FIFA World Cup 2010 - Nigeria vs. South Korea Full Time Review
Going into the final round of matches in Group B, both Nigeria and South Korea had a chance of getting through to the next round, provided that results in the other group game between Argentina and Greece went their way. Given what was riding on the match, a tense but fast paced game was the most likely outcome.
A goal could have been scored as early as in the 1st minute, as Lee Chung-Yong touched the ball past the post. He needed to be taken off the field due to a collision with the Nigerian keeper, but nevertheless it was a good effort by the Koreans who looked eager to get off to a flier.
The Nigerians, however, were not having any of that, and they got a goal with pretty much their first real attack of the game. Chidi Odiah took advantage of some bad defending from the South Koreans, and his cross was converted by none other than Kalu Uche who missed a glorious opportunity in the opening game against Argentina and cost his team the match. He redeems himself with this goal though, as Nigeria's hopes of a place in the second round still hung in the balance.
South Koreans started to get more into the game as the half wore on, enjoying the greater share of possession but failing to turn that into goals until the 39th minute when a set play helped them equalize. Ki Sung-Yong took a very good free-kick and Lee Jong-Soo put it in the Nigerian net to make it 1-1 at half time. As the results stood, South Korea would go through to the next round with Argentina.
The South Koreans started off the second half brightly. Taking the lead in the 49th minute as Park Choo-Young's free-kick hit the back of the net. The South Koreans put themselves firmly in the driving seat and were on their way to securing 2nd place in the group ahead of Greece and Nigeria.
As the game went on the Nigerian players started getting frustrated, leading to fouls and hence opportunities for South Korea to extend their lead further. In Park Choo-Young, the Koreans have a specialist ‘free-kicker’ and he scores or comes close to scoring every time he lines up for one.
As the game headed into the last half hour, the Nigerians brought on Obafemi Martins and Uwa Echiejile to liven things up and add a different dimension to the game plan, so that they could save themselves from elimination. The Nigerians did themselves no favors though, as there were too many free-kicks being given away and then in the 65th minutes, star striker Yakubu missed a glorious chance to put the scores level when he shot wide from very close in.
He got a chance to redeem himself though, as Nigeria were awarded a penalty kick in the 67th minute as Kim Nam-Ill fouled Obasi. Yakubu stepped up to take the penalty, completely unfazed by his horrible miss a few minutes earlier, but he made no mistake this time and made the score 2-2.
That’s how the match ended, but it could have been a lot different because the Nigerians had more than enough chances to grab the victory they desperately needed in order to progress to the next round. All the South Koreans needed was a draw, thanks to the Greeks losing against Argentina, and the South Koreans looked very relieved to come through unscathed from a match that could have gone either way. Over the course of the 3 games though, it has to be said that the two teams that did go through, namely South Korean and Argentina, deserved it.
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