FIFA 2010 World Cup Preview: North Korea 0 - 3 Ivory Coast

Africans out despite victory

Yaya Toure, Romaric and Salomon Kalou were on target as Ivory Coast's World Cup campaign ended with a hollow victory over North Korea.

Sven-Goran Eriksson's side struck twice inside 20 minutes as they tore into their limited opponents from the outset, but only frustration followed in their final Group G game.

FIFA 2010 World Cup Preview: Brazil 3 - 1 Ivory Coast

Luis Fabiano leads Brazilian rout

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.

Didier Drogba grabbed a late goal for the Elephants, but the game was marred by the late dismissal of Kaka for an off the-the-ball foul on Kader Keita.

It came too late, though, for the Elephants to respond as they slipped to defeat that leaves them with just a point in Group G, while Brazil now have six.

Chelsea forward Drogba, a second half substitute in the goalless draw against Portugal last week, was named in the starting line-up by coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, while Brazil were unchanged for the much-anticipated encounter in Johannesburg.

The South Americans had a chance inside the opening 60 seconds when a quick break through the middle ended with Robinho sending a dipping shot narrowly over Boubacar Barry's goal from 30 yards.

The Elephants had three free-kicks in dangerous positions on the right, but the quality of delivery was poor, including one from Drogba that flew over. When Emmanuel Eboue did manage to send over a decent set-piece from the left, Julio Cesar punched the ball away.

At the other end, Gilberto Silva smashed an Elano corner from 12 yards out into a defender after 19 minutes, before the deadlock was eventually broken by Luis Fabiano six minutes later.

Robinho and Kaka were heavily involved in the build-up with the Real Madrid midfielder threading a neat final pass to the striker to blast home from six yards out on the right.

The goal initially deflated the Africans, but Aruna Dindane and then Eboue sparked some life back into their attack with decent long-range efforts before half-time.

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.

Drogba should have grabbed a goal straight back for his side, but could only head Dindane's cross wide. The former Portsmouth striker was immediately replaced by Yao Gervinho, but it was Brazil that continued to press.

After Kaka's close-range effort was punched away by Barry, the Ivorian goalkeeper was helpless to stop Elano scoring a third - the Madrid midfielder providing a telling low pass from the right that was guided in by Elano at the far post.

That goal came after 65 minutes and shortly afterwards Maicon sent a low 20-yard shot into the side-netting with Brazil well on top.

With nothing to lose, Eriksson threw on Ndri Romaric, who almost made an instant impact with his driving 20-yard shot only parried by Cesar.

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.

The game got slightly scrappy late on and Kaka received his marching orders after being shown a second yellow card.

Cheik Tiote forced Cesar to tip over a late effort but the game was decided by then.

FIFA World Cup: Ivory Coast 0 - 0 Portugal

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.

Ivory Coast boss Sven-Goran Eriksson was boosted ahead of kick-off when he was able to name captain Drogba among his substitutes just 10 days after he had broken a bone in his arm.

The Swede could not have failed to be satisfied too by the time he welcomed his players back to the dressing room at half-time with an opening 45 minutes in which they had more than matched their opponents.

However, for all that, they could have been behind after Ronaldo saw his spectacular 30-yard strike come back off the upright with keeper Boubacar Barry beaten just 11 minutes in.

In a frustrating first half for the European side, Ronaldo was booked along with defender Guy Demel as they went nose to nose after the winger had gone to ground all too easily, with Demel and Didier Zokora, who had himself earlier been cautioned for unceremoniously upending the Real Madrid star, leaving him in little doubt as to their thoughts on the matter.

But where he was Portugal's only real outlet with Danny and Liedson largely anonymous in a three-man frontline, Ivory Coast showed real enterprise before the break.

Gervinho, leading the line in Drogba's absence, proved a real handful, and with Aruna Dindane and Salomon Kalou similarly progressive, the Portuguese were repeatedly stretched.

That said, keeper Eduardo did not have a single save of any note to make in the opening 45 minutes with speculative efforts from Siaka Tiene and Ismael Tiote requiring only a watching brief.

Eduardo finally had to get his hands dirty two minutes after the restart when Gervinho blasted a shot across him, and Paulo Ferreira did just enough to prevent Kalou from reaching Dindane's cross seconds later.

The Braga keeper was called upon once again with 54 minutes gone when Yaya Toure cut inside at pace and fed Kalou, although the Chelsea man side-footed straight at Eduardo from the edge of the box.

Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz immediately replaced Danny with winger Simao, but it was Deco who provided the 58th-minute cross for Liedson's looping header, which was plucked out of the air by Barry.

Drogba's World Cup began in earnest when he replaced Kalou with 66 minutes gone, but with heavy rain falling, it was Portugal who finished the stronger, although crucially, without coming close to making the breakthrough.