Blatter apologizes to England, Mexico for errors

JOHANNESBURG, Jun 29: FIFA president Sepp Blatter has apologized to England and Mexico for the refereeing errors that helped eliminate them from the World Cup and says FIFA will reopen the debate on introducing video technology, reports AP.
Blatter said Tuesday that he said sorry to team officials, and that the delegations of both teams accepted his apology. "Naturally we deplore when you see the evidence of refereeing mistakes," said Blatter, who attended Sunday''s matches in Bloemfontein and Johannesburg.
Blatter said FIFA will "reopen the file" on video technology at a meeting of its rule-making panel in Wales next month. He added that it would be "a nonsense" for the International Football Association Board not to consider changes. "Naturally we will take on board again the discussion about technology. Something has to be changed," Blatter said, while adding that the system could not be changed midway through the World Cup.
Blatter said he apologized to England and Mexico team officials at Sunday''s matches.
"The English said ''thank you.'' The Mexicans, they just go with the head," Blatter said, indicating that they nodded. "I understand that they are not happy. It was not a five-star game for refereeing."
England was denied a clear goal that would have leveled its match against Germany at 2-2, while Argentina took the lead against Mexico with a goal that was clearly offside.
Germany advanced 4-1 and Argentina won 3-1. The errors created a worldwide furor and put pressure on FIFA, which has long opposed allowing officials to use technology to assist in decision making. FIFA also will update its referee training program. Blatter said FIFA has set a deadline of October or November to create a new concept for improving match control at top tournaments. Blatter said the dossier is "on the presidential table." He said FIFA spent $40 million on a program to prepare match officials worldwide before selecting 30 referees and 60 assistants to work in South Africa.
"They have their eyes, their perception of the game. So let''s make that better and hope we are going forward," Blatter said. Speaking to reporters at a briefing, Blatter said the controversy had not spoiled his enjoyment of the tournament. "Generally I am happy with what I have seen," said Blatter, who has attended 20 of the first 54 matches since the World Cup opened June 11.
He singled out Ghana''s 2-1 extra-time victory over the United States in the second round on Saturday as his most memorable match so far.

Netherlands beats Slovakia

DURBAN, South Africa, Jun 29: Impressive as Arjen Robben and his Dutch teammates were in advancing to the World Cup quarterfinals, they seek much more, reports AP.
The Netherlands reached the final eight Monday when standouts Robben and Wesley Sneijder scored in each half of a 2-1 victory over Slovakia.
"We played a difficult match. Main thing is, we are through," Robben said. "Probably the perfect game has still to come."
The Dutch might need to approach perfection in their next match against five-time champion Brazil. For now, they can enjoy the rekindling of the crafty Dutch offense - and they can credit Robben, who made his first start of the tournament after recovering from a hamstring injury.
The Oranje, who have never won soccer''s biggest prize, went ahead in the 18th minute when Robben cut inside from the right wing and found the net with a low, precise shot from 20 yards.
"It''s fantastic," coach Bert van Marwijk said. "After such an injury that he has the touch to score a goal like that."
The Moses Mabhida Stadium was filled mostly with orange-clad Netherlands fans and they blasted their vuvuzelas on Robben''s first touch. After his goal, the sound became deafening.
Sneijder doubled the lead into an empty net in the 84th after a gamble by Slovak goalkeeper Jan Mucha backfired.
"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."
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. Robert Vittek scored on a last-second penalty kick for Slovakia, then rushed to the net to retrieve the ball, only to hear the final whistle.
"At a crucial stage Maarten Stekelenburg saved us," Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk said.
It was only a month ago when Robben and Sneijder were on opposite sides of the pitch in the Champions League final - Robben with Bayern Munich and Sneijder with winner Inter Milan.
On Monday, they showcased some of the brilliant passing and scoring that is a trademark of the Netherlands when it is playing well. Sneijder sent Robben sprinting upfield with a long, accurate pass and the winger did what he''s been doing all season with Bayern, scoring with shots from beyond the penalty area.
With a sharp breeze blowing in from the nearby Indian Ocean, Robben nearly doubled the lead in the 50th minute, but 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 shot from Joris Mathijsen.
In the 71st, when he was replaced by Eljero Elia, Robben exited to a standing ovation.
"He''s 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," Slovakia coach Vladimir Weiss said.
Sneijder sealed the victory when Dirk Kuyt drew Mucha out of his net.
The Netherlands won all three group games; its last loss was to Australia in September 2008, a run of 18 wins and five draws.
Slovakia upset Italy 3-2 in its previous match, eliminating the defending champion. The Slovaks had to be satisfied with their tournament debut as an independent nation.
Slovakia''s two best chances before Vittek''s penalty kick both came in the 67th. Stekelenburg leaped to tip a powerful shot from Miroslav Stoch over the crossbar. Then Vittek, who scored twice against Italy, directed his shot too close to the goalkeeper seconds later.
Vittek''s penalty kick goal tied him with Argentina forward Gonzalo Higuain for the tournament scoring lead with four goals.
"We played with heart and courage and we are proud that we made it to the second round, but the better team advanced," Weiss said. "The penalty made us feel a little better on the flight home."
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.

Brazil beats Chile 3-0 to reach WC quarterfinals

JOHANNESBURG, Jun 29: As Brazil was dismantling Chile, a couple of fans delighted the crowd by parading around the stadium with two giant gold replicas of the World Cup trophy, reports AP.
Another three games like this and Brazil could be hoisting the real thing - yet again.
With an impressive mixture of symphony-like teamwork and standout individual plays, Brazil routed South American rival Chile 3-0 on Monday night to advance to the quarterfinals. The five-time champions will face the Netherlands, which earlier Monday defeated Slovakia 2-1, on Friday.
"Now it''s a match between two traditional teams with great players," Brazil captain Lucio said. "Now the matches will get harder and harder."
Brazil''s players were almost nonchalant after the victory as they shook hands and exchanged hugs. Who can blame them: reaching the later stages may as well be part of Brazil''s World Cup itinerary.
Brazil has now reached the quarterfinals of the World Cup every time since the 1990 tournament in Italy, when it fell 1-0 to Diego Maradona''s Argentina in the second round. Brazil coach Dunga and assistant coach Jorginho were starters in that Brazilian team.
The Brazilians won the 1994 and 2002 World Cups in that span.
"It was a very good performance for Brazil," playmaker Kaka said. "I''m happy with how we played. It shows that we are improving after each match, just as planned."
Chile hasn''t beaten Brazil in a decade and didn''t come close, freeing the folks in the stands to do the samba and the singing as the Brazilians moved closer to holding the real prize.
"When our opponent attacks like that, Brazil always creates a lot of chances," Luis Fabiano said. "That was exactly what happened today and we took advantage of that."
Juan opened the scoring in the 35th minute at Ellis Park Stadium with a firm header from near the penalty spot off a corner kick. Luis Fabiano added to the lead in the 38th, receiving a one-touch pass from Kaka and dribbling past goalkeeper Claudio Bravo inside the area before hitting the open net.
Robinho scored his first goal in the tournament with a shot from the top of the area in the 59th minute, a one-timer into the far corner. It was Robinho''s seventh goal in Brazil''s last six matches against the Chileans.
Chile is the first South American team eliminated. Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay are in the final eight, and Paraguay plays Japan on Tuesday.
"We leave the tournament knowing that we gave everything on the pitch," Bravo said. "We are a very fragile team at times. We attack very well, but we have to know when to defend."
The victory in front of nearly 55,000 fans at Ellis Park extended Brazil''s dominance over Chile. It was the eighth consecutive win; the last loss to Chile was 3-0 in a 2000 qualifier for the 2002 World Cup.
Led by Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa, Chile kept pace with the Brazilians in the beginning, threatening with some quick ball movement on offense.
But Brazil quickly gained control of the match and created some of the most dangerous opportunities. After Juan''s first goal, the Brazilians took advantage of their speedy strikers to keep the pressure on the Chileans.
Bravo already had to work hard on a long-range shot by Gilberto Silva, diving to his left and barely tipping the ball wide. A minute later, Kaka''s low shot from the top of the area also missed.
Humberto Suazo, back in Chile''s starting lineup after missing the loss to Spain, gave the Chileans their first opportunity in the 13th, but his shot from just outside the box was easily saved by goalkeeper Julio Cesar.
Chile was trying to advance past the second round for the first time since its home tournament in 1962, when it lost to eventual champion Brazil in the semifinals. Chile also lost to Brazil the last time it reached the round of 16, 4-1 in 1998 in France. Brazil again was without regular Elano because of a right ankle injury, and coach Dunga also could not count on defensive midfielder Felipe Melo because of a left ankle problem. It didn''t matter.
Kaka did not play against Portugal because of a red card in the previous match, while Robinho was rested because of a minor left thigh ailment. They certainly were ready Monday night.
Chile was without several starters, including central defenders Gary Medel and Waldo Ponce because of yellow card suspensions, while Marco Estrada was suspended for being ejected against Spain

Downcast England team return home

LONDON, Jun 29: England''s downcast football team arrived back home on Tuesday after crashing out of the World Cup against arch-rivals Germany, reports AFP.
The players, many of whom were dressed in official England team suits, flew into London''s Heathrow airport about 6:20am (0520 GMT) and appeared weary as they walked across the tarmac to waiting cars.
They were led off the plane by David Beckham, who didn''t play because of injury, and followed by an entourage of wives, girlfriends and children back to what is likely to be a hostile public and press in Britain following their underwhelming performance in South Africa.
England manager Fabio Capello is waiting to hear from the Football Association whether he can keep his job.
The Italian says he wants to stay on but must wait two weeks while officials decide if he can complete his contract, which runs until 2012.
Under Capello''s original contract, the FA would have been able to end their relationship with him after the tournament without having to pay him substantial compensation.
The Italian also had an option to walk away but the break clause was removed just before the World Cup against a background of interest from Inter Milan in securing the coach''s services.
If the FA do decide to dispense with Capello''s services it could cost them as much as £12 million given the Italian earns between four and £5 million a year.
Capello, England manager since January 2008, remained tight-lipped as he arrived at his London home where he found television crews waiting for him, having told reporters in South Africa he would make a decision about his future after speaking with Club England chairman Dave Richards.
"I have time to decide, I have to speak with the chairman," Capello said.
England, who have not won the World Cup since lifting the trophy for the only time in their history on home soil in 1966, were widely expected to reach the quarter-finals at the very least.
But they failed to top a group labelled ''EASY'' (England, Algeria, Slovenia and Yanks - the United States) by Britain''s biggest-selling Sun newspaper.
England could only draw with the Americans and were held to a goalless stalemate by Algeria before scraping a 1-0 win against the Slovenians.
That meant a last 16 clash against the Germans, who have repeatedly ended England''s hopes at major tournaments since a team captained by Bobby Moore beat the then West Germany in the 1966 final.
That match saw Geoff Hurst score a hat-trick but controversy surrounded the striker''s second goal, a shot that hit the underside of the bar and was eventually ruled to have crossed the line despite German protests.
And many German fans felt a sense of ''payback'' when, with England trailing 2-1 in Bloemfontein on Sunday, Frank Lampard had a goal disallowed after his shot hit the underside of the bar, although replays showed the ball had crossed the line by a couple of feet.
The error was so glaring, it forced FIFA president Sepp Blatter to soften his previously hardline opposition to the use of goal-line technology, with the head of football''s world governing body saying the issue would be discussed at a meeting next month.
Meanwhile, England fans sought solace in black humour.
Among the jokes doing the rounds on e-mail were: "What''s the difference between Cinderella and the England football team? Cinderella wanted to get to the ball" and "I can''t believe we only managed a draw against a team we should have easily beaten...I''m ashamed to call myself Algerian."

Ghana injury headaches ahead of Uruguay clash

JOHANNESBURG, Jun 29: Ghana have injury and suspension headaches ahead of a World Cup quarter-final against Uruguay at Soccer City here on Friday, reports AFP.
Star striker Asamoah Gyan joined the casualty queue after taking a knock at training near the north-west Sun City resort that serves as the base for the Black Stars.
"My ankle is a bit swollen but I do not think it is too serious. I will be ready for Uruguay," he assured reporters as he watched his team-mates practice with ice wrapped around the ankle.
Gyan from French club Rennes played a key role as Ghana became only the third African country after Cameroon and Senegal to reach the last-eight stage of the competition.
He scored the late winner against Serbia from a penalty, equalised against Australia from another spot kick and unleashed an extra-time thunderbolt that floored United States in the second round last weekend.
The only other Ghana scorer at the tournament, midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng, is among those battling to be fit as Ghana look forward to huge backing from South Africans against Uruguay.
Boateng worsened a hamstring problem he took into the USA clash and his situation is worrying Serb coach Milovan Rajevac as he will lack suspended defender Jonathan Mensah and influential midfielder Andre Ayew.
"We are trying our best to get the injured players ready in time," was the most optimistic line Rajevac could manage with defenders Samuel Inkoom and John Mensah also on the treatment table.
Mensah from English Premiership club Sunderland has struggled with a back problem for some time but is expected to start and could be partnered by Isaac Vorsah with Jonathan Mensah ruled out after two cautions.
Ayew, one of two sons of three-time African Footballer of the Year Abedi ''Pele'' Ayew in the squad, has been an ever-present in South Africa before a second yellow card ruled him out.
Among those who could replace Ayew is ''bad boy'' Sulley Muntari from European club champions Inter Milan, who has clashed regularly with arch disciplinarian Rajevac since he succeeded Frenchman Claude le Roy two years ago.
Dressingroom criticism of the coach after a group draw with Australia almost led to him being kicked out of the squad and officials have admitted he is on a final warning.
Muntari refused to play in a friendly against Angola last November, leading to his exclusion from the African Nations Cup two months later in which severely depleted Ghana finished runners-up behind Egypt.

Argentina is preparing for shootout: Romero

PRETORIA, South Africa, Jun 29: Argentina is studying Germany''s penalty kick techniques ahead of their World Cup quarterfinal on Saturday, reports AP.
Diego Maradona''s team is hoping to avoid a repeat of the 2006 quarterfinals, when Germany beat Argentina 4-2 in a shootout.
Jens Lehmann stopped spot kicks from Roberto Ayala and Esteban Cambiasso in Berlin after consulting a sheet of the Argentine penalty takers and the direction they usually took their kicks.
Goalkeeper Sergio Romero said Monday that was a "smart move" by the Germans, and that Argentina has copied the tactic by studying videos of how opponents take penalties.
"This time we have to be well prepared for everything," Romero said. "In that moment it was a very smart move on their part, saving a piece of paper to know who was going to take the kick."
While Argentina has added Lionel Messi and Gonzalo Higuain to its starting lineup, Germany''s traditional strengths have been supplemented by an injection of young players since the meeting four years ago.
"Germany has tall and powerful players who go up for all the corners and free kicks," Romero said, adding that striker Lukas Podolski "has a great shot" and Mesut Oezil "chases down every ball and never gives anything up".
One of the holdovers from the 2006 Germany squad is striker Miroslav Klose. He scored the opening goal in Germany''s 4-1 win in the second round against England to tie Pele at 12 World Cup goals overall.
"He''s very dangerous and he can score a goal against you at any moment," Romero said of the Bayern Munich striker.
Argentina and Germany have faced each other in two World Cup finals. In 1986, the South Americans won 3-2 with Maradona at his peak. Four years later the Germans won 1-0 to lift the trophy.

British journalist held over WC intrusion

PRETORIA, June 29 :South Africa''s top police officer said today a British journalist had been arrested for trying to expose World Cup security flaws as he defended his force''s record during the tournament, reports AFP.
National commissioner Bheki Cele said a tabloid newspaper reporter had been charged with harbouring a fan who intruded into the England dressing room and the episode was planned to paint World Cup security in a poor light.
Cele also insisted the majority of World Cup-related crimes had been a result of victims'' negligence as he revealed that suspects from 26 other countries as well as South Africa had been arrested.
Police were left red-faced after an England fan wandered into the team''s dressing room in the aftermath of England''s 0-0 draw with Algeria in Cape Town on June 18 and then berated them for their "disgraceful" performance.
The England team were furious that police failed to arrest him but merely ushered him away. It later emerged that British princes Harry and William had been in the same room only minutes earlier.
In an interview with the Sunday Mirror, Pavlos Joseph said he stumbled into the room by chance as he searched for a toilet and then lectured David Beckham, part of Fabio Cappello''s coaching staff, on the poor showing.
But Cele said studies of CCTV footage had shown it was no accident.
"The police have reason to believe that this incident was orchestrated and involved the cooperation of a number of individuals," Cele told reporters.
"The police strongly believe that the motive was to put the World Cup security in a bad light and possibly to profit from this act."
He said Sunday Mirror journalist Simon Wright had been arrested for defeating the ends of justice and accused him of having put Joseph up in a hotel under a false name.
"Mr Wright has admitted to harbouring and interviewing Joseph when the police were searching for the latter in order to affect an arrest," he said.
A spokesman for the paper insisted Wright had done nothing wrong, saying "any suggestion that he or the newspaper was involved with Pavlos Joseph before he entered the England dressing room is entirely false."
"It was an absolutely legitimate story that he was involved in," Trinity Mirror spokesman Nick Fullagar told AFP, saying Wright had "conducted himself perfectly properly as he would have here in the UK".
"We have spoken to him and he''s got a lawyer," he said.
Wright is expected to appear in a Cape Town court on Wednesday.
The levels of crime in South Africa, where around 50 murders are committed each day, had led many critics to question whether it was a suitable venue for the world''s biggest sporting event ever since it was awarded hosting rights.
While no fans have been killed, there have been a number of armed robberies of journalists and some teams have had property stolen in their hotels.
There was further embarrassment on Tuesday when local media
reported that
burglars raided deputy police minister Fikile Mbalula''s Pretoria home over the weekend, stealing several expensive appliances, including an LCD television.
Cele said he regarded the policing of the tournament as a success which was the result "of well-planned and effective policing".
He revealed that 316 people had been arrested since the start of the tournament on June 11 over World Cup-related crime. While 207 of those arrested were South Africans, 109 were foreigners.
"This is the United Nations of crime," Cele said in Pretoria.
"Ninety percent of the arrests have been in connection with theft and by far the majority of these cases can be attributed to negligence on the part of the lawful owner for example cell phones and laptops left unattended and being stolen."
FIFA spokesan Wolfgang Eichler said football''s world governing body was satisified with policing during the tournament.
"We are happy with the things so far," he told a daily press conference.

Brazil sees toughest test ahead against Dutch

JOHANNESBURG, Jun 29: Now the World Cup really begins. That''s how five-time champion Brazil feels after cruising into the quarterfinals with a 3-0 win over Chile on Monday. Coach Dunga and his players know they will truly get tested against the Netherlands on Friday, reports AP.
"We know the Netherlands are a very difficult team to play against," Dunga said. "Their football is actually very similar to South American football. They don''t try to stay defending and rely on long balls. They have technical quality and we will need to be ready for that. It''s a solid team."
Brazil hasn''t faced many difficulties in South Africa so far.
It easily won Group G by beating North Korea 2-1, Ivory Coast 3-1 and drawing 0-0 with Portugal. It then faced a Chile side it has dominated in recent years. The Chileans didn''t pose much threat at Ellis Park, and Brazil easily advanced.
"Now it''s a match between two traditional teams with great players," Brazil captain Lucio said. "Now the matches will get harder and harder."
Although the Netherlands doesn''t have many titles, it has been an international force for years. It has been nearly flawless in this year''s World Cup, winning all of its matches against Denmark, Japan, Cameroon and Slovakia, the latter a 2-1 result in the second round. The Dutch are unbeaten in 23 matches.
"It''s a world football classic," said Robinho, who scored his first World Cup goal in the match against Chile. "It''s going to be like a final."
Defender Juan and striker Luis Fabiano also scored for Brazil in Monday''s victory, the team''s eighth in a row against the South American rival.
It will be the fourth World Cup match between Brazil and the Netherlands, and Brazil has won two of them. The Dutch won a second-round match in the 1974 tournament in Germany, but the Brazilians beat the Dutch 3-2 in the 1994 quarterfinals in the United States, and succeeded in a penalty shootout in the 1998 semifinals in France.
"We are talking about great teams with great players," Brazil midfielder Kleberson said. "It''s going to be hard for everybody."
In the 2006 World Cup in Germany, Brazil fell 1-0 in the quarterfinals to eventual runner-up France.
Dunga knows from experience the difficulties of facing the Dutch. The former defensive midfielder played in the 1994 quarterfinals and in the 1998 semifinals.
"We know the Netherlands has a tradition of playing well in the World Cup," the coach said of a nation that was runner-up in 1974 and 1978.
The Brazilians are eager for the Dutch continue to attack in the match at Port Elizabeth, allowing space for Brazil''s attackers.
"I hope they keep playing forward," Luis Fabiano said. "If they do that, they will run some risks and that''s going to be good for us."
Brazil may be without some starters for Friday''s match. Midfielders Elano and Felipe Melo didn''t recover from ankle injuries in time to face the Chileans and remain doubtful.
Ramires, who replaced Felipe Melo on Monday, received his second yellow card and will not be available.

No need for crisis meetings : Watson

Australia have never been whitewashed 5-0 in any format, but Shane Watson insists there have been no crisis meetings as the prospect of being held winless by England looms. However, he does believe the visitors have been caught underprepared after taking a month off following their return home from the ICC World Twenty20, reports Cicinfo.
England took the series with their victory at Old Trafford and at The Oval on Wednesday they could bring the scoreline to 4-0, tantalisingly close to a clean sweep with one match to play at Lord''s. Adding to the psychological challenge for the Australians is the return to The Oval, where last year''s Ashes defeat was decided, but Watson said the captain Ricky Ponting had kept a cool head over the past few days.
"It hasn''t been fire and brimstone," Watson said of Ponting''s approach. "We''ve just talked about the things we can continue to develop and get exactly where we want to. We know as a group we''ve been slightly below par.
"There''s no need to have big crisis meetings and that sort of thing. We are a continually developing group and we have had a bit of time off. The majority of us made the most of it, because we haven''t had three weeks off for quite a while. We''ve made the most of our time off but we''ve been caught a little bit short here, I think."
The key for Australia to regain some pride in the remaining two games is an improvement in their batting. Their totals have steadily dropped away as the series has progressed - 267 in Southampton, 239 in Cardiff and 212 at Old Trafford - and it has left their undermanned attack repeatedly fighting losing battles.
Watson has been comfortably Australia''s best batsman, with two half-centuries and 150 runs, leaving him second only to Eoin Morgan in the series tally. However, he has struggled to push on after reaching fifty when a big hundred could set up an Australian win, and he said switching back to the 50-over version after the World Twenty20 had been a challenge.
However, the England squad has been more adept at changing formats, having beaten Australia in the World Twenty20 final. It has been a stark turnaround from last year, when Australia thrashed England 6-1 in the ODI series that followed the Ashes and then knocked them out in the Champions Trophy semi-final, but Watson said the 3-0 scoreline was not a great shock to the Australians.
"I''m not surprised, no," Watson said. "I''ve seen it from afar and also from the Twenty20 World Cup, they''ve continued to improve as a group and got some guys into the team who are making a big difference. Kevin Pietersen was sorely missed for them during that one-day series we played here and during the Champions Trophy.
The Australians are likely to stick with their scratchy batting unit, with no room for Shaun Marsh to squeeze into the side. Josh Hazlewood might come into calculations if The Oval pitch provides some bounce, while all eyes will be on Shaun Tait to see how he backs up following his strong return to ODI cricket.

Pironkova stuns Venus at Wimbledon

LONDON, Jun 29: Five-time champion Venus Williams suffered a shock 6-2, 6-3 defeat against unseeded Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon on Tuesday, reports AFP.
Not since Jelena Jankovic defeated Williams in the third round in 2006 had Venus failed to reach the women''s singles final here, but the American second seed was completely out-played by Pironkova, the world number 82, in the most remarkable result of this year''s Championships.
Venus had competed in eight of the last 10 Wimbledon finals and had been odds-on to make yet another appearance in the showpiece after moving through the first four rounds without dropping a set.
Yet there had been signs against Jarmila Groth in the fourth round that Venus was not at the top of her game as the Australian pushed her to a tie-break in their fourth round tie.
But even so Venus has been the queen of Wimbledon for so long that this ranks as a truely stunning upset.
Pironkova, the daughter of a former canoe champion, is the lowest ranked woman left in the draw and has never won a title on the main WTA tour. She can look forward to a semi-final showdown with Kim Clijsters or Vera Zvonareva.
Although Pironkova is ranked 81 places below Venus, the Bulgarian had no reason to believe she couldn''t shock the world number two because she had already upset her in the first round of the Australian Open four years ago.
That stunning victory in Melbourne in their last meeting was by far the best result of Pironkova''s career.
The 22-year-old from Plovdiv, who defeated former Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli in the last round, had never even been past the second round of a grand slam in 18 previous attempts until her run here this year.
Playing for a place in the semi-finals of a grand slam could have been completely overwhelming for Pironkova. But she showed no signs of stage-fright on Court One.
Venus, who last won Wimbledon in 2008, has always relied on bullying opponents into submission with her huge serve and booming backhands, but Pironkova''s quick court coverage and clever use of the angles kept the American from finding her rhythm.
The tactic of moving Williams around the court paid off handsomely in the sixth game of the first set as Pironkova broke for a 4-2 lead.
With her ground-strokes way off target, Venus was unable to halt Pironkova''s momentum and the Bulgarian number one took the set when she converted her fourth break point in the eighth game with a perfect passing shot.
Venus had to fight off another break point in the second game of the second set and, even when she seemed to regain a measure of control by breaking for 2-1 lead, Pironkova just kept on coming at her.
When a sublime lob from Pironkova brought up a break point in the next game, Williams'' frustration was clear to see.
She looked rattled and there was an air of desperation about her when she drove a wild forehand into the net to allow Pironkova to break back.
Even though her power-game wasn''t working, Venus made no attempt to change statergy.
Pironkova was playing the tennis of her life and all Venus could do was crudely blasted a backhand long to give the Bulgarian the decisive break for a 4-2 lead.
Pironkova didn''t falter when she had a chance to serve for the match and, after Williams missed a volley, the Bulgarian fell to the turf in sheer delight.

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