Whoever lost this match was pretty certain to be thinking about return flights from South Africa and after this error-ridden display against a highly entertaining and efficient Korean side, flights between Johannesburg and Athens will be particularly closely studied.

Greece were loose defensively, inspid in attack, where Angelos Charisteas and Georgios Samaras were both substituted and Loukas Vyntra is unlikely to forget the error that presented Manchester United’s Park Ji-Sung with Korea’s second goal. Greece have yet to win a game or score a goal in a World Cup finals and right now it is hard to see them improving on either statistic.

Had Park Chu-yong not been so wasteful in front of goal, South Korea might have handed out a thrashing. Their real test will come against Argentina in Johannesburg on Thursday while Nigeria’s array of forwards should relish the gifts Greece, on this display, will be handing out in Bloemfontein.