TGLucario

Jun 12 2010, 04:18 PM

Here's a shock for you, I've got a report for Argentina v Nigeria! Yeah! I was watching the build-up and I thought I'd do a match report for it out of sheer potential boredom. Even though I had to get some player names from the BBC site, like the Nigerian keeper for example.

PlayerBrooker

Jun 13 2010, 08:56 PM

TGLucario

Jun 12 2010, 04:18 PM

Here's a shock for you, I've got a report for Argentina v Nigeria! Yeah! I was watching the build-up and I thought I'd do a match report for it out of sheer potential boredom. Even though I had to get some player names from the BBC site, like the Nigerian keeper for example.

Enyeama is a legend.

hugh

Jun 14 2010, 04:46 AM

oh fuck that was brutal. Germany was too good, exposing a terribly slow defence and they were so ruthless.

Poor selections from Verbeek, his lineup was too conservative, by leaving Bresciano and Kennedy on the bench. Garcia was decent but it didn't work playing Cahill alone up front. The real problem was the defence though. It all could have been different if Garcia had of scored off the corner after 3 minutes.

Didn't think it was a red card. It didn't matter in the context of this one match but I hope Cahill's not suspended.

Soccer City , 12.30pm UK time, 1.30pm SA time

BBC Sport

 

Netherlands winger Arjen Robben has joined up with the squad in Johannesburg following treatment on a hamstring injury, but will not play any part against Denmark. Rafael van der Vaart is expected to deputise.

Despite Denmark coach Morten Olsen falling ill with fever earlier in the week, none of the players have reported ill. Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner is struggling to overcome a groin injury and is unlikely to be risked, while Olsen must decide whether to start with defender Simon Kjaer, who hurt his right knee in a friendly against Senegal. Goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen is expected to play for the first time since dislocating his right elbow in April.

MATCH PREVIEW

Over three hundred years after they first arrived in South Africa, the Dutch are hoping to conquer the continent again. In 1652, Dutchman Jan van Riebeck was the first European settler in South Africa, and fittingly the Netherlands were the first European nation to qualify for the 2010 World Cup. Bert van Marwijk's side breezed through qualification with a perfect record, but their next challenge is to shake off their reputation as nearly men.

Many believe the 1974 and 1978 World Cup runners-up have what it takes to go one better this time. Van Marwijk's squad is bursting with attacking talent and are unbeaten since September 2008, a run of 19 fixtures. Their latest victory was a 6-1 thrashing of Hungary, although the win came at a cost with an injury to Arjen Robben that has thrown the winger's participation into doubt.

Little has been said at this World Cup about Denmark, but they command respect for winning their qualifying group ahead of Portugal. But their form coming into this tournament has been far from impressive with warm-up defeats to both Australia and South Africa in recent weeks.

Unlike the Dutch, Denmark's squad contains few stars, but veteran coach Morten Olsen has plenty of experience to call upon in the likes of Liverpool defender Daniel Agger, Juventus midfielder Christian Poulsen, winger Dennis Rommedahl and former Newcastle forward Jon Dahl Tomasson. But Olsen will need Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner and first-choice goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen fully fit if they are going to make an impact.

MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head

- These sides have met on 28 previous occasions, but never at the World Cup.

- The Netherlands have won 11 to Denmark's 7, and there have been 10 draws. Their last meeting was a 1-1 friendly draw in May 2008.

Netherlands

- The Netherlands have not lost an opening match at the World Cup since 1938, when Czechoslovakia beat them 3-0.

- Giovanni van Bronkhorst will win his 100th cap if selected.
Denmark

- Denmark have never drawn a match against European opposition at the World Cup. Six previous encounters have ended in three wins and three defeats.

- Morten Olsen's side have lost their last two matches, both by a 1-0 scoreline.

- Jon Dahl Tomasson needs one goal to join Poul Nielsen as Denmark's all-time top scorer.

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Stephane Lannoy (France)

Assistants: Eric Dansault, Laurent Ugo (both France)

Fourth official: Roberto Rosetti (Italy)

BBC Sport

 

Coach Takeshi Okada has experimented with various line-ups in recent games, with CSKA Moscow midfielder Keisuke Honda used as a lone front man in the training-ground friendly with Zimbabwe. Midfielder Makoto Hasebe has overcome a back injury and looks set to start.

Cameroon boss Paul Le Guen says he has 23 players fit and available but has hinted that Arsenal midfielder Alexandre Song might not make the starting XI. In another surprise, 36-year-old Hamidou Souleymanou will replace regular Idriss Kameni in goal.

MATCH PREVIEW

It was two decades ago that Roger Milla lit up Italia '90 where Cameroon became the first African nation ever to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup. Twenty years later and the Indomitable Lions will be looking to another striker to inspire their World Cup bid. Samuel Eto'o is a three-time African Footballer of the Year and one of the best goalscorers in the world, but he arrives in South Africa under a cloud following his threat to quit on the eve of the tournament, ironically following criticism from Milla.

Cameroon will need a fully focused Eto'o as they look to progress beyond the group stage for the first time since that memorable run in Italy. Head coach Paul Le Guen believes a repeat of the quarter-final run by the class of 1990 is a "reasonable objective". Defensive lapses, however, remain a worry and were evident during a disappointing Africa Cup of Nations campaign in January, when they were eliminated at the last-eight stage.

Japan's preparations for this tournament could hardly have gone any worse. They have lost their last four matches, and this week could only draw 0-0 with Zimbabwe in a hastily arranged training-ground match. Goals are a major concern, with only England failing to keep them at bay in recent weeks.

Japan's poor run has given further ammunition to those who ridiculed coach Takeshi Okada's claim that his side have a chance of reaching the semi-finals. Okada, who led his country at the 1998 World Cup, reportedly offered to quit in the aftermath of his side's 2-0 defeat to South Korea in May, but later claimed he was joking. No one in his homeland will be laughing if the Blue Samurai's bid for a first World Cup win on foreign soil ends in failure.

MATCH STATS
Head-to-head

- Japan are unbeaten in three meetings with Cameroon and are yet to concede a goal against them (P3 W2 D1).

The most recent encounter was a 2-0 friendly win for Japan in August 2007.
Japan

The last of Japan's two victories at the World Cup took place exactly eight years ago on 14 June, when they ran out 2-0 victors over Tunisia in Osaka.

- The Blue Samurai also made their World Cup debut on 14 June 1998, with a 1-0 defeat to Argentina.

- They have never won a World Cup match on foreign soil, losing five of their six games.
Cameroon

- The Indomitable Lions have qualified for the World Cup six times - more than any other African side.

- Cameroon have never lost an opening World Cup match, having drawn four and won one. That victory was a famous 1-0 defeat of then-reigning champions Argentina in 1990.

- Paul Le Guen's side are on a seven-game winless run.

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Olegario Benquerenca (Portugal)

Assistants: Jose Cardinal, Bertino Miranda (both Portugal)

Fourth official: Oscar Ruiz (Colombia)

BBC Sport

 

Italy playmaker Andrea Pirlo arrived in South Africa with a calf injury that is likely to prevent him from playing before the final group game against Slovakia.

Midfielder Daniele De Rossi should overcome a similar problem to start against Paraguay, while winger Mauro Camoranesi is available after a knee problem.

Marcello Lippi has tried various formations in training, but is expected to opt for a 4-3-3 system, with Alberto Gilardino the central striker.

Paraguay target man Oscar Cardozo has shaken off an ankle injury and is likely to be on the bench.

Argentine-born forward Lucas Barrios will start up front after impressing in warm-up games. If the Paraguayans opt for 4-4-2, he will partner Manchester City's Roque Santa Cruz.

MATCH PREVIEW

In 1950 Italy became the first defending champions to lose their World Cup opener, and with their preparations for South Africa far from ideal, there may be a few first-night Azzurri nerves at the Cape Town Stadium.

Disappointing recent results, including a warm-up defeat to Mexico, have eroded the confidence of Italian fans.

The Italians are renowned as slow starters, but the statistics don't quite back up that tag - in the previous 12 World Cups they have lost their first game only once, courtesy of Ray Houghton's winner for the Republic of Ireland at USA '94.

With a chilly evening forecast in Cape Town, the Paraguayans will hope to catch the Azzurri cold. Gerardo Martino's men won more games in qualifying than Brazil, including triumphs against Chile, Argentina and the Brazilians. Those scalps would be trumped by victory against the world champions on Monday.

MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head

- Italy came out on top in their two previous full internationals against Paraguay, winning 2-0 at the 1950 World Cup and 3-1 in a friendly in 1998.

- They also met at the 2004 Olympics, with Paraguay winning 1-0 in a group game, although both sides went through to the knock-out stage.

ITALY

- Italy were beaten 3-2 by Sweden at the 1950 World Cup, becoming the first defending champions to lose their opening game.

- Excluding penalty shoot-outs, the Italians have not lost to South American opposition at a World Cup since 1978, when they lost 2-1 to Brazil in the third-place play-off.

- Since then they have won four and drawn five of nine World Cup games against CONMEBOL opposition, although that includes two matches they subsequently lost on penalties (a semi-final against Argentina in 1990 and the final against Brazil in 1994).

PARAGUAY

- Gerardo Martino's men kept nine clean sheets in qualifying for South Africa.

- The squad includes three players born in Argentina and a fourth, Claudio Morel, who grew up there.

- Buenos Aires-born striker Lucas Barrios, who only received Paraguayan citizenship in April, has scored three times in his first three games for his adopted country.

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Benito Archundia (Mexico)

Assistants: Hector Vergara (Canada) and Marvin Torrentera (Mexico)

4th: Joel Aguilar (Slovenia)