6:30pm:
Pld W D L F A GD Pts
Argentina 2 2 0 0 5 1 +4 6
South Korea 2 1 0 1 3 4 -1 3
Greece 2 1 0 1 2 3 -1 3
Nigeria 2 0 0 2 1 3 -2 0
Argentina are in pole position going into the final games, knowing that even if they lose they may well finish top. Below them, it is all to play for, with South Korea knowing that if they match Greece’s result they will go through. Nigeria can only go through if they beat South Korea and Greece lose to Argentina.
Greece are definitely out if they lose, but could go through with a draw if Nigeria win. It would be an amazing achievement if the Nigerians went through after losing their first two games, but it is not beyond the realms of possibility. A victory for Argentina over Greece would mean that any Nigeria victory would be enough to take them through. All to play for here.
7:00pm: Argentina make seven changes, with Carlos Tevez, Javier Mascherano and Gonzalo Higuain and Angel di Maria among those rested. When Maradona can replace them with Diego Milito, Sergio Aguero, Maxi Rodriguez and Juan Veron, it gives an indication of the vast amount of quality in the Argentinian squad. Maradona also changes both of his full-backs, while Leo Messi captains the side in Mascherano’s absence.
Greece make two changes, with Samaras likely to play as a lone striker in a 4-5-1 formation, with Greece again favouring the defensive approach.
South Korea only make one change, with right-back Cha Du-Ri, so impressive in their opening game, returning to the side. Nigeria make several changes, with Yussuf Ayila, Rabiu Afolabi and Chinedu Obasi coming into the side, and Sani Keita suspended after his red card in the previous game.
7:30pm: Both games get underway and it’s all to play for in Group B.
7:32pm: South Korea nearly grab an early lead. Lee Chung-Yong was played in down the right and beat Nigerian ‘keeper Enyeama to the ball, but could only slide the ball into the side netting at the near post.
7:37pm: South Korea have started well and have just had another good chance as Ki Sung-Yeung hit a great strike from the edge of the box which flew narrowly over.
7:41pm: GOAL for NIGERIA! Kalu Uche, who scored for Nigeria in their last game, has another goal here. Odiah broke down Nigeria’s right and crossed for Uche, who nipped in front of his marker and fired home.
7:45pm: The first fifteen minutes from Greece can be summed up in two words; defensive and cynical. Not good to watch, they are clearly not interested in attacking.
7:48pm: Argentina’s best chance of the game so far, as Sergio Aguero beat his man and fired left footed from inside the box, forcing a good save from Tzorvas at his near post.
8:00pm: Argentina have dominated possession throughout this first half hour, without threatening the Greek goal. Greek are showing no attacking impetus whatsoever, although if the result in the other game stays as it is, a draw would be enough to qualify.
8:02pm: Milito fired across goal and Tzorvas spilled out across the box, where it was met by Aguero, with only a fine block from a Greek defender preventing a goal.
8:05pm: So close for Uche! The Nigerian winger finds himself in space and fires a superb drive from 25 yards that hit the post with ‘keeper Jung Sung-Ryong well beaten. A real let off for South Korea.
8:07pm: EQUALISER for SOUTH KOREA! A free-kick from Korea’s left evaded everybody in the box, until it reached defender Lee Jung-Soo at the far post, the defender heading home to give South Korea a vital equaliser. What a turnaround; Nigeria were very nearly 2-0 up, now they find themselves level.
8:15pm: Textbook Messi for Argentina. The magical winger cut in from the right and curled a curling effort from just outside the box, forcing Tzorvas to tip over at full stretch.
8:17pm: Both games are level at the break, with South Korea riding their luck against Nigeria but currently going through on goal difference.
The Group as it stands at half-time:
Pld W D L F A GD Pts
Argentina 3 2 1 0 5 1 +4 7
South Korea 3 1 1 1 4 5 -1 4
Greece 3 1 1 1 2 3 -1 4
Nigeria 3 0 1 2 2 4 -2 1
8:33pm: The sides are back out in both games, but it remains to be seen whether Greece will continue with their attempts to squeeze the life out of the game. They currently need to win to finish above South Korea, while if the Koreans win then Greece need to win by two, which they are not going to do if they never cross the halfway line.
8:35pm: Best chance so far for Greece. Lone striker Samaras receives the ball up-field and side-foots his first effort against a defender, but the ball falls to him again and Samaras smashed a shot across the face of goal and just past the far post.
8:36pm: GOAL for SOUTH KOREA! A brilliant curling free-kick from Park Chu-Young gives the Koreans the lead. South Korea’s star striker placed the ball perfectly round the wall and past the outstretched Enyeama. South Korea now look strong favourites to qualify.
8:40pm: South Korea have really stepped things up since they went ahead, the pace of their attacking players causing real problems to the Nigerian defence.
8:42pm: I’m not sure if Otto Rehagel on the Greek bench is aware that South Korea are winning, but he needs to tell his team to show a little more ambition. They seem to have very little intention of crossing the halfway line. Maybe the 71 year old Rehagel has banned flashy modern devices like mobile phones and internet access and is unaware of what’s happening over in Durban.
8:43pm: Diego Milito nearly gives Argentina the lead as he so nearly heads in from Rodriguez’ left wing cross. That was Milito’s first chance of note but was so close to a goal.
8:48pm: Nigeria are showing glimpses of getting back into this, with Yakubu nearly getting in behind the Korean defence, but South Korea look dangerous on the counter.
8:50pm: A swift counter-attack from South Korea found Park Chu-Young at the far post, and the striker slid in to fire a shot goalwards which was well saved by Enyeama.
8:54pm: Yakubu has just produced quite possibly the worst miss in the history of the World Cup. Yussuf Ayila breaks down Nigeria’s left and crosses for Yakubu to side-foot home into the empty net. Except he didn’t, he placed the ball wide from inside the six-yard box with no one anywhere near him. Truly shocking, and a huge let-off for South Korea.
8:57pm: EQUALISER for NIGERIA! How quickly footballing fortunes can change. A terrible defensive error from substitute Kim Nam-Il, who lost the ball to Obasi in his own box and then hacked him down, gives Nigeria a penalty. Up steps Yakubu, and he shows no sign of nerves as he coolly slots home to erase memories of his horror miss. Well, at least until the clips reach Youtube.
8:58pm: Yakubu is substituted soon after his goal and is not happy at all. He will have to hope that his teammates can get a goal, or that will be his last involvement in this World Cup.
9:04pm: GOAL for ARGENTINA! Argentina finally have the breakthrough, and it’s come though brute force rather than intricate passing. Martin Demichelis met a right-wing corner with a firm header, but the ball hit his teammate Milito. Fortunately for Demichelis, it fell back at his feet and the big centre back smashed the ball home from close range. Will Greece finally come out of their defensive shell?
9:07pm: Another brilliant chance for Nigeria. How did Martins miss? The diminutive forward was put clean through down the left-hand side, beat ‘keeper Sung-Ryong to the ball and clipped a shot over him, only to see the ball bounce wide. A truly golden chance for Nigeria, who are surely aware that with Greece losing, any win would be enough to take them through. Can they score in the final ten minutes?
9:12pm: A real glimpse of Messi’s brilliance. The world’s best player receives the ball on the left and ghosts past two defenders before smashing a shot against the near post. How is Messi still without a goal at this World Cup? He’s been at the heart of everything good about Argentina in each of their three games.
9:16pm: GOAL for ARGENTINA! Argentina double their lead, and it’s veteran forward Martin Palermo with the goal. Messi dribbles infield and plays a clever one-two before curling a powerful effort from the edge of the box. Tzorvas could only parry Messi’s shot, but Palermo followed up with a clinical side-foot finish. No less than Argentina deserve.
9:17pm: So close for Nigeria! Subsitute Victor Obinna, slipping as he shot, fires narrowly wide from distance. The ball agonisingly hits the side-netting to the relief of South Korea and the anguish of Nigeria.
9:18pm: So close again. A carbon copy of Obinna’s chance only a minute previous. Same player, same position, same result; narrowly wide again. Nigeria will rue all these missed opportunities if they’re unable to find a third goal.
9:20pm: Full-time in Polokwane and Argentina have beaten Greece 2-0. Had Greece held on for a draw and Nigeria won, it may have been enough for the Greeks to qualify, but that didn’t happen and most neutrals will be delighted that the ultra-negative Greek side did not manage to get through playing like that.
9:22pm: Full-time in Durban and heartbreak for Nigeria, who only have themselves to blame for the game finishing 2-2. Had they scored one of their many late chances and won 3-2, they would have overtaken the South Koreans and qualified. That did not happen, and Nigeria go home having taken only one point from three games.
We now know our first two Second Round games; Argentina v Mexico and South Korea v Uruguay. Argentina still have defensive frailties, but their attacking talent is sensational and with Messi in the form that he is, they look like real contenders. South Korea scraped through by the narrowest of margins, and will be underdogs against Uruguay, but certainly have enough to beat the South Americans on their day.
The group finishes like this:
Pld W D L F A GD Pts
Argentina 3 3 0 0 7 1 +6 7
South Korea 3 1 1 1 5 6 -4 4
Greece 3 1 0 2 2 5 -3 3
Nigeria 3 0 1 2 3 5 -2 1
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