Australia beat Japan 3-1 in a World Cup Group F match here on Monday. Substitute Tim Cahill scored twice late Monday and John Aloisi got one in stoppage time as the Socceroos shocked Japan 3-1 their Group F opener. The Aussies didn't appear capable of even tying the game after falling behind in the first half. But Cahill equalized when he picked up a loose ball off a throw-in and beat Japan goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi with a right-footed shot in the 84th minute

FIFA's networking partner said today it was expecting hackers to launch huge denial of service attacks against the World Cup football network as the first game of the long-awaited tournament in Germany draws closer

The 2006 FIFA World Cup (officially titled 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany) finals are scheduled to take place in Germany between 9 June and 9 July 2006

The 2006 FIFA World Cup (officially titled 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany) finals are scheduled to take place in Germany between 9 June and 9 July 2006

THE arrival of Formula One, and lack of sponsorship support, have combined to drive motor rallying in the Kingdom into obscurity, according to one of Bahrain's top rally drivers Hassan Al Sadadi. The 42-year-old is disappointed and pleaded with big organisations to step in to revive the sport. This year's cancellation of the Bahrain Rally, which clashed with the Formula One weekend, is another blow, added Al Sadadi

Before England fans get too optimistic about the World Cup on the basis of Sweden's poor performance, they ought to consider one important factor. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrik Larsson and Freddie Ljungberg played no part in yesterday's uninspiring fare and the extent of their country's reliance on them could hardly have been more starkly highlighted. "What you saw is only half of what England can expect," said Roy Hodgson, the Finland and former Blackburn manager

It was supposed to be a simple B international against a substandard Belarus team: only Sven Goran Eriksson's England could turn it into a farce. Defeated by 10 men, their goalkeeper Robert Green conceded a ludicrous goal and injured himself in the process - he is now out of the World Cup finals. Just give thanks it was not Belarus A. A gentle start to the summer in Germany on a mild evening in Berkshire and it ended in a strange kind of humiliation for England

The Liverpool manager, Rafael Benitez, has renewed his interest in the Feyenoord forward Dirk Kuyt and will again rival Newcastle United in pursuit of one of European football's most prolific goalscorers. Echoing their courtship of Michael Owen last August, both Liverpool and Newcastle have emerged as the leading candidates to offer the Dutch international the Premiership move he craves but was priced out of last summer, when Feyenoord valued the 25-year-old at €18m (£12.67m)

World War II was still fresh in the memory for the 1950 finals. Europe, devastated by the fighting, was licking its wounds while Asia was enveloped in new conflicts in Indochina. After an enforced break of 12 years, South America, left relatively unscathed by the War, was chosen to host the 1950 event, with Brazil welcoming the continent's first tournament since the inaugural one in 1930 in Uruguay