Argentina - South Korea
(4 - 1)
Argentina went ahead early through a header from Real Madrid's Gonzalo Higuain and an own-goal by Korea's Park Chu-Young while South Korea's Lee Chung-Yong took advantage of a mistake in the Argentine defence to score in time added on.
(Argentina)
Gonzalo Higuain hit a hat-trick and Lionel Messi ran riot as Argentina put South Korea to the sword at Soccer City.
Monaco forward Park turned a free-kick by Argentina's Lionel Messi into his own net on 17 minutes before Higuain's header extended the South American giant's lead on 23 minutes.
But South Korea kept their hopes alive of an upset when a mistake by centre-back Martin Demichelis was pounced on by Lee who fired home a minute into extra time.
Victory for either side will give them a place in the knock-out phase as both won their opening matches.
Argentina meant business from the kick-off with South Korea soon on the back foot as midfielder Yeom Ki-Hun earned a yellow card for a foul on Messi on ten minutes.
The South Americans took the lead when Messi's free-kick deflected off Park's legs who could only watch in horror as the ball flew over the line.
Maradona replaced the limping Walter Samuel with AS Roma's Nicolas Burdisso on 23 minutes.
Argentina extended the lead when Maxi Rodriguez's cross was flicked on by Burdisso for Higuain to beat Korean 'keeper Jung Sung-Ryong on 33 minutes, before Lee's late effort gave the South Koreans hope for the second-half.
92mins The final whistle goes following another Messi effort - if Greece don't beat Nigeria next Argetnina's place in the next round is secure.
John Dunne tells Martin that it doesn't matter about defence when you've got Messi, Tevez, Aguero and Higuain up front - we'll see how that stands up when they meet a better attacking team.
90mins Free in to SK with the game almost up - the delivery isn't good enough and Argentina easily clear.
89mins SK now in posession but they can't find a way through a packed Argentina defence as they're now comfortable - sitting back waiting for the final whistle.
86mins Argentina hold posession now and play the clock down - there's no end to the Korean effort though as they gamely harry and track...
83mins That's the class of Argentina though, one minute SK are in with a shout and growing in confidence - five minutes later and some Messi magic and it's game over.
80mins GOAL! They make it look easy as Messi chips through into the box for Aguero whose cross finds Higuain unmarked close in and he doesn't miss with the header for his hat-trick. Higuain then goes off for Bolatti.
79mins WSK wont' give up anyway and win a free from the corner of the area - decent ball into the box is well cleared by tyhe Argentina back line.
76mins GOAL! Messi was all over the place for this. He breaks from midfield and swaps passes with Aguero before drifting into the box and shooting - the keeper can only parry back to Messi though whose follow up shot hits the post and drifts across the goal mouth for a simple tap-in for Higuain.
75mins Heinze is carded for handball as Tevez goes off for Sergio Aguero.
72mins SK work the ball well downfield and a good passing exchange leads to a long distance effort from Chung-yong - he doesn't connect well though, but Argentina aren't having their own way at all at the moment.
70mins Corner kick to SK following a blocked Chu-young shot but Romero punches well clear.
69mins It's a become a little scrappy at the moment with neither team able to break through a packed midfield.
66mins Free kick a long way out is delivered in low by Messi - it falls close to Heinze close to goal but he just fails to make contact - close call for SK.
64mins Maradona is keeping his cool on the sideline but might want to consider a change as Argentina look a little flat at the moment.
62mins SK look more threatening now and are closing down Argentina well - starting to have a lot more posession as a result - their latest attack ends with a poor final ball though.
Martin Wyer from Clontarf reckons there's no way Argentina will win the World Cup with the defence they have...
60mins Rodriguez crosses but Heinze can't keep the header down.
58mins Move of the match from Korea who break with speed - three passes and Ki-hun is in for a one-on-one from an angle but he hits the side netting - would have been goal of the tournament - excellent move.
56mins Park Chu-young's shot goes wide off the wall and the resulting corner comes to nothing.
55mins Mascherano concedes a free and picks up a yellow card - good position for a SK shot...
54mins Tevez cuts inside from the left and wallops the ball goalward but the keeper parries well, he's lucky his defenders are there to clear though.
52mins Lovely move by Argentina as an intricate move ends with Di Maria crossing for Higuain, whose shot is excellently tipped over by Jung Sung-ryong.
51mins SK try the long ball route themselves but it falls harmlessly to Sergio Romero in the Argentina goal.
49mins Another patient build up from Argentina before Heinze decides to mix it up with a long ball but Higuain is caught offside.
47mins Higuain breaks forward and cuts inside to feed Messi on the edge of the box, he has room but passes up the chance to shoot and it quickly disappears.
46mins Argentina straight on the attack as the second half gets underway - Messi's shot is blocked on the edge of the area.
John Dunne from Cork reckons Argentina look much better with Rodriguez than Juan Sebastien Veron and he's got a point - he's got money on them to win the tournament outright too.
Michael Dineen is wondering if Graeme Souness will be back on our screens during the World Cup - he will Michael, although I haven't got the details of when next handy.
Karl Byrne was predicting an embarrasment for SK just as they were scoring, while he's certainly shouting for Mexico against France tonight - fajitas for dinner in his place...
HALT TIME
46mins GOAL! Lee Chung-yong pounces as Martin Demichelis is caught napping. He had time to clear but was too casual and didn't realise the danger with Lee behind him. Lee disposses him and puts the ball in the net to leave only one in it as the half time whistle goes.
44mins Tevez breaks forward and feeds Messi who beats two players outside the SK D but and his chip with the keeper off his line goes just wide - excellent move though.
43mins Lee Jung-soo does well to get his body infront of Tevez to thwart another Argentina attack - free out as Tevez is penalised for pulling his shirt in frustration.
40mins Higuain crosses and the keeper weakly palms it into the path of Di Maria who shoots - it's heading for the top corner but the keeper makes up for the error with an excellent save.
38mins Messi breaks forward and finds Tevez but his subsequent ball to Rodriguez on the left is too heavy and goes out over the end line.
36mins Free in to SK from 30 yards but Park Chu-young's attempt comes back off the first defender - ferocious shot though.
33mins GOAL! Higuain heads in from close range after a short free left Rodriguez with plenty of time to cross. Poor defending really as he's left unmarked at the back post.
31mins A patient Argentina build up, with Messi and Tevez buzzing, breaks down just as Gutierrez looks like he might get a cross in.
29mins Lee Chung-yong takes a weak shot at the other end and it bobbles harmlessly wide.
28mins Great effort as Messi tees up Tevez who unleashes a viscous shot but it just drifts over - Tevez is really up for this one.
27mins Andrew Lynch thinks SK might get a draw - it's not looking likely at the moment - Messi wins a free in a dangerous position for Argentina.
25mins Tevez makes a determined run into the SK box and crosses well but Huigain attempts the spectacular with an overhead and fails to connect.
23mins SK playing neat ball to feet but can't find room through the Argentina midfield and the move breaks down - Buardisso comes on for Samuel.
21mins Samuel has pulled up with injury - looks like a hamstring and he wants to leave the field.
20mins Free in from 30 yards out and Messi chips it into the box but SK keeper Jung Sung-ryong gathers with Higuain approaching.
18mins That's put a spring in the step of Argentina, but SK break forward and Ki Sung-yong lets fly with an excellent shot that just drifts over from some 25 yards out.
16mins GOAL! Free in to Argentina and a good Messi delivery goes in off Park Chu-young who didn't know much about it.
15mins Di Maria is halted by Oh Beom-seok just as he's looking dangerous on the edge of the box and Argentina have to start again.
13mins SK are making their way down the line via throw-ins - playing for position - they eventually play it in but it's easily dealt with by Walter Samuel.
11mins Tevez and Heinze combine on the left and the cross goes in from Di Maria but Maxi Rodriguez is beaten to the ball by Lee Young-pyo - good defending
9mins Kim Jung-woo wins a free for SK and plays it left to Lee Chung-yong but they lose posession and Yeom Ki-hun picks up a yellow for a foul on Messi as he breaks forward.
7mins Gabriel Heinze, Javier Mascherano and Jonas Gutierrez are happy to slowly build play from the back, Messi receives it and it breaks to Gonzalo Higuain on the outer corner of the box and he balloons the ball high and wide.
6mins South Korea (SK from now on) have hardly touched the ball - we need an early Argentina goal if this game is to open up.
5mins Argentina work the ball down the left and Tevez and Angel Di Maria combine well to fashion a half-chance which Di Maria sends wide from a tight angle.
3mins Argentina will have plenty of possesion during this game as the Koreans are set up to defend deep.
2mins Argentina with a patient build up win a corner but Lionel Messi's delivery is met by the first defender.
1min Argentina get the match underway.
Colm O'Donnell reckons it's Argentina to win...
12:28 Anthems over and the teams are ready for kick-off.
Hello to Keith O'Brien and his 'amigos' who are in work while the boss is at the match - well for some indeed...
12:23 The teams are out on the pitch at Soccer City Stadium and it's a bright, dry day in Johannesberg.
12:00 Good afternoon folks Argentina and South Korea is first off today, followed by Greece v Nigeria and then France v Mexico this evening. The teams are as listed below.
Argentina: 22-Sergio Romero; 2-Martin Demichelis, 13-Walter Samuel, 6-Gabriel Heinze, 17-Jonas Gutierrez; 14-Javier Mascherano, 20-Maxi Rodriguez, 7-Angel Di Maria; 10-Lionel Messi, 11-Carlos Tevez, 9-Gonzalo Higuain.
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