Heinze header downs Nigeria

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=249722/match=300061460/summary.html

Heinze header downs Nigeria

Argentina joined Saturday's earlier winners Korea Republic on three points in Group B with a 1-0 victory over Nigeria at Johannesburg's packed Ellis Park. Gabriel Heinze scored the game's only goal with a diving header from a corner in just the sixth minute, although the two-time FIFA World Cup™ winners would have added more if not for the heroics of Nigeria goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and their own wasteful finishing.

As early as the fourth minute, FIFA World Player of the Year Lionel Messi burst through the Super Eagles' defence and set up Gonzalo Higuain in front of goal, but the Real Madrid man blazed wide of the target. Two minutes later Messi tested Enyeama from 20 yards out, but the Israel-based goalkeeper saved well with a dive to his right. However, from the resulting corner, Heinze ran free of his marker and made no mistake with his header from the penalty spot. The early goal sent coach Diego Maradona into raptures on the sideline, and surely he must have thought there was more to come.

Messi was a constant thorn in the side of the Nigeria defence, and in the 18th minute he cut inside and curled a left-footed shot towards goal from 25 yards out. But Enyeama was up to the task with a fine save at his post. Three minutes later, the Albiceleste threatened again but Higuain blasted his point-blank shot right into the goalkeeper. Enyeama was the Nigerian hero another time shortly after, denying Messi with his fingertips when it seemed like his curling shot would sneak in.

The introduction of Obafemi Martins early in the second period sparked Nigeria into life. The Wolfsburg forward showed his pace on the hour to latch onto a through-ball and play in Sani Kaita but he blasted over from 25 yards out. As the match opened up, Argentina found more room in the attacking third. In the 65th minute, they counter-attacked quickly to find themselves four-on-two and bearing down on the Nigeria defence. Carlos Tevez slid the ball dangerously into the middle, Angel Di Maria let the ball carry on to Messi, but the Barcelona superstar hit his shot agonisingly wide. Messi then set up Higuain for another opening, but Enyeama was again the victor in that head-to-head duel.

In the 71st minute, Nigeria left-back Taye Taiwo blasted a shot just wide of the post from the edge of the area, injuring himself in the process. His replacement, Kalu Uche, had the best chance of the night for the Super Eagles in the 83rd minute, but he failed to keep down an effort from 12 yards out despite being left unmarked. Nigeria next face Greece on 17 June in Manguang/Bloemfontein, when Argentina and Korea Republic will battle it out for top spot in the group at Johannesburg’s Soccer City.

GROUP B

Group B

Match	Date - Time	Venue			Results
3	12/06 16:00	Johannesburg - JEP		Argentina	1:0	Nigeria
4	12/06 13:30	Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth		Korea Republic	2:0	Greece
19	17/06 16:00	Mangaung/Bloemfontein		Greece		Nigeria
20	17/06 13:30	Johannesburg - JSC		Argentina		Korea Republic
35	22/06 20:30	Durban		Nigeria		Korea Republic
36	22/06 20:30	Polokwane		Greece		Argentina

Group A

      Yellow Card:  

       South Africa

       Kagisho DIKGACOI 

       Tsepo MASILELA
       Mexico
       (C) Gerardo TORRADO

$.img{src:'/imgml/tournament/worldcup2010/players/s/70097.png'}

MEX6

Gerardo TORRADO

       Efrain JUAREZ

       Uruguay

       Diego LUGANO

$.img{src:'/imgml/tournament/worldcup2010/players/s/239433.png'}

URU2

Diego LUGANO

(C)

       Nicolas LODEIRO /RED CARD

$.img{src:'/imgml/tournament/worldcup2010/players/s/305378.png'}

URU14

Nicolas LODEIRO

      France

     Franck RIBERY

$.img{src:'/imgml/tournament/worldcup2010/players/s/248373.png'}

FRA7

Franck RIBERY

7
    (C) Patrice EVRA

$.img{src:'/imgml/tournament/worldcup2010/players/s/212246.png'}

FRA13

Patrice EVRA

 
     Jeremy TOULALAN

$.img{src:'/imgml/tournament/worldcup2010/players/s/254145.png'}

FRA14

Jeremy TOULALAN

$.img{src:'/imgml/tournament/worldcup2010/players/s/228592.png'}

MEX16

Efrain JUAREZ

France, Uruguay draw a blank

An opportunity to seize the initiative in Group A was missed at Cape Town’s Green Point Stadium as France and ten-man Uruguay served up a drab goalless draw. The earlier stalemate between South Africa and Mexico had presented their section rivals with the chance to claim top spot, but neither did enough to secure three points in a scrappy encounter in which Nicolas Lodeiro picked up the tournament’s first red card.

France’s difficulties at UEFA EURO 2008 and during FIFA World Cup™ qualifying have enabled them to sneak almost unnoticed into this competition, yet they reminded everyone of their considerable potential with some slick early play. Predictably, Franck Ribery was at the heart of the best of their attacking forays, and only Sidney Govou will know how he failed to convert the Bayern Munich winger’s inviting low cross after eight minutes. Ribery looked to have laid on a certain goal, with Govou inside the six-yard box when the ball arrived, but the Lyon player’s right-foot attempt lacked conviction and the ball trickled wide of the far post.

Les Bleus remained in the ascendancy, and Nicolas Anelka – who endured a frustrating evening – might have done better than head over from an intelligently weighted Yoann Gourcuff cross. The presence of Diego Forlan ensured that Raymond Domenech’s side were never able to rest easy, though, and the Atletico Madrid striker underlined his capabilities on 16 minutes with an effort out of nothing. Stepping inside from the left beyond William Gallas, Forlan unleashed a powerful right-foot drive that was heading for the net before Hugo Lloris got across to make a fine save.

Nonetheless, this was an isolated moment of concern for a French side who remained firmly in control, with Abou Diaby dictating the midfield pace. Gourcuff was also impressing, and with 18 minutes played he forced an alert save from Fernando Muslera with an audacious free-kick attempt on goal, inches from the left touchline. The game fell into something of a lull as half-time approached, but the tempo picked up again after the break, with Forlan blasting over after sneaking in between Gallas and Bacary Sagna. There was precious little penetration, however, and the growing frustration was summed up 12 minutes after the restart when Jeremy Toulalan tried his luck from all of 35 yards, bringing a comfortable save out of Muslera.

France introduced Thierry Henry in an attempt to re-establish their early superiority, but it was Uruguay who should have snatched victory, with Forlan wasting the best chance of the half, blasting wide from an unmarked position 12 yards from goal. Ultimately, however, La Celeste were happy to hold out for a point after second-half substitute Lodeiro earned a second yellow card for an ugly lunge on Sagna.

Group A

Group A

Match	Date - Time	Venue			Results
1	11/06 16:00	Johannesburg - JSC		South Africa	1:1	Mexico
2	11/06 20:30	Cape Town		Uruguay	0:0	France
17	16/06 20:30	Tshwane/Pretoria		South Africa		Uruguay
18	17/06 20:30	Polokwane		France		Mexico
33	22/06 16:00	Rustenburg		Mexico		Uruguay
34	22/06 16:00	Mangaung/Bloemfontein		France		South Africa

Goal until 13 June

Golden Boot

	Player	GF	ASS	PEN	MinP	MP
1	Lukas PODOLSKI	1	1	0	81	1
2	Thomas MUELLER	1	1	0	90	1
3	CACAU	1	0	0	22	1
4	Miroslav KLOSE	1	0	0	68	1
5	Asamoah GYAN	1	0	1	89	1
6	Clint DEMPSEY	1	0	0	90	1
7	Gabriel HEINZE	1	0	0	90	1
8	LEE Jung Soo	1	0	0	90	1
9	PARK Ji Sung	1	0	0	90	1
10	Rafael MARQUEZ	1	0	0	90	1
11	Robert KOREN	1	0	0	90	1
12	Siphiwe TSHABALALA	1	0	0	90	1
13	Steven GERRARD	1	0	0	90	1