Republic of Korea v. Greece 2-0 12/Jun/10

First Round, First Game, Group B, Day 2. (3 of 64)


Captain Park celebrates the win.
[Photo: Getty Images via Soccernet]


The first match of the Group B had the first true winners of the World Cup as the Koreans knocked out of any possibility the Greeks. The match at Port Elizabeth was a mere spectacle for Asian supporters as their team became present in every aspect of the match. Possession statistics lie this time: 50% each even when the Koreans managed to pull a grand total of eighteen shots and six corners. The Greeks, with all their frailties, looked insecure and fragile in the back, despite they shared a limited number of chances.

Park Ji Sung became a part of history, collecting yet another highlight in his extensive career as he became the first Korean in scoring in three World Cups. The Greek team will probably go without much notice in the history of this tournament, their display was bland if not tasteless. They will face the tricky Nigeria in Bloemfontein on the 17th and the Argentinians will host the Koreans that same day in the other venue of Johannesburg.



The joy of winning
[Photo:Reuters/Howard Burditt via Le Monde]


The Koreans opened the score with a thundering strike from Lee Jung Soo in the sixth minute. All Greeks were expecting for something to happen and it did as least seven defenders battled five in the box. It was practically highschool defending. What was to follow was a series of attacks by both teams, where the Greeks appeared to have the goal, the Koreans managed to salvage their chances.

In the more moved second half, again the Greek team managed to escape in the first minutes but reaching the 52nd, a brilliant breakthrough came in courtesy Park Ji Sung. The defence is to blame completely for the goal: Vyntra failed to control the pass from the left and quickly the Mancunian player speeded to past the two on pursuit, the definition, superb. Despite some efforts from Gekas and Seitaridis as well as some acrobatics from Salpingidis the Koreans held the advances with rectitude and resilience to grab the first win of the World Cup.