Pompey NOT at the world cup - Moko, Kanu and Utaka

The Pompey contingent taking part in the world cup dropped by 3 on Tuesday as South Africa and Nigeria both crushed out of the tournament...

Mokoena ends on a high, but it is not enough

South Africa were ALWAYS going to be left with an uphill struggle to qualify from group A, even before the tournament kicked-off - the 3-0 hammering against Uruguay last week 'virtually' made the game against France a 'dead rubber' and more one for pride for both nations as the loser would finish bottom!

They tried, although unfortunately for Aaron Mokoena and the hosts South Africa the 2-1 win, even though Mexico lost 1-0, was not enough to see them get through.

So, South Africa make history by becoming the first host nation to fail to make it out of the group stages - they did continue the trend of the hosts not losing the opening game though.

It is a shame for South Africa, as a country and Africa as a continent, that the hosts could not get through but at least they finished above the shambolic Frogs!

All in all though the most deserving teams made it through the group...

The King unable to inspire the win Nigeria needed

The first start at the world cup for Kanu came last night, and although I thought he had a decent 1st half the veteran could not last the pace and came off early in the 2nd half.

John Utaka did not get a look-in at all, in this or any of the other games Nigeria played at the world cup...

Nigeria 'should' have won really, they had enough chances but poor teamwork and even poorer finishing, especially from former Pompey striker Yakubu who literally missed an open goal from 5-yards, meant they went out after a 2-2 draw with South Korea - who joined Argentina from group B as a result.

To be honest I think that South Korea 'probably' deserved to go through ahead of Nigeria and Greece anyway.

So, we are down to the final few current Pompey players at the world cup now, with a dozen or so former Fratton favourites left too...

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