Features

Draw fortune favours Argentina

Author: John Harris
Date: 02/06/2010
Football betting

World Cup Group B comes under the spotlight as the countdown the finals in South Africa continues, with one of the favourites, Argentina, expected to progress with some ease.

Greece, Nigeria and South Korea stand in the way of the South Americans, who have the world's best player - Lionel Messi - among their ranks.

Messi has enjoyed an unbelievable season with Barcelona, scoring 34 goals in the league and 47 in all competitions to live up to comparisons with Diego Maradona, now the head coach of Argentina.

Maradona's approach has drawn criticism from some quarters, while his squad selection has also raised some eyebrows, with the likes of Javier Zanetti and Esteban Cambiasso omitted from his plans altogether.

However, with attacking options including Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Carlos Tevez, Diego Milito and Sergio Aguero, Argentina should have the firepower needed to reach the latter stages of the competition.

A light looking midfield roster may prove fatal when the big guns come calling in the knockout stages and Maradona's position is certain to be called into question if that happens.

How far will Argentina go in South Africa? - Latest Football Betting

2004 European champions Greece head to only their second World Cup finals hoping to improve on their 1994 showing, when they lost all three group games.

Otto Rehhagel's men faced both Argentina and Nigeria 16 years ago and conceded ten goals in three games, while failing to find the net themselves.

This time much of their hopes of progressing will rest on the shoulders of striker Theofanis Gekas, who was the leading scorer in European qualification with ten goals.

Giorgos Karagounis will be the main man in midfield, for a Greek side who are sure to prove to be a tough nut to crack.

Nigeria's Super Eagles, now under the charge of Swedish coach Lars Lagerback, are likely to push hard for a place in the knockout stages, having finished third at the African Cup of Nations earlier this year.

There is plenty of firepower available to worry most opponents among Lagerback's options, including Peter Odemwingie, who was Nigeria's top scorer at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Obafemi Martins and Yakubu are also options, while the evergreen Nwankwo Kanu may yet make the cut to feature yet again.

South Korea are seen by some sportsbooks as the outsiders to progress from Group B, but the 2002 semi-finalists should never be underestimated.

Coach Huh Jung-Moo's side are sure to be technically proficient and with a number of their players plying their trade in Europe, they are sure to be tough opposition.

Huh will leave his post straight after the competition and will hope to improve on the 2006 showing by his side which saw them fall at the first hurdle.

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