All over at Soccer City. Whisper it, but the World Cup is starting to get good. Argentina looked excellent again and dodgy at the back… again. Final scoreline very harsh on South Korea, they were well in the game up to Argentina’s third goal. Argentina safely through to the last sixteen then and looking good.
There goes the final whistle!!!
Fancy keeping us with you throughout the afternoon? We’ve live guff about Greece-Nigeria over at this link.
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Sergio Aguero almost puts the icing on the cake for Argentina, twisting and turning before firing an effort just beyond the far post. Great effort he’s been class since he came on.
Frank in Mayo has been on again, predicting big things for Argentina.
“Argentina are great to watch going forward. If they can sort out the defence they could go a long way. Look at the striking options on their bench Aguero and Milito, its mad! This has been another good game, Higuian really strolled to that hat-trick, i didn’t even notice him in the game that much, a true striker!!! haha!”
I didn’t think Higuain was all that good either Frank, but Argentina will definitely meet better teams than South Korea where their bad defence could really be a problem.
Park Ji Sung takes a tumble in the area, a clear dive but it would almost be insult to injury to show him a card at this stage.
Five minutes left in Soccer City and everyone is anxiously waiting for the Fat Lady to sing, it’s completely over as a contest.
The scoreline is definitely harsh on South Korea, who made a real game of it second half. This has been another fine game and after three decent matches yesterday, is the World Cup finally becoming good again?
Higuain has his hat trick after all and it’s a thing of beauty. Messi involved once again, finding Sergio Aguero on the left who dinks a lovely ball back to Higuain who heads it into the net from close range.
GOAL Argentina!!!
Higuain has a chance for the hat trick after some hesitation at the heart of the South Korean defence. The ball bounced up invitingly for the Real Madrid striker, but his attempted lob was weak and straight at Jung.
Gonzalo Higuain gets his second of the game, but it was all about Messi. Jung managed to stop his first effort and the post stopped his second and it fell kindly to Higuain who tapped it in from a yard out. Game over at Soccer City.
GOAL Argentina!!!
One aspect of the World Cup that must annoy substituted players is that it seems obligatory to give every single squad player, manager, physios and hangers on on the sideline a high five before they get a chance to sit down. Tevez must have taken two minutes to sit down there.
Maradona about to bring son-in-law Sergio Aguero on to bring something different to the party. Tevez is being withdrawn.
The substitute Namil with a decent effort from the edge of the box after more good build up play from South Korea. Lee Young Pyo was in acres of space outside him on the left and he should have been played in.
South Koreans growing in confidence and knocking it about with far more authority. It’s now Argentina that are giving the ball away at will. Just over twenty minutes left for South Korea to equalise.
Messi in acres of space behind the South Korean defence but Higuain’s final pass is grossly overhit. The little man was in there if Higuain could have got the weight right. Chance goes a begging for Argentina.
South Korea have been a lot better in the last ten minutes or so and have adopted a far more attacking approach. The Argentinean defence are definitely there to be got at.
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That was a real let off for Argentina.
Yeom Ki-Hun with a glorious chance for South Korea after a brilliant run from Lee Chung Yung. On the right wing, Ki-Hun hits it into the side netting with his left boot when it seemed a lot easier to take it on his right. They mightn’t have a better chance than that for the rest of the game.
That was awful defending by Martin Demichelis for the South Korean goal. Argentina had started playing exhibition football and one lapse of concentration by Demichelis has cost them. South Korea will be revitalised by that, could be an interesting second half.
Where did that come from? A long punt from Jung is horribly miscontrolled by Demichelis and Lee Chung Yung nips in and finishes past a bemused Romero. Half time whistle goes and amazingly, South Korea are only a goal behind at the break.
GOAL South Korea!!!
Messi and Tevez at it again and Messi nearly finishes a move off with the goal of the tournament. He tries to dink it over Jung from the edge of the area and it’s just wide. Jim Beglin says it’s a joy to watch this fella in action and you can’t help but agree. Brilliant.
The interplay between Messi and Tevez so far has been a joy to watch, they are carving South Korea open.
Di Maria forces a brilliant save from Jung in the Korean goal. Jung originally fumbled Higuain’s cross, it fell to di Maria who met it with a thumping half volley. Jung got a strong hand to it to divert it away for a corner. There’s definitely more goals in Argentina.
Park Ji Sung operating further forward for South Korea but they just can’t get the ball. Argentina owning it at the moment.
That all came from Tevez’s dilligence in chasing a lost cause. Brilliant work rate by the Man City man.
From the free kick that Tevez wins in the corner, Maxi curls the ball into the box, Burdisso flicks it on to the back post and Gonzalo Higuain is left with the simple task of nodding it to the net. All too easy for Argentina.
GOAL Argentina!!!
Tevez fighting for the ball with two Koreans at the corner flag. There seemed absolutely no need for him to chase that down but yet he wins a free kick in a dangerous area for his team…
Park Ji Sung seems to have got what would be known in GAA circles as a ‘championship haircut’. It doesn’t suit him.
Tevez goes so close with the resultant free kick after being teed up by Messi. The ball flew at an absolutely ferocious pace there, just over the bar. If it was on target it would have blew the keeper into the back of the net.
Messi taken out of it on the edge of the box by Yonghyung. South Korea have been quite ruthless in dealing with Messi so far.
Samuel can’t continue. He walks forlornly to the touchline and is replaced by Burdisso.
Walter Samuel receives treatment for what looks like a hamstring injury, but returns to the field of play despite looking uncomfortable. Nicholas Burdisso would probably take his place at the back if he can’t continue.
The shape of the game should change entirely now. Argentina hadn’t really threatened but they were definitely on top before the goal. You would think that South Korea will have to show a bit more ambition now.
Super ball whipped in from the left by Messi and Park Chu Young is extremely unfortunate, the ball cannoning off his shin and into the net past the helpless Sung Ryong for a South Korean own goal.
GOAL Argentina!!!
Anto from Ballybrack has been in touch with an Argentina related joke.
“Maxi and Messi playing on the same team. Sounds like time of the month talk”.
I like what you did there, Anto!
The slow motion replays on ITV HD are extremely unflattering. Every bead of sweat and touch of saliva is mercilessly highlighted. The latest culprit is Argentina’s Gabriel Heinze.
Yeom Ki-Hun gets the first yellow of the game for rugby tackling Messi inside the Argentina half. It’s one way to stop him I suppose.
Another man who was poor for Argentina against Nigeria, Gonzalo Higuain, wastes a good chance to whip a ball in from the right wing, he had three or four to aim at as well.
The pattern for the game seems to be emerging already. South Korea camped in their own half and content to let the men in blue and white have all the ball. Messi’s been very deep so far.
Di Maria gets in the box early but his cross-cum-shot is straight into the side netting. Let’s hope for a better display from him today, he was very disappointing against Nigeria.
Frank in Mayo has been in touch early and he’s a tad suspicious…
“they kept the camera on Tevez for a long time during the anthems, he looks angry (and was the only man who didn’t hug maradona) i wonder whats up there? maybe he’s just focused? Argentina to win 2-1″.
Maybe so, Frank, but Tevez looks angry a lot of the time.
They’re underway in Soccer City.
If you think South Korea can do a job on Argentina like Switzerland did on Spain yesterday, you can back them to win at 6/1. Argentina are 8/15 and the draw is 11/4.
The teams are in the tunnel and Maradona is again looking resplendent in a suit …and kissing everyone in sight.
If anything, Maxi Rodriguez is more of an attacking player than Veron which makes it 5 attackers in Argentina’s outfield line-up with Mascherano doing the spade work.
Heard an interesting story about female ESPN journalist Jemele Hill, who was hit on by a Spanish-speaking but unnamed World Cup coach in a bar in Johannesburg while watching the Brazil v North Korea game the other night. Far be it from us to point any fingers, but a certain D Maradona (that’s too much of a giveaway, let’s call him Diego M) may well have been in the vicinity at the time.
Sorry it’s the other way around with the Korean change. Oh Beom Seok is coming in for Cha Du-ri, or number 2 coming in for number 22, whichever you prefer.
Chirs Evans has got himself in trouble on Twitter today taking the piss out of Africans. “You give an African £2 a month and what do they do? Buy a bloody trumpet,†he tweeted. For more on the story, click here.
One change also for the South Koreans. Cha Du-ri comes in for Oh Beom-Seok. Seriously, will any one forgive me if I just type out the numbers of the South Koreans rather than the names every time. No? Fair enough then
One change for Argentina, Juan sebastian Veron rested for this one, so Liverpool flop Maxi Rodriguez comes in instead. The hapless Gutierrez is once again the preferred choice at right back.
Teams:
Argentina: Sergio Romero, Martin Demichelis, Walter Samuel, Gabriel Heinze, Jonas Gutierrez, Javier Mascherano, Maxi Rodriguez, Angel Di Maria, Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez, Gonzalo Higuain.
South Korea: Jung Sung-ryong, Oh Beom-seok, Lee Young-pyo, Cho Yong-hyung, Lee Jung-soo, Kim Jung-woo, Ki Sung-yong, Park Ji-sung, Lee Chung-yong, Park Chu-young, Yeom Ki-hun.
If you’re stuck at work, no need to worry, JOE will keep you up to date with all the action from Argentina v South Korea in Soccer City, Johannesburg. Both teams were impressive in their opening games so this one could be interesting. Team news to follow…
