THE World Cup has always had its fair share of underdogs who have upset the bigger nations and the bookies on the biggest stage of all to the delight of neutrals everywhere.
The opening game of Group C in South Africa will see England pitted against the USA with the two nations much closer ranked than they were in 1950 when the USA caused arguably one of the biggest upsets of all time defeating England 1-0. At the time England were favourites to win the tournament but were dispatched by a team of amateurs. It was the game that spawned the movie "The Game Of Their Lives" and so unfathomable was the result that the English press assumed a typo on the news wire and a 1-0 England win was widely reported. No change there then.
Here's the a couple more major upsets in more recent times.
South Korea 2 Italy 1
The game seemed to follow the expected script as Italy took a 1-0 lead but a Korean equaliser took the game extra time before Ahn Jung-hwan's 117 minute header sealed the win in double dramatic fashion given the 2002 finals employed the "golden goal" rule meaning the first goal scored in extra time ended the game leaving Italy no chance to respond. So incensed was the owner of Ahn's Italian club side Perugia, he tore up Ahn's contract and although he later rescinded this act Ahn never played in Italy again.
Spain 0 Northern Ireland 1
Taking on hosts Spain in their own backyard, few gave Northern Ireland a prayer of pulling off an upset of such magnitude and topping the group. But a resolute defensive performance and this goal two minutes into the second half from Gerry Armstrong secure Northern Ireland their proudest moment on the game's biggest stage.
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