Review: Day 15

Group G

Brazil   0-0   Portugal

Ivory Coast   3-0   North Korea

Final Standings

1. Brazil

2. Portugal

3. Ivory Coast

4. North Korea

Back on December 4th when the draw was made, Brazil versus Portugal was instantly looked upon on as the game to watch of the opening round. How wrong everyone was...

The game on Friday afternoon was scrappy and neither side attacked in numbers. Often Cristiano Ronaldo was left on his own to run into dead ends and for Brazil Julio Baptista is certainly not Kaka. That said, the finest display of natinal anthems yet seen was on show before the game.

With both sides sure to qualify an open game between two relaxed teams was expected but it never materialised. There was a fear of defeat, even though future opponents were still unknown. Ultimately a lack of a Brazilian playmaker cost the team here. With nobody to provide a final pass for Nilmar and Luis Fabiano the Selecao were never going to score. 

This performance wont go down well in South America also. The Brazilian media will now feel justified in their pevious criticism of Dunga. The Samba boys have only produced sporadic magic thus far and not once in Durban against Portugal. Such a showing wont do against Chile on Monday.

Portugal won't be getting past Spain either if they're this dire again. Their own Sellecao may feel aggrieved, especially Pepe, with some of the rough treatment they suffered. Raul Merieles had what was his sides best and practically only chance but now, in two of their three games, have failed to score. Leading strikers Liedson and Hugo Almeida have been used but neither made the cut for Friday's game. 

Ivory Coast missed their chance to progress when settling for a draw against a very underwhelming Portugal team in their opening game. That result and their subsequent loss to Brazil left them needing eight goals today and hoping the Brazilians could get one. The Elephants managed three and a hatful of other attempts but their chase was always going to be in vain. 

The North Koreans impressed in their first match with Brazil but as their opposition have learned more about them the goals have began to flood in. Having conceded 12 in three games that leaves them with by far the worst defensive record of all 32 teams. Incidentally it is their neighbours to the south who have conceded the second most goals, along with Australia, but they still progressed having shipped six goals.         

Group H

Chile   1-2   Spain

Honduras   0-0   Switzerland

Final Standings

1. Spain

2. Chile

3. Switzerland

4. Honduras

The European champions won Group H even though the lost their opening match. The pre-tournament favourites had no option but to win their final two games, a feat they achieved but not as convincingly as one would expect. 

Chile gave them a helping hand in Pretoria though. Both centre backs, Gary Medel and Waldo Ponce, picked up yellow cards and Marco Estrada was sent off in the aftermath of Spain's second goal for a accidental challenge on Fernando Torres which the Liverpool striker made the most of.  

From that point La Seleccion should have pushed on to finish off their opponents through their passing and movement but Chile continued to show the spirit that has been familiar off them so far.

Marcelo Bielsa's team started the game brightly despite picking up some needless yellow cards. The passed the ball confidently and got forward in numbers with every opportunity but a couple of calamities almost cost them a place in the second round. With the score at 2-0, a solitary Swiss goal against Honduras would have ended their tournament. 

Having got an early goal back right after half time the game settled. At that point the Swiss needed two to progress which seemed unlikely. Spain controlled possession against the ten men for the remainder of the game but Chile were happy to get behind the ball in the knowledge they they wouldn't be easily breached. 

What was potentially the game of the first round between two attacking teams was partially spoiled by the sending off in the first half. Even with their lead Spain looked vulnerable to the Chilean attack. A comeback was never likely though once Estrada left the field. 

In the end, the scoreline suited both sides, although Chile will be the more worried having to face a Brazil team who defeated them twice in qualifying, comfortably. Playing them without their two suspended centre halves makes the task even more daunting.

The two goal victory that Switzerland needed would have been expected by both Chile and Spain but it never came to be. The Swiss art of defending had to be compromised in favour of goal scoring but the goals never game, and either did the chances. Eren Derdiyok probably had the best of them but much as he did in the final minute against Chile, he continuously fluffed his lines.

The three points could easily have swung the other way had the Hondurans shown some confidence in front of goal, but they depart the scene having failed to score, just like Algeria.   

Ottmar Hitzfeld's team started the tournament with its biggest shock at that point but their defensive tactics won them no friends. The players to score goals and those to set hem up are there but they failed to click when it mattered most.