Latest Group B news ahead of the World Cup in South Africa which starts on June 11.GREECEGreece's first match against South Korea will determine whether the Euro 2004 champions can hope for a better World Cup than their 1994 appearance when they lost all three group matches, conceding 10 goals in total and scoring none, said gifted playmaker Sotiris Ninis.Ninis, 20, who helped steer Panathinaikos to a League and Cup double this season, is one of several younger players, who have been called up in the preliminary World Cup squad."I think that first match against South Korea will be deciding our future in the tournament," Ninis told reporters."We all have faith in this team and we are desperate to do well but we have to remain focused and give it all we got. These are essentially knock-out matches and you have no time to correct things."NIGERIANigeria have moved their training preparations to Upton Park in London the venue of their upcoming World Cup warm-up match against Colombia on May 30, Nigerian Football Federation officials said.The game had originally been scheduled for Brisbane Road, the home of Leyton Orient.Nigeria have scrapped plans for a friendly in London against Iceland. Instead they will travel to Austria for a match with Saudi Arabia on May 25.SOUTH KOREAEcuador coach Sixto Vizuete talked up South Korea's chances of success at the World Cup following the Asian side's 2-0 victory over the South Americans in Seoul on Sunday."Korea is a quick and well organised team. If they work on their passing skills, Korea will net good results at the World Cup," said Vizuete, whose Ecuador side beat and drew with South Korea's Group B opponents Argentina in qualifying."In the regional qualifiers, we showcased a defensive strategy based on containing (Lionel) Messi and it worked well for us. Sergio Aguero and Diego Milito also need to be kept in check," Vizuete advised.More than 60,000 fans turned up in Seoul to see South Korea complete their final home match before the World Cup. The Koreans next head to Japan to face their Asian rivals on Monday.ARGENTINADiego Maradona, who has been on the Argentine Football Association's list of registered coaches for seven years despite never doing the coaching course, was handed his diploma at a recent "asado", Argentine-style barbecue, with his national team staff."Diego did not do the coaching course because, clearly, it's difficult with a personality like his to attend the lessons," Victorio Cocco, head of the national coaches' association ATFA, was quoted as saying to the sports daily Ole."We made an exception, the same as happened with (German Franz) Beckenbauer and (Dutchman Johan) Cruyff, great football stars who were coaches."(Editing by Miles Evans; To query or comment on this story emailsportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)News posted by www.newsinfoline.com
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