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Australia was beaten 1-0 by Italy in a dramatic finish A Chinese TV football commentator has apologised for on-air remarks made during the World Cup match between Italy and Australia earlier this week. Huang Jianxiang lost his cool when Italy knocked Australia out of the World Cup with an injury-time goal. Shouting support for Italy, he made comments such as "I hate Australia" in a rant which lasted several minutes. After complaints from Australian fans, Mr Huang apologised, saying his emotions had got the better of him. Comments such as "long live Italy" initially caused amusement. But after several...

My theory is that Americans have neither the belief system nor the temperment for such a sisyphean sport as soccer. We are a society of doers, achievers, and builders. Our country is dynamic, constantly growing, and becoming ever bigger, richer, and stronger. We do not subscribe to a “zero sum” mentality. We do not labor for the sake of laboring. And we like our sports teams to score.

ROME (AFP) - The World Cup in Germany is set to become a battleground between facists and Muslims, an Italian member of a new European neo-Nazi movement warned. In a statement published by Italian daily Repubblica, the memeber of AS Roma's notorious ultras hooligan group claims neo-Nazis across Europe met in Braunau in Austria to plan attacks against supporters from Islamic countries during the World Cup in Germany from June 9 to July 9. "We are united. For the first time we are talking and planning together, with the English, the Germans, the Dutch, the Spanish, everyone with the same...

BAGHDAD, Dec. 11, 2005 – The sky over this city lit up with "celebratory gunfire" as Iraq beat Syria in a soccer match Dec. 10.As time ran out in Iraq's 4-3 victory, many Baghdad citizens ran outside and fired weapons in the air. "It's typical," an Air Force colonel who was caught outside during the beginning of the celebration said. "This is what happened when Iraq had the success in the Olympics last year. And Eid al Fitr (the celebration of the end of Ramadan) sounds like the Tet Offensive." An Iraqi linguist at the Ministry of Defense said he...

A footballer had to have six stitches in his penis after it was ripped open in a tackle. Chavdar Yankow, 21, sustained a three-inch gash playing for Hamburg 96 in Germany. His shorts were "soaked with blood" but team doctors managed to patch Yankow up. Amazingly, after the painful incident Yankow returned to the pitch and played on. And the German went on to score in his side's 2-0 win over Frankfurt.

BOGOTA (AP) - Rival fans clashed at a domestic soccer match in the Colombian capital late Wednesday, killing one person and wounding 23. Edison Andres Garzon died of injuries sustained during the riots that erupted after America de Cali defeated Santa Fe 5-2 in a Colombian first division game, firefighters said. Garzon, 20, was struck in the head and his body thrown over a balcony in Bogota's El Campin stadium, Garzon's cousin, Andrea Hernandez, told local radio. Most of the wounded were treated on the spot. The violence started when up to 100 Santa Fe fans angry over the referee's...