Messi, Enyeama and young Koreans stand out

[GROUP B] Lionel Messi didn’t score but didn’t disappoint either in Argentina’s 1-0 win over Nigeria, whose goalie Vincent Enyeama was the game’s outstanding performer. Young stars Lee Chung-Yong and ParkChu-Young helped South Korea to an easy 2-0 win over a terrible Greece team. Here’s what we liked and didn’t like about the opening Group B games …

What we liked …

— “Soccer wouldn’t be beautiful without seeing Messi touch the ball.” That was Diego Maradona after Argentina’sopener against Nigeria. No, Messi didn’t score Nigeria. Yes, the soccer was beautiful. Messi did everything but score in a very good performance.

—Vincent Enyeama was sensational in goal for Nigeria. The best of his seven saves came when he stretched to deny Lionel Messi on his shot to the farpost.

— In his third World Cup, Park Ji-Sung, had the first goal for South Korea, but youngsters LeeChung-Yong (Bolton)  and Park Chu-Young (Monaco) stood out.

What we didn’t like …

— Argentina will rue its failure to convert its many chances against Nigeria. Of greater concern was its defensive lapses. Taye Taiwo and substitute Kalu Uche had chances equalize for the Super Eagles. The result should not have been this close.

— Greece was terrible against South Korea. Its laudeddefense was nonexistent, and it has now lost all four games it’s played at the World Cup without scoring a goal.

— The images of empty seats Port Elizabeth’s Nelson Mandela Bay were notpretty. Huge sections of the stadium were empty. Attendance was listed at  31,513 for a stadium that seats 46,000.