After the exaggeration of the build-up, England were seemingly cruising at 1-0 through Steven Gerrard’s early goal when, in front of the nation, the world, Green let a habitual shot from Clint Dempsey slip through him and get into the net.
It is harsh on the likeable Green, who has worked hard to become England’s first choice; he’ll now be remembered for this most discomforting of mistakes.
Green’s fault was not the only trouble with England’s performance. The USA hit a post in the second half and used their swiftness to problem a defence that was upset by the half-time pulling out of Ledley King.
This was far from an adversity for England, though. The USA are a compact, very much organized defensive unit with swiftness and wiliness going frontward and the draw should not obstruct England’s advancement. They should have won, in spite of Green’s fault, having 18 shots on goal and getting into shows potential positions only to hit an infuriatingly poor final ball.
Just four minutes they had in the lead. Glen Johnson took a throw-in from the right, Frank Lampard who prodded the ball towards Wayne Rooney. It was just to the front of England’s No 10 but rolled on to Emile Heskey.
England were getting into superior positions but lacked the crisp final ball, or undeniably the movement in the box, to capitalize. Aaron Lennon should have shot from a tremendous location on the corner of the six-yard box but as a replacement for crossed in a meaningless way; Gerrard twisted Michael Bradley on the byline only for Carlos Bocanegra to clear his miss-hit cross; Johnson played a joking ball across the face that was just in front of Heskey.
That last chance missing a brave Tim Howard in torture on the grass, having taken Heskey’s earrings in his ribs. The Everton goalkeeper was particular the man-of-the-match award for his calm, cool display. England would have given for his serenity.
Rooney was ravenous of the ball and when he got it, he could not work the space he wanted for himself. He hit one swerving shot wide and set up Wright-Phillips for a good chance that Howard stood up to fine.
Having looked the more likely winners as the second half outspread, England completed the game infuriatingly. With Peter Crouch on as a late replacement, England resorted to the bad old habit of beating directionless long balls in his general direction.
That permitted Howard to waste time and if you looked-for any further confirmation of how the Americans viewed this result, you only had to watch their team quickening to celebrate with their fans at the final shriek as if they had won.
The celebrating throng in sky blue, a besuited Diego Maradona sprinted over the Ellis Park turf. Was this the moment while Argentina’s perfect 10s, present and past, established that they have found the key to a wonderful attack on a third World Cup achievement? Here was perfect synchronization reigning both off and on the playing field as the sorcerer watched his trainee with the same fear the relax of the world must have completed.
After all the understandable question marks over Maradona’s eccentric stewardship, this was a vigorous opening comeback against a flexible Nigeria.
In an attractive and open contest which felt as if it had given the contest its proper takeoff, Argentina were fluid, innovative and emission quality and, even if some of their inattentive defending will offer hope to later oppositions, with Messi in this coruscating mood, anything seems possible. The only thing he didn’t do that was goal, which hardly seems promising.
Vincent Enyeama had the game of his life to make four unbelievable saves to put paid to him — and he also made another some remarkable stops from Gonzalo Higuaín — yet it was still not sufficient to avoid Maradona making a winning comeback to the World Cup finals stage.
Sixteen years since his last dalliance finished in drug-taking humiliation following a match in Boston also in opposition to Nigeria, he was in his constituent again. Suited, booted and tied for his new big business, he went throughout comic-looking joys and agonies on the bench, barked at an authorized and put arms around his young winger Ángel di María while offering suggestion.
And when Gabriel Heinze’s sixth-minute header from Juan Sebastián Verón’s corner bulleted into the net, there looked more than an intimation of relief assorted with 'keeping on sucking it’ justification in his celebrations.
He declared afterwards “It was lovely to be back.” Attractive to see the first part of his wish satisfied, that Messi graces this tournament like he himself did in 1986. “Football is much prettier when he is receiving a lot of the ball like this,” cooed Maradona.
The World Cup desires the Maradona show, too. “The hand of God” has reached, read one banner. Next, they’ll be conversation about Maradona’s 'brain of God’, after his exploratory attacking method with Messi buzzing in from deep at the back Higuaín and the ever-busy Carlos Tévez – much more gratifying than the 4-1-3-2 which he had promised to field after his men had crushed Germany in March — united so pleasantly.
Messi took three minutes to introduce him from deep, whipping three players and flicking the ball inside, only for Higuaín to punch wide. In this week, the Argentina physio had been quoted about the small man’s “irreversible” drowsiness after a very tiring season; the only thing irreversible about him, although, is the talent as he offered his total catalogue of feints, left-footed curlers and mazy dribbles.
“We’re on the way,” told Maradona. “We want to keep the people of Argentina joyful and when you start winning, you start to get the feeling like we did in World Cup 1986. I want the players to now start sharing that feeling.”
Argentina: Messi, Tevez, di Michelis, Higuain (Milito 79), Heinze, Romero, Samuel, Gutierrez, Veron (Maxi 74), Mascherano, Di Maria (Burdisso 85);
South Korea is the team who registered the first win at the World Cup 2010, a well-deserved 2-0 victory against Greece to furnish them a genuine chance of achieving their objective of a last-16 berth.
South Korea, semi-finalists of the competition 2002 when they co-hosted, were very swift and very elegant for Otto Rehhagel's Euro 2004 champions, who were sent packing by goals from captain Park Ji-sung and Lee Jung Soo.
South Korea took the lead after seven minutes while Celtic's Ki Sung Yueng's free-kick next to the left corner flag skimmed over the heads of the Greek defence for Lee to volley in at the far-flung post.
Bearing in mind it was Greece with their far greater statures that were supposed to present the set piece warning, the approach of Korea's goal will have come as a disclosure.
South Korea were close to a second goal in the 27th minute after Park Ji-sung's excellent through ball found Park Chu Young only for the Monaco striker's shot over the crossbar by keeper Alexandros Tzorvas.
Rehhagel completed one switch at the half time, replacing captain Giorgis Karagounis with defender Christos Patsatzoglou.
Seven minutes later Greece, who has never had the enjoyment of celebrating first World Cup goal, fell further behind after a masterful indict by the sparky Park Ji-Sung.
The talismanic Manchester United midfielder beat off defenders Avraam Papadopoulos and Loukas Vyntra to niche the ball dexterously past Tzorvas, triggering an outbreak of flag waving among the Korean fans.
