Sports of The Times: South Africa’s Long Journey To World Cup. South Africans like Danny Jordaan, the chairman of the committee that will stage the World Cup in 2010, can remember apartheid, violence and prison.

Sports of The Times: Red Bulls Have Appeal in a Bearish Economy. A M.L.S. championship could help the Red Bulls establish their niche at a time when affordable entertainment is starting to look like not a half-bad idea.

Sports of The Times: Red Bulls’ Title Would Salve 13 Years of Misfortune. Raging Red Bulls fans like Johnny Toro have endured numerous painful defeats over more than a decade watching Major League Soccer’s star-crossed franchise.

Essay: Remembering the Joy of Just Playing. Though I can get wrapped up in the formations and the standings, the real reward for me has been plunging back into the pure waters of sport.

In Search of Donor, a Soccer Player’s Family Finds a Community. A Utah community has rallied around Real Salt Lake midfielder Andy Williams and his wife while she struggles with leukemia.

Maradona Wins Debut as Argentina’s Coach. Argentina took only eight minutes to score the goal that gave Diego Maradona a winning start as coach with a 1-0 victory over Scotland in a friendly on Wednesday.

United States 2, Guatemala 0: Adu and Altidore Lift U.S. to Win. Freddy Adu scored his first goal for the U.S. national team, and Jozy Altidore assisted on Kenny Cooper’s sliding shot, leading to a win in a World Cup qualifier.

Goal: Bayern Munich Wants to Borrow Donovan. Bayern Munich Coach Jurgen Klinsmann wants to bring Landon Donovan to Germany on a three-month loan deal similar to the one that sent Donovan’s Galaxy teammate David Beckham to Milan.

Roundup: Struggling Mexico Is Up Next for the U.S.. The United States will begin the final round of World Cup qualifying in the Concacaf region by hosting Mexico on Feb. 11.

Goalkeeper Seeks Education Only a Championship Provides. If things go the Red Bulls’ way, Danny Cepero will earn a professional degree as the goalkeeper who led the Red Bulls to the first title in their 13-year history.

Soccer Field to Surfboard: Crew’s Hejduk Has a Passion to Be the Best. When Frankie Hejduk was growing up, if a soccer ball was not near his feet, a surfboard was under them.

Columbus Crew 3, Red Bulls 1: Crew Defeats Red Bulls to Win M.L.S. Cup. The New York Red Bulls squandered scoring chances and the Columbus Crew won its first M.L.S. Cup title on the keen passing of league most valuable player Guillermo Barros Schelotto.

Goal: M.V.P. Left Mark on the Final. Guillermo Barros Schelotto was named Major League Soccer’s most valuable player last Thursday, and he played like it in the M.L.S. Cup on Sunday.

Executive Leaving M.L.S. To Be the Boss at Arsenal. Ivan Gazidis, the deputy commissioner of M.L.S., was hired to be the chief executive of Arsenal of the English Premier League, the club announced Wednesday.

French Official Criticizes Imbalances in European Soccer. France’s sports minister told the European Commission and international sports officials that the E.U. should address the dominance of English teams in the Champions League.

European Soccer Challenges Free Market. Michel Platini, the former France player and now president of European soccer’s governing body, is leading an attempt to bypass European labor law to stop teams spending what they want on the players they want.

Roundup: Friedel Sets a Record in Premier League. The American goalkeeper Brad Friedel, who plays for Aston Villa, made a record 167th consecutive Premier League appearance on Saturday.

From Bosnia to U.S. to Top of the Bundesliga. Vedad Ibisevic has taken a meandering route from the devastation of the war in the former Yugoslavia to success in Germany’s top soccer league.

Goal: Upstart Meets Star Studded in Germany. The biggest game of the first half of the Bundesliga season will be played at the imposing Allianz Arena in Munich, a match between Bayern Munich and Hoffenheim.