FIFA World Cup 2010 match 35 - Group B
Nigeria v. South Korea, 22nd June - Durban

Nigeria: Enyeama, Yobo (Echiejile 45), Afolabi, Shittu, Odiah, Uche, Yussuf, Etuhu, Kanu (Martins 57), Yakubu (Obinna 70), Obasi Ogbuke.

South Korea: Jung Sung-Ryong, Cho Yong-Hyung, Lee Young-Pyo, Lee Jung-Soo, Cha Du-Ri, Park Ji-Sung, Kim Jung-Woo, Ki Sung-Yeung (Kim Jae-Sung 86), Lee Chung-Yong, Park Chu-Young (Kim Dong-Jin 90), Yeom Ki-Hun (Kim Nam-Il 63).

This game had the feeling of a straight shootout for a place in the next round. The general expectation was that Greece would lose their final game to Argentina and if that did happen either of these teams could claim a place in the last sixteen. South Korea could then progress with a draw but Nigeria, despite having lost their opening two games, would probably go through on goal difference should they win.

Not surprisingly this was an open, entertaining game packed with incident.

There was some good play but much of the incident came as a result of shocking defending and the tone was set, and often continued, by Danny Shittu who put his side in trouble early on with a dreadful clearance and Lee Chung-Yong should have hit the target sliding in at the far post.

As it was it was Nigeria who took an early lead as the South Korean defence went to sleep. Odiah skipped away from two defenders with ridiculous ease on the right and when he centred low across goal Cha Du-Ri was statuesque as Uche nipped in to score.

Sometimes it's ok to be referred to as statuesque. Ava Gardner was statuesque in a good way but when you're a full back at a World Cup it's not generally the description you would be hoping for.

The next howler came at the other end as Enyeama came outside his goalmouth near the corner flag and allowed himself to be dispossessed by Park Ji-Sung. The keeper quickly reclaimed possession but the ref deemed him to have fouled his man and showed a yellow card to a keeper who appears to be unsure whether he's quality or calamity.

Uche was close to increasing Nigeria's lead with a terrific drive from distance that slammed against the foot of a post but South Korea ended up level at the interval after Nigeria once again created problems for themselves.

In trying to play their way out of trouble they did exactly the opposite and ended up conceding a free kick in a dangerous position. Ki Sung-Yeung sent over a dangerous centre and Lee Jung-Soo was able to force the ball home at the far post.

Half Time: Nigeria 1 South Korea 1

Nigeria's hopes took a further dive just after half time as South Korea took the lead. Shittu was clumsy again in conceding a free kick just outside the box to the left of goal. Park Chu-Young hit a crisp shot into the far corner with Enyeama fatally anticipating an effort to the other side of goal.

Enyeama did make some amends with a decent save from the same player after a flowing move culminated in Yeom Ki-Hun's inviting centre.

With Nigeria desperate for a goal Yakubu then conjured up the miss of this, and possibly every other, World Cup.

Good passing ended with Lee Young-Pyo sending Yussuf clear down the left hand side of the box and his low ball took out the keeper to leave Yakubu with the task of hitting an open goal, unchallenged, from six yards out.

To most people's surprise Yakubu managed to put the ball wide as he tried a sidefoot but ended up inadvertantly using his heel instead.

Perhaps some credit should go to the keeper for placing a water bottle just the wrong side of his post because The Yak took it out perfectly.

To complete the surreal nature of this game Yakubu found himself having to take a penalty two minutes later after yet more outrageous defending.

Kim Nam-Il, just brought on to protect the lead, mysteriously decided to stand stock still inside his own area with the ball at his feet and when Obasi Ogbuke stole in from behind to nick possession he dropkicked the forward high into the night sky for one of the more blatant penalties you could ever wish to see.

Nobody would have known Yakubu had just missed the easiest chance in World Cup history as he ambled forward to stroke in the calmest of penalties after allowing Jung Sung-Ryong to commit himself one way.

Nigeria were no sooner back in contention than they were almost out of it again as Shittu contrived to backheel narrowly wide of his own post as he tried to clear Cha Du-Ri's centre before the last ten minutes were given even greater urgency by the news that Argentina had finally taken the lead against Greece.

South Korea now had second place in the group in their grasp but Nigeria knew that if they could score again they would qualify.

The Korean defence again gave Nigeria encouragement by giving the ball away on the edge of their own box. Obasi Ogbuke made the most of this with a delicious through ball to Martins but the striker could only chip wide of the far post when face to face with the keeper.

Obinna took a chance with a shot from the edge of the box after engineering a yard of space but was unlucky to see his effort ripple the wrong side of the netting and the final minutes finally ticked away to leave the Koreans rejoicing and Nigeria reflecting on what might have been after a breathless ninety minutes.

South Korea would be well advised to brush up on their defending if they want to go any further in this tournament, however, and might do well to adopt the age old technique of "if in doubt, kick it out" rather than trying to play their way out of defence in future.

Full Time: Nigeria 2 South Korea 2

Nigeria: Enyeama 4, Yobo 5 (Echiejile 4), Afolabi 5, Shittu 0, Odiah 6, Uche 8, Yussuf 6, Etuhu 5, Kanu 6 (Martins 5), Yakubu 5 (Obinna 6), Obasi Ogbuke 7.

South Korea: Jung Sung-Ryong 5, Cho Yong-Hyung 4, Lee Young-Pyo 6, Lee Jung-Soo 5, Cha Du-Ri 4, Park Ji-Sung 6, Kim Jung-Woo 6, Ki Sung-Yeung 5, Lee Chung-Yong 6, Park Chu-Young 6, Yeom Ki-Hun 6 (Kim Nam-Il 2).

Referee: Olegario Benquerenca (Portugal) 6
Sound game from an official who might have been excused for thinking he had turned up at a local park game by mistake given the standard of the defending.

Good: You've got to hand it to Yakubu for his magnificent penalty given what had gone immediately before it.

Bad: In a game of unbelievably bad defending Danny Shittu surely takes pride of place.

Ugly: The amount of sweat on Yakubu's forehead immediately after missing the open goal. He appeared to know that he should have done better.