The game, which was played at the Makhulong Stadium in Johannesburg, was however marred by a stampede which broke out shortly after the start of the second half.

According to police reports, at least 20 people, including one policeman, were injured during the stampede forcing the match officials to stop the game for around five minutes to attend to the injured and ensure the safety of fans in the overcrowded main stand where the fencing had been removed.

The match itself saw Lagerback making a few changes from the side that had played a 1-1 draw with Colombia in their previous game as he restored the duo of Yobo and Danny Shittu in the heart of the defence with Chidi Odiah and Taiwo at the right and left side of the defence. Dickson Etuhu and Lukman Haruna, whose work rate keeps increasing with every game, along with Sani Kaita who played from the right side of midfield and Nsofor, on the opposite end, were once again in the middle while Osaze Odemwingie and Yakubu led the forward line..

Great start

The predominantly Nigerian crowd at the venue were handed the best of starts after a sweet interchange of passes between Yakubu and Nsofor ended with Yakubu slotting the ball into the back of the net.

In the 24th minute Taye Taiwo’s audacious freekick from well over 40 yards almost proved more than a handful for the Korean goalkeeper. But two minutes later, the Olympique Marseille defender almost gifted the ‘Chollima’, as the North Koreans are known, an equalizer when he was too slow to prevent a cross across the face of the Nigerian goal by the crafty Mun In-Guk.

The second half saw Lagerback introducing Elderson Echiejile, Kalu Uche and Yusuf Ayila for Taye Taiwo, Sani Kaita and the enterprising Dickson Etuhu. Nsofor almost extended Nigeria’s lead four minutes after the restart but his deflected shot fell into the hands of the Korean goalkeeper.

Stampede

A minute later, the match had to be stopped after a stampede broke out in the stands. Five minutes following the restart, the referee awarded a penalty to the Super Eagles after a Korean defender inadvertently handled the ball and Nsofor was on hand to make it 2-0 for Nigeria.

A mistake in defence however saw Jong getting the better of Enyeama in the 64th minute, and three minutes later, the Koreans were denied a penalty after the referee erroneously awarded a free-kick for a foul by Chidi Odiah. A red card to Cha Jong-Hyok for a second bookable offence however left room in the Korean defence which Uche capitalised on to run rings round the backline before crossing for Martins to nod into a gaping net.

The game was the last warm-up match the Eagles will play before their opening match against Argentina on Saturday, June 12, 2010
.