Hello and welcome to our live updates between Argentina and South Korea.
The World Cup has taken a few days to get heated up but it did come to the party last night, and in what a way. First, Switzerland saw off the mighty Spain in an absolute smash and grab. Then, Uruguay, battling South Africa and the vuvvzelas, came off with a very impressive looking 3-0 victory. Diego Forlan picking up a very fine brace in that game.
This, though, is a new day and a second look at the attacking arsenal of Argentina in the 2010 World Cup. They were a bit below par in the first game against the Nigerians with the exception of Messi.
Will we see a hatful of goals or another upset?
We will have all the answers as Asian powerhouses South Korea, who were very solid in their 2-0 victory over Greece, take on one of Latin America's finest Argentina.
All the team news in a bit.
Argentina makes just one change from the side that defeated Nigeria. The injured Juan Sebastien Veron is replaced by Liverpool's Maxi Rodriguez.
Argentina 22-Sergio Romero; 2-Martin Demichelis, 13-Walter Samuel, 6-Gabriel Heinze, 17-Jonas Gutierrez; 14-Javier Mascherano, 20-Maxi Rodriguez, 7-Angel Di Maria; 10-Lionel Messi, 11-Carlos Tevez, 9-Gonzalo Higuain.
South Korea 18-Jung Sung-ryong; 2-Oh Beom-seok, 12-Lee Young-pyo, 4-Cho Yong-hyung, 14-Lee Jung-soo, 8-Kim Jung-woo, 16-Ki Sung-yong, 7-Park Ji-sung, 17-Lee Chung-yong, 10-Park Chu-young, 19-Yeom Ki-hun.
While the South Koreans have elected not to start with Cha Du-RI, who really impressed in their 2-0 win over Greece.
Maradona, who has returned to Football's greatest stage after a gap of 16 years, really did light up the stage last night. A >press conference gone wrong or an intended attack only he will know.
The teams are walking out of the tunnel and onto pitchside. This one promises to be a very intriguing affair.
Just to keep you guys busy before the start. The fixtures for the new BPL season have been announced. Arsenal travel to Liverpool on the opening weekend in what should be a very tasty fixture.
Rise, for the national anthems.
The anthems have been sung and it has kicked-off. Argentina doing the honours and they will be playing from left to right in the first half.
1st minute Messi immediately showing off his dribbling skills. An early corner for Argentina.
4th minute Down the left Tevez feeds in Di Maria but his shot hits the side netting.
It's been five minutes of possession football for Argentina but not really anything penetrative. Like the Swiss showed yesterday, quality of possession is more important than quantity of possession.
8th minute Some fluid moment from the Argentine midfield finds Higuain who attemps to shoot from the right with the angle against him. And cue for the ball to take-off and go behind for a goal-kick.
10th minute Ki-Hun goes into the book for an unneccesary challenge.
Maradona, unlike Del Bosque, does have quality forward options on the bench. Treble winner Diego Milito and Maradona's son-in-law Sergio Aguero.
South Korea have managed to play some tippy-tappy football in the attacking third at last but nothing yet to worry Romero.
15th minute Some attacking movement down the left for the Argentines and they get a free-kick for their troubles around 25 yards from goal.
16th minute Argentina 1-0 South Korea. Messi delivers a telling cross from the free-kick which is turned in for an own goal. Chu-Young Park the unlucky hero for Argentina.
Argentina could easily be 2-0 ahead but Maxi shoots wide. At the other end, South Korea has an effort from 35 yards which goes narrowly over.
Walter Samuel is getting some treatment. How many times have commentators said that?
And he is indeed being replaced. Burdisso coming on for the Inter MIlan defender.
24th minute Tevez goes on a lovely little solo run, dancing and doding past the South Korean midfield before forced wide by the defence. He still puts in a decent little cross but Higuain can't reach as he goes for a spectacular overhead kick.
26th minute Tevez is very in but the keeper is quick to punch away.
28th minute They are struggling live with Messi and give away a free-kick from a dangerous area and there are five Argentinian players eyeing this one. From the free-kick, Messi plays a deft little touch before Tevez goes for a piledriver. The Jabulani keeps rising and goes just over the crossbar.
31st minute More danger. Tevez feeds in Jonas down the right, with about five players anticipating a cross into the 18 yard box, but Jonas can't control and it goes behind for a goal-kick.
By the way, Jonas's Newscastle are up against Manchester United at Old Trafford on the opening week-end.
33rd minute Argentina 2-0 South Korea. The South Korean defence goes to sleep again. A free-kick from a similar area, after a few touches, is played in by Maxi from the left and is further flicked on to the path of Higuain by Burdisso. Higuain, who is not marked, calmly heads it past the keeper.
40th minute It's should be 3-0 but for the fingers of the keeper. Another Argentina attacks breaks down but only as far Di Maria. He picks up tghe pieces and hammers in a left foot effort from 18 yards out only to see the flying Jung Sung save it. Great piece of football all around.
Messi, meanwhile, has had a very good game doing the slight touches and the deft flicks.
44th minute You almost wanted the ball to nestle in the back of the net. Tevez and Messi play some eye-catching football before Messi, just inside the box, elects to chip the keeper. But it goes wide. It takes two to tango and these two are the ones currently dancing all over South Korea.
45+1 Argentina 2-1 South Korea. Was that in the script in the middle of a swagger? A horrible defensive lapse from Demichelis lets in Chung-Yong who has a one-on-one situation with Romero and Chung-Yong makes no mistake. Is that the earliest christmas present ever?
And that is the final moment as the half as the whistle goes for half-time. It has been a very cracking game and South Korea, because of that error, is very much in this encounter.
Messi and his man were in the middle of a nice, comfortable display in the sun-swathed Soccer CIty stadium but South Korea has seemingly come back. Maradona will be livid but South Korea won't care one bit.
Join me in about five minutes for the second half.
Welcome back folks. Argentina appeared to be in the middle of hitting four or five but the South Koreans have dragged back the advantage. Can Argentina restore the two-goal parity or will South Korea display resistance before putting in a leveller?
Would be interesting if Demichelis comes out and blames the ball for his shoddy piece of defending.
The second half has kicked off.
47th minute He's getting closer and closer to opening his account. After a driving run down the right, Higuian spots Messi with a cute pass. Messi tries to bring it inside before slotting it into the bottom corner but the defenders get back and it gets deflected for a corner.
52nd minute Higuain almost gets a second. Maxi floats in a cross from the right. The cross finds its way to Tevez who releases Di Maria down the left whose measured pass to Higuain inside the six yard box is turned behind fantastically for a corner.
54th minute Tevez lashes in a 20 yard effort from the right which is palmed away.
By the way Jonas is booked. GIven that he was booked against Nigeria, he will miss the next game against Greece. Mascherano also goes into the book giving away a free-kick just near the Argentine penalty area.
58th minute A sensational counter attack by the South Koreans down the right almost makes it 2-2. A flurry of short passes and dynamic moment sees Ki-Hun inside the 18-yard box but his shot misses Romero's near post.
Very balanced this match. South Korea is making attacking forays with increased frequency while the Argentinians can flick a switch whenever they want.
65th minute Messi, from around 35 yards out, floats in a free-kick but it goes straight through to the keeper. But the free-kick did have close attentions of two Argentinian players.
70th minute Maxi floats in a cross from the right on to the path of Higuain who drives in a low half-volly but it goes straight to the keeper.
72nd minute Another decent move from the right for the South Koreans is checked by Mascherano.
74th minute Another patient build-up from Argentina sees Messi dribbling into a cul-de-sac. Not been an afternoon to remember for the FIFA's World Player of the Year so far .
75th minute Aguero replaces Tevez.
76th minute Argentina 3-1 South Korea. Messi and Aguero combine delightfully down the centre before Aguero feeds Messi down the left. Messi, from about 10 yards out, shoots but it but the keeper saves it with his legs. The rebound goes to Messi who again goes for goal from a tight-angle but it strikes the post and falls for Higuain who has the simple job of a tap in from less than a yard.
80th minute Argentina 4-1 South Korea. A delightful move finished off by hat-trick hero Gonzalo Higuain. Flurry of passes sees Aguero deliver an inch-perfect cross from the left to Higuain. "El Pipita", as he's called, heads home for his third of the night. Messi delivered the pass for Aguero to set up Higuain.
That's the second time Messi and Aguero have combined in less than five minutes with telling effect. Son-in-law not disappointing father-in-law.
87th minute Aguero goes an amazing solo run dribbling past all of SOuth Korea but his run is eventually halted inside the penalty box.
89th minute He wants a goal today. An errant pass is seized by Messi in mid-field and he takes-off into the South Korean penalty box but his troubles comes to nothing.
90+1 South Korea, through Ji-Sung, attacks but Romero holds on.
90+2 Aguero goes on a nice little zig-zagging run down the right before he shoots from a tight angle but it misses the far post.
The whistle blows for full time. Argentina have claimed a comprehensive victory over South Korea.
A destructive hat-trick from Gonzalo Higuain ripped South Korea to shreds after they had seemingly got back in to the match just before half time. Aguero came in and combined quite beautifully with Messi for the last ten minutes of the game.
Credit to the South Koreans who did fashion some chances to make it 2-2 but the Argentinians far superior firepower up front made the telling difference.
El Pipita, who has always been a big player at Real Madrid, coming good for the Albicelestes. Maradona, who in his pre-match conference talked out going out and winning in style, will be vindicated.
Were do the South Koreans go from here? The Argentinians can afford to rest some seniors for their next game against Greece. A very polished attacking performance from them.
Congratulations are in order for Higuain for bringing in some much needed goals to what has been a goal-shy World Cup so far.
That's it from me. Until next time, which by the way will be England vs Algeria from midnight, tomorrow night, see you all.
