Match 4: SOUTH KOREA v GREECE

Date: SAT 12Jun10

Venue: Port Elizabeth NELSON MANDELA BAY STADIUM

PANDO! or GORDO? PANDO!

+ All the rumors that this is a KOREA side that has settled well all appear to be true .. .. KOR has been at least two steps quicker than GREECE and at times made GRE look like they were standing still when KOR was on the counterattack .. .. Perhaps that shouldn’t be surprising as KOR ran roughshod over JAPAN 2-0 in Japan before leaving for high-altitude training in Austria .. .. 7 KOR players who appeared today play outside of KOR!

KOR struck early in the first half off their very first shot – A L/Flank FK that found Defender LEE JUNG-SOO alone in the R/Box for an easy tap-in .. .. Half the GRE side seemed disinterested and just went through the paces, while other half hustled – Something seems amiss in the GRE camp .. ..

The second half proved no different as KOR ran rings around GRE until late in the match when GRE came forward, but the quality chances could have been counted on one hand and one finger .. .. But match was put to bed before that when PARK JI-SUNG stole the ball, split two GRE markers and calmly slotted home as though he was back at Old Trafford .. ..

Handy win for KOR and their new poster boy, Monaco’s PARK CHU-YOUNG was kept off the scoresheet despite threatening all day long and took 5 shots .. .

KOR MoM: PARK JI-SUNG

Manchester United’s popular future Captain ran the show from the center and the flanks. The only Asian to play in an UEFA Champions League Final, the 29YO was a class above anything GRE put out there.

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Match 3: ARGENTINA v NIGERIA

Date: SAT 12Jun10

Venue: Johannesburg ELLIS PARK STADIUM

PANDO! or GORDO? GORDO?

+ Group B could go down as one of the most intriguing Groups to see whose camp is in more disarray > GRE or NIGERIA? Most African football experts admit that the Nigerian FA have been far more interested in their upcoming August FA elections, than WC preparation – They completely ignored their own WC Camp and just checked them into a $80 per night roadside motel when they arrived in South Africa .. .. A shambles .. ..

The NGA backline reflected that early on as they allowed ARGENTINA to go wherever they wanted – ARG outshot NGA 8-1 in the first half .. .. GABRIEL HEINZE (‘El Gringo’) had nobody within three yards of him when he snapped home his CK header > U/Left to start the scoring .. ..

NGA created some chances in the second half despite having only three shots in the first 62 minutes .. .. ARG could have bagged a few more goals and LIONEL MESSI was blanked despite his 7 shots .. ..

ARG could have crushed NGA with all their chances and NGA was dreadful overall .. .. An interesting observation is that the ARG players seem to be happy despite what the press has said about Maradona, but we’ll see what happens there when they face some pressure .. ..

ARG MoM: LIONEL MESSI

Classy, silky performance from the world’s best player despite being held scoreless .. .. Was able to do what he wanted all match long, the ball died at his feet and his close-control and passing is spotless .. .. Once he bags his first goal, the floodgates will surely open .. .. 

NGA MoM: none

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Match 5: ENGLAND v UNITED STATES

Date: SAT 12Jun10

Venue: Rustenburg ROYAL BAFOKENG STADIUM

PANDO! or GORDO? PANDO! > ‘ONE SPILL THE USA WILL NOT MIND!!’

+ FORGET THE GERRARD GOAL (Rico lost him – it’s his fault)

FORGET THE GIFT GOAL (Dempsey hit a scorcher – Green couldn’t stop it)

It’s a LIGHT YEAR’S IMPROVEMENT from the CZE match in 2006! They played confident, positive and outshot ENG 7-6 in the first half .. .. I even have to give props to STEVE CHERUNDOLO who played really well early and threatened going forward .. .. Even if it was still 0-1, I will take the first half .. ..

The second half wasn’t bad either was it?

JOZY ALTIDORE & surprising ROBBIE FINDLEY left their markers for dead and ENG was lucky to draw after JOZY reminded JAMIE CARRAGHER why he retired Internationally and only the post kept ENG from last place in the Group .. ..

TIM was stellar > Commanded the area and made all the key saves .. .. Was stretched on ROONEY’s long-range blast but had it covered .. .. Wished he would have stopped GERRARD’s chip, but he is Stevie Liverpool, huh?

ROBBIE showed surprising poise and touch tonight and has kept his starting place!

OGUCHI is rounding back to form isn’t he? He was able to keep up with ROONEY, keep HESKEY on the ground and control his zone .. .. Welcome Back OO!

Maybe it’s an omen, but for whatever reason, ITV went to car advertisements during the GERRARD goal and the only thing they saw was the celebration .. .. Maybe today’s result was destined to be .. .. Everyone in England has yet to see ENG score a goal!!

ENG MoM: STEVEN GERRARD

USA MoM: STEVE CHERUNDOLO

Maybe the second-happiest person in the world is Mandy Rosier Cherundolo! Just married on NY Eve 2009, her husband was brilliant tonight and turned in the best US right-back performance in the WC in ages! He stopped cold attacks from LENNON, ROONEY & WRIGHT-PHILIPS to speak of three .. .. Read the game brilliantly and kept the right secure!