2010 FIFA World Cup Group B
Introduction '''Group B of the 2010 FIFA World Cup''' began on 12 June and ended on 22 June 2010.The group consisted of Argentina, Nigeria, South Korea and Greece. It was the third time that Argentina and Nigeria had been drawn together in the same World Cup group, after 1994 (when Greece were also in the same group) and 2002.Argentina had also been paired with South Korea in 1986.Argentina won all three of their matches, conceding just one goal, and progressed as group winners. South Korea joined them in the knockout stage by virtue of their victory over Greece in the opening match and a draw with Nigeria in the last. That point was the only one Nigeria won, having also lost to Greece in their second match.
Standings *Argentina advanced to play Mexico (runners-up of Group A) in the round of 16. *South Korea advanced to play Uruguay (winners of Group A) in the round of 16.
Matches ''All times local (UTC+2)''===South Korea vs Greece===In the seventh minute, Ki Sung-yong's free kick near the left corner was inadvertently flicked on by Kostas Katsouranis, before Lee Jung-soo rushed to the back post to open the scoring. The Koreans' lead was doubled through captain Park Ji-sung, who tackled Loukas Vyntra and sprinted all the way to fire a low shot into the corner of the net as they kept their 2–0 win until the final whistle. GK '''18'''Jung Sung-ryongRB '''22'''Cha Du-riCB '''4''' Cho Yong-hyungCB '''14'''Lee Jung-sooLB '''12'''Lee Young-pyoRM '''17'''Lee Chung-yong   CM '''16'''Ki Sung-yong   CM '''8''' Kim Jung-wooLM '''7''' Park Ji-sung (c)SS '''19'''Yeom Ki-hunCF '''10'''Park Chu-young   '''Substitutions:'''MF '''5''' Kim Nam-il   FW '''11'''Lee Seung-yeoul   MF '''13'''Kim Jae-sung   '''Manager:'''Huh Jung-moo300px GK '''12'''Alexandros TzorvasRB '''15'''Vasilis Torosidis  CB '''8''' Avraam PapadopoulosCB '''11'''Loukas VyntraLB '''2''' Giourkas SeitaridisRM '''7''' Georgios Samaras   CM '''6''' Alexandros TziolisCM '''21'''Kostas KatsouranisLM '''10'''Giorgos Karagounis (c)   CF '''9''' Angelos Charisteas   CF '''17'''Theofanis Gekas'''Substitutions:'''DF '''3''' Christos Patsatzoglou   FW '''14'''Dimitris Salpingidis   FW '''20'''Pantelis Kapetanos   '''Manager:''' Otto Rehhagel'''Man of the Match:'''Park Ji-sung (South Korea)'''Assistant referees:'''Jan Hendrik Hintz (New Zealand)Tevita Makasini (Tonga)'''Fourth official:'''Martín Vázquez (Uruguay)'''Fifth official:'''Carlos Pastorino (Uruguay)===Argentina vs Nigeria===On six minutes, an unmarked Gabriel Heinze dived forward to head home Juan Sebastián Verón's corner kick and put Argentina 1–0 up. Lionel Messi had numerous chances for Argentina following that, but on each occasion, Nigerian goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama was able to keep the margin down to one. Enyeama's saves earned him the man of the match award. Post-match, Argentina coach Diego Maradona said he was confident his side would perform well in the future. GK '''22'''Sergio RomeroRB '''17'''Jonás Gutiérrez  CB '''2''' Martín DemichelisCB '''13'''Walter SamuelLB '''6''' Gabriel HeinzeDM '''14'''Javier Mascherano (c)RM '''8''' Juan Sebastián Verón   LM '''7''' Ángel Di María   AM '''10'''Lionel MessiCF '''11'''Carlos TevezCF '''9''' Gonzalo Higuaín   '''Substitutions:'''MF '''20'''Maxi Rodríguez  FW '''19'''Diego Milito   DF '''4''' Nicolás Burdisso  '''Manager:'''Diego Maradona300px GK '''1''' Vincent EnyeamaRB '''17'''Chidi OdiahCB '''2''' Joseph Yobo (c)CB '''6''' Danny ShittuLB '''3''' Taye Taiwo   CM '''14'''Sani KaitaCM '''20'''Dickson EtuhuCM '''15'''Lukman Haruna  RF '''19'''Chinedu Obasi   CF '''8''' YakubuLF '''18'''Victor Obinna   '''Substitutions:'''FW '''9''' Obafemi Martins   FW '''11'''Peter Odemwingie  FW '''12'''Kalu Uche   '''Manager:''' Lars Lagerbäck'''Man of the Match:'''Vincent Enyeama (Nigeria)'''Assistant referees:'''Jan-Hendrik Salver  (Germany)Mike Pickel  (Germany)'''Fourth official:'''Khalil Al Ghamdi (Saudi Arabia)'''Fifth official:'''Hassan Kamranifar (Iran)===Argentina vs South Korea===Argentina took the lead when Lionel Messi's free kick from the left was turned into the Korean goal by Korean player Park Chu-young. A free kick was awarded on the left, and Messi's cross was headed in by Gonzalo Higuaín. In first half injury time, Korea cut the deficit when Lee Chung-yong tackled Martín Demichelis to score. Two goals from Argentina in the second half sealed a 4–1 win. Messi's shot was first saved by goalkeeper Jung Sung-ryong; his second shot hit the post before Higuaín shot the ball into an unguarded net. Higuaín completed his hat-trick by heading in a cross from substitute Sergio Agüero. GK '''22'''Sergio RomeroRB '''17'''Jonás Gutiérrez  CB '''2''' Martín DemichelisCB '''13'''Walter Samuel   LB '''6''' Gabriel Heinze  DM '''14'''Javier Mascherano (c)  RM '''20'''Maxi RodríguezLM '''7''' Ángel Di MaríaAM '''10'''Lionel MessiCF '''9''' Gonzalo Higuaín   CF '''11'''Carlos Tevez   '''Substitutions:'''DF '''4''' Nicolás Burdisso   FW '''16'''Sergio Agüero   MF '''5''' Mario Bolatti   '''Manager:'''Diego Maradona300px GK '''18'''Jung Sung-ryongRB '''2''' Oh Beom-seokCB '''4''' Cho Yong-hyungCB '''14'''Lee Jung-sooLB '''12'''Lee Young-pyoCM '''16'''Ki Sung-yong   CM '''8''' Kim Jung-wooRW '''17'''Lee Chung-yong  AM '''7''' Park Ji-sung (c)LW '''19'''Yeom Ki-hun  CF '''10'''Park Chu-young   '''Substitutions:'''MF '''5''' Kim Nam-il   FW '''20'''Lee Dong-gook   '''Manager:'''Huh Jung-mooArgentina vs South Korea'''Man of the Match:'''Gonzalo Higuaín (Argentina)'''Assistant referees:'''Peter Hermans (Belgium)Walter Vromans (Belgium)'''Fourth official:'''Jerome Damon (South Africa)'''Fifth official:'''Céléstin Ntagungira (Rwanda)===Greece vs Nigeria=== GK '''12'''Alexandros TzorvasRB '''16'''Sotirios KyrgiakosCB '''11'''Loukas VyntraCB '''8''' Avraam PapadopoulosLB '''15'''Vasilis TorosidisDM '''19'''Sokratis Papastathopoulos    CM '''6''' Alexandros Tziolis  CM '''21'''Kostas KatsouranisRW '''10'''Giorgos Karagounis (c)LW '''14'''Dimitris SalpingidisCF '''17'''Theofanis Gekas   '''Substitutions:'''FW '''7''' Georgios Samaras    MF '''18'''Sotiris Ninis   '''Manager:''' Otto Rehhagel300px GK '''1''' Vincent EnyeamaRB '''17'''Chidi OdiahCB '''2''' Joseph Yobo (c)CB '''6''' Danny ShittuLB '''3''' Taye Taiwo   RM '''14'''Sani Kaita  CM '''20'''Dickson EtuhuCM '''15'''Lukman HarunaLW '''12'''Kalu UcheSS '''11'''Peter Odemwingie   CF '''8''' Yakubu'''Substitutions:'''FW '''19'''Chinedu Obasi    DF '''21'''Elderson Echiéjilé     DF '''5''' Rabiu Afolabi    '''Manager:''' Lars Lagerbäck'''Man of the Match:'''Vincent Enyeama (Nigeria)'''Assistant referees:'''Abraham González (Colombia)Humberto Clavijo (Colombia)'''Fourth official:'''Joel Aguilar (El Salvador)'''Fifth official:'''William Torres (El Salvador)===Nigeria vs South Korea=== GK '''1''' Vincent Enyeama  RB '''17'''Chidi OdiahCB '''2''' Joseph Yobo   CB '''6''' Danny ShittuLB '''5''' Rabiu AfolabiCM '''13'''Ayila Yussuf  CM '''20'''Dickson EtuhuRW '''19'''Chinedu Obasi  AM '''4''' Nwankwo Kanu (c)   LW '''12'''Kalu UcheCF '''8''' Yakubu   '''Substitutions:'''DF '''21'''Elderson Echiéjilé   FW '''9''' Obafemi Martins   FW '''18'''Victor Obinna   '''Manager:''' Lars Lagerbäck300px GK '''18'''Jung Sung-ryongRB '''22'''Cha Du-riCB '''4''' Cho Yong-hyungCB '''14'''Lee Jung-sooLB '''12'''Lee Young-pyoRM '''17'''Lee Chung-yongCM '''16'''Ki Sung-yong   CM '''8''' Kim Jung-wooLM '''7''' Park Ji-sung (c)SS '''19'''Yeom Ki-hun   CF '''10'''Park Chu-young   '''Substitutions:'''MF '''5''' Kim Nam-il     MF '''13'''Kim Jae-sung    DF '''15'''Kim Dong-jin    '''Manager:'''Huh Jung-moo'''Man of the Match:'''Park Ji-sung (South Korea)'''Assistant referees:'''José Cardinal (Portugal)Bertino Miranda (Portugal)'''Fourth official:'''Marco Antonio Rodríguez (Mexico)'''Fifth official:'''José Luis Camargo (Mexico)===Greece vs Argentina=== GK '''12'''Alexandros TzorvasRB '''16'''Sotirios KyrgiakosCB '''11'''Loukas VyntraCB '''8''' Avraam PapadopoulosLB '''15'''Vasilis Torosidis   DM '''5''' Vangelis MorasCM '''19'''Sokratis PapastathopoulosCM '''10'''Giorgos Karagounis (c)   RW '''6''' Alexandros TziolisLW '''21'''Kostas Katsouranis    CF '''7''' Georgios Samaras'''Substitutions:'''DF '''4''' Nikos Spiropoulos   MF '''18'''Sotiris Ninis   MF '''3''' Christos Patsatzoglou   '''Manager:''' Otto Rehhagel300px GK '''22'''Sergio RomeroRB '''4''' Nicolás BurdissoCB '''2''' Martín DemichelisCB '''15'''Nicolás OtamendiLB '''3''' Clemente RodríguezDM '''5''' Mario Bolatti  RM '''8''' Juan Sebastián VerónLM '''20'''Maxi Rodríguez   RF '''16'''Sergio Agüero   CF '''10'''Lionel Messi (c)LF '''19'''Diego Milito   '''Substitutions:'''MF '''7''' Ángel Di María   MF '''23'''Javier Pastore   FW '''18'''Martín Palermo   '''Manager:'''Diego Maradona'''Man of the Match:'''Lionel Messi (Argentina)'''Assistant referees:'''Rafael Ilyasov (Uzbekistan)Bakhadyr Kochkarov (Kyrgyzstan)'''Fourth official:'''Peter O'Leary (New Zealand)'''Fifth official:'''Matthew Taro (Solomon Islands)
See also *Argentina at the FIFA World Cup*Greece at the FIFA World Cup*Nigeria at the FIFA World Cup*South Korea at the FIFA World Cup
References