Uruguay 2 South Korea 1

Scorers: Suarez (Uru) 2 goals, Chung Yong Lee (SK)

Attendance: 30597

Luis Suarez struck twice as Uruguay beat Korea Republic 2-1 in Port Elizabeth to reach the FIFA World Cup™ quarter-finals for the first time since 1970. The South Koreans pushed hard but Lee Chung-Yong's header in the second half was not enough with Suarez scoring both early and late on for the South Americans.

Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez made one change to the team that defeated Mexico 1-0 in their final group match, with Diego Godin replacing Mauricio Victorino at the back. Back at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, where his side beat Greece 2-0 in their opening game, Korea Republic coach Huh Jung-Moo made a notable change to his midfield, with winger Kim Jae-Sung making his first start in place of Yeom Ki-Hun.

The South Koreans got off to a bright start, with their captain Park Ji-Sung running through the middle of the park to the edge of the area only for Diego Lugano to cut out his attempted through-pass. Minutes later, they came desperately close to taking the lead, Park Chu-Young's curling free-kick from 20 yards smashing the left post as Fernando Muslera stood watching helplessly. Instead it was La Celeste who drew first blood in the eighth minute, when an unmarked Suarez, lurking on the right side of the area, turned the loose ball into an empty net after Jung Sung-Ryong had failed to deal with Diego Forlan's low cross from the left.

The Taeguk Warriors probed away, looking for holes in the stubborn Uruguay defence that had not conceded a goal in the first round. Park Ji-Sung surged down the left but saw his low cross blocked by a timely intervention, then Park Chu-Young tried his luck with an effort from 25 yards that went just wide of the left post. It was Cha Du-Ri's turn next but he saw his audacious shot from 30 yards sail just over the crossbar.

With the rain pouring down in the second half, Kim Jung-Woo almost paid for a sloppy pass across the back, with Suarez intercepting but failing to trouble Jung with a tame shot. At the other end, Lugano's attempted clearance from a Lee Jung-Soo cross fell into the path of Park Chu-Young, who fired a powerful volley over the bar. Park Ji-Sung then managed to connect with a Cha cross from the right, but Muslera did well to hold on to his header, jumping to his left.

South Korean coach Huh had no other option but to reinforce the attack, and brought striker Lee Dong-Gook on for Kim Jae-Sung on the hour mark. The Asian side finally broke through after 68 minutes, when Lugano's headed clearance from Ki Sung-Yueng's free-kick fell to an unmarked Lee Chung-Yong, who headed home the equaliser from close range to finally end Muslera's lengthy unbeaten run. However, the Uruguayans fought back. Suarez saw his shot from an acute angle parried over by Jung, before the Ajax forward then miscued his header with only the keeper to beat. But the Uruguay No9 made no mistake when the ball came to his way on the edge of the box following a Forlan corner, sidestepping a white shirt and curling a spectacular shot in off the far post to make it 2-1.

The Koreans responded by bringing on another forward, Yeom Ki-Hun, for midfielder Ki, and within two minutes, Lee Dong-Gook spurned a glorious chance to equalise as the Jeonbuk Motors marksman saw his low shot half-stopped by Muslera before Lugano cleared the ball as it trickled slowly towards the net. With that, the South Koreans' final opportunity had passed as La Celeste held on to book their place in the last eight.

Argentina 4 South Korea 1

Scorers: Chu-Young Park (OG), Gonzalo Higuain (Arg) 3 goals, Chung Yong Lee (SK)

Attendance: 82174

Gonzalo Higuain fired a memorable hat-trick as Argentina wrapped up a thrilling 4-1 victory over Korea Republic to virtually assure themselves of a place in the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup™.

There was some scintillating attacking football from La Albiceleste as they became the first team at South Africa 2010 to reach six points. Nudging Higuain for individual honours as Korea Republic – impressive winners over Greece in their opening Group B fixture – were torn apart was the mercurial Lionel Messi, who had a hand in all four goals. 

Argentina were quickly into their smooth-passing style, switching the ball quickly to their creative talents, with Carlos Tevez eager to nag away at the Korean defenders. Angel Di Maria also demonstrated the potential to make it a difficult afternoon for Korea Republic right-back Oh Beom-Seok, who had come in for Cha Du-Ri. It was following a foul on the Benfica winger that Argentina went ahead. Messi's free-kick was perfectly judged, looping towards the penalty spot where it came off the shin of Park Chu-Young, leaving Jung Sung-Ryong powerless to keep it out.

A stunning right-footer from distance from Ki Sung-Yueng indicated that the Asian team were not going to take that blow lying down but chances were virtually non-existent as the South Americans continued in comfortable control, probing away and posing all manner of problems. Tevez zipped a free-kick just too high and on 32 minutes Argentina had their second goal. A free-kick was played short this time with Messi inviting Maxi Rodriguez to deliver the ball into the danger zone where it was flicked back towards the far post where Higuain was waiting to steer in a header.

It was so comfortable for Maradona's team with Sung-Ryong denying Di Maria, and Messi only fractionally wide after a wonderful jinking run that bemused a clutch of defenders. But then a lapse in concentration allowed the South Koreans back into the match. That certainly seemed to be the case with Martin Demichelis who was guilty of dwelling on the ball as the first half entered into added-on time and Lee Chung-Young took ruthless advantage.

After the break Sung-Ryong did well to keep out Higuain's effort but Diego Maradona's team, now without Walter Samuel, who was forced off with an injury, were vulnerable to Korea Republic's pace on the counter. That was never better demonstrated than in the 58th minute, when Park Ji-Sung slid a perfect pass into the stride of Yeom Ki-Hun, who could only hit the side-netting.

The last words went to Argentina however and Higuain. After a one-two, Messi tore into the area and saw his first shot repelled by the goalkeeper. His follow-up struck the inside of the post and there was Higuain to apply the final touch. Messi and Higuain were not finished yet. With ten minutes remaining Messi's beautifully executed scooped pass put Sergio Aguero clear down the left and his cushioned cross was met with a clinical header from Higuain to wrap up his hat-trick.

South Korea 2 Greece 0

Scorers: Lee (South Korea), Park (South Korea)

Attendance: 31,500

Korea Republic claimed the first victory at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ as a goal early in each half made it a disappointing start for Group B opponents Greece.

The South Koreans were the dominant force for virtually all of the first half in the Port Elizabeth Stadium although they had to withstand some initial pressure from Greece with Vasileios Torosidis seeing an effort fly off target. The same player should then have scored following Georgios Karagounis's corner but he put a decent chance wide from nine yards.

Huh Jung-Moo's side shrugged off that scare and proceeded to pin their opponents back, and with only seven minutes gone they forged ahead. A free-kick from near the left-hand corner flag found the blue shirts all at sea and at the far post Lee Jung-Soo pounced to sidefoot home and become his country's fastest-ever scorer at a FIFA World Cup.

Greece, European champions in 2004, never recovered from that setback and Korea smelled the chance of further goals with Manchester United's Park Ji-Sung always a danger and Yeom Ki-Hun also pulling the strings. In the 28th minute the South Koreans, fast-raiding and adroit with their ball control, fashioned an outstanding chance to double their advantage as Park Ji-Sung slid a lovely ball into the feet of Park Chu-Young.

Park Chu-Young was clear of the last man but just as he attempted to seal his strong run with a scoring finish, a combination of the back-pedalling Loukas Vyntra and Alexandros Tzorvas denied him, the goalkeeper making a vital intervention to deflect the ball over. Greece had to change their approach and Otto Rehhagel decided to take off captain Karagounis at the break with Christos Patsatzoglou coming in. However with another goal seven minutes into the second period, Korea put the game as good as out of reach.

It was a disaster for Greek defending as they gave possession away inside their own half through Vyntra and were left helpless as Park Ji-Sung took ruthless advantage. There was strength, control and determination in his run as he tore into the penalty area before burying a left-footed shot past Tzorvas to become only the second Asian player to score in three different FIFA World Cups, having also found the net in 2002 and 2006.  It should have been three minutes later as Park Chu-Young dashed between defenders to meet a cross from the right but he could not keep his header down.

Greece, who had not managed a goal in any of their three previous FIFA World Cup games – all of which had been lost in 1994 – had no option but to give everything to try and claw back the deficit. They looked to Theofanis Gekas, who with ten goals was the leading scorer in European qualifying, to inspire an recovery, and he tried an ambitious overhead kick which went over. Soon after Pantelis Kapetanos scooped the ball over as it was drilled in from the left while Gekas forced Jung Sung-Ryong into a fine save at the end. But there was no dispute that Korea were good value for their three points.

South Korea: 18. Jung, 4. Cho, 07. Park, 8. Kim, 10. Park, 12. Lee, 14. Lee, 16. Ki, 17. Lee, 19 Yeom, 22. Cha

Subs Used: 05. Kim, 11. Lee, 15. Kim

Greece: 12. Tzorvas, 2. Seitaridis, 6. Tziolis, 7. Samaras, 8. Papadopoulos, 9. Charisteas, 10. Karagounis, 11. Vyntra, 15. Torosidis, 17. Gekas, 21. Katsouranis

Subs Used: 3. Patsatzoglou, 14. Salpigidis, 20. Kapetanos