Ivory Coast and Portugal Share point

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PORT ELIZABETH – Portugal and Côte d’Ivoire to end the allowance for the Group G match of World Cup in 2010 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, Tuesday (15/06/2010), with a 0-0 draw. Both also share 1 point. This makes them have to work hard in the next two games.

Group G is hell group because consist of strong teams. Only North Korea is considered to be weaker so that representatives from Asia is predicted to be a source of three points for Brazil, Ivory Coast, and Portugal. For information, Brazil will play the inaugural game early in the day against North Korea.

Ivory Coast will first meet  Brasil on June 21 at Soccer City Stadium, Johannesburg. After that, Portugal turn to face "Samba Team" on June 25 in Moses Mabhiba Stadium, Durban, which also becomes the ultimate party in the group stage.

The match took place in a slow tempo since the referee Jorge Larrionda sounded the whistle. Portuguese doing ball possession to find the gaps through Ivory Coast defense.

The opportunity came in the sixth minute when Ronaldo made a solo run. However, the world’s most expensive player were stopped by Didier Zokora before he was chasing a ball that has passed the Ivory Coast defender. The referee immediately reward Zokora a yellow card.

In minute 11th, Ronaldo fired spectacularly from the middle of the field. Unfortunately, Jabulani-official World Cup ball, just hit the right goalpost and bounced out. Goalkeeper Boubacar Barry is safe from being broken early in this game.

After canon ball fire from that captain, the rhythm of the game began to increase. The Ivory Coast players also began to dare to "come out" an attack at the same time to reduce the aggressiveness of Portugal. Bumping often happen and there’s a little dispute between Ronaldo and Guy Demel in the 20th minute, which resulted in yellow cards for both players.

Nevertheless, up to 45 minutes, no goals are created. Both teams had 45 minutes to end the first round with a nil score.

Entering the second round, Ivory Coast almost immediately tears the Portugal net. Gervinho, who ran from the left wing, managed to penetrate the penalty box and release the hard kick to the mouth of the goal. Luckily, Eduardo could  dismiss the ball so swiftly so that the ball out and just gave a corner kick.

At the beginning of this second round, Ivory Coast play more aggressively. "The Elephant" team from coach Sven-Goran Eriksson continues to launch attacks from various directions. However, Portugal had to respond very dangerous, as happened in minute 56.

Playmaker Deco, who operate on the left wing release a feet to the mouth of Ivory Coast goal and was struck by Liedson powerful header. However, goalkeeper Barry also appeared quite brilliant because he can anticipate and capture the skin round with sticky.

Seeing his team attack is not too biting,  Eriksson pulling out Salomon Kalou. Former England coach is entering the mainstay striker, Didier Drogba, who in this fight using elbow protectors. Drogba was in the process of recovery of elbow injury he got while testing against Japan on June 4.

The inclusion of Chelsea striker is still not a positive impact and its movement is too easy to read, and turned off by the Portuguese rearguard. As a result, Drogba just walking and running without the ball fell to him because all feed can always countered.

During injury time, Drogba was given a very nice opportunity when he received feedback from Keita breakthrough. Only dealing with goalkeeper Eduardo, Drogba left foot execution strayed far  on the left side of goal. The failure of this opportunity dashed Ivory Coast hopes  to score. The duel was over with 0-0 on scoreboard.

The Player Composition

Ivory Coast: 1-Boubacar Barry; 5-Didier Zokora, 4-Kolo Toure, 17-Siaka tiene, 20-Guy Demel, 19-Yaya Toure, 9-Ismael Tiote, 21-Emmanuel Eboue; 8-Salomon Kalou (11 – Didier Drogba 66 ‘), 15-Aruna Dindane, 10-Gervinho (18-Kader Keita 81′).

Portugal: 1-Eduardo; 2-Bruno Alves, 6-Ricardo Carvalho, 23-Fabio Coentrao, 3-Paulo Ferreira; 8-Pedro Mendes, 16-Raul Meireles (17-Ruben Amorim 85 ‘), 20-Deco (19 – Tiago 62 ‘); 7-Cristiano Ronaldo, 9-Liedson, 10-Danny (11-Simao 55′).

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