Match preview: Argentina v Greece

Group B
Argentina v Greece
Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane

Argentina’s superior goal difference all but guarantees a place in the last 16, though their victory in Group B is not yet confirmed, while a point would be enough to see them top the group. Diego Maradona possibly will take the chance to rest several of his first-choice players.
Greece’s to win to stand any chance of succession, but Otto Rehhagel will not be repelled from his typical, cautious approach, relying on set pieces to build on the good work done by a rock-solid central defensive unit.
A typical clash between attack and defence. Greece bases their approach on solidity at the back, their towering central defensive partnership forming a striking barrier. Argentina, on the other hand, will look to play around their more static opponents, the likes of Angel di Maria, Maxi Rodriguez and Lionel Messi looking to pick holes in the Greek wall.
Two managers who might not be more complementary. Rehhagel is grayish and contorted an experienced person of countless skirmishes who rarely displays emotion on the sidelines. Maradona is, well, Maradona, a collection of everlasting energy and a fountainhead of endless emotion.

They said
Diego Maradona: “Messi will play, as he always wants to play and I love that. When I told him, he was very happy. We had been thinking of giving him a rest but to have a player of the class of Leo, without doubt the best in the world by a long way, it would have been a sin not to give him to the team, to the people, not give ourselves (the happiness).”

Otto Rehhagel: “Argentina is a top-class team, far greater to Greece. They will clearly be superior to us and we have got to see how to handle with them. We all know the Argentine team is of astonishing quality but we are happy to have a chance to qualify."


Teams
Argentina (4-2-3-1): Romero; Rodriguez, Otamendi, Demichelis, Burdisso; Veron, Bolatti; Di Maria, Messi, Aguero; Milito.

Greece (4-5-1): Tzvoras; Torosidis, Kyrgiakos, Seitaridis, Vyntra; Tziolis, Salpingidis, Karagounis, Ninis, Katsouranis; Gekas.

Match report: Portugal 7- 0 North Korea

Cristiano Ronaldo finished his 16-month international goal served and drought notice of his harsh capabilities by inspirational Portugal to a vigorous victory against North Korea.

The biggest-ever World Cup success, Portugal’s seven-goal win, Now Ivory Coast needing a victory over North Korea and a nine-goal swing in their favor.

Portugal will be eligible with a point in opposition to Brazil and Ronaldo, who made one, scored one and hit the cabinetmaking in this game, was the fabulous performer.

Queiroz the Portugal coach was clashing in his pre-match press conference on Sunday, first claiming that his team had large respect for the North Koreans before insisting that his players would be looking to increase their goal divergence with a vigorous victory.

North Korea was prepared at the back and their counter-attacking was aggressive and crisp. But Portugal, completely aware of the ramifications of a breakdown to win this game, grabbed the lead on 29 minutes when Raul Meireles gave a surprising pass from Tiago the finish it deserved from 12 yards.

Portugal’s goal gave the Koreans a distinctive disadvantage; such is their reliance on their defensive discipline.

Simao doubled their lead on 52 minutes with one more low-strike from close range before Hugo Almeida completed it 3-0 with a dominant header from Fabio Coentrao’s cross two minutes later.

Tiago then added one more on 60 minutes when he directed Ronaldo’s cross into the net from 12 yards. Ronaldo worked up the crossbar on 71 minutes before replace with Liedson completed it 5-0 nine minutes later.

But the goal that the Green Point Stadium had been distracted to witness came on 87 minutes when Ronaldo pounced on a back pass before slotting past goalkeeper Ri Myong Guk.

Korean humiliation was ensured, but Tiago compounded their depression with a header to make it 7-0 two minutes later.

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