Capital Balls FIFA football balls

Brazil won the third South American U-15 Championship in the unlikeliest of circumstances in Porto Alegre and Bento Goncalves between 27 October and 11 November 2007. Argentina’s unexpected win over Uruguay in the final match handed the crown to the host team by a goal difference of one. The Brazilians all scurried to the Argentinians’ dressing room to thank them for the victory that gave them the title. Everyone agreed that the technical standards at the tournament (televised for the first time throughout South America) had been stunning. The 15-year-olds had played like true professionals and it was obvious to all that a new mine of talent had been unearthed. “This tournament enables us to work with youngsters from the age of 14. By the time they reach U-17 level, they already have impressive international experience,” the coaches remarked.

Two seismic shocks were felt in the fourth round of the South American qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup when two highly successful coaches stepped down. Colombian Luis Fernando Suarez, threw in the towel after three defeats in a row with Ecuador, whom he had guided to the World Cup in 2006. Richard Paez, the brains behind the transformation of Venezuelan football, resigned after defeating Bolivia 5-3 in a fit of pique with the general public. Both associations will now have to find substitutes but they have time as the next round of qualifiers is not until June.

On 16 November, Harbour View FC of Jamaica claimed their second CFU (Caribbean Football Union) Club Championship by defeating Joe Public FC of Trinidad and Tobago 2-1 at the Marvin Lee Stadium in Macoya. The Caribbean crown also earned Harbour View a berth at the 2008 CONCACAF Champions’Cup. Harbour View and Joe Public had advanced to the Caribbean final by eliminating San Juan Jabloteh of Trinidad and Tobago and Puerto Rico Islanders, respectively, in the semi¬finals at the Marvin Lee Stadium on 14 November.