Argentina is one of two teams to have won a World Cup outside of their home continent. With more attacking firepower than Kim Jong-Il's fairy tale military, the Albiceleste are heavily favored to advance out of Group B. With Greece, Nigeria, and South Korea trying to block their way, some have called the group "easy."
Whether you agree with that assessment likely depends on your view of South Korea, if you have one. Nigeria is similarly obscure to most soccer fans, while Greece is perceived as more tactical anomaly than threat to advance.
2010 World Cup Group B Preview, Predictions: Maradona, Messi, And The Quest For A Third Cup
Argentina is the main act, and if the pundits are to be believed, the three other teams are opening acts fighting for a place on the next show’s card. Which of Greece, Nigeria, or South Korea will join the Albiceleste in the second round?
In a twist on the other group previews you’ve read, SB Nation walks through Group B’s six matches, telling you what to expect from each of the fixtures. We could go player-by-player, tactic-by-tactic, but instead we’ll concentrate on the aspects of each match most likely to surface as you watch the action unfold. We go into some purely speculative detail to add some depth to the narrative, but the picks? We’ll stand by those.
Match-by-match, here is SB Nation Soccer’s preview of World Cup 2010’s Group B.
Korea Republic versus Greece, Saturday, June 12, Port Elizabeth
Greece will allow Korea to play to them, but to their mild surprise will find Huh Jung-Moo’s men capable of threatening without committing extra man to attack. Particularly down the left side, where Park Ji-Sung will be overlapped by Lee Young-Pyo, Korea will be able to stress Greece and right wing back Giourkas Seitaridis. Still, the Koreans’ lack of an elite penalty area prowler sees Greece able to withstand most of their attacks.
Eventually, the Koreans will adjust. Maybe that adjustment is to have Lee Chong-Yung start cutting toward the arc (from the right wing) once the play is built through the left. Maybe it’s going down Lee’s flank to allow Park to be that weak-side presence that could threaten at the far post. Korea’s capable of making and executing these types of changes, part of the reason they’re situated to be a surprise team at this year’s tournament.
The Greeks, however, will not go quietly, and with Angelos Charisteas coming off the bench to provide a little bit of ingenuity late in the match, Korea could see two of their three points slip away late. Their lack of cutting edge kept the 2004 European Champions close enough to get a draw: Korea Republic 1, Greece 1.
Argentina versus Nigeria, Saturday, June 12, Johannesburg (Ellis Park)
Nigeria's depth in attack makes them dangerous to any team, with players like Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Peter Odemwingie, Chinedu Obasi and Obafemi Martins demanding quality at all points along their oppositions' back line. Unfortunately for the Super Eagles, though Argentina does not have much diversity or attacking potential in their back four, they have stalwart, central defenders lined-up left-to-right: Gabriel Heinze, Walter Samuel, Martin Demichelis, Nicolas Otamendi.
It’s a defense that’s solid but can be opened-up, particularly as you force Otamendi, a make-shift right back, to play an unfamiliar fullback’s role. But who does Nigeria have that’s capable of feeding those channels? Mikel John Obi is injured, Peter Odemwingie often is precluded by formation, and Lukman Haruna is still unproven at the international level. Without that piece of creativity, Nigeria will be relying on individual prowess to beat defenders, something with which Argentina will cope.
At the other end of the pitch, it's difficult to see how a decent-yet-beatable Nigeria defense deals with the Argentine attack. The Albiceleste do have a player who can provide for his strikers, Juan Sebastian Veron, while players like right back Taye Taiwo and central defenders Danny Shittu and Joseph Yobo will have trouble dealing with Gonzalo Higuaín and Lionel Messi.
Worse for the Super Eagles, they don't have the players in midfield to strangle the game. Even if Lars Lagerbäck moves away from a 4-3-3 and gets more players in the middle, Nigeria has no players who can maintain possession of the ball, and their ball-winners are not of the caliber you'd want when going up against an attack that is used dealing with the Javier Mascheranos, Michael Essiens, Esteban Cambiassos of the world.
This match could be ugly, and could be ugly early. Messi and Higuaín could both have multiple goals in them.
Every tournament there’s an early result that forces us to stop and prematurely consider a team’s power. This is 2010’s: Argentina 4, Nigeria 0.
Argentina versus Korea Republic, Thursday, June 17, Johannesburg (Soccer City)
The virtues of Argentina playing four central defenders for Nigeria will be lost against the quick, skilled, tactically adept Koreans. However, given the success Diego Maradona’s had with this approach - particularly against Nigeria - he will not make a preemptive change, and the roster he’s selected will prevent him from putting another defensive midfielder in to help cover when the back line is broken down.
Javier Mascherano and Jonas Gutierrez do yeoman's work at the onset, but eventually Korea is too much, and Lee Chong-Yung is able to create through the right side to find Park Chu-Young for an opener. While Argentina is still settling into the idea of chasing the match, Park Ji-Sung is able to convert Korea's energy into a goal, putting Korea up 2-0.
Maradona waits until halftime then starts throwing talent at the problem. He brings on Diego Milito and does with two strikers before realizing it's the midfield that's the problem. Korea is unexpectedly controlling the middle of the pitch, and it's because Juan Sebastian Veron can't find or make space. Every time he turns, he has the likes of Kim Jung-Woo closing him down.
Off comes the 35-year-old playmaker, in comes Javier Pastore, and the Albiceleste find some fluidity. Eventually, the work of Pastore, Messi and Milito creates a goal for the Inter striker, bringing Argentina within one.
The match wears down with South Korea bleeding out the clock. The slower defenders of Argentina have trouble taking the ball off South Korean feet as the Asian Tigers kill time in their attacking third.
Maradona puts Martín Palermo on for Higuaín and starts targeting him and Milito. They come close a number of times, but Korea is ultimately able to hold on for the upset: Korea Republic 2, Argentina 1.
Greece versus Nigeria, Thursday, June 17, Bloemfontein
Nigeria didn’t have the creativity to break through the Argentines, but against a less-talented but better-organized Greek defense, they can win one-on-one battles. They don’t have to be as creative as they would be against the Argentines, and with Greece’s tendency to let a match come to them, Nigeria’s problems winning a midfield battle are not as inhibiting.
The match-ups going forward are not much better for Greece. Georgios Samaras will be able to exploit the spaces around Yobo and Shittu, but is Theofanis Gekas the man to finish the chances? In qualifying, he was, leading UEFA with ten goals. But there are still questions as to whether that was a hot patch in his career. Is that sustainable?
Without the quickness to breakdown the Nigerian defense, Greece could struggle. Up against Nigerian attackers that posses great individual talent, the Greeks could be susceptible to having the match stolen from them. Perhaps it’s Yakubu. Perhaps its Obasi, Perhaps it Obafemi Martins off the bench.
Regardless, a goal should come: Nigeria 1, Greece 0.
Nigeria versus Korea Republic, Tuesday, June 22, Durban
Nigeria has the athleticism to keep up with the Koreans, but their lack of depth and skill in midfield means they will be doing much of the chasing in this match. Nigeria can also be exploited wide, where the Koreans are strong. If Korea can get behind the fullbacks and force Yobo and Shittu support, the Nigeria defense will open-up. Park Chu-Young will be able to find space. The off-side winger will be able to come in and find room. Nigeria will be a mess.
Korea goes up early through Lee Chung-Yung but, sitting on four points and knowing one point gets them through (and three points gives them the group), they change tactics. They start worrying as much about keeping their shape at the back as exploiting Nigeria going forward. The Super Eagles do a lot of chasing and for Korea, but they’re unable to make headway until Huh starts making formation adjustments to preserve the lead.
Nigeria throws talent at the problem. Needing a win to advance, they don’t hesitate to bring on Martins and John Utaka or Victor Ebinna. Odemwingie’s trying to orchestrate, but can’t break down the Koreans. The Super Eagles do push in a late goal, just as Greece did, but Korea refocuses after being equalized and finds their way to a point: Korea Republic 1, Nigeria 1.
Greece versus Argentina, Tuesday, June 22, Polokwane
Argentina’s second match loss brings them down to earth, and against Greece, they are focused. The short passing game between Messi, Higuaín and Verón starts stretching cracks in the Greek defense, with the Albiceleste aided by the fact that Greece can’t sit-back and let the game come to them. At some point, Greece needs to push forward, needing three points to go through.
They’ll get some chances, but Jonas Gutierrez and Javier Mascherano prevent Greece from successfully countering. It becomes clear early: If Greece is going to win this, their goal is going to be graciously described as against the run of play.
While Greece tries to find a hole in the Argentine defense, Messi and Verón and figuring out the Greek’s. At some point in the half, Messi breaks through. Verón gets a goal from outside the area and gives him some redemption for 2002 (and the previous match). When he’s brought on late to do the work needed to grind-out the match, Milito adds another.
It takes some time to breakthrough, but ultimately Argentina gets their second decisive victory of the phase: Argentina 3, Greece 0.
Aggregating the meaningless predictions, we get an irrelevant table:
Group B - Table
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 6 |
| South Korea | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 5 |
| Nigeria | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Greece | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
Goalscorers
3
Lionel Messi
2
Gonzalo Higuaín
Diego Milito
Park Ji-Sung
1
Yakubu Aiyegbeni
Angelos Charisteas
Lee Chung-Yong
Obafemi Martins
Park Chu-Young
Juan Sebastián Verón
It will be closer than many think, as Argentina remains a flawed but powerful side. A lost to South Korea could ultimately be good - forcing the team to come face-to-face with their mortality before moving on to face Uruguay. South Korea employs a certain degree in professionalism in navigating the group, moving-on to face Mexico.
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