So it proved as they slumped to an 81-run defeat by Sri Lanka at the semi-final stage.
He was recruited by Liverpool after impressing during the 2005 World Youth Championships where he helped Morocco reach the semi-final stage.
Tottenham defender Pascal Chimbonda is relishing the chance to exact revenge upon Arsenal, who knocked out Spurs at the semi-final stage last season.
The New Saints have already won through to the final of the competition by knocking Cardiff out at the semi-final stage the previous night.
They were beaten at the semi-final stage two seasons ago when Warrington won 39-26 to set up the first of their successive Wembley finals.
England had fallen at the semi-final stage of this 31-year-old tournament five times, including a 13-12 penalty defeat to the Netherlands two years ago.
But Barcelona finished third in La Liga this season and were knocked out of the Champions League at the semi-final stage during a trophyless campaign.
France captain Raphael Ibanez was distraught after seeing England end his team's World Cup hopes at the semi-final stage for the second time in a row.
Ghana and Egypt met six times last year in friendlies and at the semi-finals stage of both the Nations Cup in Ethiopia and the World Cup in Argentina.
In addition to the defeat by United, the Gunners were knocked out of the FA Cup at the semi-final stage by Chelsea and are currently fourth in the Premier League.
Nottingham must now win away at the Exeter Chiefs next weekend in order to stand any chance of progressing to the semi-final stage of the Championship play-offs, and Delaney recognises that most people will now write his side's hopes off.
In Sydney she pulled up with a hamstring problem in the semi-final -- the same stage she reached in the 1988 Games.
Mid-afternoon, and main stage security have built themselves into a reinforced semi-circle as if preparing for war as Australian drum 'n' bass metalers Pendulum arrive - it's officially their 150th show.
Coming to the championships as a virtual unknown, Aggar announced his arrival on the world stage with comprehensive victories in both the heats and semi-finals.
But they were relegated after one season and then lost the 2008 Championship play-off semi-final to eventual winners Hull last season after leading the table at one stage.
The tournament format sees the eight teams split into two groups of four for a round-robin stage, before the top two teams from each group progress to knock-out semi-finals and then the final on June 28.
Spain may have reached a World Cup semi-final for the first time - their fourth place in 1950 was after a round-robin stage - but they will surely need to improve if they are to defeat in-form Germany in Durban on Wednesday.
In qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the North Koreans have made it through to the final qualifying stage and recently drew with their neighbor South Korea -- a side which was a World Cup semi-finalist in 2002, and unlucky not to make the second round at the 2006 finals in Germany.
CNN: Free for All: Is North Korea becoming a new football force?
Zamalek's victory avoided a North African derby in the next stage - by finishing top of the group, the Egyptian side will play Tout Puissant Mazembe in the semi-finals.
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