Durban — Nigeria became the third African side to drop out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup when they were held to a 2-2 draw by South Korea at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Tuesday.
The Super Eagles follow hosts South Africa and Cameroon in making an early exit, but they certainly had their chances to reach the second round.
Argentina's 2-0 win over Greece in Group B's other fixture meant a victory of any sort would have been enough for the Nigerians, but they wasted a host of excellent opportunities to beat the Koreans before having to settle for a point and fourth in the group.
Lee Chung-Yong had a fine chance to open the score inside the first minute, but prodded his effort wide with just Vincent Enyeama to beat in the Nigerian goal.
The Super Eagles were ahead on 12 minutes when Chidi Odiah's brilliant run down the right from the fullback position saw him cross low, and striker Kalu Uche turn the ball home from just outside the six-yard box.
Uche put a 35-yard free kick over the crossbar, while Chinedu Obasi fired wide when well placed. Obasi then showed a lovely piece of skill on the edge of the box to work some space for himself, but his shot was scuffed and easy for Korean keeper Jung Sung Ryong.
Uche was a whisker away from making it 2-0 as his shot from 25 yards beat Sung Ryong, but bounced back off the post and away to safety.
Then terrible defending from a free kick on 38 minutes allowed Lee Jung Soo to steal in at the back post and prod the ball home, even though he initially tried to use his head.
That was the way it stayed at the break, but disaster struck Nigeria early in the second half. Danny Shittu gave away a free kick on the edge of the area and Park Chu Young curled his effort into the far corner. Enyeama has to shoulder some of the blame for the goal - he would not have been expected to have been beaten at that post.
The Super Eagles suddenly had a mountain to climb.
Chu Young flashed another effort wide of the goal from much further out, while Yakubu should have played in substitute Obafemi Martins when well placed, but instead decided to go it alone and the chance was lost.
Enyeama had to be smart to save from Chu Young, before Yakubu put his name down for one of the great misses in football history.
He stood all alone in the six-yard box with no Korean player around him, and all he had to do was side-foot the ball home from three yards. Somehow he missed.
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But Nigeria did get a blatant penalty seconds later when Kim Nam Il felled Obasi in the penalty area and Yakubu made amends, somewhat, by slotting home.
Shittu was close to turning the ball into his own net as the Koreans launched a rasping attacking down the right, and soon afterwards Park Ji Sung shot into the side netting from close range.
By now the news had filtered through that Argentina were ahead in Polokwane, meaning a win for Nigeria would see them into the second round.
Martins was brilliantly put through on goal, but facing just the keeper scooped his effort wide of the mark, much to the disgust of the Super Eagles bench.
Victor Obinna twice fired inches wide in the dying minutes, but that was as close as the west Africans got to a winner.
