World Cup 2010 South Africa: Second Round Match Summary for June 26th & 27th

Uruguay 2:1 Korea - Through a driving rain in Port Elizabeth, Uruguay managed to eliminate Korea through a late Luis Suarez winner. Suarez hit the second of his goals in the 80th minute, this one to seal the win. Korea made a game effort though, answering Suarez’ first strike in the 8th minute, with a Chungyong goal scored in the 68th minute, twelve minutes before Suarez completed his brace. Suarez’ quality was the difference in what was an extremely tight game. The Celeste see their way through to the last eight.

United States 1:2 Ghana - In Rustenburg, the venue that saw America successfully deadlock England, a quite different result played out against the Black Stars of Ghana. Ghana would get off to a shock start with a 5th minute goal from Kevin Prince Boateng. The Americans reeling from the goal that was set up off of a Ricardo Clark turnover in midfield, doubled their efforts in an attempt to level and settle the match. In the 62nd minute Dempsey was fouled in the penalty area by Ghanian defender Jonathan. This set up a spot kick for Donovan which he ably converted, beautifully bending the football off the inside of the post to level at 1:1. No one could have forseen the strike by Gyan, three minutes into stoppage-time that would put Ghana ahead 1:2. With literally seconds left, there was no time for the Americans to answer. The inconsistency in the American defense was their undoing. The Americans, fresh off their Group C victory, found themselves shattered and going home. Though the bulk of the match was evenly played, United States would once again experience football’s cruel nature, as their quality could not carry them past the unpredictability of the Ghanian attack. For the second World Cup in a row, America would see themselves sent home by Ghana, by the same 2:1 score. Ghana advance to the final eight.

Germany 4:1 England - Bloemfontein saw perhaps the most controversial refereeing decision of the World Cup thus far. Klose and Podolski staked Germany to a 2:0 lead on 32 minutes that would be halved 5 minutes later by Upson. With the Germans leading England 2:1 late in the first half, Lampard smashed a shot off of the crossbar. With the rebound clearly deflecting to the ground behind the goal line, play continued with no goal being counted to England. Müller would smash two more goals for the Germans in the 67th and 70th minutes. Though the statistics show the game as more or less evenly played, Germany were evidently more precise with their finishing. We will be left to wonder if the match would have been different had Lampard’s strike been correctly counted to level the match at 2 goals each. Germany’s achievement of 4 goals truly reflects their quality and it is a shame that this match will be remembered for an English goal that should have been counted, and not Germany’s sharp finishing. Die Mannschaaft advance to the last eight...with an asterisk.

Argentina 3:1 Mexico - In Johannesburg, CONCACAF would see their last remaining representative drummed out of the World Cup. Other than an early Mexican effort smashing off the crossbar, this match was all Argentina, all the time. Though Mexico saved some face with a late consolation goal, it was clear from the first goal that Argentina were the superior side. Argentina’s opening goal from Tevez seemed to be definitively offside though the officials made no call. Would it have made a difference...who knows?

Stay tuned over the next two days for the rest of the second round results.