South Korea downs Greece 2-0
2010-06-12 22:55
PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa -- South Korea became the first team at the 2010 World Cup to taste victory by beating Greece 2-0 at Port Elizabeth on Saturday afternoon South African time.
It was a well-deserved win for Huh Jung-moo’s men who took control with goals early in the first half through Lee Jung-soo and early in the second thanks to captain Park Ji-sung. With Group B games against Argentina and Nigeria to come, South Korea have given themselves a fine chance of making it to the second round of the World Cup for the first time ever on foreign soil.
The start couldn’t have been any better or simpler. After just seven minutes, Ki Sung-yueng whipped over a free-kick from the left, it was inadvertently flicked on by Greek defender Konstantinos Katsouranis to fall nicely for Lee Jung-soo at the far post who side-footed the ball into the net from close range.
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| South Korea's captain Park Ji-sung reacts after scoring the second goal in the match with Greece. (Yonhap) |
It really could have been better and at half-time, the feeling was almost of regret as Korea only scored once and with a slight sense of foreboding as Greece could only improve after the break. Huh Jung-moo’s men were causing all kinds of problems with their swift counter-attacks.
After 17 minutes, the Taeguk Warriors were denied a clear scoring chance. Vasileios swinging at Lee Chung-yong’s standing leg as the winger was about to shoot home from close range.
Ten minutes later, Park Chu-young missed a great opportunity to extend the advantage. The Monaco marksman raced clear after being released by a perfect pass from Park Ji-sung but his low shot span off the outstretched foot of the Greek goalkeeper and over the bar.
It was all going too well, a second goal looked to be imminent and the Greek players were arguing among themselves but the 2004 European champion looked a little more threatening in the last few minutes of the first half, a warning, perhaps, of what was to come in the second half.
That wasn’t how it turned out as seven minutes after the restart, Park Ji-sung took advantage of Greek defenders bearing gifts to pick up a loose ball in the middle of the opposition half. The Manchester United man shook off the challenge of two blue shirts to roll the ball into the net.
Shortly after Park Chu-young headed over from a good position as South Korea looked to get the third that would kill the game. The miss signaled the first sustained period of Greek pressure. A number of balls, both high and low, were fired into the penalty area, as the South Koreans were pushed back.
There were a few hairy moments but that is to be expected at the World Cup. on the whole, the South Korean defense held firm as the Greeks started to run out of the few ideas they had.
Perhaps the blemish in the blue sky by the Indian Ocean was the fact that the South Korean team seemed content with two goals when perhaps more were on offer. That, however, was the wispiest of clouds on a great day for Korean soccer. A much bigger test lies in the shape of Argentina on Thursday. on this evidence, it should be a great game.
By John Duerden
Korea Herald Correspondent
(johnduerden@hotmail.com)
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