Final Score - WC2010 Group F, Paraguay vs New Zealand

Thursday 24th June 2010 - Peter Mokoba Stadium, Polokwane - Att. 34,850
Referee: Yuichi Nishimura (Japan)

LINEUPS:
Paraguay (442): Villar, Bonet, Morel, de Silva, Alcaraz, Caceres, Valdez (Caniza 89'), Vera, Barrios (Benetez 55'), Santa Cruz, Riveros (Barreto 78')
New Zealand (343): Paston, Reid, Smith, Nelson, Lochhead, Bertos, Elliot (Brown 79'), Vicelich (Mulligan 63'), Fallon, Smeltz, Killen

This match may not have had the action of the previous but it more than made up for it in intensity as Paraguay win the game but lose the war. The first half-hour had little to offer but a yellow card to New Zealand's Shane Smeltz would suspend him for the second round if his team made it out of the group. Another foul by the All Whites gave Paraguay the first chance of the game when Mark Paston charged out of his goalmouth and brought down Enrique Vera before converting the spot kick himself. Vera had intercepted a bad pass and dribbled his way into the area before the referee made his easy decision.

With more unimaginative but tense play New Zealand had the chance to equalise before halftime when Bertos placed a delightful chip over the defense for Rory Fallon who shot it straight at Villar. Paraguay needed another goal to finish above NZL on goal difference and nine minutes after the restart a reflex save from Paston stopped Barrios from scoring it on a fine free kick that the keeper saw very late.

The South American side kept up the pressure but were unable to really break down their opponents defence led by Ryan Nelson, and their next best chance came when Claudio Morel came up with a great run from defence before shooting it into the side netting. So, it ends 1-0 and the even GD of New Zealand barely gets them into an historic second round while Paraguay rue their missed chances throughout the group stage.

Paraguay 1 - 0 New Zealand
Goalscorers:
PAR Vera 31'

Discipline:
NZL Smeltz 18'
NZL Paston 30'
PAR Riveros 57'
NZL Smith 68'

Man of the Match:
NZL Ryan Nelson

GROUP F
Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Italy	3	1	2	0	2	1	+1	5
New Zealand	3	1	1	1	1	1	0	4
Paragauy	3	1	1	1	1	2	-1	4
Slovakia	3	1	0	2	3	3	0	3

Final Score - WC2010 Group B, Greece vs Argentina

Tuesday 22nd June 2010 - Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane - Att. 38,891
Referee: Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan)

LINEUPS:
Greece (442): Tzorvas, Vyntra, Torosidis, Papadopolous, Kygriakos, Papastathopoulos, Tziolis (Prittas 63'), Katsouranis, Gekas, Samaras (Salpigidis 63'), Karagounis
Argentina (442): Romero, Otamendi, Heinze, Demichalis (Samuel 82'), Burdisso (Pastore 9'), Mascherano, Rodriguez, Di Maria, Higuain, Tevez, Messi (Milito 70')

Argentina held their nerve in a rather uneventful match but Greece were not completely non-threatening when they manafactured a pair of good chances. The first came in the 8th minute when Karagounis climbed highest in a crowded penalty area to head the ball at Romero, and the second great Greek opportunity came late in the game when they were 2-0 down. Katsouranis wasted no time after receiving a pass from Prittas in crossing the ball for Gekas to shoot wide.

For their part Argentina did enough to secure victory and a place in the second round, but it was not until after a very dull first half that they truly threatened the Greek goal. A quick rush began when Pastore provided a great flick behind the defence for Gabriel Heinze to run onto. His shot was saved but the rebound went straight to Carlos Tevez for an easy finish five minutes into the second half. The insurance goal came twelve minutes from time, Tevez turning provider for Gonzalo Higuain to become the fifth different Argentine to score in the group stage.

Greece 0 - 2 Argentina
Goalscorers:
ARG Tevez 50'
ARG Higuain 78'

Discipline:
ARG Demichalis 55'

Man of the Match:
ARG Carlos Tevez
 

GROUP B
Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
South Korea	3	3	0	0	4	0	+4	9
Argentina	3	2	0	1	5	1	+4	6
Greece	3	1	0	2	1	4	-3	3
Nigeria	3	0	0	3	0	5	-5	0

Final Score - WC2010 Group A, France vs Mexico

Thursday 17th June 2010, Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane - Att. 35,370
Referee: Khalil Al Ghamdi (Saudi Arabia)

LINEUPS
France (451): Lloris, Sagna, Evra, Clichy, Abidal, Toulalan (Diarra 79'), Diaby, Gourcuff (Malouda 66'), Anelka, Ribery, Govou (Henry 66')
Mexico (442): Perez, Osorio, Salcido, Rodriguez (Magallon 74'), Moreno, Marquez, Juarez, Torrado, Franco (Blanco 63'), Dos Santos, Guardado

With William Gallas unavailable through injury France brought in Gael Clichy as cover for what would turn out to be a defensive battle that did little to excite anyone. The best chance of the matche came in the thirty-sixth minute when Giovani Dos Santos pounced onto a loose ball but was denied by Lloris. Guardado would have a chance in the final ten minutes but his scuffed shot was of no threat to the French goal. At the other end, Oscar Perez had very little to do against a team that little interest in getting forward.

France 0 - 0 Mexico
Goalscorers:
None

Discipline:
FRA Abidal 8'
FRA Toulalan 14'

Man of the Match:
MEX Rafael Marquez (2nd)

GROUP A
Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Uruguay	2	2	0	0	4	1	+3	6
Mexico	2	1	1	0	3	0	+3	4
France	2	0	1	1	0	2	-2	1
South Africa	2	0	0	2	1	5	-4	0

Final Score - WC2010 Group C, Algeria vs Slovenia

Sunday 13th June 2010 - Pete Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane. Att: 30,325
Referee: Carlos Batres (Guatemala)

LINEUPS:
Algeria (433): Bohil, Yahia, Bougherra, Halliche, Lacen, Yebda, Kadir, Belhadj, Djebbour (Medjani (85'), Ziani (Mansouri 70'), Matmour (Saifi 62')
Slovenia (442): Handanovic, Brecko, Jokic, Suler, Cesar, Radosavijevic, Koren, Birsa (Komac 71'), Ljubijankic (Dedic 59'), Novakovic, Kirm (Pecnik 79')

This match lived up to it's billing and failed to generate much excitement out of the 30,000+ crowd. Bohil would have very little to do in his goal and his opposite number Handanovic was beaten minutes before the interval when Yahia crossed it neatly for Belhadj.

Both nations had good defensive setups for the match, cancelling out the already limited offensive ideas and the game become a battle for supremacy in the middle of the park. The best chances for Slovenia came early in both halves. Jokic sent his 8th minute header way wide of goal and a direct free kick in a good position was smashed into the wall twelve minutes after the restart. Djebbour came close to adding a second for Algeria in the 73rd minute but his hard drive was saved well.

Algeria 1 - 0 Slovenia
Goalscorers:
ALG Belhadj 41'

Discipline:
ALG Kadir 32'
ALG Halliche 36'
SVN Cesar 54'
ALG Djebbour 78'

Man of the Match:
ALG Rafik Halliche

GROUP C
Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
England	1	1	0	0	2	1	+1	3
Algeria	1	1	0	0	1	0	+1	3
Slovenia	1	0	0	1	0	1	-1	0
United States	1	0	0	1	1	2	-1	0