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Fans lined up for hours at a suburban shopping mall in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday to buy the most sought-after ticket in town: entry to Fridays blockbuster World Cup quarterfinal between Brazil and the Netherlands.

Officials are expecting the first-ever sellout at the 42,286-seat Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium after empty seats at all six previous matches at the new venue.

Tickets went on sale Tuesday in four categories from 525 Rand ($70) to 2,100 Rand ($275).

Deenish Nadill of Port Elizabeth was the first in line, waiting outside the mall entry from 6 a.m.

He says hes become a fan of the Dutch “because I like their style of football.”

The high-profile teams, one a five-time champion and the other a two-time runner-up, advanced to the quarterfinals Monday when Brazil defeated Chile 3-0 and the Dutch beat Slovakia 2-1.

Stadium venue manager Archie Charalambous said that by the close of business Tuesday, more than 40,000 tickets were sold, and he expected the remaining 2,000 to be sold quickly.

“Lets face it, this quarterfinal is like a final,” Charalambous said. “I am quite confident we will sell out.”

Nadia Botha and her partner, Dutch exchange student Dominique Asselman, were second in the queue.

“Im South African but Ill be supporting the Dutch,” Botha said. “They will have plenty of support here from a local Dutch organization that brings in students from the Netherlands.”

Guga Ferreira, a 24-year-old from Brazil who lives in Port Elizabeth, was further back in the line but hoped to get good tickets.

“I actually wasnt clued up on which teams could come here,” Ferreira said. “I only saw it about two days ago and I said Wow, Ive got to come and get some tickets.”

The stadiums biggest World Cup crowd to date was 38,295 for Serbias upset win over Germany in a group game. There were 12,000 empty seats for Uruguays second-round win over South Korea.

The stadium will also host the playoff for third place on July 10.

Paraguay advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals by beating Japan 5-3 in a penalty shootout Tuesday after a 0-0 draw.

Yuichi Komano hit the crossbar on the third penalty, while substitute Oscar Cardozo walked up casually and scored the winning kick.

Paraguay will face either Spain or Portugal in the quarterfinals.

Both teams played cautiously at Loftus Versfeld, but both teams had chances to score.

Paraguay dominated possession in the first half, but Japan had the better chances. Midfielder Daisuke Matsui intercepted a poor clearance from the Paraguay defense and his shot from 25 meters (yards) hit the crossbar in the 22nd. Keisuke Honda curled a shot just wide from the edge of the area after a quick break down the right by Matsui in the 40th.

Paraguay forward Lucas Barrios latched onto to a through ball in the 20th and sidestepped the last defender into the penalty area, but his weak shot with the outside of his foot went straight at Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima.

Roque Santa Cruz wasted a good chance for Paraguay just before the half hour mark when a corner glanced off another player and fell to him about six meters (yards) out, but the strikers shot went wide of Kawashimas left post.

There was more of the same in the second half, with Paraguay dominating possession but doing little with it.

Japan left back Yuto Nagatomos close-range shot in the 54th deflected off a Paraguay defender straight at goalkeeper Justo Villar. Japan center back Yuji Nakazawa made a crucial block in the 56th of a close-range shot by Edgar Benitez and the ball went out for a corner.

Paraguay midfielder Christian Riveros then headed straight at Kawashima in the 59th.

Paraguay had the best chance in the first period of extra time when Claudio Morel cut in from the left and fed the ball to a sliding Nelson Valdez in the 97th, but the substitutes shot went straight to Kawashima.

Japans prowess from free kicks nearly paid off again in the 98th when Honda forced a save by Villar. The Asian team pressed for a winner late in extra time, but didnt have enough players forward when a cross went across the face of goal with no Paraguay defenders covering the empty space.

The South Americans have conceded only one goal, against Italy, in the tournament.

Cristie Kerr began the week at No. 5 in the womens world golf rankings, and from the moment she pushed into a tie for the first-round lead in the LPGA Championship on Thursday, she began talking about the possibility of becoming No. 1 by the end of the season at the latest.

Its all over but the shouting after Cristie Kerr makes her final putt. (Getty Images) After a stunning week at Locust Hill Country Club, apparently no wait is necessary.

With a wire-to-wire runaway and record 12-shot victory, Kerr is now projected to become the fifth player overall and the first American to reach the top of the womens game since the world rankings were instituted in 2006 when they are released Monday morning.

Kerr will move past Japans Ai Miyazato, who had taken over the No. 1 spot from South Koreas Jiyai Shin only a week earlier when she won her fourth event of the season at the Shoprite are both retired.

Miyazato provided a few anxious moments for Kerrs quest with a rousing run up the board. She started the final round tied for 24th, and was told before she began Sunday she had to finish second to stay No. 1. In the end, her 66 and 5-under total of 283 left her tied for third with Shin and properly proud of herself for at least not yielding the top spot without a tussle.

Kerr, a 32-year-old native of Miami, soared to the top when she posted a 66, her fourth round in the 60s this week, and finished with two tournament records: a 72-hole total of 19-under 269 and a 12-shot victory over runner-up Song-Hee Kim (69-281) in the most dominating performance this tournament has seen. Betsy King won the 1992 LPGA title by 11 shots at Bethesda Country Club in the Washington, D.C., suburbs at 17 under par.

“Its been such an amazing week,” she said. “To play that well on a golf course this tough and to win by that many shots in a major championship, thats just unreal.”

Kerr also made it very clear getting to No. 1 will not be enough to sate her appetite.

“You dont want to be No. 1 just for one week,” Kerr said. “Oh my god, I got there, and now Im No. 1. It doesnt work that way. You have to do what Annika [Sorenstam] has done, you have to do what Lorena [Ochoa] has done week after week to prove you are No. 1. Its great to get there. Thats Step 1 and prove it over and over every week.”

Kerr proved that at least this week, she had the right stuff to cope with a far more difficult golf course setup than in past years, when this course served as the venue for a regular stop on the LPGA Tour. Fairways were dramatically pinched in at landing zones all around and the rough was allowed to grow to U.S. Open difficulty.

Kerr became an expert on the tall grass this week, if only because she often found herself ankle deep in the gnarly spinach after wayward tee shots. She hit only 31 of 56 fairways but time after time was able to salvage pars and more than the occasional birdie from positions on the course her fellow competitors were usually unable to manage.

“Its playing tough,” she said after a third-round 69. “Im having an exceptional performance so far. The rest of the field is about where I thought everybody would be, including myself.”

Perhaps her finest recovery of the week came on the 341-yard 16th hole Friday, when another slightly askew drive left her in the deep left rough, with a tree about 10 yards in front of her and a low-hanging branch slightly impeding her backswing. With 135 yards to the flag, her 9-iron went high and somehow avoided contact with wood and leaves, landing softly on the green for a 10-foot birdie putt she dropped into the center of the hole.

“I dont know how she got it on the green, to tell you the truth,” said her caddie, Jason Gilroyed. “Its one of the greatest shots Ive ever seen her hit.”

Gilroyed has seen Kerr hit thousands of shots over the years. He was on her bag for a half-dozen of Kerrs 14 career victories, including the 2007 U.S. Womens Open, until she abruptly fired him at the end of that year. Before the start of the 2010 season, she hired him back.

“We were both very immature and butting heads,” Kerr said of the initial breakup. “We had a lot of success early in our career together and it was just kind of we got on each others nerves, I think. It was never his performance as a caddie, or me as a player playing. It was just sort of a personality thing and we split up. I probably maybe fired him a little hastily. But I have matured a lot in the last couple of years, and so has he, and it was just time for us to get back together.”

By all accounts, Kerr clearly has matured dramatically. She was not particularly well-liked among her fellow players earlier in her tour career. There is an often-repeated 2005 incident when one prominent player saw her sitting by herself in a bar and proclaimed out loud, “Theres Cristie with all her friends.”

She can be still be cranky and out of sorts at times, particularly when things are not going as well as they did this week. But her marriage in December 2006 to Erik Stevens, a New York businessman who now also serves as her agent, has clearly softened many of the hard edges for a woman who joined the tour as a teenager. Natalie Gulbis was her maid of honor that week, and several other players, including fellow South Floridian Morgan Pressel, also were in the wedding party.

Gulbis was clearly thrilled for Kerrs ascension to No. 1, and rushed onto the green after Kerr putted out at the 72nd hole to douse her with a champagne shower.

“One of Cristies goals was to be the top American player, it was very important to her,” Gilbis said. “It gives me goose bumps. Thats awesome. Its a really big deal and shes going to take it very seriously.”

Kerr has plenty of friends on tour these days, and it was Stevens who also helped her decide on the new putter she put in her bag the week before she won the State Farm Classic in Springfield, Ill. on June 13. Its an Odyssey Marksman, a switch from the two-ball Callaway model shed been using, and she got instant results with a win in that event that obviously carried over to her week in the Rochester suburbs.

“My husband came out and watched me” with the new putter “and he said I havent seen you hit putts consistently the same speed, and your body and everything looks more still,” Kerr said. “It just felt more balanced than what Ive been playing with. Ive always been a good putter, when I find a putter that feels right, I can make almost anything I look at.

“I found it.”

Not to mention the No. 1 ranking in the world as well.

Time-lapse stuff, this Wimbledon. For the ladies, nothing could be more enticing. Serena against Sharapova, back after injuries and titles, facing each other and giving the All England Championships another jolt.

As Andy Roddick correctly pointed out after his win Friday, if were struggling for story lines at th and fast.

In 2004, Maria Sharapova (then 17) defeated Serena Williams (then 22 and a No. 1 seed). (Getty Images) So heres one more angle on a tournament with more angles than a trigonometry equation: Six years later, its a Wimbledon redux, Maria Sharapova against Serena Williams, if in slightly different circumstances.

That other time, 2004, was in the final. This time, Monday, will be in the fourth round.

Sharapova was 17 then and beat 22-year-old Serena who was seeded No. 1. Now, of course, Sharapova is 23 and Serena is 28 and again the No. 1 seed.

On a Saturday of little drama but plenty of heat, the temperature in jolly old London climbing into the 80s, Williams defeated Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia, 6-0, 7-5, while Sharapova got past Barbora Zhalavova Strycova of the Czech Republic, 7-5, 6-3.

So the young woman whos No. 1 in the rankings, Serena, a three-time Wimbledon and a 12-time Grand Slam winner, meets the young woman, Sharapova, who awhile back used to be No. 1 in the rankings, a one-time Wimbledon and three-time Grand Slam winner.

Not too shabby for the start of the second week. But in some minds its a bit too early in the competition for Serena to be playing Sharapova, who has pushed her way back from shoulder surgery that kept her out of the game for 10 months until May of 2009.

You think of the ladies at or near the summit, and for years, it was a group that included Serena, her sister Venus and Maria Sharapova. until Sharapova got hurt.

Thus, when someone asked whether it was too early in the draw for her to play Serena, Sharapova responded, “Absolutely not. I love playing against her. Shes the defending champion. Shes great on this surface. Shes won numerous slams. If theres a challenge ahead of you, its definitely playing against her. And I enjoy that.”

Williams is no less enthusiastic. “I dont think its too early,” she said. “It is what it is. You obviously have to be ready. Shes obviously really good, especially on grass.”

Especially that time six years ago, their only confrontation here, when Sharapova defeated a slightly bewildered Serena, 6-1, 6-4.

“I just remember I was really nervous,” said Williams. “I think I put too much pressure on myself. I didnt work out. That was that.”

And this is this. The three matches shes played so far, Serena has won each first set, 6-0. No false starts for that lady.

Williams served 20 aces Saturday, won 37 of her 43 service points, sped through the first set in 18 minutes.

Tennis, like baseball, is not beholden to a clock. The John Isn the Serena-Cibulkova match lasted 1 hour, 8 minutes.

“Serving that well feels awesome,” said Serena. “I serve well at Wimbledon for some reason. I wish I could serve like this every tournament.”

Sharapova, with the shoulder trouble, could barely serve at all at one point, but she has returned to competence. And she wouldnt mind returning to the way she played against Serena six years back.

“I think that was our last meeting on grass,” said Sharapova. “Its tough to take anything away from that match, as it was so many years ago. You know this will be a new day.”

Sharapova doesnt believe she has returned to her skill and dominance of even 2½ years ago. But if shes not the tennis player she used to be, shes one who has found confidence in her game and future.

“I think theres still some improvements to be done,” said Sharapova. “I mean, to be honest, I look back, and its tough to compare yourself to what you were a few years ago. Its a different time in my career.”

But in a way its the same obstacles, the imposing presence of Serena Williams, or the just slightly less imposing presence of Venus Williams, the No. 2 seed behind her younger sister.

A day earlier at Wimbledon, Victor Hanescu of Romania, seeded 31st among the men, started tanking his match, was booed and spat in the crowd, which Saturday cost him a $7,500 fine for not giving his best effort and another $7,500 for unsportsmanlike conduct.

“You know,” Serena Williams said commenting on the incident, “sometimes you lose your cool. I have experience with that.”

Absolutely. Last September, she cursed out a line judge during a U.S. Open semifinal and was fined $82,500 and put on two years probation.

“That,” Williams offered, “was maybe a one-time thing, I hope.”

What the rest of us can hope is that Serena-Sharapova at Wimbledon is great theater, as it was back in 2004.

As much as Fabio Capello may want to remain England coach, hes no doubt aware that his fate will be decided as much by the court of public opinion as by the Football Association officials whove told him they need time to consider his position.

In the glaring example of the most predictable side effect of a World Cup, the coaches of the five African teams eliminated in the first round, including South Africas veteran Brazilian manager, Carlos Alberto Parreira, have either already quit or have their positions under review.

Sven-Goran Eriksson, who only had three months in charge at Ivory Coast, was quick to confirm he was only on a contract for the World Cup. He could probably offer Capello some advice - after all, he has experience. The Swede agreed to resign in 2006 despite guiding England to the quarterfinals at the World Cup and the European Championship.

While the English media went into overdrive Monday in its criticism of the team and coach, bookmakers were taking bets on the likelihood of Capello being fired before the July 11 World Cup final. Capello announced after Englands 4-1 second-round loss to Germany on Sunday that he “absolutely” wanted to fulfill a contract that runs up to the 2012 European Championship.

He met with FA board member Dave Richards, who told Capello hed get a decision on his future in two weeks.

Gambling firm William Hill is offering odds of 5-4 that Capello will become the “former” England manager by the end of the World Cup, 0r 11-10 that hell lose the job before the end of the year.

“At the moment, no one is betting that he can see the tournament out, let alone the year,” William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe said.

Before the World Cup, Capello was touted as the kind of strict disciplinarian that Englands star players needed to harmonize into a winning combination, and improved his resume with nine wins in 10 qualifying matches. Now hes in limbo.

Several coaches with World Cup experience were aware of the no-win, no-win situation for underperforming coaches and announced before the tournament that theyd be standing down regardless of results in South Africa.

That saved the Italian and French federations having to fire Marcello Lippi and Raymond Domenech - opposing coaches in the 2006 final - after horrendous first-round exits. Frances debacle prompted a government review. Lippis Italians, winners in 2006, returned to taunts of “Shame on you” in Rome this time.

“When something like this happens, its always the leaders fault,” Lippi said. “I thought I played an important role when the team won, so its only fair to have had just as big an impact in this failure.”

Pim Verbeek left the Australian job for Morocco with debate raging Down Under over his negative tactics in an opening loss to Germany, despite the subsequent draw with Ghana and win over Serbia. New Zealand finished with one fewer point than Australia in another group, but coach Ricki Herbert was feted as a national hero for guiding the Kiwis in three unbeaten matches.

Javier Aguirre said before the World Cup that hed consider jobs in Europe after the tournament, but backed down amid a rush of criticism about his commitment to the Mexican team. After Mexicos second-round loss to Argentina, hes expected to look for a club contract. U.S. coach Bob Bradley didnt want to discuss his future after an extra-time, second-round loss to Ghana, the only African team still in the tournament.

While Diego Maradona has shrugged off most of the pre-Cup criticism of his coaching methods in qualifying by guiding Argentina to four straight wins and is already telling his critics to hang their heads in shame, Vicente Del Bosque is still very much in the hot seat after taking over a European Championship-winning Spain.

Spain won 25 of 26 internationals after Del Bosque replaced Luis Aragones following Spains victory at Euro 2008, but opened the World Cup with its first ever loss to Switzerland, a dent to its early favoritism for the title.

Much attention has been on Del Bosques formation, which seems to blunt the attacking instinct of the team, but hes prepared to stake his reputation on results, even if hes winning ugly. His next big test comes Tuesday in a second-round match against Portugal.

Brazil coach Dungas position is fairly safe, along with his counterparts from Chile and Paraguay, who took their teams into the second round.

South Africa was the first host nation not to progress past the group stage, despite a stirring win over France in its last match.

The most-traveled of the World Cup coaches put the job into perspective when he said hed earned the right to “take it easy.”

It was a sixth World Cup as coach for the 67-year-old Parreira, who guided his native Brazil to the 1994 title after leading Kuwait in 1982 and the United Arab Emirates in 1990. He took Saudi Arabia to France in 1998 - when he was fired after losing two matches. Then he returned to Brazil for the 2006 World Cup, which ended in a quarterfinal defeat.

“South Africa allowed me to be the first coach to participate in six World Cups. Its a privilege, an honor and I am deeply grateful,” Parreira said. “This team now has an identity and, if I am proud of anything, its that I have given this team an identity.”

The Netherlands beat Slovakia 2-1 to qualify for the World Cup quarterfinals Monday, as the world raged over refereeing blunders and FIFAs refusal to adopt video technology to eliminate them.

The Dutch players will now await the outcome of the Brazil-Chile match at Johannesburgs Ellis Park later Monday to see who they will meet in the last eight.

The Netherlands eased into the quarterfinals with Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder scoring in each half. Slovakia was awarded a penalty just before the final whistle and Robert Vittek scored with the last kick of the match.

Brazils campaign for a sixth World Cup title resumes with an all South American match against Chile in the second round.

Brazil hasnt lived up to its reputation of salsa football so far - coach Dunga emphasizes a defensive game - and has done just enough to progress to the round of 16. But Chile will have to add a finishing touch to its sparkling attacking play if it is to overcome its illustrious opponent.

The other remaining round of 16 matches - Paraguay-Japan and Spain-Portugal - take place Tuesday. Uruguay and Ghana have already qualified for the quarterfinals.

Argentina and Germany also got through Sunday, but only after refereeing mistakes that FIFA is refusing to comment on.

FIFA spokesman Nicolas Maingot faced hostile questioning from reporters, but said it was “obviously not the place” to debate refereeing errors or the merits of video technology.

TV replays showed that England was denied a goal against Germany on Sunday when Frank Lampards shot bounced down from the crossbar and over the goal line. Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda waved away the 38th-minute non-goal, which would have leveled the game at 2-2. Germany went on to win 4-1.

Later Sunday, Argentinas first goal in a 3-1 win against Mexico was scored by Carlos Tevez from an offside position, but was allowed by Italian referee Roberto Rosetti after he consulted his assistant. Mexico players protested to the match officials after seeing replays on a stadium giant screen, which showed the infringement.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter hasnt commented publicly - not even on his much publicized Twitter feed - since attending both controversial games, where he witnessed the refereeing errors. But he has strongly opposed introducing any video technology to help referees.

At least one Germany player called for new goalline technology.

“If there is a possibility to use good technology, such as goal cameras or balls with chips, then maybe it should be used,” striker Miroslav Klose said. “I am not sure about video replays but if you have a chip in the ball that sends a signal to the referees ear or beeps, then why not. If you can have it in other sports, why not in football.”

German media hailed its young team and reveled in belated revenge for a disputed goal 44 years ago that put England on course for its only title. England famously won the 1966 final at Wembley 4-2 after extra time although the Germans remain convinced the second goal of Geoff Hursts unique hat trick never crossed the line.

“Boys, we love you!” read the front-page headline in Mondays edition of the mass-circulation daily Bild after Germanys victory.

“England Muellered away,” it screamed over a photo of Bayern Munich forward Thomas Mueller celebrating one of his two goals.

British newspapers, meanwhile, attacked Englands squad and called on coach Fabio Capello to resign after the chastening defeat. The papers chose not to focus on the refereeing mistake, instead directing their outrage at the players and the Italian coach.

The Sun summed up the mood, devoting its front page to a banner headline: “You let your country down.”

The back page of the mass-circulation tabloid read “Times up Fab,” and printed a photo of the players alongside the statement, “Go - and take these losers with you!”

More bad news surrounding the England camp was revealed Monday. Five workers at the luxury hotel where England stayed during the World Cup were convicted of stealing cash, football shirts, a medal and underwear, police said. The five workers from the hotel near Rustenburg, northwest of Johannesburg, were sentenced to three years in prison.

Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder scored in each half Monday to give the Netherlands a 2-1 win over Slovakia and a spot in the World Cup quarterfinals.

The Dutch went ahead in the 18th minute when Robben cut inside from the right flank and found the target with a low, precise shot from 20 meters (yards). Sneijder doubled the lead into an empty net in the 84th.

It was only a month ago when Robben and Sneijder were on opposite sides in the Champions League final, Robben with Bayern Munich and Sneijder with winner Inter Milan.

“We played a difficult match. Main thing is, we are through,” Robben said. “Probably the perfect game has still to come.”

Netherlands goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg preserved the win with two key saves in the 67th, and the Dutch extended their team-record unbeaten streak to 23 games.

“At a crucial stage Maarten Stekelenburg saved us,” Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk said.

In between the goals from Robben and Sneijder, the Dutch wasted numerous chances.

“We had a good first half hour. And we started well in the second half,” Van Marwijk said. “We should have scored 2-0, 3-0, maybe 4-0 there.”

In the quarterfinals, the Netherlands will face either five-time champion Brazil or Chile.

“We must play better against Brazil or Chile, thats for sure,” Robben said.

Robert Vittek pulled one back for Slovakia from the penalty spot in injury time, tying him with Argentina forward Gonzalo Higuain for the tournament scoring lead with four goals.

Slovakia upset Italy 3-2 in its previous match, a result that eliminated the defending champions, and had to be satisfied with its tournament debut as an independent nation.

“We played with heart and courage and we are proud that we made it to the second round, but the better team advanced,” Slovakia coach Vladimir Weiss said. “The penalty made us feel a little better on the flight home.”

Robben got his first start of the tournament, having injured his left hamstring on June 5 in the Netherlands final warmup match against Hungary. He came on as a second-half substitute against Cameroon in the Netherlands last group match and hit the post, after which Klaas Jan Huntelaar knocked in the rebound to seal a 2-1 win.

This time, Sneijder sent Robben sprinting upfield with a long, accurate pass and the winger did what hes been doing all season with Bayern - scoring with long shots from beyond the area.

“I was pretty free in my game,” Robben said. “I know Im not yet at my top level, but I was pretty confident today and that was a great pass by Wesley.”

The Moses Mabhida Stadium was filled mostly with orange-clad Netherlands fans and they blasted their vuvuzelas on Robbens first touch. After the goal, the sound became deafening.

“Its fantastic,” Van Marwijk said. “After such an injury that he has the touch to score a goal like that.”

Weiss said he has been preparing his team specifically for Robben for three days.

“But hes a total genius, and when I saw him in the starting lineup I thought he makes the Dutch team 50 percent stronger - and I was right,” the Slovakia coach said.

With a sharp breeze blowing in from the nearby Indian Ocean, Robben nearly doubled the lead in the 50th but goalkeeper Jan Mucha deflected his shot just wide of the goal. A minute later, Robben sent a dangerous cross inside the area and Mucha blocked a close-range effort from Joris Mathijsen.

In the 71st, when he was replaced by Eljero Elia, Robben exited to a standing ovation.

Sneijder sealed the victory when Dirk Kuyt drew Mucha out of his net and had nobody to beat for his second goal of the tournament, also having found the target in a 1-0 win over Japan.

Slovakia was awarded a penalty in the third minute of injury time, when substitute Martin Jakubko was taken down inside the area.

Otherwise, Slovakias two best chances both came in the 67th. Stekelenburg leaped to tip a powerful shot from Miroslav Stoch over the crossbar and then Vittek, who scored twice against Italy, directed his shot too close to the Netherlands goalkeeper seconds later.

The Netherlands also won all three of its group games, with its last loss coming to Australia in September 2008, a run of 18 wins and five draws.

The Netherlands reached consecutive World Cup finals in 1974 and 1978 but lost both - to Germany and Argentina, respectively. Its only major tournament victory was the 1988 European Championship.

—

Lineups:

Netherlands: Maarten Stekelenburg, Gregory van der Wiel, John Heitinga, Joris Mathijsen, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Dirk Kuyt, Mark van Bommel, Wesley Sneijder (Ibrahim Afellay, 90), Nigel de Jong, Arjen Robben (Eljero Elia, 71), Robin van Persie (Klaas Jan Huntelaar, 80).

Slovakia: Jan Mucha, Peter Pekarik, Martin Skrtel, Radoslav Zabavnik (Martin Jakubko, 88), Jan Durica, Miroslav Stoch, Juraj Kucka, Vladimir Weiss, Marek Hamsik, Robert Vittek, Erik Jendrisek (Kamil Kopunek, 71).

Justin Rose closed in on his second straight PGA Tour victory Saturday, shooting a 2-under 68 to take a three-stroke lead over Ben Curtis into the final round of the Travelers Championship.

Rose, the 29-year-old Englishman who won the Memorial three weeks ago but then failed to qualify for the U.S. Open, had a 16-under 194 total at TPC River Highlands after setting the tournament 36-hole record with rounds of 64 and 62.

“It was just a day when nothing went in on the greens at all,” said Rose, a stroke off the best 54-hole total in tournament history. “The tale of the day was that I made nothing on the greens. The longest putt I made was 4 feet, 10 inches for par on 17.

“So, Im really happy to have a day like that on the greens and still shoot 68 and still maintain my lead.”

Curtis, the 2003 British Open champion, shot a 64. Vaughn Taylor (67) was 11 under, and Ricky Barnes (64), Scott McCarron (66), Brendon de Jonge (67), Bubba Watson (67), Matt Jones (68), Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin (69) and Bill Lunde (69) w to two early in the round, but that was as close as Wi or anyone else could get.

Rose birdied Nos. 5 and 6 to open a six-stroke lead before Curtis - seven strokes back at the start of the round - pulled within three with five back-nine birdies.

“I thought the start was key for me today,” Rose said. “I hit a lot of good shots early in my round. Birdies at 5 and 6 really felt like it got the round going and brought me back into the comfort zone.”

Rose drove into the water on the 13th hole en route to his first bogey in on the tee on 13,” Rose said. “There was a little bit of wait there. It was just a bit of a slack tee shot, I suppose. After that, I played really well. I bounced back well from the only bogey of the day.”

Curtiss big regret was that he didnt play the front nine as well as he did the back. His had eight pars and a birdie on the opening nine.

“I got off to a slower start today than I maybe wanted to,” Curtis said. “I just stayed patient and tried to keep hitting the greens and tried to make the putts and luckily, on the last nine holes, they kind of started going in.”

Roses birdie on 15 stretched his lead back to three.

“I just got to keep playing aggressive when I need to and just keep hitting the greens and picking the right club,” Curtis said. “You know, its one of those weeks when if you shoot par, youre going to go backward.”

Top-ranked Rafael Nadal rallied for another five-set victory Saturday, overcoming knee problems, an umpires warning and a tough challenge from a hard-hitting German to reach the fourth round of Wimbledon.

Nadal battled back from two-sets-to-one down for the second straight match to defeat Philipp Petzschner 6-4, 4-6, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-3 in a Centre Court slugfest.

Defending womens champion Serena Williams had a much easier time, serving 19 aces in a straight-sets win over Dominika Cibulkova that set up a fourth-round matchup with former champion Maria Sharapova.

The top-seeded Williams had at least two aces in each of her nine service games and overpowered the 46th-ranked Slovak 6-0, 7-5.

The second-seeded Nadal, who won the title in 2008 but missed last years tournament due to tendinitis in his knees, called for the trainer four separate times for treatment on his left arm and right knee but never looked badly hurt.

“I hope Ill be fine,” Nadal said afterward. “I dont know. Im going to check. Its not a big problem. Its a long season for me. I have played a lot of matches the last few months.

“Having a five-set match two days ago and one today - thats tough. Im happy to be in the fourth round. Im going to try to be better for Monday.”

Nadal said he will definitely play Mondays match against Frances Paul-Henri Matthieu, who beat Thiemo De Bakker in four sets.

“I am here to try my best and to try to keep in the tournament,” he said.

Nadal said his right knee has been bothering him for several months, and that he will skip Spains Davis Cup quarterfinal against France next month in order to get treatment.

Fourth-seeded Andy Murray followed Nadal on Centre Court and beat Frenchman Gilles Simon 6-1, 6-4, 6-4, keeping alive Britains hopes for a first homegrown male champion since 1936.

Serena Williams has 37 of 43 service points and the reigning champ says serving that well feels awesome. (Getty Images) Murray, who hasnt dropped a set so far, served 15 aces, conceded only 15 points on serve and did not face a single break point.

Murray will now face 18th-seeded American Sam Querrey, who overcame Belgian Xavier Malisse to reach the fourth round here for the first time.

The 33rd-seeded Petzschner, playing his third straight five-setter, also needed medical treatment for a recurring hip problem on several changeovers and looked exhausted in the final set against Nadal.

The German questioned Nadals injury breaks.

“You have to ask him what it was. But I didnt feel any difference afterwards or before. I thought he was moving great. I only could say if I would be injured like this once I would be happy. I dont know. Maybe he had something. Maybe it was just a clever part to take a time-out there.”

Nadal denied any gamesmanship.

“I never call the physio when I dont have nothing, not one time in my career,” he said. “If I call the physio today, it was because it was bothering me a lot, the knee.”

Nadal received a warning from chair umpire Cedric Mourier at 2-2 in the fifth set for receiving coaching from coach and uncle Toni Nadal, who was sitting in the front row of the players guest box. Rafael Nadal pointed angrily at the umpire, spread his arms wide and shouted at him before resuming play.

Nadal said he told the umpire he wants to discuss the issue later with the tournament supervisor.

“He wasnt giving me any tip,” Nadal said. “He was only supporting me.”

Toni Nadal denied coaching, saying he was only encouraging the player.

“I say, Positive! Positivo! Nothing else,” he said.

The incident seemed to inspire Nadal, who closed out the game with an overhead and looked over at his uncle with a sneer as he walked to his chair.

After a service hold by the German, Nadal ran off the last three games to finish the match. He got the decisive break to go up 5-2 when Petzschner missed a tired forehand wide. Nadal served out the match at love, then pumped his arms and saluted the crowd as he basked in a big ovation.

Nadal, who was stretched to five sets in the second round by Robin Haase, looked on the ropes for a while against the 26-year-old German. Petzschner served 25 aces and finished with 63 winners, compared to 56 for Nadal. But he also had 40 unforced errors, compared to 18 for the Spaniard.

Nadal faced only two break points and was broken just once, but went 1-11 on break points until converting his last three.

Williams, meanwhile, won 37 of 43 service points and held at love five times. She won 19 of her first 20 service points, with Cibulkova putting only four returns in play in that stretch.

“Serving that well feels awesome,” Williams said. “I serve well at Wimbledon for some unknown reason. I want to keep doing it. I wish I could serve like this every tournament.”

The first set lasted just 18 minutes, with Williams winning 25 of 31 points, serving six aces and hitting 12 winners. It was the third match in a row that Williams won the first set 6-0.

Cibulkova, a semifinalist at the French Open last year, finally got on the scoreboard when she held serve for 1-1 in the second set. From then on, she kept the match competitive by holding serve, although she couldnt cope with Williams serves.

Williams credited Cibulkova with raising her game but was unhappy with her own performance in the second set.

“I just kind of came off the gas a little too much,” she said. “Just cant do that in big Grand Slams like this.”

Williams, chasing her fourth Wimbledon title and 13th Grand Slam crown, will face Sharapova on Monday in a rematch of the 2004 final won by the Russian.

Sharapova served an ace on match point to beat Czech player Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 7-5, 6-3. It was an uneven performance by Sharapova, who overcame 35 unforced errors and six double faults.

Sharapova is coming back into top form after right shoulder surgery in 2008. Because she is seeded 16th, she and Williams are meeting in the fourth round rather than the later stages.

“I definitely dont think its early,” Williams said. “It is what it is. You always have to be ready. Shes obviously really good, especially on grass.”

Recalling the 2004 final, Williams said, “I just remember I was really nervous. I think I put too much pressure on myself. It didnt work out. That was that.”

Despite her easy run through the first three rounds this week, Williams said she didnt feel she is playing as well as last year when she beat sister Venus in the final.

“I definitely have to pick up and play better,” she said.

Sharapova said she was looking forward to the showdown with Williams.

“I love playing against her,” Sharapova said. “Shes the defending champion. Shes great on this surface. Shes won numerous Grand Slams. If theres a challenge ahead of you, its definitely playing against her, and I enjoy that.”

Also Saturday, third-seeded Caroline Wozniacki made it to the fourth round by beating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 7-5, 6-4. Shell face unseeded Czech Petra Kvitova, who upset 14th-seeded Victoria Azarenka 7-5, 6-0.

In mens play, sixth-seeded Robin Soderling beat the 24th-ranked Thomaz Bellucci 6-4, 6-2, 7-5.

Diego Maradona, Salvatore Schillaci, Zinedine Zidane. At almost every World Cup, theres one man whose burst of outstanding play captivates the globe.

At this years competition in South Africa, the early candidates are Luis Suarez of Uruguay, Mesut Oezil of Germany and Spains David Villa. All three have led their teams so far and could be the ones to push their teammates all the way.

Uruguay had not been to the last eight of the World Cup since 1970 but Suarez took them there with his third goal of the tournament for a 2-1 win over South Korea.

“Fortunately, Suarez was able to score that spectacular winning goal,” coach Oscar Tabarez said.

It is what makes the World Cup so special. Within a month, players can burst from the fringes of popular consciousness to center stage.

Few people outside Italy knew of Schillaci before the 1990 World Cup but the reserve striker ended up as the leading scorer with six goals, dragging the host nation to just one penalty shootout from reaching the final in Rome.

On Tuesday in Cape Town, Portugal plays Spain.

With Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal and Fernando Torres, Xavi Hernandez and David Villa available for Spain, the game will have plenty of potentially defining players. Villa has played well and scored spectacularly, but Ronaldo and Torres have yet to play at their peaks here.

“Im still missing something. I notice I cant give it all but its not easy to return from an operation,” said Torres, who is returning only to action after right knee surgery in April. “I need some time to be 100 percent.”

Ronaldo has less of an excuse and Portugal has been more impressive as a collective group than its star player has been as an individual.

At least, Ronaldo still has a shot at it. So many people expected Wayne Rooney to shine but after four bad games in a row for England, he is heading home after a 4-1 second-round loss to Germany. His performances were well below the form he showed for Manchester United this season.

Oezil, meanwhile, has played with vision and wisdom belying his 21 years for Germany. Together with Thomas Mueller, who scored twice on Sunday, they were responsible for Englands humiliation.

The World Cup was seemingly set up for Cameroons Samuel Etoo to shine. It was the first time Africa hosted footballs marquee tournament, and banners bore his likeness to market the event. Yet he was out when the first round was over.

“Theres no point blaming one person or another,” Etoo said. Many, though, will remember his spat with former Cameroon great Roger Milla, who rebuked the striker for failing to reproduce his club form with the national team.

For at least another four years, Milla will continue to tower over Etoo in the minds of fans for leading Cameroon to the quarterfinals in 1990 and putting Africa on the World Cup map.

Like Etoo, Chelseas Didier Drogba also failed to shine until late for Ivory Coast, although the broken right arm he sustained just ahead of the World Cup is a big excuse.

But some players are living up to the hype.

Coming into the World Cup, Lionel Messi had been criticized for producing for Barcelona but not Argentina. Once in South Africa, though, failing to get on the scoresheet has been the only flaw in an otherwise impeccable performance.

“No one has played even at 40 percent of the level Messi played the other day,” coach Maradona said of Messis performance in the opening 1-0 win over Nigeria. “He needed a game like that, to be a charismatic leader with his teammates.”

Maradona knows what it takes in that role.

In 1986, he was at the peak of his talent and made the World Cup his own with some of the greatest goals in history against England and Belgium. He then set up the decider in the 3-2 final win against Germany.

The name of the Argentine great has been synonymous with that World Cup ever since.

In 1990, he led an inferior Argentina team but yet again had the presence to lead them to the final against all odds, losing to Germany on a belated penalty.

This year, the race for the defining figure in a World Cup full of surprises is still wide open. Ajaxs Suarez already has three goals and it will be tough to see a more thrilling one than his match-winner in the second round against South Korea.

He sidestepped two defenders in the driving rain and struck a right-foot shot from the edge of the area that curled just enough to beat the goalkeeper.

“Being young, I always dream of these types of moments,” the 23-year-old forward said. “These moments were experiencing are once in a lifetime.”