POLOKWANE, South Africa (AFP) – ARGENTINA SECURED TOP SPOT IN GROUP B after cruising to a 2-0 win over Greece in Polokwane on Tuesday and will now face Mexico in the last 16 of the World Cup.
A limited Greece side had to win to have a realistic chance of qualifying but seemed satisfied to just contain the myriad attacking talents of an Argentina led by the ever-creative Lionel Messi.
But the inevitable eventually arrived after 77 minutes when centre-back Martin Demichelis smashed home the opener from close quarters after his initial header had bounced back off team-mate Diego Milito.
Substitute Martin Palermo sealed the victory with a cool late finish a minute from time after Messi’s shot was parried by the excellent Alexandros Tzorvas in the Greek goal to spark extravagant celebrations from coach Maradona on the touchline.
The defeat for Greece meant they were eliminated from the competition while South Korea snatched second spot to qualify for the second round after their action-packed 2-2 draw with Nigeria in Durban.
The South Koreans will now face Uruguay for a place in the quarter-finals.
Read on to see how a patient Argentina eventually broke through a gritty but ultimately futile Greek rearguard action.
2024 GMT: It’s full-time in Durban where Nigeria have drawn 2-2 with South Korea. So South Korea go through to the knock-out stages where they will play Uruguay.
Argentina top the group with maximum points and will play Mexico for a place in the quarter-finals.
2023 GMT: “Ninety minutes of no creativity from Greece — they got men behind the ball, stifled Argentina and got what they deserved,” says former Liverpool defender and BBC Sport pundit Alan Hansen.
90+1 mins: FULL-TIME – Greece 0 Argentina 2
– 89 mins: GOAL! Greece 0 Argentina2
Messi again — he skips across the edge of the area and unleashes another powerful shot straight at Tsorvas who can only parry it to the feet of substitute Martin Palermo who expertly sidefoots home from ten yards.
Maradona loved that and leaps into the arms of one of his coaching staff!
-86 mins: Almost brilliant from Messi — but it crashes back off the post!
And the Greeks are out on their feet here.-
–
83 mins: My AFP colleague Josefa Suarez  has been in touch from Buenos Aires:
“Thousands of people in the bars and parks of Buenos Aire are celebrating the goal after watching it on big screens!”
-79 mins: Boca Juniors striker Martin Palermo replaces Diego Milito for Argentina.
– 77 mins: GOAL! Greece 0 Argentina 1
Martin Demichelis gives Argentina the lead! The big centtre-back rises highest to head goalwards from a corner on the left — it hits Milito and back to the defender who lashes a left-foot shot high into the roof of the net from five yards.
76 mins: YELLOW CARD! Mario Bolatti is booked for blocking Papastathopolous.
Javier Pastore replaces Sergio Aguero for Maradona’s side.
– 73 mins: It’s all Argentina here — but it’s the Greeks who really need a goal as news comes in that Nigeria have equalised against the South Koreans from a Yakubu penalty. 2-2 in Durban.
– 69 mins: Messi fires a free-kick in from 40 yards which Tzorvas gets across well to and palms behind.
Mario Bolatti get a chance as Veron swings in the resulting corner but his powerful low srike hits Tzorvas straight in the midriff.
– 65 mins: Sotiris Kyrgiakos gets a handful of Milito’s shirt and drags him down in the area — but the referee waves away appeals for a penalty. That could have been given had the official Ravshan Irmatov had a better view.
– 63 mins: Change in midfield for Argentina: Maxi Rodriguez is replaced by Benfica’s Angel di Maria.
– 56 mins: Diego Milito climbs and almost gets a head to Clemente Rodriguez’s inviting cross from the left wing.
– 54 mins: And Rehhagel takes immediate action, making a double change — Greece’s great young hope, midfielder Sotiris Ninis, comes on for Kostas Katsouranis, while Christos Patsatzoglou replaces Vassilis Torosidis.
– 51 mins: South Korea have scored a second to take the lead against Nigeria in Durban — it’s South Korea 2 Nigeria 1. Greece really have to go for broke now surely.
– 48 mins: Samaras squanders a brilliant chance to give the Greeks the lead!
He runs at the Argentina defence down the left channel, his first shot with his right foot is blocked but, after he’s lucky to get a second bite at the cherry, he blazes wide with his left.
Otto Rehhagel’s side can’t afford to miss chances like that if Greece are going to win this game.
– 1933 GMT: THE SECOND HALF has kicked off in Polokwane.
-1929 GMT: Group B as it stands at half-time:
Argentina will top the group with seven points, South Korea will finish second on four points, pipping the Greeks in third on goal difference with Nigeria bottom on one.
– 1923 GMT: “Aguero and Messi — if the Greeks can keep those two quiet after the break then they’ve got a chance,” says Tottenham Hotspur manager and BBC Sport pundit Harry Redknapp.
– 45+1 mins: HALF-TIME – Greece 0 Argentina 0
– 45 mins:- Maxi Rodriguez hits one which Tzorvas saves at his near post.
– 40 mins:South Korea have equalised in Durban through Lee Jung-Soo — it’s Nigeria 1 South Korea 1. The Greeks will need to win this game if that scoreline stays the same to qualify from Group B.
– 38 mins: Samaras plays the ball into Katsouranis in space in the area but it just runs away from the midfielder — beware the Greeks…
– 36 mins: Argentina corner from the right is flicked on by Aguero at the near opost and Milito sticks out a toe but can’t get enough on it — Maradona’s men are looking dangerous here.
– 32 mins: Argentina almost take the lead — the ball breaks to Sergio Aguero at the back post and his shot is blocked on the line!
-30 mins: YELLOW CARD! Katsouranis cynically pulls back Sergio Aguero and is rightly cautioned.
-27 mins: ‘La Albiceleste’ are just happy to keep the ball in this one and bide their time — it doesn’t make for a thrilling spectacle but needs must.
– 22 mins: Greek defender Socrates Papastathopolous brings down Messi and is lucky not to be booked for that clumsy challenge.
– 18 mins: Bang! And that’s really bought this game to life — Veron stings the palms of Tzorvas of with a piledriver from 30 yards which the Greek ‘keeper pushes over the crossbar.
17 mins: Sergio Aguero goes on a mazy into the righthand side of the area nd lets fly with a powerful strike that Alexandros Tzorvas palms behind for a corner.
– 16 mins: Nasty collision between Demichelis and Samaras  — they both had their feet a bit high but neither party more guilty than the other.
It’s 1-0 to Nigeria against South Korea in Durban after Kala Uche’s goal.
– 13 mins: Good break down the left flank from Giorgos Samaras but Demichelis gets a foot in and the Greeks get a corner.
-10 mins: Great tackle on Lionel Messi at the back there from Lukas Vyntra.
– 4 mins: Argentina are just stroking it around at a steady tempo at the start here — not much urgency yet and why should there be?
– 2 mins: Argentina are in an unfamiliar all-blue strip for this one, the Greeks in all-white.
Remember, in simple terms, all Argentina need from this game is a draw and they will end as group winners.
Greece essentially need to better South Korea’s result against the Nigerians in Durban to stand a chance of making the knock-out stages.
– 1830 GMT: THE GAME KICKS OFF in Polokwane.
-1824 GMT: The Greek national anthem is belted out — and it has to be said the Greeks don’t exactly look full of confidence for this one.
1820 GMT: Otto Rehhagel makes two changes to his side as defender Vangelis Moras and striker Georgios Samaras return to replace Dimitris Salpingidis and Fanis Gekas.
1818 GMT: Argentina have won their last seven matches on the trot — it would be quite an effort if the Galanolefki can end that run this evening.
1815 GMT: So, Maradona has made seven changes to the side that thumped South Korea 4-1.
Carlos Tevez is rested and Inter Milan’s Diego Milito takes his place up front while Sergio Aguero is in for the hat-trick hero Gonzalo Higuain.
Defender Gabriel Heinze is rested along with Javier Mascherano in midfield.
Argentina: Sergio Romero, Martin Demichelis, Clemente Rodriguez, Nicolas Burdisso, Mario Bolatti, Juan Sebastian Veron, Maxi Rodriguez, Nicolas Otamendi, Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Diego Milito.
Referee: Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan)
WELCOME TO OUR WORLD CUP LIVE TEXT COMMENTARY on Greece’s Group B clash against joint title favourites Argentina at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in the remote northern city of Polokwane.
Maradona’s ‘Albiceleste’ sit proudly on top of the group after two victories in their first two games — over Nigeria in their opener and then South Korea on Thursday — and a point against the Greeks will ensure they finish top of the pile.
Meanwhile, Otto Rehhagel’s side — who lost their opener 2-0 to South Korea — were thrown a lifeline when they trailed 1-0 in their last game against Nigeria after Sani Kaita’s senseless sending off.
The game changed on that decision and they went on to win it 2-1, leaving them with a good chance of qualification should they beat Argentina.
However, a draw may well not be enough should South Korea — already on three points — draw with or beat Nigeria in Durban.
Both games kick-off in just thirty minutes at 1830 GMT so stay with us for all the action as it happens.
1824 GMT: The Greek national anthem is belted out — and it has to be said the Greeks don’t exactly look full of confidence for this one.
1820 GMT: Otto Rehhagel makes two changes to his side as defender Vangelis Moras and striker Georgios Samaras return to replace Dimitris Salpingidis and Fanis Gekas.
1818 GMT: Argentina have won their last seven matches on the trot — it would be quite an effort if the Galanolefki can end that run this evening.
1815 GMT: So, Maradona has made seven changes to the side that thumped South Korea 4-1.
Carlos Tevez is rested and Inter Milan’s Diego Milito takes his place up front while Sergio Aguero is in for the hat-trick hero Gonzalo Higuain.
Defender Gabriel Heinze is rested along with Javier Mascherano in midfield.
1812 GMT: Team news:
Greece: Alexandros Tzorvas; Loukas Vyntra, Vangelis Moras, Sotiris Kyrgiakos, Vassilis Torosidis, Alexandros Tziolis, Avraam Papadopoulos, Socratis Papastathopoulos, Giorgos Samaras, Giorgos Karagounis, Kostas Katsouranis.
Argentina: Sergio Romero, Martin Demichelis, Clemente Rodriguez, Nicolas Burdisso, Mario Bolatti, Juan Sebastian Veron, Maxi Rodriguez, Nicolas Otamendi, Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Diego Milito.
Referee: Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan)
WELCOME TO OUR WORLD CUP LIVE TEXT COMMENTARY on Greece’s Group B clash against joint title favourites Argentina at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in the remote northern city of Polokwane.
Maradona’s ‘Albiceleste’ sit proudly on top of the group after two victories in their first two games — over Nigeria in their opener and then South Korea on Thursday — and a point against the Greeks will ensure they finish top of the pile.
Meanwhile, Otto Rehhagel’s side — who lost their opener 2-0 to South Korea — were thrown a lifeline when they trailed 1-0 in their last game against Nigeria after Sani Kaita’s senseless sending off.
The game changed on that decision and they went on to win it 2-1, leaving them with a good chance of qualification should they beat Argentina.
However, a draw may well not be enough should South Korea — already on three points — draw with or beat Nigeria in Durban.
Both games kick-off in just thirty minutes at 1830 GMT so stay with us for all the action as it happens.
