Ni Uti!

Mshiriki wa Big Brother All Stars Uti kutoka Nigeria anyakua Bingo baada ya kushinda shindalo hilo lilowashirikisha washiriki kutoka nchi 14 za Afrika.

Kwa Habari zaidi kuna hapa.

Chilean miners rescue: all 33 men out

Luis Urzúa arrives at the Copiapó hospital for a complete physical examination after being rescued from the San José mine. Photograph: Mariana Bazo/Reuters

Luis Urzúa, whose calm leadership guided his colleagues through their darkest hours, became the last of the 33 trapped Chilean miners to be freed early this morning, rising to the surface of the Atacama desert as the epic, 22-hour rescue operation drew to a close.

The 54-year-old foreman ascended smoothly through nearly 700m (2,260ft) of rock in the Fenix 2 rescue capsule to tell the Chilean president, Sebastían Piñera, and a crowd of 2,000 jubilant onlookers: "We have done what the entire world was waiting for. The 70 days that we fought so hard were not in vain. We had strength, we had spirit, we wanted to fight, we wanted to fight for our families, and that was the greatest thing."

The quick and flawlessly executed rescue operation exceeded expectations at every step. Officials first said it might be four months before they could get the men out; it turned out to be 69 days and about eight hours.

Once the escape tunnel was finished, they estimated it would take 36 to 48 hours to get all the miners to the surface. That picked up speed as the operation went along, and all the miners were safely above ground in 22 hours, 37 minutes.

Manuel González, the last of six rescue workers who talked the men through the final hours, was hoisted to the surface at 12:32 am Thursday local time (4.32am UK time) to hugs from his comrades and Piñera.

The crowd in Camp Hope, down the hill from the escape shaft, tossed off confetti, released balloons and sprayed champagne as Urzúa's capsule surfaced, joining in a rousing miners' cheer.

In nearby Copiapó, about 3,000 people gathered in the town square, where a huge screen broadcast live footage of the rescue. The exuberant crowd waved Chilean flags of all sizes and blew on red vuvuzelas as cars drove around the plaza honking their horns, their drivers yelling, "Viva Chile!".

And in the Chilean capital, Santiago, hundreds gathered in Plaza Italia, waving flags and chanting victory slogans in the miners' honour.

Piñera told Urzúa that he had become an inspiration to all Chileans. "You are not the same, and the country is not the same after this," he said, adding: "Go hug your wife and your daughter."

The president later tweeted: "We've lived through a magical day of deep emotion and overflowing joy that we will never forget."

The Chilean mining minister also took to Twitter to reflect on events. "The last rescuer is out," wrote Laurence Golborne. "Now we can say it: the rescue team, together with the country, rescued our 33 miners in 70 days. We did it!"

The US president, Barack Obama, meanwhile, said the rescue had "inspired the world".

Although the rescue operation — estimated to have cost at least $22m — has ended, the miners' ordeal is far from over.

The men are all recovering and undergoing exhaustive tests in Copiapó hospital. But the psychological consequences of their experience could prove harder to diagnose.

The health minister, Jaime Mañalich, said some of the miners could be discharged later today — 48 hours earlier than had been expected — but said many were anxious, had been unable to sleep, and wanted to talk to their families. One of the miners was treated for pneumonia, and two needed dental work. Mañalich is due to give a statement on their condition later today.

As the miners recover, further questions are likely be asked about conditions in the Chilean mining industry, which provides 40% of state earnings. Piñera has ordered an overhaul of safety regulations in the wake of the accident.

Source.

Mwisho is engaged to Meryl.

A shaky Mwisho went on bended knee and asked Meryl if she would marry him and she undoubtedly said “I’d love to baby” and Mwisho slipped her tanzanite ring on her ring finger.

In his speech, Mwisho had made it clear that he doesn’t come from a romantic family. “Whatever mistakes I make now, I hope I have a lifetime to do better things,” Mwisho assured all present as he laughed.

The two then shared their first kiss as an engaged couple.
Meryl's aunt, Jamela was curious whether this was serious or a joke and Meryl assured her that it was very serious and nothing can judge them but love and God.
Meryl said she was aware that people may have their own thoughts around their decision to get Engaged.

“The only people we have to answer to is us. We have decided that we want to spend the rest of our lives together,” Meryl said.

Meryl added that fate had it that they should be together on Big Brother All Stars because they had both seen and loved the other on TV. Meryl’s aunt helped her as she was talking saying “It was love at first sight”


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Orijino komedi-Mkwara wa Babu

Zanzibar Vs Ulabu

Wakati Serikali ya Mapinduzi Zanzibar hupiga marufuku matangazo ya Pombe katika visiwa vyote viwili vya Pemba na Unguja, Kinywaji Rasmi chenye ulevi aina ya Jupiler nchini Belgium kimetumiwa na mgahawa mmoja mjini Liege kuitangaza Zanzibar.

Kigamboni- Dar New City Center in 2030 Year

UZUSHI KUHUSU MADHARA YA MAWASILIANO YA SIMU TANZANIA

Mamlaka ya Mawasiliano Tanzania (TCRA) imepata malalamiko kutoka kwa

watumiaji wa simu za mkononi kwamba kuna ujumbe unaosambazwa kwamba

ukipokea simu utapata madhara.

Mamlaka ya Mawasiliano inapenda kuwahakikishia wananchi kwa ujum;a

kwamba taarifa zinazoenezwa ni za uzushi na sio za kweli. Wananchi wanaombwa

kupuuza uzushi huo kwa kua hauna ukweli wowote.

Kutokana na maendeleo ya sayansi na teknolojia, kuna tafiti nyingi zimefanyika

sehemu nyingi duniani, ambazo zimeonyesha kwamba kiwango cha mawimbi ya

mawasiliano hakina madhara kwa afya ya binadamu. Mamlaka inashauri watumiaji

wa huduma na wananchi wote kwa ujumla, kuendelea kuwa na imani na teknolojia

mpya zikiwemo za mawasiliano ya simu, utangazaji na utumiaji wa kompyuta,

ambazo hutumiwa ulimwenguni kote bila kuleta madhara yoyote.

Madhumuni ya Mamlaka ya Mawasiliano na watoa huduma za mawasiliano

kwa ujumla ni kuwaletea wananchi wa Tanzania mawasiliano bora kwa

kujenga miundombinu, kutoa huduma bora na matumizi mema.

Uzushi unaoenea upuuzwe kwa kuwa hauna ukweli wowote.

Imetolewa na:

Mkurugenzi Mkuu

Mamlaka ya Mawasiliano Tanzania

Ni Serikali ya Mseto Zanzibar.

SERIKALI ya umoja wa kitaifa (GNU) imeanza kunukia Zanzibar, baada ya serikali kuandaa marekebisho ya katiba yatakayowasilishwa katika Baraza la Wawakilishi Jumatatu ijayo.

Kwa mujibu wa marekebisho hayo ya 10 ya Katiba ya Zanzibar ya mwaka 1984, ambayo Tanzania Daima imepata nakala yake, Rais wa Zanzibar atatoka chama kilichoongoza katika uchaguzi, makamu wa kwanza atatoka chama cha upinzani kilichofuatia na kutakuwa na makamu wa pili wa rais ambaye atakuwa mtendaji mkuu serikalini atakayetoka chama tawala.

Ibara ya 39 (1) (2) ya mapendekezo hayo inasema rais ndani ya siku saba baada ya kushika madaraka atatakiwa kuteua makamu wa kwanza wa rais na makamu wa pili.

Hata hivyo, marekebisho hayo ya sheria yameeleza makamu wa kwanza wa rais atateuliwa na rais baada ya kushauriana na chama kilichopata nafasi ya pili katika matokeo ya kura ya uchaguzi wa rais wa Zanzibar.

Tangu kuanza kwa uchaguzi wa kwanza wa vyama vingi Zanzibar chama cha CUF ndicho pekee kimekuwa kikipata viti vya uwakilishi na ubunge na kimekuwa kikitoa upinzani mkubwa kwa chama tawala CCM.

Mapendekezo hayo ya marekebisho ya katiba yanasema iwapo hakutakuwa na chama kilichofikisha asilimia tano ya kura za rais au rais kukosa mpinzani katika uchaguzi, nafasi ya makamu wa kwanza wa rais itapewa chama chochote cha upinzani kilichotokea nafasi ya pili kwa wingi wa majimbo.

Kwa mujibu wa mapendekezo hayo ibara ya 39 (1) (7), makamu wa pili wa rais ndiye atakuwa mshauri mkuu wa rais katika kutekeleza kazi zake na pia atakuwa ndiye kiongozi wa shughuli za Serikali ya Mapinduzi Zanzibar na hakutakuwa na Waziri Kiongozi.

Aidha, mapendekezo hayo yanasema rais atateua mawaziri kutoka miongoni mwa wajumbe wa Baraza la Wawakilishi kwa kuzingatia uwiano wa viti vya majimbo wa vyama vya siasa vilivyomo ndani ya Baraza la Wawakilishi.

Kwa mujibu wa muswada huo, makamu wa kwanza wa rais hatakuwa mjumbe wa Baraza la Wawakilishi, isipokuwa atakuwa mshauri wa rais na atafanya kazi zote atakazopangiwa na rais.

Pia muswada huo unaeleza kuwa kutakuwa na makatibu wakuu katika Afisi ya Rais, makamu wa kwanza na makamu wa pili, ambapo wadhifa wa Katibu Mkuu Baraza la Mapinduzi umefutwa na badala yake kutakuwa na Katibu Mkuu Kiongozi.

Kwa muswada huo, Katibu Mkuu Kiongozi ndiye atakuwa kiongozi mkuu wa watumishi wa umma Zanzibar.

Muswada huo wa sheria umebadilisha maneno ndani ya kifungu cha 37 (2) cha Katiba ya Zanzibar yanayohusu vitendo vya kudhalilisha Muungano na badala yake kuingiza maneno ‘mwenendo unaodhalilisha kiti cha Rais.’

Muswada huo pia umegusa vikosi vya Serikali ya Mapinduzi Zanzibar, kikiwemo cha Kukomesha Magendo (KMKM), Jeshi la Kujenga Uchumi na Chuo cha Mafunzo, ambavyo baada ya kupitishwa muswada huo vitaitwa Idara Maalumu.

Muswada huo pia unampa uwezo Rais wa Zanzibar kuteua wakuu wa mikoa bila ya kushauriana na Rais wa Jamhuri ya Muungano katika mikoa mitano ya Zanzibar.

Awali kifungu cha 61 kilikuwa kimeweka masharti kuwa Rais wa Zanzibar atateua wakuu wa mikoa kutoka kila mkoa kati ya mikoa mitano ya Zanzibar kwa kushauriana na Rais wa Jamhuri ya Muungano.

Muswada wa marekebisho hayo ya Katiba ya Zanzibar umekuja siku tatu tangu Tume ya Uchaguzi Zanzibar kutangaza matokeo ya kura ya maoni, ambapo wananchi wengi waliunga mkono serikali ya umoja wa kitaifa.

Kwa mujibu wa matokeo ya kura ya maoni iliyotangazwa na Mwenyekiti wa Tume ya Uchaguzi Zanzibar, Khatib Mwinyichande, Jumapili iliyopita, wananchi wa Zanzibar kwa asilimia 66.4 waliunga mkono serikali hiyo kwa kupiga kura ya ndiyo, ambapo Kisiwa cha Pemba kimeongoza kwa kukubali mfumo wa serikali ya umoja wa kitaifa.

Katika Kisiwa cha Unguja, majimbo manane kati ya majimbo 32 yalipiga kura ya kukataa serikali ya umoja wa kitaifa, lakini majimbo yote 18 upande wa Pemba walipiga kura ya ndiyo.

Chanzo.

Magreth Sitta Ashikiliwa na TAKUKURU

WAZIRI wa Maendeleo ya Jamii Jinsia na Watoto , Bi. Magreth Sitta jana alikamatwa na maofisa wa Taasisi ya Kuzuia na Kupambana na Rushwa nchini (TAKUKURU) baada ya kutuhumiwa kutaka kuwahonga wajumbe wa Mkutano Mkuu wa Umoja wa Wanawake mkoani (UWT) Tabora ili wampatie kura.

Bi Sitta alikamatwa katika nyumba ya kulala wageni ya Camise, iliyopo katika Mtaa wa Cheyo mjini hapa, ambapo alidaiwa kukutwa na pesa taslimu sh. milioni moja, simu saba za mkononi aina ya Nokia na akiwa na mipango ya kuzungumza na wajumbe wa mkutano huo kutoka katika wilaya ya Uyui mkoani Tabora.

Kaimu Kamanda wa Takukuru Mkoa wa Tabora, Bw. Bruno Rwenyagira ilisema Bi. Sitta alikamatwa saa tisa usiku akiwa katika mchakato huo.

Bw. Brona alisema kwamba majira ya saa 7.30 usiku walianza kutembelea nyumba za wageni ambazo wajumbe walishukia walipokua katika nyumba ya kulala wageni ya Maridadi waliona gari aina ya TOYOTA SURF yenye namba T 339 ANL ikisimama na wajumbe walioshukia katika nyumba hiyo walitoka na kumlaki Bi Sitta .

Baadaye alianza kuzungumza na Bw. Michael Manyanda na Bw. Abdu Musa na alipoona mahali hapo si salama aliondoka katika mazingira ya kutanisha ndipo maafisa hao walipoamua kuwakamata wapiga debe wake na kuanza upekuzi katika gest hiyo .

Bw.Julius Kilimanjaro ambaye ni Katibu wa Vijana Wilaya uyui akiwa katika ofisi ya TAKUKURU alipigiwa simu Bi. Sitta akimweleza kwamba anataka kuonana na mjumbe aliyeitwa Mama Nely.

TAKUKURU waliamfuata Mama Nelly aliyekuwa akihitajika na Bi. Sitta katika gesti ya Camise na kumkuta na mwenzake kisha kuchukuliwa hadi ofisi ya TAKUKURU kwa mahojiano zaidi .

Bi. Sitta alifika katika geti hiyo saa 7.55 usiku akiwa kwenye gari yake aina ya TOYOTA Surf yenye namba za usajili T 339 ANL na kuwekwa chini ya ulinzi na baada ya kupekuliawa alikutwa na sh 1,015,000,simu saba aina ya Nokia na bahasha za khaki 145 tupu.

Taarifa hiyo ya TAKUKURU inaeleza kwamba wiki iliyopita Bi. Sitta alikamatwa katika Wilaya Nzega akigawa vitenge na kanga na aliachiwa kwa dhamana.

Wengine waliokamatwa na Bi. Sitta ni Bw.Julius kilimanjaro Katibu wa Vijana Wilaya ya Uyui , Bi. Lucy Samueli Simwanza, Katibu wa Vijana Kata ya Ipuli, Bi. Elizabeth Kondolo, Katibu UWT Kata ya Lutende, Bi. Catheri Sepetu Mwenyekiti wa Kata ya Lutende Bw. Michael Manyanda Mkuu wa Green Gurd wa CCM Tabora na Mara joseph Mwalimu Shule ya Msingi Majengo Tabora.

Wengine wanaoshikiliwa ni Cosmas Urio dereva wa surf Rashid Abdala katibu mwenezi manispaa ya Tabora na Abdu Kayamba pamoja na vijana kadhaa wa umoja wa vijana wa CCM waliokuwa wameambatana na Waziri katika harakati hizo

Chanzo

JK Kuvunja Bunge Leo

RAIS Jakaya Kikwete, leo jioni anatarajia kufunga na kulihutubia Bunge la Jamuhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania ambalo linamaliza muda wake Agosti mosi mwaka huu.

Hotuba ya Rais Kikwete ni ya mwisho kwa Bunge la 20, ambalo limepachikwa jina la Kasi na Viwango (Speed and Standard), chini ya uongozi wa Spika Samuel Sitta ambaye kwa kiasi kikubwa ameliongoza kwa mafaniko makubwa.

Maandalizi ya sherehe za ufungaji huo yameanza nje ya viwanja vya Bunge, ambapo askari wa Jeshi la Polisi walionekana wakifanya mazoezi kwa ajili ya kupamba ufungaji.

Kwa mujibu wa Mwenyekiti wa Kamati ya Ardhi, Maliasili na Mazingira, Job Ndugai, Rais Kikwete anatarajia kuingia kwenye viwanja vya Bunge majira ya saa 10 jioni.

Shamra shamra hizo, zitaendelea jioni ambapo kutakuwa na sherehe kubwa ya wabunge kuagana na kutakiana heri kwenye mikikimiki ya uchaguzi mkuu unaotarajia kufanyika Oktoba 31 mwaka huu.

Bunge la awamu ya nne litakumbukwa kwa hoja nyingi miongoni mwake ni ile ya kampuni ya kufua umeme wa dharura ya Richmond, ambayo ilimfanya Waziri Mkuu Edward Lowassa ajiuzulu pamoja na mawaziri wengine Nazir Karamagi (Nishati na Madini) na Ibrahim Msabaha (Ushirikiano wa Afrika Mashairiki).

Kujiuzulu kwa Lowassa kulilifanya Baraza la Mawaziri, livunjwe na kuundwa jingine huku, Mizengo Pinda akiteuliwa na kuidhinishwa na Bunge kuwa Waziri Mkuu.

Hoja nyingine itakayokumbukwa kwenye Bunge hili ni hoja ya wizi wa fedha katika Akaunti ya Malipo ya Madeni ya Nje (EPA), iliyotolewa na mbunge wa Karatu Dk. Wilbrod Slaa (CHADEMA), ambaye hata hivyo alilazimika kuiondoa kutokana na upinzani mkali alioupata kutoka kwa wabunge wa chama tawala.

Hata hivyo, serikali ilijikuta ikilazimika kukubali uchunguzi dhidi ya akaunti hiyo ambayo baadaye ilibainika kiasi cha sh bilioni 133 kiliibwa na mpaka sasa baadhi ya watuhumiwa wa wizi huo kesi zao ziko mahakamani.

Mbunge wa Kigoma Kaskazini, Zitto Kabwe (CHADEMA), hatolisahau Bunge hilo baada ya kufungiwa kwa madai ya kusema uongo dhidi ya Waziri wa Nishati na Madini kwa wakati huo Nazir Karamagi kwa kusaini mkataba wa mgodi wa Buzwagi.

Chanzo.

LeBron James a.k.a King James aikacha Timu yake ya Nyumbani.

Mchezaji nyota wa mpira wa kikapu huko Marekani katika ligi maarufu ijulikanayo kama NBA Lebron James jana jioni ametangaza kuwa anaihama timu yake ya nyumbani Clevelenda Cavaliers na kuhamia timu ya Miami Heat. Ni matumaini ya LeBron ambaye anajulikana kama 'King James' kuwa akiwa Miami Heat atafanikiwa kutwaa ubingwa wa NBA kwa msimu unaokuja. Kwa sasa Miami Heat inaweza ikawa tishio katika ligi hiyo kwani LeBron sasa ataungana na nyota wengine wanaochezea timu hiyo kama Dwyane Wade na Chris Bosh ambao wote kwa pamoja na King James waliiwezesha timu ya Mpira wa Kikapu ya marekani kunyakua taji la Olympic miaka minne iliyopita huko Beijing.

Kwa Miami Heat sasa ni vicheko lakini kwa Clevelenda ni vilio na majonzi yaliyochanganyika na hasira za mashabiki wake iliyofanya baadhi ya mashabiki hao kuchoma jezi namba 23 ya nyota huyo.

Jezi ya King James ikipigwa kibiriti na waliokuwa mashabiki wake.

Nyota Dwyane Wade akipiga makofi wakati LeBron akitangaza uamuzi wake wa kuhamia Miami Heat hapo jana katika kipindi maalum kiitwacho 'The Decision' kinachotayarishwa na TV inayojihusisha na masuala ya michezo ESPN.

Kwa habari zaidi gonga hapa.

Ni Shein, Bilali, Nahodha, Shamhuna na Haroun

Ni Majina ya Wagombea watano tu kati ya kumi na moja ya wanaowania nafasi ya kugombea

urais zanzibar kwa Tiketi ya CCM ndiyo yaliyopitishwa jana katika Kikao cha Kamati Maalum ya Halmashauri ya CCM Zanzibar. Waliopita katika kinyang'anyiro hicho ni pamoja na Waziri kiongozi mstaafu Dk. Mohammed Gharib Bilal, Makamu wa Rais Dk, Ali Mohammed Shein, Waziri Kiongozi Shamsi Vuai Nahodha, Naibu Waziri Kiongozi Ali Juma Shamuhuna na Waziri wa Elimu na Mafunzo ya Amali Haroun Ali Suleiman. Hata hivyo majina hayo matano pamoja nan majina ya wagombea wengine sita yatapelekwa Dodoma kujadiliwa na Kamati kuu ya CCM kwa ajili ya kuchagua majina matatu yatakayo pigiwa kura na Kikao cha Halmashauri Kuu cha CCM(NEC).

Watabiri wa mambo ya Kisiasa Zanzibar wanamtabiria Dk Shein kuwa atatoka kidedea katika kinyang'anyiro hicho.

Wimbledon 2010: Serena Williams overpowers Vera Zvonareva

By Craig Gabriel

WIMBLEDON: She's done it again. Serena Williams has won the Wimbledon Championship for the second consecutive year and for the fourth time overall.

The world number one took just 67 minutes to overcome first time finalist Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 6-2 and claim her 13th Grand Slam crown. This year she has won just two titles but the two she has won are among the biggest - in January Serena won the season's first Grand Slam event, the Australian Open.

She was so excited. She was so thrilled. When she smashed away the last point for a winner you could see all the relief and pressure was off. Her face was beaming. Her racquet was thrown high into the air and her arms went straight up in victory.

The final started with Serena serving and it seemed to be a signal of what was the come because she held serve without dropping a point. In the third game Serena held serve but it was a close one before she slammed out an ace to go up 2-1. The two ladies were holing serve but in the eighth game the break through happened.

Zvonareva was serving. Serena already had has two break points and not converted but then on the third there was a short rally, Zvonareva worked her way to the net; she volleyed to the backhand side which Serena raced to an returned, Zvonareva then played the volley to the forehand side as Serena took these huge strides across the court.

The world number one was chasing the ball down with her racquet outstretched. She managed to get into as best a position as she could and connected with the ball. Like a rocket it crossed the net as Zvonareva lunged to cut it off. There was no hope of that happening and as the ball hit the grass Serena spun around on her heel, with one knee on the ground and her fist clenched she screamed "YEAH!"

The Russian opened the second set and Serena got the immediate service break when Zvonareva netted a forehand and then held to go up 2-0

The sun was bathing the now heavily worn grass court which, for the last few days, has been playing more like a hard court. The ball has been sitting up rather than staying low like a traditional grass court. Either way it's been fine with Serena as her powerful and athletic game has won her so many free points.

Serena broke serve again in the fifth game when Zvonareva sent a forehand long. She went up 5-1 but the Russian was able to prolong things just a bit when she held serve in the next game.

Serving for the Championships Serena opened the game by slamming down her ninth ace of the match and her 89th for the tournament. No other woman in history has served so many aces at Wimbledon. And then it was all over with that smash.

This is her 37th career title and she is now equal fourth with Billie Jean King on the all-time list of Wimbledon winners - Martina Navratilova has nine, Steffi Graf has seven and Venus has five. This being her 13th Slam crown puts her in sixth place on the all-time list.

SOURCE

Tamasha La Nchi za Jahazi (ZIFF) 2010

Tamasha la Nchi za Jahazi maarufu kama Zanzibar International Film Festival linatarajia kufunguliwa tarehe 10/07/2010. Kwa habari zaidi na ratiba za matukio mbalimbali gonga hapa.

Halua na Tende za Darajani Zanzibar

Wamachinga wakiwa eneo maarufu la Darajani Zanzibar wakiuza Halua na Tende kama inavyoonekana katika Taswira hapo juu.

Biashara ya Halua kwa zanzibar hapo Zamani ilikuwa ikifanyika katika sana sehemu zile zile ambazo halua zilikuwa zikisongwa, kwa sasa mambo yamebadilika, licha ya machinga, wazawa wana maduka kibao ya Halua hususani sehemu za Malindi.

Ghana Wafa Kiume

Ghana imetolewa baada ya kufungwa kwa penalty 2 dhidi ya 4 za Uruguay. Haikuwa bahati yetu!

Ngoma Bado ni droo

Baada ya Dk 120 ishirini kwisha matokeo kati ya Ghana na Uruguay bado ni moja kwa moja huku Ghana wakikosa Penalty katika lala salama.. Na tusubiri Matuta sasa..

Ghana 1 Uruguay 1

Ni Robo fainali za world cup kati ya Ghana na Uruguay. Dakika 90 zimekwisha na matokeao ni moja moja.

Tukielekea extra time matumaini yote yako kwa Ghana.. Mungu Ibariki Ghana, Mungu ibariki Afrika!

World Cup 2010 Quarter Final: Netherlands 2 – 1 Brazil

Five times World Champions, Brazil, have exited the 2010 FIFA World Cup this afternoon at Port Elizabeth as the Netherlands produced a second half comeback to defeat the South American favourites 2-1 in a thrilling encounter.

Brazil opened the scoring through the impressive Robinho on 10 minutes with the little striker – so good at this World Cup – the only player on the pitch to get on the score-sheet in an absorbing first half.

In the second half, Brazil shot themselves in the foot, with Felipe Melo enduring a painful day at the office in defence. First, the player scored a 53rd minute own goal to level the scores befor he was sent off on 73 minutes for a nasty stamp on Arjen Robben. By the time he walked off the pitch, however, Brazil were trailing, as Wesley Sneijder had scored with a header on 68 minutes.

With a man down, and the Dutch looking serious and organised at the back, Brazil had it all to do, and they failed to get even a shot on target despite some intense pressure. The Dutch seemed to have taken heed of how well North Korea had kept out Brazil with a compact approach.

The Netherlands could have trailed 2-0, earlier in the match, however, but for a phenomenal Maarten Stekelenburg save from Kaka in the opening 45 minutes.

That said, when the final whistle blew, few could argue with the performance from the men in ornage – yet another FIFA World Cup 2010 match had been won by the perceived weaker team – for purely tactical reasons.

Brazil seem only to be able to play one style of football – in this respect they are similar to Spain – and teams that are organised enough to cut out their passing game through the middle and sit in a nice and compact shape can disrupt such an approach, as today has evidenced. The question, however, is which of the sides that remain is able to organise itself this well. Certainly Netherlands and Germany – so impressive against England last week – offer a real threat of toppling the flair of Argentina and Spain by shutting them down in the final third.

This fascinating element has brought a real air of uncertainty to South Africa 2010. After a turgid first week, followed by a few surprise results, today’s match – and the result – is enough to make us look forward to a football match once more.

One thing is for sure, the teams in the rest of the draw probably heaved a sigh of relief to see the mighty Brazil go out. But underestimate this smart Dutch line-up at your peril – this outfit knows how to win a football match.

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