The Highlight Reel: Why Casey's a happy man

Practising ahead of the BMW International Open in Munich, here's Paul Casey showing solidarity with his compatriots in South Africa. Just as they were trying to get out of a hole, he was trying to get in one. Both ended the afternoon happy.

Pitch invasion

Closer to home, Wembley's horror show turf might soon be consigned to history. The pitch consultants – responsible for 11 separate efforts at making the pitch world-class in three years – have been dropped. Sports Turf Research Institute, who ironically are overseeing all 10 pitches in South Africa, are to be replaced by Desso Sports Systems. The FA hopes the latter are supersubs who won't have to be turfed out as quickly.

Fifa's fingers crossed

Now that the hosts have been dumped out, South Africans are desperate to boost revenues. Fifa had fingers crossed for England, Germany and the US yesterday, because they're three of the very biggest markets for South Africa's still young and fragile economy. What's more, these three teams have brought among the biggest delegations of fans. If those fans went home, we really would see what empty stadiums look like. So it's just as well that results went the way the hosts wanted yesterday.

Miliband's backing Cole

Labour Party leadership hopeful David Miliband was busy tweeting his working-class credentials on the night before the game: "Capello must give Joe Cole a run tmw – strange to say for an Arsenal fan but Cole did go to my school (after me)". Indeed he did. And thanks for clearing up the lack of crossover at Haverstock School in Camden, north London, between yourself (born 1965) and the England midfielder (born 1981). But presumably the former Foreign Secretary's star is waning: Cole started on the bench, only came on late in the second half, and didn't make much of an impression.

Terry uses his head

Highlights Reel is in no serious doubt about the best moment of England's game: John Terry's horizontal heroism. Lacking the pace of his younger days, the former England captain sometimes finds he covers the ground quickest by lungeing with his head. He tried to block a rare Slovenian shot using this method, but was half an hour late. Meanwhile, Glen Johnson covered his manhood. Whether Terry's cranium or the approaching ball was the threat only he knows.

Football on a mission

Only two teams so far in this competition have conceded two headed goals. That's North and South Korea. The parallels between the two countries just get stronger. Is football going to do what decades of diplomacy couldn't, and make the case for unification?

England one again

This is the sixth time in their last eight World Cup appearances England have conceded only one goal in qualifying. That might make goalkeeper Rob Green feel better, or it might not.

Where there's a Bill...

Spotted: after that stunning last-gasp victory for the US against Algeria, who should be in the mixed zone but Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the US? He had two main observations. First, his family don't like quitters. Second, football is a head game.