World Cup: Argentina vs Greece – final

By Michael Vass | June 22, 2010

If you had expected anything from this final match of Group B it would have to of been that Greece would advance to the Round of 16. Of course that assumption would have been wrong. Too bad the Greeks didn’t consider that before the match.

Argentina maintained control of the match at every point. They had possession of the ball some 70% of the time. They were predominantely on Greece’s side of the pitch and attacking throughout the match. Considering the number of shots on goal, just shy of the total number of shots taken by Argentina, the real surprise is that the score was not higher.

While Argentine Captain #10 Lionel Messi was being fed the ball for a score at every opportunity (each getting closer to the goal than the last – ultimately striking the goal post and deflecting out), several others on the team had their go at the goal too. In the second half those shots included Defender #2 Martín Demichelis (who had the joy of a shot and then the rebound – off of his own teammate – for the goal) and #18 Martín Palermo – at the age of 36 after 10 years away from the national team.

Greece for their part was on the counter-attack again in the second half. But unlike the begining of the game Argentina shored up the left side of the pitch and were willing to wait for their opportunites. Greece, for all the effort of #7 Georgios Samaras, could not make a concerted effort on the Argentine goal.

Worse was the fact that because Greece was on the counter-attack, rarely, goalkeeper #12 Alexandros Tzorvas was under constant assault. Argentina added another 7 shots on goal to the 5 from the first half. Under such a barrage, with few and ever shorter breaks, and little help from his defenders it was noteable that he held off Argentina as much as he did.

As much as Diego Maradona should be saluted for his strategy and work with Argentina as coach, Otto Rehhagel should be scolded for his plan for Greece. Early on in the match it seemed that Greece was overly confident they could hold out for a score and ease past South Korea for the Round of 16. In the second hald, down a goal to South Korea, Otto Rehhagel kept his plan in place. He made his substitutions, all of them, before the 60th minute of the second half. It sealed the fate of Greece and denied the opportunity for a change in strategy or fresh legs late in the game.

The outcome of this match was never seriously in doubt. Argentina was assured of moving on to the Round of 16. The question was only how many goals they might score along the way. But Greece had the opportunity to join them on that path. They let it fall almost as if the next Round were the sun and they were like Icarsus.

The man of the match should be Alexandros Tzorvas. With lousy help from defenders, under constant pressure for almost the entire 90 minutes +, and for having taken a significant shot to the groin while denying critical shot on goal, he earned the man of the match. Were he any less proficient the game could have ended 5 – 0. Instead he kept it close until the 76th minute, and did not falter again until the 88th.

Argentina moves on to the Round of 16, and South Korea (for the first time on foreign soil) will join them.

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