Tag Archives: Nigeria

South Africa 2010 Match Observations: Group B

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Some random observations after the first group fixtures:

South Korea 2-0 Greece: Surprising defensive breakdown by Greece in the 7th minute on a South Korea set piece allows Jung-soo Lee to score an easy header unmarked, decidedly uncharacteristic of Greece. You’d have thought it would be Greece that was going to control pace and tempo early on, but it was Korea that made long thrusts going forward. Greece is not known for being a come-from-behind side, but their one strength is their proficiency on set pieces, which the Korean side was having problems with. Clear early on that Korea was going to force the ball into its two EPL players down the left flank in attack. Korea was having problems with Greece’s long passes into the box, where Greece was using their height advantage. After the Korean goal the game became a battle of counterattacks; Korea’s was a little bit more proficient, showing better movement and width. Greece’s talisman Karagunis saw surprisingly little of the ball and it mattered. Chong-Yung Lee took very few quality shots but as Korea’s leading scorer he was going to take his many chances, and played a confident game up front with great link-up play and creating space and opportunities for his teammates. Another backline breakdown, this time in possession in midfield, resulted in their one star-quality player, Ji-Sung Park, intercepting a pass and making a solo breakaway run, resulting in a clinical finish. When not in possession Korea did a much better job of using their conditioning and speed to quickly surround the ball and break down the Greece possession. Not until getting down by 2 goals did Greece finally pounded the ball in the box. Korea showed an inventiveness in attack they didn’t show even when they finished 4th eight years ago. Yong Chong-Ryong was fantastic in goal. Surprisingly confident and impressive win by South Korea.

Argentina 1-0 Nigeria: Argentina started off well early with the creative combination play between the three forwards Messi, Tevez and Higuain. Completely surreal how magical Messi is, able to split 4 defenders and open up finishing opportunities for his forward mates. Nigeria’s sloppy defense was obvious from start, certainly on Gabriel Heinze’s set piece goal. The Super Eagles exhibited virtually no quality or refined offensive skill in the box, and their through balls and set pieces were awful. Victor Enyeama was one very busy goalkeeper; he had to be – if it wasn’t for Enyeama, Messi would have had a few goals. Nigeria realized after the first goal that the key was to close down the Albiceleste at the half-touch line and keep the ball away from the front three. It looked a little too easy for Argentina, and you got the feeling that they were just mailing it in after the first goal, not really showing any movement off the ball or taking advantage of space, which is their game. In the second half Argentina responded to Nigeria’s defensive adjustments by going Route One, getting the ball quickly into the attacking end with long passes with plenty of air underneath them. Nigeria finally started putting shots on goal when Obafemi Martins came on. Surprisingly sloppy game. As we all thought, coach Diego Maradona’s tactical approach is mind-numbingly simple: Get the ball to Messi and let him figure it out.

– daveydoug

South Africa 2010: Upset Special

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I don’t really believe there is too much about this year’s draw that lends itself to any major upsets. There will be one or two during group play, but given the relative strength of this year’s field, deducing which ones they will be is pretty tough. So instead of going with a middling football squad upsetting a traditional world football power, I’m going to go with the national side that I think has the luck, potential, and favorable circumstances to get further than anybody thinks they might.

This is the first World Cup contested on the African continent, and teams on their home continent usually fare pretty well. Host nations have always made it out of their group to the knockout stages, no matter the relative weakness of the host side (USA, Korea and Japan to name the most recent examples). South Africa is blessed with a Group A draw that isn’t easy but is not particularly hard; France is the class of the group. But given France’s uneven performances of late in the group stages (see Korea/Japan 2002 and Germany 2008), a lackluster performance by them makes Group A open for a team to fill the vacuum. Uruguay and Mexico would be the obvious choices, but history suggests that South Africa could get a result here and there and be playing for a spot in the knockout stages in their last group fixture…

…Yet as much of a surprise as that would be, that isn’t my upset special.

I bring up Group A because given the difficult road France had to go in order to get here (they had to win a playoff against Ireland with a gift handball by Thierry Henry that unfairly got them in) – and the apparent lack of tactical and strategic ability by their head coach Raymond Domenech – I think France does just mail it in. Oh, they’ll make it to the knockout stages in spite of themselves, but they won’t win the group. That distinction falls upon Mexico…

…Now stay with me here…

A Mexico win of their group means they get the second-place finisher from Group B in the Round of 16. Argentina is going to run over their Group B opponents with relative ease, but of the three remaining teams Nigeria has the crowd on their side and the wind at their backs. Nigeria is not the best African side – the Ivory Coast and Ghana have it all over them and will certainly qualify for the knockout stages – but they are by far historically the most successful African side. The Indomitable Lions will get killed by Argentina but have enough quality and heart to get wins against Greece and South Korea and finish second.

That will set up a date in the first knockout round against Mexico. Mexico is talented enough to make it to the quarterfinals but they’ve never done it away from home. They won’t do it this time, either. Nigeria breaks off Mexico – by a lot, in a game that really won’t be close – and books a date in the quarterfinals that will be a surprise to everybody not on the African continent. That’s right; there is the very real possibility that after Nigeria gets manhandled by Argentina early in the group stage that a favorable draw means the Indomitable Lions don’t really get challenged again until the final eight (not unlike the stultifying team from the Ukraine four years ago). The Ivory Coast and Ghana are not similarly blessed with this kind of random luck; both will qualify for the knockout stages but their hopes die on the vine there.

Not so Nigeria. So I’m going with Nigeria to finish no worse than eighth in this year’s quadrennial football championship.

Remember, you heard it here first.

– daveydoug