[PREDICTIONS] Argentina players are crediting Coach Diego Maradona with coming up with the play that produced thewinning goal against Nigeria. He’ll need to come up with a plan to stop South Korea, so impressive in its win over Greece. For a look at Thursday’s three games and Soccer America’s predictions … ARGENTINA (3 pts., 1-0) […]
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Posted inSpecial Edition, Story
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 […]
Posted inSpecial Edition, Story
Argentina starts against old foe Nigeria
[PREDICTIONS] Argentina has played and beaten Nigeria at the 1994 and 2002 World Cups. But it did not portend well for the Argentines the rest of the way. Formore on Saturday’s games and Soccer America’s predictions … SOUTH KOREA (0-0-0) vs. GREECE (0-0-0) June 12 in Port Elizabeth Kickoff: 7:30 a.m. ET. Television: ESPN/Univision. Referee: […]
Posted inSpecial Edition, Story
Di Maria grateful to get second chance
[PORTRAIT] Young Argentine Angel Di Maria shares a lot in common with Albiceleste star Lionel Messi. Both hail from Rosario. Both are left-footed. Both have already won an Under-20 World Cup title and an Olympic gold medal. And both their national team careers got off toterrible starts. Messi’s first game lasted 44 seconds before he […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Does Messi have anything left in his tank?
[ARGENTINA] All indications are that Argentina’s players are united — a far cry from the chaos that surrounded the team during qualifying. But off the field,problems persist. On Thursday, Argentina national team’s doctor responded to comments by its fitness coach the day before that star Lionel Messi is sufferingfrom exhaustion by saying that all 23 […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Maradona gets best seat in the house
[OFF THE POST] Wanting to be be good hosts, South Africa organizers asked competing teams to send the special requests that will make their stay in South Africathat much more enjoyable. Some lists were short — Slovakia only wanted two ping-pong tables and an electronic dartboard — but others bordered on the excessive. Argentina’s long […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Maradona aims to emulate Beckenbauer
At the World Cup in South Africa, Diego Maradona aims to achieve what only one other man has managed: Win the World Cup as a coach after lifting the trophy as a captain.German Franz Beckenbauer won in 1974 and as coach in 1990. Maradona was the hero of Argentina’s second and last World Cup title, […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Postseason club friendlies draw
[MAKING A LIST] Post-season tours by foreign clubs generally draw more poorly than pre-season tours. But even though they were missing many stars headed to theWorld Cup, clubs such as AC Milan, Juventus and Boca Juniors have drawn remarkably well, and Wednesday’s game between AC Milan and the Montreal Impact could attract the biggest crowd. […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They're Saying
“Maradona is the synthesis of Argentina, of Argentine identity. He came from dire poverty and went up so quickly in social status. … And he has crashed — been knocked out so manytimes and failed — just like the country.” — Guillermo Oliveta, president of the Argentina Marketing Association, explaining the popularityof Argentina coach Diego […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They're Saying
“The players can have sex with their wives and girlfriends during the World Cup. Players are not Martians. But he it should not be at 2 a.m. with champagne and Havana cigars.” –Argentina team doctor Donato Vallani. (AP)