Group G : Dance of samba

Group of death finally ended as expected when five times champions Brazil and semi finalist in Germany, Portugal qualified for the second round. The title of a popular Brazilian samba is not a problem when winning the first two games and draw with Portugal for the second round and hunting sixth championship.

Ivory Coast and North Korea are too weak compared with the two teams above to advance to the second round. Further regrettable when Portugal won wide score over the North Korea proved that between them there are outclass from the technical and experience.


Equally strong for Portugal and Ivory Coast

Although much has been said about the attacking power of Côte d'Ivoire and Portugal, the two Group G giants proved themselves solid at the back, cancelling each other out in a scoreless draw in Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth.

Ronaldo, who has not scored an international goal in 16 months, rattled a post with a blistering early strike, but that was as close as his side came to snatching victory on a frustrating afternoon at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

Even Didier Drogba's arrival as a second-half substitute, to the delight of a crowd of 37,034, could not separate the sides as each attempted to gain the upper hand in Group G ahead of their respective encounters with Brazil.

As a fact show that Ivory Coast averaged 3.2 goals per game during qualifying with Drogba, just 1.9 without their captain. However for Portugal, It is just the second time in 20 World Cup matches that they are finished 0-0.

Brazil close win over brave Korean

Brazil began their quest for a sixth world crown with victory over North Korea at Ellis Park but it was far from a vintage display from Dunga's men against hard-working opposition.

On paper the contrast between the pair could not have been starker; in what was the nations' first-ever meeting. Five-time world champions Brazil are top of FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking while Korea DPR sit at 105. The Koreans came into the contest on a run of eight outings without a victory, while Brazil conversely, and had won their previous four matches.

Brazil get first goal in 55th minute when a moment of brilliance from Maicon broke the deadlock. There appeared little danger as he chased down a slightly overhit pass into the penalty area, but with the ball just about to roll over the by-line, he blazed a shot between goalkeeper Ri Myong-Guk and the near post, in a goal reminiscent of fellow Brazilian right full-back Josimar at Mexico 1986.

Brazil added a second in the 72nd minute and it was a thing of beauty as Robinho slipped a perfect through-ball to Elano advancing into the box on the right and the Galatasaray man made no mistake with a cool side-footed finish. The goalscorer was immediately substituted, with Dani Alves coming on.

With the clock ticking down it was A Selecao who looked more likely to score a third, but with a minute of regular time remaining, Ji burst into the penalty area and drove a memorable strike past Julio Cesar - Korea DPR's first goal at a FIFA World Cup™ for 44 years.

The win took Brazil top of Group G, above Portugal and the Ivory Coast, but they did not look particularly convincing in living up to their tag of joint World Cup favourites alongside Spain.

Samba trash Elephant 3-1

Kaka was controversially sent off as a brace from Luis Fabiano and an Elano strike helped Brazil ease to victory in their battle with Ivory Coast at Soccer City.

Two goals from Luis Fabiano and a third by Elano secured the second victory for Dunga’s side in South Africa. It was not all good news for the South Americans, though, who finished the game with ten men after Kaka received a late red card after a clash with Kader Keita. It was Kaka’s second yellow card and came after the Brazilian appeared to dig an elbow into the chest of Keita, who went down clutching his face.

Robinho had a hand in the opening goal after 25 minutes, some lovely interplay between him, Kaka and Luis Fabiano preceding Kaka's through-ball to the No9 which left him clear to lash a spectacular shot high inside the near post. The score remain until half time end.
Five minutes after the restart, the advantage was doubled by Luis Fabiano, who looked to have used his arm to control the ball in the build-up. The initial problem was created when Siaka Tiene allowed the ball to bounce, letting the striker take charge and beat two defenders, before volleying home.

Kaka adding suffer for Ivory coast when The Real Madrid playmaker broke down the left and running at Kolo Toure, found the space to drill in a low cross that Elano turned home for his second goal of the finals. Sadly for Elano that was his final contribution as, soon after, he took a kick on the shin from Ismael Tiote and left the field on a stretcher.

Drogba finally made his mark in the 79th minute in a move inspired by Gervinho. The Lille striker ran almost the length of the pitch and then, after being stopped in his tracks, pulled the ball back to Yaya Toure to lift over a good cross for the Chelsea forward to head home.

Portugal too strong for Korean

Portugal produced a spectacular performance of fluidity and flair to earn their first win of the World Cup in style against North Korea. They easily trashing the Korean defender seven times in phenomenon win.

Only a Raul Meireles goal divided the teams after a closely contested first half but it was a different story after the restart when Portugal devastated the North Korean defence with three goals inside eight minutes before the hour from Simao, Hugo Almeida and Tiago. With the clock ticking down, Liedson, Cristiano Ronaldo and Tiago again compounded their opponents' woes to produce Portugal's biggest FIFA World Cup™ victory and the widest winning margin so far in South Africa.

There were few parallels to draw with the teams' previous meeting on the world stage, their 1966 quarter-final in England when Eusebio – watching from the stands in Cape Town – so famously struck four goals as Portugal retrieved a three-goal deficit. There will be no repeat run from the North Koreans this time, their second defeat in Group G confirming their elimination. Portugal, by contrast, sit second in the section, with a three-point advantage over Côte d’Ivoire – and overwhelming gulf in goal difference – ahead of their final game against Brazil.

By fact, It is only the second time Portugal have scored more than two goals in a match at the World Cup since 1966.

Draw enough for Brazil on the top

The Brazilian carnival rolled into Durban on Friday, turning the sunny Indian Ocean coastal city into Copacabana beach for a day. However, the South Americans were unable to reward their vociferous support with goals, drawing 0-0 with Portugal – a result that takes both sides through to the Round of 16.

Brazil clinched top spot while the Portuguese got the point they needed to finish second in the standings to also progress to the second round ahead of Ivory Coast, who defeated North Korea.

Much was expected from the match at a packed Moses Mabhida stadium with both sides possessing plenty of flair and despite an electric atmosphere with the Brazilian fans far outnumbering the Portuguese supporters, there was little action on the pitch.

Prior to the game, Brazil had failed to score just twice in their last 21 World Cup matches, both of which came against France.

Elephant win could change the elimination

Yaya Toure and Romaric scored first-half goals and Salomon Kalou added a late third as Côte d'Ivoire defeated Korea DPR in Nelspruit on Friday, yet Portugal's 0-0 draw with Brazil ensured the west Africans still ended the afternoon eliminated. With four points, the Elephants finish one behind the Portuguese, while Brazil top Group G with seven and the Koreans go home after three defeats.

The threatened goal duly arrived after 13 minutes as Toure took a neat touch from an Arthur Boka cross and coolly placed a shot into the bottom corner from 18 yards.

Romaric then clipped the post from distance before a fierce Drogba shot rattled the underside of the bar and bounced off the line to allow Romaric to head in the second.

Côte d'Ivoire coach Sven-Goran Eriksson brought on forwards Aruna Dindane and Kalou in the 64th minute in the quest for more goals, but they left themselves more open at the back and Jong had two chances to score in the 81st minute, with the Korean sharpshooter denied only by some desperate defending. Just a minute after that, Côte d'Ivoire finally found their third – merely a consolation at that point – as Kalou managed to touch in Boka's cross ahead of the charging goalkeeper.

The winning Côte d'Ivoire over North korea still not enough to help them through to second round. Despite that, in 107 previous World Cup matches, no African side has scored more than three goals in a single match.