Final Score - WC2010 Third Place Final, Germany vs South Korea

Saturday 10th July 2010 - Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth - Att. 36,254
Referee: Benito Archundia (Mexico)

LINEUPS:
Germany (451): Neuer, Lahm, Boateng, Friedrich, Mertesacher, Schweinsteiger (Kroos 83'), Oezil (Jansen 66'), Khedria, Klose, Podolski, Mueller
South Korea (451): Ryong, Ri, Pyo, Hyung, LJ Soo, Yueng, Woo, Hun (Kyung 63'), Young (Gook 45'), PJ Sung, Yong (Hwan 76')

South Korea were happy to welcome back Cho Yong Hyung into their defence but he was as helpless to stop German domination as the rest of the side. Despite all their possession though Germany had to wait until the 22nd minute before breaking down the Koreans; great hustle and timely challenges kept the Germans away from goal.

It was to be an untimely tackle that led to the opening goal when Hyung brought down Oezil in the area and Miroslav Klose scored his fifth goal of the competition from the spot. The match continued in the same vein with Jung Sung Ryong picking crosses out of the air with Khedira (over) and Klose (easy save) threatening the goal.

It was then a shock when in the 38th minute a loose ball was picked up by Woo and he ran three-quarters the length of the pitch before crossing a peach of a ball to Cha Du Ri, who had made the long run upfield himself, and it was headed into the roof of the net for a 1-1 score at halftime.

South Korea made a change at halftime with Park Chu Young unable to get anything right during the first half; his replacement was Lee Dong Gook for his second appearance of the World Cup. Gook would have no luck himself but that was better than the bad luck Ri suddenly encountered.

Another German attack led by Klose and Podolski ended on the head of Jerome Boateng who sent his header well wide, that is until Ri defelected the path of the ball straight into his own goal. Ryong was helpless to keep that ball out but he made two magnificent back to back saves minutes later; Klose and Oezil the players left looking to the Heavens.

It mattered not as with fifteen minutes to play Thomas Mueller sent his free kick into the corner after Schweinsteiger was fouled on a swift counter attack that all started by a great defensive play by Freirich to break up the Korean move.

Germany 3 - 1 South Korea
Goalscorers:
GER Klose 22'
KOR Ri 38'
GER Ri (Own Goal) 51'
GER Mueller 75'

Discipline:
KOR Hun 10'
KOR Hyung 22'
KOR LJ Soo 43'
KOR Ri 79'

Man of the Match:
GER Phillipp Lahm

Final Score - WC2010 Quarterfinal, Netherlands vs Brazil

Friday 2nd July 2010 - Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth - Att. 40,186
Referee: Yuichi Nishimura (Japan)

LINEUPS:
Netherlands (451): Stekelenberg, van der Wiel (Schaars 73'), van Bronckhorst, Heitinga, Mathijsen, van der Vaart, Sneijder, van Bommel (Braafheid 82'), van Persie, Elia, Robben (Boulahrouz 63')
Brazil (451): Cesar, Malcon, Bastos, Lucio, Juan, G Silva (Elano 69'), F Melo (Josue 55'), Alves (Nilmar 78'), Fabiano, Kaka, Robinho

The Dutch team welcomed back Stekelenburg in goal but Nigel de Jong was suspended leaving van der Vaart to fill in the gap in midfield. The first half was one long tide of orange as Brazil were penned back in throughout the first half and, when they did get forward, delivered some very poor crosses.

The Netherlands continued to be ultra aggressive in their style of play with van Bommel earning a yellow card, and a suspension, in only the second minute of play. The midfield replacement, Rafael van der Vaart, was also on the same page as he picked a booking either side of halftime leaving Holland a man short in yet another match.

The sending off would have little impact however as the Netherlands were 2-0 up through Mathijsen scoring at the near post after good work from Elia and van der Vaart in the 16th minute, and just before halftime van Persie dove on to a hard Sniejder cross to send the ball in off the post.

On the hour mark, six minutes after van der Vaart had been sent off, Brazil looked no closer to threatening their opponents and Robin van Persie made them pay with his fourth goal of the championship and it was the pick of the bunch. van Bommel kicked it all off by winning an aerial battle against Brazilian substitute Josue, flicking the ball to van der Wiel. The Dutch midfielder looked up and played the perfect through ball for van Persie to run onto, dribbling around Cesar and slotting the ball home from a very tight angle.

Brazil had some chances late on but they were a beaten side and merely put their foot right through the ball on each shot. Nilmar and Malcon blazed high and wide, Bastos shot straight at Stekelenburg.

Netherlands 3 - 0 Brazil
Goalscorers:
NED Mathijsen 16'
NED van Persie 43'
NED van Persie 60'

Discipline:
NED van Bommel 2' (sus)
NED van der Wiel 40'
NED van der Vaart 41'
NED van der Vaart (off) 54'

Man of the Match:
NED Robin van Persie

Final Score - WC2010 Second Round, Uruguay vs Argentina

Saturday 26th June 2010 - Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth - Att. 84,377
Referee: Wolfgang Stark (Germany)

LINEUPS:
Uruguay (442): Muslera, M Pereira, Fucile, Lugano, Victorino, Arevalo (A Fernandez 66'), A Pereira (Gonzales 101'), Perez, Suarez, Forlan, Cavani (Eguren 77')
Argentina (442): Romero, Otamendi (Garce 73'), Heinze, Demichelis, Bolatti, Mascherano, Rodriguez, Di Marla (Veron 73'), Higuain, Tevez (Palermo 90'), Messi

Uruguay returned to their first choice lineup with both Fucile and Victorino returning from suspension, but Nicolas Burdisso was missing for Argentina through injury. His replacement, Mario Bolatti, slots into his place.

The opening twenty minutes saw Alvaro Pereira buzzing around for Uruguay creating problems for their opponents, and the first chance of the match was on his head in the 6th minute but his effort flew wide. Once Argentina had settled their first real attack was a masterclass in passing. Heinze and Maxi Rodriguez exchanged the ball with flair before Rodriguez pulled the ball back to the edge of the area for Gonzalo Higuain to hammer into the back of the net; his second goal of the tournament.

Uruguay relied on Alvaro Pereira to get them back on track and it was his shot that deflected off a defender for a corner nine minutes after they fell behind. The delivery was a good one and while Luis Suarez was unable to direct his header on goal, it did fall kindly for an alert Diego Perez and the scoreline was even again. At this point the match became rather cagey but right on the stroke of halftime Uruguay's Suarez ran on to his goalkeeper's clearance and fed it neatly through for Maximillano Pereira but he was unable to get around Romero at full stretch.

The second half continued the cagey motif with fifteen minutes of non-action with the next chances coming from Argentina who took a pair of shots from way out, both from Carlos Tevez. He came close both times with the second brushing the top of the crossbar just a few minutes after his first effort crashed against the frame of the goal from thirty yards out.

Normal time ran out with both teams playing it safe and the only real effort in extra time came from Alvaro Pereira whose long range shot deflected to force Romero to make a smart save and the second round begins with a penalty shootout. Uruguay won the toss and Luis Suarez took himself out to the penalty spot to start proceedings. His rather tame effort was save by Sergio Romero and the next seven penalty takers converted successfully for a 4-3 Argentine advantage. The fifth Uruguayan to step up was substitute Ignacio Gonzalez who blasted his effort over the bar leaving Argentina to progress on to the quarterfinals.

Uruguay 1 (aet) 1 Argentina, Argentina win 4-3 on penalties
Goalscorers:
ARG Higuain 23'
URU Perez 33'

Penalty Shootout:
URU Saurez, Perez, Forlan, M Pereira, Gonzalez
ARG Messi, Higuain, Heinze, Rodriguez

Discipline:
URU M Pereira 42'

Man of the Match:
ARG Maxi Rodriguez

Final Score - WC2010 Group C, Slovenia vs England

Wednesday 23rd June 2010 - Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth - Att. 36,893
Referee: Wolfgang Stark (Germany)

LINEUPS:
Slovenia (442): Handanovic, Brecko, Jokic, Suler (Dzinic 45'), Cesar, Stevanovic, Koren (Krhin 71'), Birsa, Ljubijankic, Novakovic, Kirm
England (442): James, Johnson (Carragher 62'), Cole, Terry (King 51'), Upson, Barry, Lampard, Milner, Rooney (Carrick 79'), Defoe, Gerrard

England started out well in a very eventful opening half when Steven Gerrard, on his way to a second Man of the Match performance in the tournament, opened the scoring in the third minute of play when he got on the end of a Defoe cross. Jermaine Defoe was a constant bother for Slovenia, who started without the suspended Radosavijevic with Stevanovic taking his place, without getting on the scoresheet himself.

The second goal came from an unlikely source in an even more unlikely fashion. Matthew Upson collected the ball well outside of the area and sent a rocket into the back of the net from distance at an angle in the 17th minute. Five minutes later and the mood of the match changed when Millvoje Novakovic beat one man before a bad challenge put him on the ground and Ashley Cole heading for an early bath. But while Slovenia were seeking to break down the ten men of England a thunderous free kick by Frank Lampard made it 3-0 before the leaders stifled the remaining half.

The second half was all Slovenian pressure and this led to an early penalty to get them back into the game. Lampard fouled Andraz Kirm just inside the box, earning both a booking for some afters, and Kirm held his nerve to pull one back. The heat was still on the shorthanded England team, especially when John Terry was subbed from the game with a slight knock, but their opponents wasted chance after chance. Kirm shot over and Ljubijankic had two bites at the cherry; his first was bravely blocked and the rebound deflected to the waiting arms of David James.

Slovenia 1 - 3 England
Goalscorers:
ENG Gerrard 3'
ENG Upson 17'
ENG Lampard 34'
SVN Kirm 48'

Discipline:
ENG Johnson 15'
ENG Cole 22' (off)
SVN Jokic 34'
ENG Lampard 47'
SVN Kirm 47'
SVN Stevanovic 60'

Man of the Match:
ENG Steven Gerrard

GROUP C
Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
England	3	3	0	0	6	2	+4	9
United States	2	1	0	1	2	2	0	3
Algeria	2	1	0	1	1	1	0	3
Slovenia	3	0	0	3	1	5	-4	0

Final Score - WC2010 Group H, Chile vs Switzerland

Monday 21st June - Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth - Att. 34,872
Referee: Khalil Al Ghamdi (Saudi Arabia)

LINEUPS
Chile (433): Bravo, Contreras, Ponce (Fuentes 86'), Medel, Carmona (Estrada 63'), Isla, Valdivia, Suazo, Beausejour (Fierro 76'), Sanchez
Switzerland (442): Benaglio, Lichtsteiner, Senderos, Grichting, von Bergen, Higgel, Inler, Bernetta, Nkufo (Banjaka 45'), Derdiyok (Frei 59'), Fernandes

Both teams are forced to make a change with Arturo Vidal and Reto Zeigler serving their one-match suspensions. Contreas and Senderos move into their respective defences.

It was to be another miserable result for the Swiss but it could have gone so much better for them if Fernandes had put his 22nd minute header past Claudio Bravo on a corner kick. But luck was not on their side as five minutes later Jorge Valdivia's long range shot wildly changed direction and in thanks to the unnecessary intervention of Steve von Bergen.

From that point on it became the Humberto Suazo Show, scoring his first just two minutes after Chile had taken their fortuitous lead by slamming a loose ball through the hands of Benaglio after Switzerland failed to clear a corner. Minutes after he missed a great chance with the head Suazo made it 3-0 on another corner, Beausejour heading it down neatly at the near post for a relatively simple finish. And the hat trick was complete when he powered his final shot in underneath the crossbar in stoppage time after good work from Valdivia and Mauricio Isla in the build up.

Chile 4 - 0 Switzerland
Goalscorers:
CHI von Bergen OG 27'
CHI Suazo 29'
CHI Suazo 64'
CHI Suazo 90'

Discipline:
CHI Ponce 25'
SUI Huggel 31'
CHI Carmona 44'

Man of the Match:
CHI Humberto Suazo

GROUP H
Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Chile	2	2	0	0	6	1	+5	6
Spain	1	1	0	0	2	0	+2	3
Honduras	1	0	0	1	1	2	-1	0
Switzerland	2	0	0	2	0	6	-6	0

Final Score - WC2010 Group D, Germany vs Serbia

Friday 18th June 2010, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth - Att. 38,294
Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain)

LINEUPS:
Germany (451): Neuer, Lahm, Boateng, Friedrich, Mertesacher, Schweinsteiger, Oezil (Kroos 71'), Khedira (Cacau 78'), Klose, Podolski, Mueller (Gomez 71')
Serbia (433): Stojkovic, Ivanovic, Kolarov, Vidic, Lukovic, Ninkovic, Stankovic (Obradovic 85'), Kuzmanovic, Zigic, Mrdja (Tosic 69'), Krasic (Kacar 61')

Miroslav Klose's third goal of the tournament denied Serbia a great result deep into stoppage time. It was Klose's fifth shot at goal, most of which came in the second half as Germany were chasing a result for most of the game.

Serbia had control through the first fifteen minutes with Vidic wasting two set piece opportunites either side of a Nikola Zigic shot that hit the roof of the net on a corner. The Germans had trouble with their opponents offside trap but Podolski clipped the top of the crossbar and Friedrich saw his effort deflect straight to the keeper. The final five minutes of the first half contianed two more goals. Serbia doubled their lead through Mrdja who followed up on Zigic's saved shot, but Germany would go into the break with momentum thanks to Phillip Lahm's good finish after Klose chipped the ball to him.

The second half was mostly dictated by one side with Serbia having limited chances to cement all three points, but Gojko Kacar climbed highest in the box and only a good low save from Neuer kept the score at 2-1 with ten minutes to play. Klose had the lions share of chances in this half. He was denied by Stojkovic after he jumped on a weak backpass, and prior to that missed a tough angle shot with the goalie out of position after stopping a Podolski effort.

Mueller hit the fram of the goal and Klose shot into the side netting, leaving everyone to believe it just wouldn't be their day. But during the third and final minute of stoppage time Schweinsteiger received Neuer's long throw and spotted the clever run of Klose who just thumped it high into the goal to break Serbian hearts.

Germany 2 - 2 Serbia
Goalscorers:
SRB Zigic 9'
SRB Mrdja 40'
GER Lahm 45'
GER Klose 90'

Discipline:
GER Schweinsteiger 34'

Man of the Match:
SRB Zdravko Kuzmanovic

GROUP D
Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Germany	2	1	1	0	6	2	+4	4
Ghana	1	1	0	0	2	0	+2	3
Serbia	2	0	1	1	2	4	-2	1
Australia	1	0	0	1	0	4	-4	0

Final Score - WC2010, Group G, Cote d'Ivoire vs Portugal

Tuesday 15th June 2010 - Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth. Att: 37,034
Referee: Jorge Larrionda (Uruguay)

LINEUPS:
Cote d'Ivoire (433): Barry, Demel, Tiene, K Toure, Zakora, Y Toure (Gosso 73'), Eboue, Tiote, Drogba, Gervinho (Kalou (65'), Dindane
Portugal (433): Eduardo, Costa, Coentrao, Carvalho, Alves, Mendes, Tiago (Pepe 81'), Meireles (Deco 65'), Ronaldo, Simao, Danny (Liedson 65')

The thought on the international scene is that if you cancel out Ronaldo you cancel out the Portuguese and that is exactly what the Ivory Coast came to do. The tactic worked with Boubacar Barry looking rather bored in his goal and the game ending up as a simple midfield stalemate.

Cote d'Ivoire should have taken the lead on the half-hour mark when Didier Drogba sprinted onto a terrible backpass, rounded the keeper and found the angle too tight to finish. Other chances for Yaya Toure and Dindane came in the second half but their headers proved to be very easy for Eduardo to save.

On the Portuguese side they had Pedro Mendes shimmying and shaking his way through numerous challenges in midfield but even he was unable to break through the African defensive setup leaving both teams without an advantage over the other in Group G.

Cote d'Ivoire 0 - 0 Portugal
Goalscorers:
None

Discipline:
POR Meireles 7'
POR Simao 87'

Man of the Match:
POR Pedro Mendes

GROUP G
Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Brazil	1	1	0	0	2	0	+2	3
Cote d'Ivoire	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	1
Portugal	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	1
North Korea	1	0	0	1	0	2	-2	0

Final Score - WC2010 Group B, South Korea vs Greece

Saturday 12th June - Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth. Att: 31,513
Referee: Michael Hester (New Zealand)

LINEUPS:
South Korea (451): Ryong, Ri, Pyo, Hyung, LJ Soo, Woo (KJ Sung 69'), Hun, Young, PJ Sung (Hwan 75'), Yong
Greece (442): Tzorvas, Vyntra, Torosidis (Kapetanos 82'), Papadopoulos, Kygriakos (Patsatzoglou 69'), Papastathopoulos, Tziolis (Ninis 61'), Katsouranis, Gekas, Samaras, Karagounis

South Korea began this match off-key and Greece enjoyed much of the ball in the opening twenty minutes. Katsouranis was put clean through by Georgias Samaras but his finish was very weak leading to an easy save. Shooter then turned provider as his headed flick on led to another one-on-one situation; Korea again escaping, this time when the offside flag went up against Karagounis.

After those scares one Park Chu Young forced himself upon the game with three scoring chances before the halftime whistle. Two of them came from crosses that he sent over the goal, but his first opportunity to score came on the counter attack when Pyo found the striker ahead of his marker and he neatly passed the ball past the keeper. Between acts of The Young Show, Papastathopoulos watched his shot hit the underside of the bar and bounce back down to the goaline. Despite vehement protests from the Greek players the officials ruled that the ball did not cross the line and play continued.

Samaras and the Greeks had another early chance in the second half but, as before, the shot lacked any real power and the Koreans breathed another sigh of relief. Young continued to be the catalyst of any attack from his team, even trying the spectacular with a bicycle kick that sailed wide. He then turned provider, Hun running onto the cross to score after his own good play got the ball to Young. Greece would test Ryong in his goal again, this time on a thirty yarder off the boot of Katsouranis, but they would go away thinking of their missed chances earlier in the game.

South Korea 2 - 0 Greece
Goalscorers:
KOR Young 18'
KOR Hun 60'

Discipline:
No Cards

Man of the Match:
KOR Park Chu Young

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