sheffield United supporter added.

'In Fifa's hands'

Mr Caborn hopes to speak to Fifa boss Sepp Blatter in Sheffield this autumn before the world governing body makes its decision on which continent will stage the 2018 competition.

South Africa will host the 2010 World Cup, while Brazil look set to win the rights to stage the 2014 event, with a final decision expected by the end of the year.

The event was last held in Europe in 2006 when Germany hosted the World Cup.

Italy won glory in the 2006 World Cup

England won the World Cup as hosts in 1966.

In February, Prime Minister Gordon Brown, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, said the tournament should return to "the nation which gave football to the world".

Any FA bid would have to be submitted in 2010 before a decision late the following year.

Earlier this year Mr Blatter told a gathering of football industry leaders that England was the only country with the infrastructure to host a World Cup at short notice.

"We are very much in Fifa's hands at the moment, but I hope to put the case for holding the World Cup in Europe, and of course England, to them" says Mr Caborn.

'Globalised industry'

Mr Caborn was talking to the BBC at a World Sports Law Report seminar on the issue of sport governance, to discuss the extent to which outside bodies - such as the European Union - can legislate in sporting matters.

"Sport has to show it can respond to the changing world, and say 'we are in the real commercial world', as it is now a globalised industry.

"The commercialisation of sport, especially football, has moved at a pace that no one could have envisaged.

"We have got to have the management to deal with that. Governments can incentive sports to be as run as well as they can be," the former sports minister said.

Argentina to meet Brazil in final

SEMI-FINAL: ARGENTINA 3-0 MEXICO

Messi scored a sublime goal to help Argentina go through

Argentina set up the dream Copa America final with Brazil after a comprehensive 3-0 win over Mexico in Puerto Ordaz.

Andres Guardado hit the post as Mexico started well, but Argentina went ahead with a volley from Manchester United's Gabriel Heinze right on half-time.

Lionel Messi doubled the lead with a remarkable goal, lifting the ball home from the right-hand side of the area.

Rafael Marquez brought down Carlos Tevez four minutes later and Juan Roman Riquelme cheekily scored the penalty.

Alfio Basile's side largely outclassed the Mexicans to book their place in Sunday's showpiece encounter at the Jose Pachencho Romero stadium in Maracaibo.

Mexico had started the game well and had the first real chance, Juan Carlos Cacho taking advantage of a defensive mistake only to fire over the crossbar.

Javier Zanetti mis-hit a shot and Tevez fired at keeper Oswaldo Sanchez for Argentina before Guardado rifled against the right-hand post.

Argentina broke the deadlock on half-time, as Riquelme drifted a free-kick into the area and Heinze volleyed home at the far post.

Omar Bravo and Alberto Medina came on for Mexico at the break and they went agonsiginsly close again, Nery Castillo seeing his shot cannon back off the crossbar.

Just as they could see a way back into the game, Barcelona genius Messi put it out of their reach with a moment of pure inspiration.

Collecting Tevez's pass on the right-hand side of the penalty box, Messi cut across the ball to produce an outrageous chip that floated over a stranded Sanchez.

After 65 minutes it was all over, Marquez obstructing Tevez in the area and Riquelme stepping up to audaciously flick home the resulting penalty.

Substitute Rodrigo Palacio fired over when well-placed and Messi saw another effort drift wide as Argentina could have added more towards the end of the game.

They will now bid for a record 15th title when they meet arch rivals Brazil on Sunday.

Mexico must settle for a third-place play-off against Uruguay instead.

---

Argentina coach Alfio Basile:
"It's the last link in the chain and playing in a classic derby against Brazil is the greatest.

"As for Messi's goal, only a genius, a superstar could do this. It was an extraordinary feat that moved everybody."

Mexico coach Hugo Sanchez:
"We tried our best, but we must say the opponents were superior.

"There's nothing left but to recognize just how good this Argentina team really is."

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Next fixtures (Kick-off times BST):

Saturday 14 July - Third-place play-off
Uruguay v Mexico (2105)

Sunday 15 July - Final
Brazil v Argentina (2105)

Kent boss wants Worcs punishment

Much of the New Road outfield was covered in standing water

Kent's Graham Ford wants the England and Wales Cricket Board to take action against Worcestershire after their game at New Road was abandoned on day three.

Worcestershire refused to go elsewhere in the county or play in Kent despite their problems in clearing flood water.

Director of cricket Ford said: "There were other options and we'd have had cricket played at the other venues."

ECB chief executive David Collier said: "We will be reviewing the circumstances of the match and will make a decision."

He added: "There are quite significant implications and precedents we need to have a look through.

"We will be reviewing all of the facts and will make a decision in the next 48 hours."

New Road was flooded on 26 June when the Severn burst its banks, and the ground has not been fit for cricket since then despite frantic efforts from groundstaff and volunteers.

Worcestershire chief executive Mark Newton said the decision not to move the game was taken with Friday's lucrative televised Pro40 clash with Hampshire in mind.

The county suffered losses of £170,000 when their four Twenty20 games at New Road had to be abandoned or switched to other venues and they will lose around £80,000 more if the Hants game is washed out.

Moving would have meant deploying ground staff elsewhere, who would then have been unavailable to prepare New Road for Friday's game.

"I have no regrets about the decision to try and stage the game here," said Newton.

"As far as I am concerned the weather we have had this week has justified even more what we are trying to achieve because Friday is so important to us.

"For the future of this club Friday is absolutely critical. If we lose Friday it just compounds the whole financial issue even further."

Kent, who stress they have not made a formal complaint, are hoping the Championship game will be re-arranged later in the season.

Some action should be taken - Worcestershire have made their problems our problems Kent boss Graham Ford

They were forced to settle for four points for the draw as they look to move clear of the relegation zone in Division One and Ford is furious about the events of the last three days.

"There is sympathy for Worcestershire in the sense it has been a pretty tragic situation in terms of the flooding," he said. "But Iwe feel pretty hurt and let down.

"When a decision like that is made, surely the people who made the decision were aware of what is an acceptable set of conditions for first-class cricket.

"That is what they needed to present us with and they must also be aware of the punishments that are in place for not presenting the right conditions and they failed pretty dismally.

"Under those circumstances, some action should be taken. Worcestershire have made their problems our problems."

Brazil reach Copa America final

All the latest news from the Copa America in Venezuela.

SEMI-FINAL: BRAZIL 2-2 URUGUAY

Brazil win 5-4 on penalties

Former Arsenal striker Julio Baptista scored for Brazil

Defending Copa America champions Brazil twice lost their lead against Uruguay before triumphing on penalties in a bad-tempered semi-final in Maracaibo.

Brazil went ahead in the 13th minute after the first flowing move of the game, which was played in sapping heat and humidity.

A break down the right ended with Fabian Carini superbly saving Mineiro's shot only for Maicon to snap up the rebound.

The game was then held up for 14 minutes when the floodlights failed, but upon the restart Uruguay took the initiative.

Alvaro Recoba's inswinging free kicks and corners were causing havoc in the Brazil defence and for Brazil goalkeeper Doni - who also had to save Diego Forlan's snap shot.

But in the fourth minute of first-half injury time - added on for the floodlight failure - Doni failed to clear a Recoba cross and the ball fell to Forlan, who scored with a low shot from the edge of the area.

Brazil regained the lead five minutes later when former Arsenal striker Julio Baptista headed in following a free-kick on the right.

But as Brazil eyed a place in the final, Uruguay pulled level again in the 70th minute through substitute Sebastian Abreu, who replaced Recoba at halftime.

Jorge Fucile slipped the ball to Cristian Rodriguez on the left, his cross was headed on by Forlan to Abreu, who scrambled the ball in at the far post.

With the scores level at 2-2, a tense period of extra-time followed, but neither side could conjure up a breakthrough.

A dramatic penalty shoot-out went to sudden death. After Fernando hit the post for Brazil, Pablo Garcia - needing to convert to send Uruguay through - did the same.

Arsenal's Gilberto then scored for Brazil and Diego Lugano missed to put Brazil into the final.

But the game ended in an ugly scuffle after Brazil's celebrations appeared to provoke Uruguay as they repeated their penalty shootout win over the same opponents at the same stage of the previous tournament three years ago.

Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez and his players left without commenting after the match.

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Brazil coach Dunga:
"To be a winning team, you have to know how to suffer.

"In the most difficult moment, you have to have posture, courage and fight until the end.

"I want to thank the players because they left their families behind to come here and play in a very difficult competition.

"We have been together for nearly one month and their behaviour has been exemplary throughtout. They have shown great dedication, effort and love for the shirt of Brazil. All this has been after a long and tiring season in Europe.

"I wasn't certain we would win but I had great conviction that we would.

"Penalties are not just about the moment, it's a result of the preparation and work beforehand."