French rebels meet desperate hosts

By Barry Moody

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa, on the brink of the worst ever performance by a World Cup host, and a French side torn apart by dissent will both seek a miracle result to try to salvage some honor when they meet on Tuesday.

A bitter players' rebellion in the French camp, which has horrified their country, has opened up a slim chance for the hosts who need a large score to reach the second round, and even then it would depend on Mexico and Uruguay not settling for an easy draw in their Tuesday Group A match in Rustenburg.

France, champions in 1998 and runners-up in 2006, need the same unlikely Latin American result in Bloemfontein to salvage some of their tarnished reputation after being pilloried by their domestic press and politicians as spoilt, overpaid brats.

The scandal, which was sparked by Nicolas Anelka being sent home for insulting coach Raymond Domenech, deepened on Monday when Domenech said some of the rebels might be unwilling to even play on Tuesday.

Sports Minister Roselyne Bachelot, dispatched by President Nicolas Sarkozy to try to end the shambles, told the players they had tarnished the nation's image.

Iberian sides restored some European pride on Monday in a tournament so far dominated by Latin America.

Portugal thrashed North Korea 7-0 in their best World Cup result and the highest scoring game in this tournament and Spain returned to form to beat Honduras 2-0 despite missing a penalty.

In other matches on Tuesday, Argentina, one of the favorites and on the verge of qualification from Group B, will want to intimidate future opposition in the knockout round with a big win over Greece.

The Greeks, in turn, will want Nigeria to beat South Korea to improve their chances of qualification.

ARGENTINA, BRAZIL LEAD LATIN CHARGE

Together with Brazil, Diego Maradona's Argentina have led a South American charge at the World Cup, leaving both Africa and European giants in their slipstream.

Portugal's victory put them firmly on the road to the second round from Group G as well as breaking a 16-month international goal drought for Cristiano Ronaldo, cheered on by a large crowd of fellow Madeirans.

It also ended a curse on Cape Town's graceful new Green Point stadium that had produced only dull draws in three previous games.

Orchestrated by Maradona and including World Player of the Year Lionel Messi, the Argentines have produced some of the most entertaining soccer in the World Cup so far.

Confirming the South American trend, Chile managed to prise open the vice-like Swiss defense on Monday to win 1-0 and take top place in Group H.

The scandal in the French camp, when the players refused to train on Sunday, has caused profound soul searching at home.

Politicians and philosophers said it reflected deep weaknesses of materialistic modern French society and team sponsors began running for the door.

South African leaders appealed to the population to stick with the tournament even if their Bafana Bafana side are eliminated, worried that empty fan parks and stadium seats will rob the continent's first World Cup of its atmosphere.

Most South Africans are avid watchers of foreign football, especially the English Premier League, and many already had selected a second team to support in the anticipation that Bafana Bafana would not do well.

But England are ironically themselves close to elimination, continuing the paradox under which Premier League names struggle to gel for the national side. Vice captain Frank Lampard denied England had a players' mutiny against coach Fabio Capello to match the French chaos.

After two weak draws, England must now beat group leaders Slovenia in their final game to be certain of reaching the second round.

In another unsavoury aspect of the tournament, South African police said they were keeping a close eye on midfielder Sani Kaita after he received more than a thousand e-mailed death threats, after being sent off in Nigeria's loss to Greece.

(Writing by Barry Moody; Editing by Ossian Shine)