The FIFA World Cup Thread #1/Sports Thread #2 For 6/17/10: Gonzalo Goaloso Hat trick Lead Argentina Likely Into The Next Round

Photo From Getty Images and FIFA.com

The Final Analysis:
If Yeom Ki Hun would have buried his chance off a wonderful counterattacking play from Korea and evened up the score at 2-all, this match may have been a very different outcome for Argentina. Demichelis had a poor day, and Heinze looked shaky by being out of position as well. If I were Diego Diego, than Samuel (if he's healthy) would have to partner with Burdisso instead of the Bayern Munich shaky defender.

Other than that, a perfect day for Argentina. Higuain bounced back perfectly from a great game one, Tevez showed his bite, Aguero was brilliant off the bench, and Mascherano handled things in the midfield today.

All Messi needed was the goal, because he was brilliant today on all ends of the field. Clearly though, the Man of the Match was this man:

Photo from Getty Images and FIFA.com

The lineups:

South Korea: Sung-Ryong, Beom-seok, Yong-Hyung, Jung-Soo, Young-Pyo, Sung-Yueng, Jung-Woo, Chung-Yong, Ji-Sung, Ki-Hun, Chu-Young

Argentina: Romero, Heinze, Samuel, Demichelis, Guitarrez, Di Maria, Mascherano, Maxi, Tevez, Messi, Higuain

Prediction: South Korea 1, Argentina 1.

1st half analysis:

Well, what a surprise.......another Martin Demichelis defense mistake. He is error prone for Bayern Munich, and he has clearly made the defensive mistake of the tournament with slack focus, allowing the always technically classy Cheng Yong Lee of Bolton Wanders of the EPL to finish pass Romero and give South Korea a massive lifeline on virtually the last kick of the first half.

It totally changes the focus of the game, where Argentine dominance through Mascherano in the midfield and Messi in the playmaker role was fully on display. Now this leaky Argentine defense without an injured Walter Samuel (replaced by Nicolas Burdisso) will be put to the test, and it will be interesting to see their confidence at the start of this 2nd half.