The real World Cup draw is over now. Just like in our mock draw, we go to Group B, but that's as far as the coincidences go when it comes to Argentina.
Argentina will play against familiar faces in a group that's certainly not amongst the toughest for next year's World Cup.
Our debut will come 12 June against Nigeria at the historical Ellis Park of Johannesbourg.
Four days later, 17 June, we will face South Korea also in Johannesbourg, but this time in the Soccer City stadium.
And we will play our last group game on 22 June against Greece at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.
Just like in 1986, Argentina will face South Korea, a team we defeated 3-1 in our debut at that tournament in our way to our last World Cup victory.
Nigeria is another team we have a World Cup history with. We faced them in 1994 (2-1 win with CANIGGIA scoring both goals -it was the infamous game in which MARADONA tested positive of ephedrine-) and we also played against them in our debut match in 2002 (and the only one we won -1-0- with BATISTUTA scoring the only goal).
Finally, Greece, which was another of our rivals in 1994. We beat them 4-0 with a hat-trick from BATISTUTA and a great strike by MARADONA himself.
The eight groups for the World Cup look like this:
GROUP A
South Africa
Mexico
Uruguay
France
GROUP B
ARGENTINA
Nigeria
South Korea
Greece
GROUP C
England
USA
Algeria
Slovenia
GROUP D
Germany
Australia
Serbia
Ghana
GROUP E
Holland
Denmark
Japan
Cameroon
GROUP F
Italy
Paraguay
New Zealand
Slovakia
GROUP G
Brazil
DPR Korea
Ivory Coast
Portugal
GROUP H
Spain
Switzerland
Honduras
Chile
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16 comments:
like i said in another post:
suck it brazil! maybe too arrogant cause who knows who will have the last laugh in the end, but i am happy that they got the strongest this time.
now for Argentina:
first: the good things:
1: start early at the second day of the worldcup, so we have more time to rest during the tournament than other teams, like spain for example
2: we can brazil and spain (i think these are the two strongest teams right at the moment) not before the semis.
second: the OK things:
-the group we got: not easy but not a group of death. except of nigeria absolute beatable opponents. englands, germanys, hollands and spains group have nearly the same tightness than ours.
last: the bad things:
-that right in the 1/8 we will play mexiko or france or the host (don't think uruguay makes it). this will be really hard.
Argentina's group is really like in 1994, just south corea instead of bulgaria. it is DISGUSTING that Argentina and brazil have automatically to play against an african team, just because fifa doesn't want two south american teams in one group.
Vitalij
And if we beat Mexico in the 1/8 we have to face Germany in the 1/4 final. Then Spain or Italy in the semi. But we won't get that far anyway, I am afraid.
Rune, that just depends how everything falls into place. Who knows whee Germany will be landing, or the Italians or Spaniards.
Definitely the easiest group since the first time I watched a world cup, 1990, not only that but the best likely opponents in the later rounds.
Damn! if we had a situation even close to this in 2006 we would have won it!
As far as I noted, groups A to D falls into 1 branch of the tree and groups F to H falls into the other branch. This means that we won't be facing Spain, Brazil, Netherlands or Italy until the final, if we reached it.
98 was our easiest. There are many factors that can play in who we play or etc. Depending on if we finish first or second or the other groups. We can get a chance to play for example Mex or and SERBIA/US. Or be stuck with England/Germany. A lot of things can fall into play. This will not be a easy WC. I wlll make a bold predictions but this WC will have more PK shootouts then any other in history.
P.S. Make your predictions.
http://games.espn.go.com/bpredictor/en-us/entry?entryID=42870
Jack!
Fadi, only if we and they all win our groups.
Ok, Alex you are right. Here is the tree: http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/kostage.html
I thought groups E to H fall into the same side of the tree. All what I can say is SHIT!!!
Can not wait to hear the podcast. There is one coming right?
now the happiness about the fact that we are not in the group of death is over, i see the things realistic. definetely not an easy group, but we must qualify.
nigeria is very strong, but when argentina doesn't lose the first game against them, they will qualify, i am sure.
greece plays total antifootball (ok they won the euro cup that way in 2004), they are 50 years old and if pekerman would be argentina's coach, this would be like argentina-serbia 2006.
i am really concerned about south-corea, it is tough to say how good/bad they are. but i am sure if argentina's plays their best we will beat them. they are not a big team.
and it seems that it isn't so important that argentina finishes first. mexiko or france, not a big difference in the 1/8.
argentina - germany or argentina - england is something i am really waiting for the 1/4, though maybe if we have luck we play serbia in the 1/4.
Vitalij
Nigeria is very strong?????
yes i believe against nigeria it will be very difficult. they are african the country with the largest poulation by far at this cup, so they have good players i am sure, even if we don't know them.
also african teams are physically very strong, i am afraid our players get injured. hope messi doesn't leave the field in a wheelchair.
would be better if we play algeria, though they are also tough. don't mess with african teams!
Vitalij
Nigeria is not strong at all, they were probably the worst among the five in the qualifiers, also they have a local coach, we all know how poor the African teams are with local coaches. Today I heard one of their ex players on ESPN saying how disorganized they are and that nobody respects the coach because he is Nigerian.
Homer.
yes i know that nigeria has a local coach, but he can't be worse than argentina's present coach.
i just have big respect of african teams n general, and nigeria is the biggest country there by far.
i think Jack is right: there will be more penalty shootouts than ever before, so many games will be 50:50.
Vitalij
Oh finally! for the first time since 1998, we get an easy group! I was not that delighted when South Korea were drawn, coz I would have prefered North Korea instead. When Nigeria were drawn , i was releived that it wasn't Ghana, Ivory Coast or Cameroon. But when Greece were drawn, I gave a hard fist pump coz for the first time in 11 years, we don't get a favourate in our group. It was also good to see that Spain and Brazil are on the same side of the table.
In short words, The stage has been set for Messi to light up the world cup and this is mainly because he is not facing any south American team and will play much better with an organized team of players which Maradona isn't assembling. I just hope that a world class coach will assist Maradona during the World cup.
Has anyone heard Diego's reaction to the draw yet?
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