Soccer Central

The first game of the Confederations Cup saw South Africa take on Iraq in a fairly unexciting game that ended 0-0. Neither side had much of an attacking threat, the best chances of the game fell to South Africa however, and somehow the hosts managed not to win.

Kagisho Dikgacoi should have scored with his late header for South Africa, unfortunately his teammate Bernard Parker managed to get in the way on the line though, and the ball bounced harmlessly away.

The second game of the Confederations Cup promised to offer far more than the first, and when Liverpool striker Fernando Torres managed to grab a hat-trick in the first 17 minutes; it looked as though Spain was likely to enter double figures before the end of the night. After the initial rush things slowed up a bit for Spain however, and it wasn’t until the first-half was drawing to a close that Cesc Fabregas managed to grab a fourth.

In the second-half Spain continued to settle down, and the one and only goal of the half was scored by David Villa to take the game to 5-0. Spain’s next game will see them take on Iraq on Wednesday, and Spain should really finish the group with the maximum 9 points in the bag.

Brazil play Egypt tomorrow, the USA meanwhile face a tough challenge against Italy in what should prove to be an interesting day of Confederations Cup football.

After a successful season with Kidderminster Harriers in the Blue Square Premier; 28 year-old striker Justin Richards has now made his way back into the Football League with Cheltenham Town.

Cheltenham Town was relegated from League One last season, and Richards will therefore be spending the 2009/10 campaign in League Two. Justin Richards has signed a one-year contract with Cheltenham, joining on a free transfer from Kidderminster.

Richards will now be hoping to carry his good form into the Football League, and if he can indeed successfully make the step up from the Blue Square Premier to League Two then he’ll no doubt be seen by the Cheltenham fans as a very clever signing.

Justin Richards has the definite potential to perform in League Two, and it’ll be interesting to see next season if he can fit in well within the Cheltenham Town squad.