Saturday June 12th

Group B

South Korea punish lazy Greeks

South Korea 2 Greece 0 (Port Elizabeth)
An inefficient Greek side were beaten by the much more ambitious South Koreans. A free-kick from near the corner flag in the 7th minute was met by Lee Jung Soo at the far post who gave South Korea the lead which the Koreans almost doubled in the 28th minute when Park Chu Young ran towards goal but was denied by the outstretched leg of the Greek keeper Tzorvas, but in the 52nd minute Park Ji Sung slotted the ball past the keeper after a powerful run to give South Korea the cushion they deserved. Greece pushed forward briefly in the last 20 minutes but Jung Sung Ryong was only tested once when he palmed a Gekas shot over the bar in the 78th minute. South Korea ended the match looking for a third but will be happy with their 2-0 win.

Argentina clip Nigerian wings

Argentina 1 Nigeria 0 (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)

The heroics of Vincent Enyeama in the Nigeria goal was not enough to deny Argentina a win in their first match of the tournament. Higuain missed the target from close range in the 4th minute but 2 minutes later Enyeama saved brilliantly from Messi, and Heize flung himself to head the ensuing corner kick into the top corner of the net. Enyeama dived to his right to palm away a low Messi curler in the 17th minute and 4 minutes later made himself big to deny Higuain. Messi aimed for the top corner in the 37th minute but once again Enyeama saved superbly to keep Nigeria in the game as he did in the 66th minute when he got down with a strong right arm to keep out a powerful shot from Higuain. Nigeria threatened occasionally with Taiwo striking the ball inches wide of the base of the post in the 71st minute and Martins firing a shot in the 78th minute which Romero fisted away.

Group C

England give USA green light

England 1 USA 1 (Rustenburg)

A howler from Robert Green gifted The USA a point against England. Heskey played the ball to Gerrard who knocked it past Howard in the 4th minute to give England a dream start, but a minute after Donovan had shot just wide in the 39th minute, Dempsey struck an innocuous looking shot which somehow found its way past Green and nestled in the back of the England net. England responded immediately with a shot from Johnson but Howard got down quickly. Heskey was through on goal in the 52nd minute but shot straight at the keeper who pushed a Lampard effort over the bar in the 63rd minute. Two minutes later Altidore ran into the England box from the left and tried to squeeze the ball in, but Green parried it onto the woodwork. Rooney shot just wide in the 74th minute as England continued to search for the illusive winner.