On one of the best day of the World Cup thus far, the annoying buzzing of the vuvuzelas finally gave way to the marvelous chorus of chanting and the booming beat of the drums. Who else – Argentina, of course, put on a show on the pitch and in the Johannesburg stadium. Around the 9th minute of play the Argentine contingent rose in unison to provide the flavor and rhythm so obviously missing from the World Cup for the first time in the tournament and it went on like that for most of the match. Argentina sealed their group with a resounding victory over South Korea in a highly entertaining encounter, another impressive performance that confirms Maradona’s team as a maximum contender in the tournament.
Argentina fans put on a show in Johannesburg
The score-line was unflattering for the technically gifted and laborious Koreans, who did have a chance to overturn a two-goal deficit. Argentina was on its heels for about ten minutes early in the second half, as the courageous Koreans nearly finished a spectacular play that would have evened things at two-a-piece. It wasn’t to be. Shortly after, Higuain’s opportunistic (and a little off-side) second goal ended the Korean momentum and placed Argentina in complete control. Argentina showed off once again their multitude of resources. Messi created time after time and nearly scored the goal of the tournament. Tevez moved very well, Di Maria always dangerous, Higuain actually played unremarkably and was about to be substituted with Milito in the first half, yet in the end finished with a hat-trick. It would be fair to say that Argentine expectations were raised yesterday.
The antidote to the vuvuzela - Fiesta Argentina
Korea will be unfortunate not to advance, having displayed the quality of its game once again. Korea, clearly superior to both Greece and Nigeria, will have to earn at least a tie against Nigeria to be sure and count on Argentina not to lose. For the Nigerians, widely tipped to finish second in the group, World Cup ambitions effectively collapsed with the loss to Greece, a loss triggered by a single, indefensible act of indiscipline that changed the complexion of the game entirely. The other definitive moment of the match was Greece’s equalizer just before the half. Had Nigeria resisted until half time still a goal ahead, with the chance to organize defensively against a team with a feeble offensive punch, chances are they could have squeezed out at least a draw. After the equalizer, psychologically bolstered by the numerical advantage, Greece pressed and scraped out a winner that improbably provides Greece with a chance to advance, a miracle of sorts considering their pathetic performance against Korea. For Nigeria, an African traditional powerhouse, World Cup aspirations appear to have slipped away, though mathematically there is still a chance.