Goal Scorers: Lee Jung-soo, Park Chu-young [K] & Kalu Uche, Ayegbeni Yakubu [penalty]
Nigeria needed to win this one with a marginal goal difference, but they didn't. It is awful, because it is yet another disappointing performance by an African team, but I think the Taeguk Warriors were the better team to go through. This is a first for the South Korean team, who have never advanced beyond the group stages away from home soil. S.Korea now find themselves facing Uruguay in the next round, and I do hope they will win that one!
Although the Super Eagles put up a fight, with the continent rooting for them, they scored two goals but the Koreans matched them, largely due to poor defense. Yakubu's missed an incredible sitter, resulting in their exit from the 2010 soccer world cup.
We would have died to win tonight; we tried so hard. No one can say we didn’t. Kanu on Nigeria's exit
Argentina continued their prolific form with Captain Lionel Messi championing the side to a two-nil victory over the ancient Greeks. The first team to win all their three matches, their conclude first in their group and head on to meet Mexico in the Last 16. This team -the only one to have had a hat-rick and conceding only one goal, S.Korea's- is a must winner for the World Cup. Their setting their sights firmly on it, and only the courageous are ready to go against them.
“I wasn’t myself in qualifying but I’ve changed now. How? Now I feel comfortable and happy as part of the squad, thanks to my team-mates and to Diego. I feel at ease; it’s the first time that’s happened. I feel like I do at Barcelona, and that’s reflected out on the pitch,” Lionel Messi, Argentina attacker.
The team gelling well together is something that has been missing in the past matches, but with Messi now ready to take on the world together with his teammates, the rest of the teams should be rather afraid.
Weather 5* [The glove is in fashion at the moment]
Greece 2-1 Nigeria
Goal Scorers: Salpigidis,Torosidis [G] & Uche [N]
RED CARD: Keita.
When the Greeks scored for the very first time in the history of the world cup, Aristotle screamed ‘Eureka!’ The team was now studying science, delving into formations, set pieces, the offside puzzle and the heroic goal. The Greek spirit so long at sleep, sighed awake and they began to run, confidence soaring to the clouds. As the tales goes, the Greeks won their battles, and so they conquered Nigeria.
Alright, it was not quite as emphatic as that, but I could not believe the Greek transformation, this team had barely managed past S.Korea and now they were now they were ready to show their poor bankrupt home that they actually had some fire.
.
Nigeria did get the first goal through Uche, but they also had the first red card. Keita was angry, where he wanted to kick that Greek and not tackle him, which was a deserved card. Not like the others their flashing around, like Khune's, which everybody's still miffed about. I tried to get a video on here, but Fifa's blocked so many because of copyright. Which is unfair.
In the 43rd minute Salpigidis scored, with a defelction of Haruna, which seems to be the pattern of quite a few goals. Even though the Nigerian Goalkeeper made some phenomenal saves, he fails to hold onto a ball and Torosidis finishes it off. Nigeria kick the field up in an effort for a draw, but alas, they lose, and are the first team to have two loses in the cup. Ah, poor Nigeria and poor Africa.
I don't think the Greeks should go to the next round, their not great to watch at all. I would rather have Nigeria but although S,Korea got hammered in that Argentinian game, their better.
Goal Scorers: Chu Young Park [own goal], Gonzalo Higuain [A] hat-rick & Chu Young Park [K]
The first hat-trick in the World Cup goes too... Gonzalo Higuain! Get your stripes ready, Albiceleste are going to win the trophy. Maradona's team did it, and now the road to last 16 seems clear. These are the teams that we want to see dazzle, and I still want to see a Messi goal. Although the genius created dazzling passes leading to goal, he failed to hit one in himself.
The first point, was an own goal by S.Korea's Chu Young Park, and then Gonzalo. The Real Madrid forward found his first goal after 33 minutes, easily heading in a cross from Rodriguez, after the ball had been flicked on as Korea set up an ill-advised offside trap.
Although they are the most impressively talented team here, they sometimes seem a bit uneasy. They need to get comfortable, and then they will be able to have resounding wins over the big teams.
The Asians pulled one back, when Lee C scored a goal seconds before halftime. It came after a terrible mistake by defender Martin Demichelis, who was unaware that Lee was just behind him. According to Lionel Messi, the vuvuzelas caused the defender to not hear their warning shouts, he also said that he had lost a couple of balls the same way.Argentina celebrated Higuain's second goal on 76 minutes, and on 80 minutes completed his hat-trick with cries of jubilation from the fans.
Maradona wearing his striking grey suit, earning him many more fans said: A headline to sum up today’s game? ‘Argentina were implacable.’
There were more people wearing Argentinean T-shirts featuring Maradona more than ones featuring Messi. He is just so interesting. Maradona is a legend and I want to see him getting frustrated and smirking at the press like their nothing. And he makes training rather exciting.
In those very first few minutes of play Magical Messi spun the world star struck as he weaved in and out of the Nigerian players, making it look oh so easy. I don’t know who can beat him; he draws with that ball. He is a painter; the ground is his canvas and the ball his brush, leaving extraordinary luminous colours behind. The ball never leaves his feet, and then it is somewhere near the goals. Always near the goals.
The goal by Heinz, I didn’t expect. See, I didn’t think there was anybody else in the team that could score except Messi. They are huge footballers, playing in clubs of much precedence, but I sought of forgot about them. So, when that neat header came in, and the dances around Nigeria’s end kept coming, I felt sorry for Nigeria. They were going to be hit 1000-nil, and would shuffle around, while the Argentineans made them look sorry.
Messi is the most capable of winning the golden boot, he is simply brilliant and there is no other player who is of his calibre. Every few minutes there he was, somewhere near the net, but not in it. Then he falls down. The guy falls every five minutes, it is a wonder his face is not blue. He tried, twisted, turned, shredding the Nigerian confidence as soon as they’d built it, only to not get a goal.
I didn’t think the Nigerians would be able to hold the Argentineans back, but goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama put up a worthy performance, saving balls from some of the world’s best strikers. He rescued the Super Eagles time and again, and kept his nerves steady. The strength and stamina of the Nigerians was a force to be reckoned with. They kept running, dribbling, defending, attacking, and going on and on. I thought they could have continued the match for another 20 minutes. They should be proud; restricting Argentina to a one goal win took some mighty effort.
Maradona’s boys play soccer. They don’t just go and work at it, thumping the ball here and there, but they entertain. I want to see them go right till the end, because the world cup is about watching beautiful play and not just winning.
S. Korea became the first team to win a match in the 2010 world cup, triumphing over the Greeks, 2-0.
They played easy, flowing soccer. The Greeks did not provide much resilience, and the Koreans were seemingly the most comfortable and confident of all the teams so far.
