The last time Diego Maradona faced Greece, back in USA 94, he growled manically at the cameras, high on adrenaline and ephedrine after scoring one of the goals of the tournament. Last night he merely settled for bear-hugs and wide smiles but there was no mistaking his happiness as his Argentina team scored two late goals to book a tie in the last 16 against Mexico.
Greece had threatened to grind out a goalless draw but 13 minutes from time Martín Demichelis smashed home from close range before Martín Palermo made the game safe by slotting home after Alexandros Tzorvas had saved from Lionel Messi.
Before kick-off there was a carnival atmosphere in the Peter Mokaba stadium as the huge number of Argentina fans jubilantly bounced and bobbed during their country's national anthem, and sang loud enough to dull the reverberating honk of vuvuzelas. It was if they thought victory was a formality, but Greece's defensive wall was to prove difficult to smash down.
With Argentina having all but secured qualification, barring an unlikely three-goal defeat here and a handsome South Korea victory in Durban, Maradona made seven changes, with only Sergio Romero, Demichelis, Maxi Rodríguez and Messi remaining from the side that had humbled the Koreans 4-1. With so many changes it was only to be expected that Argentina would take a while to gel, especially with Greece sticking nine men behind the ball and playing their niggly, obdurate brand of anti-football.
Still, Argentina created plenty of chances – although they were mostly half-chances. There were echoes of Messi as Sergio Agüero, making his first start of the tournament, beat two Greece players only for his shot to be pushed away by Tzorvas. The resulting corner then found its way to Juan Sebastián Verón, whose long-range shot was tipped over.
With Giorgios Samaras playing as a lone striker in Otto Rehhagel's 4-1-4-1 formation, often 40 yards from his nearest team-mate, Greece threatened only intermittently. But there was the odd moment of near-joy – and when Evangelos Moras's long-range pass to Samaras split the Argentina defence Demichelis had to be smart to slide it clear. Two minutes later the same players clashed, leaving Demichelis stubbing his foot on the ground, testing his ankle.
Argentina continued to dominate possession but it took more than half an hour to really open up the Greece defence. Verón drifted to the right and slid a pass to Diego Milito, whose cross was fumbled by Tzorvas. Agüero looked to have pounced only for Loukas Vyntra to clear off the line.
The news that Nigeria had gone 1-0 up against South Korea only encouraged Greece to slip further into their defensive shell, content to hold onto what they had. And for all Argentina's possession – and they had 67% of it in the first half – it appeared that without Javier Mascherano they lacked a tiger in central midfield. But just before the break they attacked with intent again and Tzorvas had to produce two further smart saves, first blocking Maxi Rodríguez's shot from Clemente Rodríguez's cross and then tipping over Messi's 25-yard curler.
Maradona, who has incessantly berated referees for not enforcing fair play throughout this World Cup, was again frequently waving imaginary cards on the sidelines. He demanded yellow after Milito was clipped from behind by Avraam Papadopoulos and two minutes later he was doing it again after Sokratis Papastathopoulos cynically blocked off Messi. And although the Greeks committed 11 fouls in the first half, much to Maradona's frustration, there was only one yellow card when Konstantinos Katsouranis was booked for a foul on Agüero.
With South Korea having pulled level and then gone ahead against Nigeria, Greece knew they would be out unless they scored. Rehhagel switched personnel, replacing the midfielder Georgios Karagounis with the full-back Nikos Spiropoulos at half-time but there was no change in formation. Greece They were, however, posing more of a threat coming forward. And early in the second half, they should have gone in front when Demichelis slipped on the ball, allowing Samaras a one-on-one with Clemente Rodríguez. Samaras's initial shot was blocked, but although the ball fell kindly for him he flashed his second effort across goal.
Samaras looked to be crying out for some support, but when Rehhagel made his two final substitutions – introducing the defender Christos Patsatzoglou and midfielder Sotiris Ninis as like-for-like replacements for Konstantinos Katsouranis and Vasilis Torosidis – he was still too isolated. But he continued to be Greece's main threat and he did well to turn Demichelis only to fire high over the bar.
Angel Di María replaced Maxi Rodríguez and Javier Pastore came on for Agüero but Argentina struggled to match the fluency of their first-half display. There was the odd chance - Clemente Rodríguez's cross singed Milito's head on its way through to Tzorvas, while Clemente took Messi's pass but shot across Tzorvas and wide on 57 minutes – but they looked to be running out of ideas.
Even Messi, who was made the youngest captain of Argentina just two days short of his 23rd birthday for this game, was largely shackled by Avraam Papadopoulos. But he did come close with a 30-yard free-kick that dipped and swerved and was tipped away by Tzorvas, who then was immediately called into action again to save from Mario Bolatti.
The game looked to be heading to a goalless draw but 13 minutes from time Argentina finally broke the deadlock. Messi's corner was headed by Demichelis into Milito, but it bounced back for the Argentina defender to smash home from close range.
Messi nearly made it two five minutes from the end when he dipped his shoulder and left Moras for dead, but his shot smashed against the bar and rebounded to safety. Argentina's No10 was becoming increasingly influential and just before the end his shot was saved by Tzorvas only for Palermo to tuck in Argentina's second.
The goals had taken their time in coming but it was all Argentina deserved. Meanwhile few will be surprised – or disappointed – that Greece are going home.
© Guardian News and Media 2010
