World Cup 2010 - Higuain hat-trick in Argentina romp
Gonzalo Higuain scored a hat-trick as Argentina underlined their World Cup credentials with a 4-1 victory over South Korea in an entertaining encounter at Soccer City in Johannesburg.
Diego Maradona's side were two up inside 33 minutes, a calamitous Park Chu-young own goal being followed by a close-range header from Higuain.
But South Korea stole a goal against the run of play on the brink of half-time through Lee Chung-yong only for Higuain to score from close range on 76 and 80 minutes to end their hopes.
Maradona fielded an attacking line-up and his side produced some exhilarating football with Angel Di Maria, Carlos Tevez and naturally Lionel Messi creating a glut of chances.
Argentina had impressed in their opening victory against Nigeria and were ahead inside 16 minutes.
Oh Beom-seok fouled the impressive Di Maria to gift the twice champions a free-kick in a dangerous area, on the left, which was swung over by Messi. It was completely missed by Martin Demichelis but the ball bounced off the shin of Korean forward Park Chu-young and into the net.
And it was another set-piece that brought the second goal with the tireless Tevez winning a free-kick in the left corner. It was worked short to Maxi Rodriguez whose cross was flicked on by sub Nicolas Burdisso and the unmarked Higuain planted his header home from close range although keeper Jung Sung-ryong should have done better.
Tevez had earlier whistled a rocket of a free-kick over the crossbar from 20 yards while Messi produced a scintillating run, surging past Lee Jung-soo and then cutting inside Oh Beom-seok and Kim Jung-woo before a delicate chip landed just the wrong side of the far post.
Korea, themselves on three points after their victory over Greece, had been outplayed and only a long-range strike from Ki Sung-yong had concerned Sergio Romero before a defensive calamity from Demichelis in first-half injury time.
A long goal-kick threatened little danger but the Bayern Munich central defender lingered far too long on the ball and Lee Chung-yong nicked it off him before calmly slotting home.
Argentina started the second half with the same intent, this time Jung Sung-ryong doing well to turn Higuain's volley from point-blank range around the post before the Korea custodian pushed a diagonal drive from Tevez away.
Korea did have one gilt-edged chance of an equaliser but Yeom Ki-hun shot wide after a superb flowing move featuring Bolton's Lee Chung-yong.
Gabriel Heinze found himself unmarked from a corner but headed over. Argentina had threatened more goals for a while - and two came within four minutes.
Messi was the inspiration for the third. His first shot was superbly saved by Jung Sung-ryong's foot then a lightning follow-up hit the post and rolled across the goal to allow Higuain to tap home from two yards.
Higuain completed his hat-trick with the best goal of the bunch. Messi produced a delicate dink over the top to sub Sergio Aguero whose delicious chip with the outside of his boot found 'Pipita' who put his header back across goal and into the net.
Maradona was jubilant and, on this evidence, he has a side capable of matching his own glorious achievement as a player in 1986.
Match Facts
Argentina v South Korea
Goals 4-1
1st Half Goals 2-1
Shots on Target 8-2
Shots off Target 7-7
Blocked Shots 3-7
Corners 6-2
Fouls 19-19
Offsides 4-0
Yellow Cards 3-2
Red Cards 0-0
Passing Success 86%-72.5%
Tackles 21%-30%
Tackles Success 90.5%-80%
Possession 61.7%-38.3%
Territorial Advantage 49.9%-50.1%
Comment 22 - 41 of 41
at least give defoe a change i am sure he will have more attempts on goal than anybody else. my favourite player is of course rooney in epl but for me the best finsher is defoe
1 lionel messi
2 gonzalo higuain
3 carlos tevez
4 diego milito
5 sergio aguero
6 angel de maria
when will england have such a strike force for others to fear.
i wonder what was Demichelis doing on the situation leading to s korea's goal......the same kind of mistakes which he did with Bayen against Manchester united in the Champions League........remember United's opening goal in the Quarter Finals.........i think that's a weak point for Argentina
MARCEL U R RIGHT I THOUGHT CAPELLO WAS THE MAN DURING QUALIFYING BUT HIS FINAL SELECTION DOES LEAVE ALOT 2B ADMIRED,U R SPOT ON ABOUT THE CHOICE OF DEFENDERS & HESKEY INSTEAD OF BENT BUT ENGLISH FANS WANT CAPELLO 2DROP HESKEY & PLAY ROONEY AS LONE STRIKER LIKE HE DOES SO WELL WITH MANU & HAVE GERRARD PLAYING JUST BEHIND HIM LIKE HE DOES FOR LIVERPOOL & IF ENGLISH FANS HAD THEIR WAY HART WOULD B IN GOAL SO PLEASE UNDERSTAND MARCEL ENGLISH FANS WANT THIS TEAM PLAYING THIS WAY HART,JOHNSON,DAWSON,TERRY,A.COLE,LENNON,BARRY,LAMPARD,J .COLE,GERRARD,ROONEY,THIS TEAM HAS PACE & GOALS WRITTEN ALL OVER IT WITH LENNON&JOHNSON DOWN THE RIGHT,A.COLE& J.COLE DOWN THE LEFT,ROONEY,GERRARD & LAMPARD LINKING UP IN FRONT OF GOAL,BARRY STAYING BACK 2HELP DEFEND SO LAMPARD CAN GET FORWARD LIKE HE DOES FOR CHELSEA, & DAWSON SHOULD PARTNER TERRY IN CENTRAL DEFENCE,
Its laughable that some here have even mentioned England as team Argentina may face difficulty against, what the heck are you basing that moronic assumption on? The abundance of quality attacking players in the England squad? England's solid back four and world class keeper? England's amazing form at the last major international tournament 2 years ago, Euro 2008? If any team has anything to worry about its not the Argies.
what ever people around the world said, i stiil and will love the argentina football eventhough they are in bad performance. maradona, just keep focussing on your duty and dont think too much about the "meseum" & "gentleman" person from brazil & france. I still believe in you to carry & guide the argentina to the glory of world cup 2010 as a WINNER.
As for messi and others, just be happy & enjoy your time in playing football. Dont ever be a selfish person in football. I know you all are the greatest in your possition. Just do your best......... MESSI
This team has not yet gone into 2 gear,your looking at the WORLD CUP CHAMPIONS.get your money on them NOW before the bookies steal all the odd's...........Yes there is a case against the defence at time;s ,but when you see what players they have on the bench not yet touched the pitch,WOW ........Even the great one ,has not being tempted to play his son-in law( aguero) up front with messi or higuain,instead sticking with tevez,ahead of milito & others.go -on argentina....win it for diego an stuff pele's brazil in the semi or final depending on the draw,,,,,,,,platini& pele dont have a clue,??? why with all there talent did they not go into coaching, instead of earning easy money as fifa ear piece & spoke person
Argentina will only get better. Messi hasn't started scoring yet, and you can feel the defense has improved from previous game. Those who think other teams would have done better than Korea, you are wrong. Argentina would have then risen to the occasion too. And I guess Pele is now eating his humble pie with Platini on his side. Maradona is diong a great job with this team. The players are behaving like lovers. Lotsa hugging and kissing and support. Never seen this before..
first hattrick in this world cup and top goalscorer, GONZALO HIGUAIN.
Though Higuain scored a hatrick i still realy do not believe in him. Aguero or Milito much better . he was lucky to score a hatrick but look at all over his performance in the two games he is a an average and wasting alot lazy !! Messi still the man to watch a genius that carries a great team in Barcelona and now in Argentina . Just look at him with his play , he is the best till now in the worldcup .
to comment 49 donny mcclain , i have seen U post few times on here and you don't make any sense
what the hell???? are you on about mate
im a chelsea fan if there was 1 player we should have tried to sighn it was higuain he is a class act
I think Argentina played a good game but I have to agree with MIKE H... after the first round any other team won't miss the chances that KOREA had... that's why we have to score when we have the chances
Brazil will play Ivory Coast next, which showed great skills last match.
Now from that game we will be able to see what Brazil is like compared to Argentina full of it....Because all we hear is those arrogant twaats boasting and bragging about themselves all the f..time.
Arrogant lot!! the Argies...
Dunno like, the game I saw Argentina deserved a comfortable win but Korea folded after 3-1, Korea probably deserved two goals and Argentina where lucky to get the first early on, they will face better teams than Korea, greece and Nigeria later. I think they look leaky and are not scoring chances they need to take against bettter opponents. Messi, for all his skill, is still not as effective for them as he is for Barca. They look pretty beatable to me. we're yet to see the other teams true colours so I'll wait till the end of the group stages to start guessing
Stop all this nonsense about the Argies...They are just doing what is expected from them...We all knew it beforehand, and with players like those...So far they have not encountered a team to play yet...
Just wait and see...they will fail somehow...perhaps against Germany, Brazil, Italy, or England the better...but I do not believe they will win the WC.
it was not an offiside because higuain was behind the ball.. where do you geniuses come from?
It's not bad for The Argies - an offside goal and playing with a 12-man team. The guy in yellow was a true asset to The Argies.
Thanx, El pipita.
Keep it up ....
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