Game 18: Argentina vs South Korea

Gonzalo Higuain of Argentina netted the first hat-trick of this years World Cup finals as his team went on to beat South Korea 4-1 on Thursday.

Both teams were coming off comfortable wins from the first week, and knew that a win in today's game would more than likely send them through to the second round.

The scoring opened up off of a South Korea own goal, when a cross into the box went off of striker Park Chu-Young's shin and into the net. Seventeen minutes later Higuain would score his first goal on the afternoon after another set piece play was layed off for Maxi Rodriquez who whips the ball into the box, and Burdisso gets the flick on to find Hiquain at the back post who taps it in for the teams second goal.

Argentina were looking to go into half-time with a two goal lead until Demichelis mis-controlled a header in the 46th minute, Lee Chung-Yong would run onto it and easily beat the keeper to get South Korea back into the game.

At the start of the second half Argentina were desperate to extend their lead, with a flurry of shots from Tevez at range, and Higuain with a point-blank volley, but the South Korean keeper Sung-Ryung comes up big to keep his team in the game.

South Korea would have the chance to equalize, when Ki-Hun would be fed a beautiful through ball, but he attempts to shoot with the outside of his foot, sending the ball harmlessly wide of the post in a wasted opportunity.

From here on out South Korea would be able to produce very little. Higuain would get his second goal in the 76th minute after Lionel Messi would make a brilliant run through the defense, taking a shot which is stopped by the goalie, then following up and rattling the post, the ball would come to the feet of Higuain at the back post who taps the ball in. His hat-trick goal, the first of these finals, would be scored in the 80th minute after heading in a cross, sending the ball back across the face of goal and past the goalkeepers reach.

Jonas Gutierrez would be unfortunate to pick up a yellow card during the match, his second of the group stage, which means he will be suspended for Argentina's final game against Greece.

Walter Samuel would also be substituted off in the first half with what appeared to be a hamstring injury, it is unclear how serious the injury is and if he will factor in Argentina's next game.

Argentina looked very good this match, linking up very well with each other, particularly between the three strikers of Tevez, Higuain, and Messi.  They will hope to keep this form down the line as they come up against defensive minded Greece, which will be played at Peter Mokaba Stadium, June 22nd.

Game 3: South Korea vs Greece

It's a shame there was a low attendance for this game, as South Korea vs Greece was easily the most exciting of the first four matches.  As Greece won the 2004 Euro Cup, and had a pretty good European qualifying campaign, many thought them to have an easy time in today's match. However, like I have said since the beginning, this was not to be the case.

South Korea easily dominated the match, from one end of the pitch to the other. The proceedings opened up almost immediately, when in the seventh minute Lee Jung-Soo scored off of a set piece, completely catching the Greek defenders flat-footed. Once this goal occurred, I knew South Korea would win. Greece, although gifted with a strong force, and a great attacker in the form of Gekas, are not great at coming from behind. The typical Greek style is to score first, then sit on the lead, which they are very good at doing, as they have an amazing defense, but for some reason, the defenders were not on their best today.

The second goal came from Park Ji-Sung in the fifty-second minute, after a brilliant through ball sent him flying into the box. Holding off one defender, the Manchester United player confidently slotted the ball past the sprawling goalkeeper. Game Over.

Things to Improve on:
Where was Greece? Not in the game, apparently. For being touted as one of the best defense lines in the tournament, they sure disappointed everyone. I have always been a firm believer that the Greeks are overhyped, winning the 2004 tournament on a string of lucky goals which allowed them to play out a dirty and unspectacular game.  But against the speedy Koreans, they just didn't have a chance. By the end of the second half you could see how frustrated Gekas was becoming, having never received a good through-ball from the midfield which topped the list as the biggest under-performers.

For South Korea, their defense pleasantly surprised me. The couple of times Greece was able to mount an attack, the Koreans easily parried it away. What they most need to work on is getting their shots on target. They had plenty of clear goal scoring opportunities that simply didn't trouble the European keeper. If they hope to take on a solid Argentinian force, and a strong Nigerian team, then they will need to finish these chances.

Group B: Greece

Greece were the 2004 EURO Cup winners, shocking the world by winning the final with a calm and patient style of play; yet, they failed to qualify for the 2006 World Cup. 2010 will essentially be the chance for Greece to once again prove they are deserving of the previous European title, but due to an aging squad, they will be hard pressed to live up to previous success.

The road to the World Cup should have been an easy one for Greece, as their only real competition came in the form of Switzerland, but instead they struggled through until the very end. Maybe the defensive soccer technique payed off, because the Greeks are here once again, but if the coach [Otto Rehhagel] keeps struggling with a static lineup, then the out of position Greek players could see themselves quickly overwhelmed. Generally speaking, expect all of Greece's games to be low-scoring as their German coach erects an impregnable wall. The only exception could Nigeria who, with their superb strength on the ball and physical play, could brush aside the stalwart defense.

Key Players:
Theofanis Gekas was the top scorer in qualification, while midfielder Karagounis is the ever vocal captain. These two will need to constantly be in sync for the defensive Greeks to have a chance of scoring any goals.

My Prediction: 4th Place Group B

Group B: Nigeria

Nigera have a star-studded lineup, but may under perform this year. Unfortunately, this isn't a new thing. Nigeria has always had good players, many playing in Europe, some for the top teams, yet the team does not win much.

In the 1990's other countries feared Nigeria. They had flair, creativity, and passion. They just didn't want to win, they wanted to perform. With this desire to simply have fun, the Super Eagles went on to upset many teams, often being hailed as the African Brazil (until that title was passed onto the Ivory Coast). However, lately they have not played attractive soccer. They don't have the fun they used to, they just seem to show up and play, and play ugly, if need be.

Sure, they have amazing strikers, with enough attacking options to make the Brazilians and Spaniards cry, but their midfield does not have the creativity, and the defense does not have the passion that one normally sees in full/center backs. If Nigeria wants to win, the midfield will really have to come together and rally around each other. Tracking back to help defend will be very important while they feed some long balls for the fast paced strikers to run onto.

Key Players:
The two strikers: Obafemi Martins (pictured), and Yakubu, are excellent proven strikers in the European leagues. They have pace, are powerful in the air or on ground, and have the burning desire to score as many goals as they can. However, to be successful they will have to rely on Jon Obi Mikel to help anchor the back-line. Playing for Chelsea, Mikel knows a lot about defense, so he will have to impart that wisdom onto the rest of the team.

My Prediction: 3rd Place Group B

Group B: South Korea

South Korea are a team that is haunted by the past. In the 2002 World Cup they played hosts and shocked the world by reaching the semi-finals. Trust me, a lot of us still can't believe it! This is because at the next finals in 2006, they crashed out in the group stage. Being constantly belittled by their "one-off run" the South Koreans are aiming to prove the world wrong, and this year, they could.

Being placed in Group B makes the South Koreans seem like an underdog team. Argentina are the clear favorites, Nigeria will likely have a lot of fan support, and Greece play some solid soccer. However, this is a good thing, because the Koreans now have two things going for them: 1) The element of surprise, and 2) They want to upstage North Korea.

With most of the world expecting little from the team, they have the ability to come out firing on all cylinders, and because of this they will score some surprising goals while they run around the defense of other teams. Compound this with the desire to do better than North Korea, who the nation is still technically at war with, and the South Koreans will be a force at this years finals, and I do expect them to shock the world by reaching the second round. Unfortunately, once there, they will face some stiff opposition against France who, at least on paper, will beat the Koreans.

Key Players:
Ji-Sung Park (pictured) of Manchester United is far-and-away the teams best player. Although not known for scoring many goals at his club, he has a flair for making amazing assists. He will be the architect for the two strikers. If their touch on the ball is good, expect a couple breakaway goals go storming past the defense.

Park-Chu-Young scored plenty of goals in qualifying (through free-kicks and run of play). Playing his club ball for Monaco in France he has the experience to go up against some of the world's best defenders and keepers.

My Prediction: Second Round

Group B: Argentina

Coming into every World Cup Argentina are usually listed as one of the favorites. Traditionally this has hampered them as they fail to live up to expectations, but this year 'could' be different.

Qualification was a long and hard ordeal for the Argentinians, and a lot of criticism around the world cited their coach [Diego Maradonna] as the reason. To this day Maradonna is listed as one of the world's historic best players, but his lack of managerial experience has been apparent. With a star-studded lineup that makes most countries cringe, Maradonna has had a tendency to put players out of position, or not utilize them to their full capacity. This could ultimately be the downfall for Argentina unless their coach learns to listen to advice from his staff and players.

However, the saving grace for Argentina is that they were placed in a relatively weak group, so promotion to the second round is basically automatic. The toughest part for the team will be maintaining momentum throughout the rest of the tournament.

Key Players:
Lionel Messi (pictured) is a world footballer of the year, and he has been in top form for club team Barcelona. If he had one weakness it would be that he often times fails to deliver on the national level.

Javier Mascherano. The Liverpool playmaker and captain of the Argentinians is integral to Maradonna's plans. A nightmare in midfield, he could pose a real problem for most teams.

My Prediction: Semi-Finalists.

Group A: South Africa

This world cup will be known as “a first for everything”. The reason is apparent when one looks at the first group and notices the teams South Africa is paired with. Historically, the host nation has never failed to make it out of the group stage, but this world cup will be different. Although SA does field some talented players, especially up and coming ones, they will not have the strength to overcome the likes of France, Mexico, and Uruguay. However, do not discount the option of a surprise following in the steps of South Korea and Japan at the 2002 World Cup games. Ultimately it will come down to their desire and the 12th man home crowd to invigorate the team that were drawn into a rather unlucky group.

They have shown they can play with the big teams through the Confederations Cup, but ultimately they still lost the games. Additionally they upset many fans by not qualifying for the Nations Cup, something many South Africans thought they could do easily.

South Africa may have some emerging talent in a few players, but lack of big league experience could prove to be their undoing. Expect a close race for the 2nd place spot behind France, in which SA will narrowly miss out.

Key Players:

Steven Pienaar who plays his club games at Everton has impressed many over the past year. He is speedy with a good touch, and has the ability to play in the middle as an attacking midfielder, or to play outside and provide the crosses and assists. Often criticized for not translating good club playing to the international level, the hopes of Bafana Bafana will rest on his shoulders.

Benedict McCarthy is the all time leading scorer for South Africa, and if he is still fit enough there is the possibility of notching a few more. A little past his prime for this World Cup it will be pertinent to outpace speedy defenders, and be the strong man up front to put pressure on the opposition in an effort to create opportunities for the rest of his team.

(Update: McCarthy was not selected for the Squad)

If these two players work well together then South Africa could stand a chance. Pienaar is of a smaller build compared to most players so he will be reliant upon McCarthy’s strength. And don’t be surprised by a few quick goals that catch the defense flat-footed if Pienaar can present a nice throughball for McCarthy to run onto.

My Prediction: Group A 4th Place.