Argentina beat Greece 2-0 yesterday to take the top spot in Group B and advance to the quarterfinals. The loss means Greece, the 2004 European champion, was eliminated from the tournament, finishing with three points after a win over Nigeria and a loss to South Korea.
For Argentina, the victory cements them as one of the new tournament favourites. It is also a great vindication for coach Diego Maradona, who faced questions about his team’s performance after they had looked shaky during the qualifying period in South America. After the match, Maradona was quick to remind the media they had misjudged his team.
''We're showing ourselves that many of the things you (journalists) said were wrong,” said the Argentinian coach. ''The players leave everything they have on the pitch, they're 100 percent professionals and they make the people happy.''
What makes this victory even more impressive is that Argentina actually played without most of its regular starters, instead choosing to rest them up. Seven of Maradona’s 11 starters against South Korea were taken out of the starting line-up, proving that Argentina also has a wealth of depth to rely on as they go into the deeper rounds.
Greece tries to hold on
For the Greeks, the loss will be a stiff disappointment. Since emerging as a top-level soccer nation after 2004, hopes were high they’d be able to make it out of a tough Group B, but they were disappointed. The final day of competition produced several possible outcomes where either Greece, South Korea or Nigeria could have gotten the final spot.
The Greeks appeared willing to just hold on against their more powerful opponents, attempting to thwart their powerful attack throughout the game. Coach Otto Rehhagel of Greece explained the plan was to avoid letting in an early goal to gain the tie, but that the South Americans proved too much.
''A well-deserved victory, no doubt about that,'' Greece coach Otto Rehhagel said. ''We wanted to avoid an early goal, we managed to do that, but of course Argentina has more class and that earned them the win.''
A tie in this game, and a victory of Nigeria against South Korea, which was taking place at the same time, would have allowed Greece to advance. As it were the South Koreans tied Nigeria meaning Greece would have needed a win to advance.
But after Argentina scored in the 75th minute, the Greeks seemed to crumple and lose hope. They mounted almost no offence after Martin Demichelis’ first goal, and then finally let in another with just minutes left in regulation time to seal their fate.
The upset victory of the South Koreans in their first game against Greece derailed their hopes of making it through to the qualifying round.
Argentina moves on to face Mexico
Mexico will be Argentina’s next opponent in the Group of 16, and Argentina can be heartened by the fact that Mexico is coming off of a loss against Uruguay.
''Now the road gets more difficult,'' Maradona said. ''Mexico is not going to be easy -- very difficult opponent.''
Argentina though will come into that match as a favourite, and it should be an interesting match. The Mexicans play more of an offensive ball control game rather than the Greek reliance on a passive defense mixed with set piece counter-attacks. This will create a more open game, and will give Argentina’s best starting line-up a chance to try and get their offense going early, rather than being stymied for over an hour as they were against Greece. Still, with all their best players available and their team looking to have finally come together under Maradona, Argentina will be going in with heavy expectations and much in their favour into the Round of 16.
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