World Cup: Team practices hampered by bad conditions

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For the third time in two days, poor field conditions have hampered a World Cup team’s preparations.

Friday it was Brazil that had to go looking for a new training pitch after its regular field became unusable. On Thursday, Ghana’s morning workout was delayed by a frozen field while both Serbia and Germany were prevented from working out on the stadium field in Port Elizabeth after heavy rains damaged the turf.

Brazil had to find a different location for Friday’s practice after a 50-minute training game the day before deteriorated the field at Randburg High School, where the team has been practicing since it arrived in South Africa last month.

Large patches of grass came out when Brazil’s reserves faced a local under-19 squad on the field, which was normally used for rugby.

-- Kevin Baxter in Johannesburg, South Africa