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Nigeria 2, South Korea 2

Nigeria: Uche 12, Yakubu (penalty) 69

South Korea: Lee JS 38, Park CY 49.

Starting line-ups:

Nigeria:

1-Vincent Enyeama; 17-Chidi Odiah, 6-Danny Shittu, 2-Joseph Yobo,

5-Rabiu Afolabi, 12-Kalu Uche, 20-Dickson Etuhu, 13-Yusuf Ayila,

8-Yakubu Aiyegbeni, 19-Chinedu Obasi, 4-Nwankwo Kanu.

South Korea:

18-Jung Sung-ryong; 22-Cha Du-ri, 12-Lee Young-pyo, 4-Cho Yong-hyung,

14-Lee Jung-soo, 8-Kim Jung-woo, 16-Ki Sung-yong, 7-Park Ji-sung,

17-Lee Chung-yong, 10-Park Chu-young, 19-Yeom Ki-hun.

Referee: Olegario Benquerenca (PortugAL).

Venue: Durban Stadium, Durban.

If we have to pinpoint three reasons for the failure of the African teams to live to their potential over the years and progress deep into the World Cup, these would be the culprits: a lack of organisation and tactical awareness; the inability of the star players to transfer their club form to the international level; and profligacy. Unfortunately for the African teams, all these shortcomings have been painfully transparent in this World Cup.

Many pundits expected this to be the Africans’ World Cup: It was held in their continent for the first time; they should be mature and prepared to make the necessary step up; they boast some of the best players in the world who ply their trades for top European clubs; and they should have learnt from past mistakes. However, With Cameroon out of contention for a second round spot after their defeats to Japan and Denmark; with South Africa exiting early on Tuesday; and with the Ivory Coasts’ hopes of advancing to the second round all but doomed, the troika of Nigeria, Algeria, and Ghana were Africa’s last remaining realistic hopes.

Nigeria needed to beat South Korea and have Argentina beat Greece to go through. Argentina did beat Greece 2-0 with two late goals, but Nigeria failed to fulfill their obligation against the Koreans. They had their chances – indeed, they had loads of chances – but they were horribly wasteful, embarrassingly leaky at the back, and generally disorganized and naïve.  In contrast, South Korea, while not possessing as many talented individuals, took their chances, were relatively solid and tidy, and rode their luck to hang on to the draw despite Nigeria’s raids on their goal.

The match could not have started any better for Nigeria as they took an early lead just after 12 minutes when right-back Odiah darted past two South Korean players on the right flank and sent a cross into the box. Nigerian striker Uche reacted quicker than his South Korean opponent to meet the cross and slam it into the net from 12 yards. For the second match in a row, Nigeria had claimed an early lead and surely, one would think,  this time they won’t allow it to slip away like they did against Greece when they had a player stupidly sent off minutes after they had scored their opener.

Uche came desperately close to making it 2-0 after 35 minutes but his powerful drive from 25 yards out hit the post. And Nigeria were made to rue this missed chance  four minutes later when Lee Jung-Soo capitalised on some poor defending from the Nigerians to poke home a Sung-Yeung free-kick. In spite of dominating the first half and creating more chances, Nigeria failed to finish it in front.

It was the plucky South Korea who took the lead early in the second half when Park Chu-Young’s curling free-kick beat keeper Vincent Enyeama, who misjudged the flight of the ball and moved to the other direction. Yet again, Nigeria conceded from a set-piece, showing that they learnt nothing from their games against Argentina and Greece. A few minutes later, Yakubu missed an absolute sitter that will come back to haunt him for many nights to come: He had the goal at his mercy, all he had to do was poke the ball home from three yards but instead he shot agonisingly wide. He had a collection of misses in the second half but that was the worst of all. He would pull Nigeria level from the penalty spot after Obassi had been fouled in the area, but his failure to take advantage of the chances he had cost his team a place in the next stage. Nigeria continued to press but it was a case of ‘almost’, which is not enough.

With all due respect to South Korea who hung on tough, it was a game Nigeria should have won comfortably but instead they were left to regret their what-might-have-beens after the end of this match. With Argentina’s win over Greece, the Argies advance to the second round atop the group and will meet Mexico on Sunday, while South Korea play against group A winners Uruguay on Saturday. Africa’s hopes rest on the Algerian and Ghanaian shoulders, both teams playing their final group games on Wednesday against the USA and Germany respectively.

Budour Hassan
DFN Sports Staff Writer