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Capello content with England draw

Author: Lynda Collins
Date: 06/12/2009
Football betting

England coach Fabio Capello had no complaints after being grouped with the United States, Algeria and Slovenia for the 2010 World Cup finals.

England will play the USA in Rustenburg on 12 June, before clashing with Algeria in Cape Town six days later and ending their Group C campaign with a match against Slovenia in Port Elizabeth on 23 June.

Capello said: "It's not so bad. We've played the US and Slovenia at home and played well and won.

"But when we have to play here in June it will be different. Algeria beat Egypt and they have a really good team now. Every opponent will be strong."

Group G has emerged as the traditional 'Group of Death' after sportsbook favourites Brazil were paired with Ivory Coast, Portugal and North Korea.

In domestic action, Chelsea head coach Carlo Ancelotti has been named as the Premier League Manager of the Month for November.

The 50-year-old Italian has enjoyed a fine start to his time in charge at Stamford Bridge, with the Blues currently five points clear at the top of the table.

Meanwhile, Hull City midfielder Jimmy Bullard's return to fitness has been rewarded with the Player of the Month award for November.

West Ham United boss Gianfranco Zola has confirmed that star striker Carlton Cole could be sidelined until the end of January by a knee injury sustained in the 5-3 win over Burnley last weekend.

The 26-year-old England international scored a first-half penalty against the Clarets, but was forced out of the game at the interval, amid fears that he was facing a lengthy lay-off.

England skipper Andrew Strauss was a proud man after his side secured a series victory in South Africa after the fifth and final ODI at Durban's Kingsmead was washed out.

The abandonment left England as 2-1 winners in the five-match programme, with the first ODI having also been lost to rain two weeks ago.

Strauss said: "It's not really the way we'd like to win the series, but we'll take it nonetheless.

"There is a lot to be proud of, I think the guys thoroughly deserved

that victory. I don't think anyone can take that away from us. It's a

big step forward, so we're delighted to have achieved it."

In tennis, Spain are in total command of the Davis Cup Final against the Czech Republic after building up a 2-0 lead on the first day.

David Ferrer was the star of the show, hitting back from two sets down to beat Radek Stepanek.

Ferrer managed to win only three games in the first two sets and seemed to be on course for a heavy defeat before storming back to prevail 1-6 2-6 6-4 6-4 8-6.

In the day's early game, Rafael Nadal shrugged off any doubts about his form following his long lay-off through injury by beating Tomas Berdych 7-5 6-0 6-2.

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