Korea Republic 2-0 Greece
The Greeks were completely outperformed by the Tigers of Asia and it was in the sixth minute when they were awarded a free kick near the corner kick spot. A curling Ki Sung-Yueng delivery got deflected inside the box, which allowed defender Lee Jung-Soo to send it straight into the back of the net. Korea Republic’s Captain Park Ji-Sung doubled the scoreline with an awesome solo goal in the 52nd minute.
Argentina 1-0 Nigeria
The second game of the day featured arguably the greatest players from past and present, both in the same team – Diego Maradona on the sidelines as a coach and Lionel Messi on the field with an aim to prove his might on the international scene. Everyone in the stadium expected fireworks from the strong Argentinian team who were clearly favorites against a relatively inexperienced and weak Nigerian team.
Gabriel Heinze’s early goal did provide Argentina the dream start they were looking for and the Argentines attacked and attacked and attacked but there stood a man between La Albiceleste and further glory to Heinze’s 6th minute bullet like header, and that man was Vincent Enyeama, the Nigerian goalkeeper who left Maradona’s free flowing attackers shocked with the stops he made. He denied Messi alone in each of his 5 lethal drives that he made towards the Nigerian custody.
However, the Super Eagles did manage some attacking runs amidst the brilliance of Argentine midfield but couldn’t really capitalize in any of their moves.
It would be my best personal performance playing against the best player in the world. For now you cannot take that away from me.-Vincent Enyeama
England 1-1 USA
60 years ago, the two nations met for the first time and the only time before this game in the World Cup finals. That game is immortalized as the “Miracle on Grass” as a team of semi-professional Americans won it 1-0 to the then “Kings of Football”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8y03T94Trs
60 years later, England were stunned again and that too in one of the most bizarre way when the English keeper Robert Green brought the worst nightmare of any keeper true by letting one of the most gentle shots by Clint Dempsey of USA through his butterfingers into the goal. England took the lead in the fourth minute, courtesy Steven Gerrard, who latched on to a brilliant through ball by Emile Heskey.
The drama involved after the goal by USA had almost every emotion of empathy and can only be described by these images…
Day 2 was surely an action packed day in the World Cup 2010 and here’s hoping that it would only get more interesting from here on.
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