The Nigerians, in dire need of a win to stay alive, dodged a bullet in only the second minute, when big Danny Shittu's horrid clearance fell to the feet of Park Chu-Young in a dangerous position on the right. The Monaco man’s low cross was picked out well by the sliding Lee Chung-Yong, who sacrificed his body in a collision with Nigerian goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama only to stroke wide of the near post. 

After that early scare, Nigeria began to boss the play with their best moments of these finals. Coach Lars Lagerback opted for four attacking players in his starting XI, including Nwankwo Kanu, used for the first time in South Africa. The positive approach paid off, the Super Eagles taking a lead in the 12th minute. Chidi Odiah wriggled his way up the right side with a classy piece of approach work and his low cross was nailed into the corner by Kalu Uchu, who had snuck around his marker. The goal was met with a roar from the home crowd, in need of a boost after their beloved Bafana Bafana were eliminated earlier in the day. 

Nigeria continued to push forward as the half wore on, with Chinedu Ogbuke Obasi going close and Kanu and Yakubu Ayegbeni combining well in the advanced positions. The Koreans ? who looked so organised in their first match ? were getting pushed around and losing their shape as the half wound down. Uche nearly doubled his tally in the 36th minute, only to see his shot from distance slam off the upright to a groan from the crowd. The Asians, against the run of play, took full advantage and drew level with their first shot on goal, Lee Jung-Soo heading home while unmarked at the back post after a free-kick delivered by Ki Sung-Yueng seven minutes from the interval. 

The Koreans came out in the second half looking lively. After Lee Young-Pyo tested Enyeama in the opening seconds, danger man Park Chu-Young curled his direct free-kick around the wall and inside the back post from the corner of the penalty area to put the Taeguk Warriors on top 2-1 with just minutes gone. Pockets of lively Korean fans were growing in confidence and voice, singing the anthems that propelled their men to the semi-finals as hosts in 2002, but they were nearly silenced when Yakubu was clear in on goal in the 59th minute. Only a last-ditch tackle from Cho Yong-Hyung kept the big Everton man from a certain equaliser. 

'Yak' was at the heart of the action again shortly after, missing a sitter from six yards in the 66th minute, before showing the guts to step up to the spot three minutes later and draw his side level after Obasi was felled in the area. A frenzied half-hour followed, with both sides going agonisingly close to tipping the balance and substitute Obafemi Martins missing a golden breakaway chance. But it was the Korean players celebrating at the final whistle while Nigeria became the third of six African participants to fall at the first hurdle. 
 
'로봇' 차두리, "박주영이 머리 말리느라 배터리 나가 출전할 수 없었다?" 
 
 
 
다시 한 번 한국축구대표팀 선수 차두리에 관한 '로봇설'이 이어지고 있다. 
 
차두리를 둘러싼 각종 루머는 지난달 24일 일본과의 평가전 이후 네티즌들에 의해 제기되며, 폭발적인 관심을 받았다. 
 
현재는 '차두리 로봇설' 시리즈 중 네티즌들이 지어낸 차두리의 결장 이유가 눈길을 끌고 있으며, 그 이유로는 차두리가 경기 전 진행된 약물검사에서 혈액이 아닌 엔진오일이 검출되며 출전을 정지 당했다는 것이다. 
 
이에 차두리는 나이지리아전을 대비해 혈액과 흡사한 성분의 특수 오일을 투여, 약물검사에 통과해 경기를 뛰었다는 주장이다. 
 
또 다른 설로는, 경기 전날 박주영이 샤워를 마치고 남들보다 긴 머리를 말리기 위해 드라이기를 사용하려는데 콘센트를 꼽을 자리가 없어 미리 꼽혀있는 콘센트 하나를 뺐는데 그게 바로 차두리의 몸과 연결돼 있는 콘센트였다는 것이다. 배터리가 나간 차두리는 어쩔 수 없이 아르헨티전에 결장할 수 밖에 없었다는 내용이다. 
 
24일 처음 제기된 '차두리 로봇설'은 당시 차두리가 상대수비수들을 거침없이 제압하며 경기가 끝나고 나서도 전혀 힘든 기색 없이 환한 웃음을 보이자 나온 설로, 네티즌들은 '차두리 로봇설', '차바타', '차미네이터' 등의 용어를 만들며 열광 중이다. 또 실제 차두리는 왼쪽 옆구리 부분에 기이한 바코드 모양의 문신을 새겨 '로봇설'을 증폭시킨 바 있다. 
 
현재 '차두리 로봇설'은 3탄까지 진행 중. 
 
차두리 뛸때마다 로봇설도 진화하네 
 
공 잡으면 차범근 침묵 - 리모컨 조작 중 
등번호 22번 - 220V 전원 사용 
"차두리, 사람을 놓쳤어요" - 로봇임을 증명 
 
`차두리 로봇설`이 화제다. 처음에는 누가 상상해냈는지 `기발하다` 정도였지만 한국 축구가 56년 만에 원정 16강을 달성하자 점점 신드롬으로 커지고 있다. 

차두리 로봇설은 대충 이렇다. 우선 1탄. 그리스전에서 맹활약한 차두리가 공을 잡기만 하면 아버지인 차범근 SBS 해설위원이 조용해진다. 이는 `로봇` 차두리를 조종하기 위해 리모컨을 다루는 데 집중하느라 말을 못했다는 것이다. 

2탄은 등번호 22번에 대한 것이다. 220V 전원을 쓴다는 것을 의미한다는 내용도 있고, `버전2`라서 2번을 달아야 하는데 이미 2번을 사용하는 선수가 있어 할 수 없이 22번을 달았다는 내용도 있다. 늘 머리를 밀고 다니거나 치아를 드러내 놓고 자주 웃는 이유가 머리(또는 치아)가 태양열 집광판이어서 그렇다는 것도 차두리 로봇설 2탄의 내용이다. 

나이지리아전을 통해 3탄도 나왔다. 나이지리아전 무승부로 16강행이 확정되자 차두리는 상의를 벗어 나이지리아 선수에게 주고는 자신은 웃통을 벗은 채 사진에 찍혔다. 이때 옆구리 부분에 길게 숫자를 나타내는 로마문자 문신이 돼 있었는데 이게 로봇을 의미하는 바코드라는 것이다. 

하지만 한 네티즌은 "차두리 옆구리에 새겨진 `VIIㆍIIㆍMMX`와 `XIIIㆍIXㆍLXXVIII`는 아라비아숫자로 `7ㆍ2ㆍ2010`와 `13ㆍ9ㆍ78`이라며 2010년 2월 7일은 차두리 첫째 딸 아인의 생일이고, (19)78년 9월 13일은 부인 신혜성 씨 생일로 추정된다"고 해석했다. 

차두리 로봇설의 하이라이트는 나이지리아와의 3차전에서 차두리가 칼루 우체를 놓치면서 선제골을 내줘 팀을 위기에 빠뜨리자 차 해설위원이 "아! 차두리, 사람을 놓쳤어요"라고 한 말에서 절정을 이뤘다. `로봇`이 `사람`을 놓쳤다는 의미로 해석한 것이다. 

차두리 로봇설의 배경은 차두리가 그만큼 지칠 줄 모르고 열심히 뛰기 때문일 것이다. 별명도 그래서 `차미네이터` 아닌가. 한국 축구의 `유쾌한 도전`과 함께 차두리 로봇설도 꾸준히 진화하기를 국민들은 바라고 있다. 16강전 승리 때는 4탄이 나올 것을 기대하면서. (매일경제 2010-06-24) 

• A조 (남아공,멕시코,우루과이,프랑스)

• B조 (아르헨티나,나이지리아,대한민국,그리스)

• C조 (잉글랜드,미국,알제리,슬로베니아)

• D조 (독일,호주,세르비아,가나)

• E조 (네덜란드,덴마크,일본,카메룬)

• F조 (이탈리아,파라과이,뉴질랜드,슬로바키아)

• G조 (브라질,북한,코트디부아르,포르투칼)

• H조 (스페인,스위스,온두라스,칠레)

Otto Rehhagel's side simply needed to better the result of Korea Republic to claim a place in the last 16, and with Maradona rotating his starting 11, as expected, with no fewer than seven changes from the side that swept aside Korea Republic, the Greeks could must have felt more confident of achieving their aim. 

However, there was no doubting Greece had a Herculean task on their hands, and they were virtual by-standers in the opening minutes as Argentina stroked the ball around confidently, guided by the returning Juan Veron. Lionel Messi, lively from the start, demonstrated his threat as early as the tenth minute, riding the challenges of Konstantinos Kastouranis and Alexandros Tziolis, before eventually being stopped in his tracks by the outstretched leg of Sokratis Papastathoppoulos. 

Greece were defending in numbers in a bid to thwart their opponents, and were relying on long balls into Georgios Samaras in any bid to switch defence into attack. However, if Rehhagel's side were slowly finding their feet ? only the outstretched leg of Martin Demechelis brought an end to Samaras's promising charge into the box 12 minutes in ? Maradona's side were still well in command. 

And when the southern Europeans' sporadic attacks broke down, the action quickly switched back to the other end, where Alexandro Tzvorvas was unquestionably the busiest man of the night. Sergio Aguero smashed in a left-footed drive which he athletically palmed away, and the Greece goalkeeper had to be equally alert moments later, when the power of the long-range drive from Veron was only matched by the quality of Tzvorvas's tip-over. 

If Greece were going to claw their way back into this game it was going to be through Samaras. Just two minutes into the second period, the Celtic forward was picked out with another long ball but, despite wriggling free of his markers, he could only flash his shot wide. However, the momentum remained with Argentina, who needed just a draw to see them into the last 16. Diego Milito might have headed them into a lead, but the striker failed to connect with Clemente Rodriguez's dangerous-looking cross and, shortly after, Rodriquez had a go himself from long range but was unable to find the target. 

Messi and Mario Bolatti were both thwarted by Tzvorvas as the decibel level rose in the Peter Mokaba stadium. And the noise levels went through the roof in the 77th minute when Demichelis's goalbound header from an Angel Di Maria corner rebounded off Milito and back into the path of the Argentina defender, who gratefully smashed home a left-footed shot to give Maradona's side the lead they had long threatened. 

Messi, Argentina's captain for the night, was denied by the post and then Tzvorvas in the dying minutes, but Greece could do nothing to stop Martin Palermo from side-footing home Argentina's second a minute from time after Messi had again been thwarted.