THREE-PITA HIGUAIN sends us to the next round

VAMOSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

What an offensive performance from the whole team!

That's the Gonzalo HIGUAIN we all want to see. He started off really cold but when he caught on fire, he jumped all the way to the top of the scoring charts in this World Cup.

If he is going to stay like this in front of goal, then I'll have no problems if Diego MILITO doesn't start every match, even though you know I'd still pick him and as I said regarding Gabriel HEINZE v. Nigeria, one performance, good or bad, doesn't change all my convictions.

"Don't expect a walk in the PARK", I said before the match and inside the first 20 minutes, we were already up 1-0 courtesy of an own goal by a player called: PARK (Chu Young) and the final result was 4-1. So...what do I know about this game? I wonder!

"MILITO is the present. HIGUAIN is the future", was another of my remarks. Well...I guess I was right anyway. I was writing before the match took place so I guess the future has arrived.

I'm taking this on a light note and I don't care if you rub it on my nose right now because I'm thrilled we won and I'm delighted we are almost guaranteed of a place in the eight-finals and we could even clinch it today (if Nigeria and Greece draw).

We opened the scoring again rather early and again through a set-piece play. We were helped by PARK Chu Young, yes, but it was the first ever own-goal we were benefited from in the history of the World Cup (fact courtesy of 2010MisterChip -who you should all follow on Twitter-).

It was relieving, but we were already seeing how Argentina were taking control of the game and South Korea were sitting back and hoping for the best. They weren't even trying to counter-attack us during those first moments. Whenever they won the ball back, they were just kicking up and as far as they could.

Right after that we lost SAMUEL for the entire match. Nicolás BURDISSO came on to replace him and he did a great job. Especially when he flicked that ball into the area and towards an unmarked and completely onside Gonzalo HIGUAIN. A good header and 2-0. It looked like the party was just starting.

I was talking to some friends before the tournament started and we were all in agreement (for a change!) when saying we were worried about our defence. I told them..."It'll be a matter of having to concede four goals in a game because we have the potential to score at least three goals a game".

Today, with Walter SAMUEL getting injured, my worries and that of my friends increased and they reached the highest point when Martín DEMICHELIS gave South Korea the chance to score and to be back in the game for a while.

Before that, even one minute before that, we were doing whatever we wanted. I want to watch it again and count how many passes there were before Lionel MESSI tried to chip it over the keeper only to send it wide to the right.

I mean it...it had 'CAMBIASSO v. Serbia & Montenegro' written all over it! One or two minutes later, from a sure 3-0 lead for Argentina, we went to a 2-1 up and half-time.

Conceding without even being under real pressure.

My heart almost stopped when KIHUN fired a shot that hit ROMERO's side-netting on 58 minutes. It could have been 2-2 and it would have been the most unfair result in the history of the World Cup since 1930!

We couldn't find our feet in the second half and then we were brilliant again.

It took a while, but the third goal. The clincher. Arrived after a great move from our speed demons up front.

Kun AGÜERO came on for the immense Carlos TEVEZ and made an immediate impact in the game. His chemistry with MESSI is undeniable and it showed early on after the Atletico de Madrid forward changed the direction of that attacking move and unleashed MESSI on the left. The Flea, still looking for his first goal of the tournament was denied by the goalkeeper and then by the post, but Gonzalo HIGUAIN, with the true nose of a striker, was there to capture the rebound and make it 3-0.

'Game over and stop scoring now' were the shouts of many superstitious who wanted the match to end 3-1 like when we beat South Korea in 1986.

They were denied, because the team had other plans. Another great collective action upfront. Pipita gave it to MESSI, MESSI chipped it over a couple of defenders to find AGÜERO and Kun crossed it for Pipita to get his hat-trick.

Mission accomplished. Great offensive performance and a lot to work on in defence.

Vamos Argentina!