World Cup Day Five

The World Cup continues with the opening match today between two minnows - New Zealand versus Slovakia. Despite expecting a rather rugged match, both teams play with a degree of intensity and passion, and the first half is quite open with both teams keen to take an early lead in their group. Although the first half remains goalless, Slovakia are clearly on the ascendancy towards the end of the half.

Within five minutes of the restart it is the Slovakians that take the lead with a good headed goal by Robert Vittek, although the New Zealand defense seem to have gone AWOL.

New Zealand battle hard, but look completely unable to break down Slovakia who look far more dangerous going forward on the break.

With a minute of the four minutes of extra time to be played, young Winston Reid heads home a dramatic and undeserved equalizer, and becomes a National Hero overnight.

The second match between Portugal and Ivory Coast was a low-scoring classic. Ivory Coast clearly have the edge of possession whilst it is only Ronaldo’s blistering shot that hits the target, but it bounces back off the post. Not surprisingly, Ronaldo’s spends much of the half either on the floor or glaring at the Uruguayan referee.

The second half continues with Ivory Coast dominating play for the first 20 minutes after the break, before Portugal begin to exert some pressure. The last few minutes of the game and it is Ivory Coast who pile the pressure back on, but the game ends goalless in a game that both teams would have been hurt bad by a loss.

There is much anticipation for the third and final game of the day, with favourites Brazil playing the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea.

It is an emotional night for the North Koreans as highlighted by J. Tai Se who is in floods of tears as their National Anthem is played. Contrast this with the distant and remote Cristiano Ronaldo during the Portuguese anthem!

Not surprisingly, it is Brasil who dominate possession during the first half, but the organized and efficient Koreans hold their own and produce a few attacks themselves usually generated on the right side of play. It is all square as the whistle blows for half time.

After the break however, Brazil up the tempo really turning the screws on the Koreans. However it takes a wonder goal from Maikin in the 55th minute to break the deadlock, producing a fierce shot from an improbable angle on the right to open the scoring. It is Elano who adds an excellent second goal in the 72nd minute and one fears for a trouncing. Nonetheless the Koreans grab an opportunistic goal from Ji in the 89th minute, with a touch of Brazilian magic himself, giving what could be an important consolation goal to the North Koreans.

Anyone who is interested in the North Koreans' participation in the 1966 World Cup Finals should check out the amazing documentary The Game of Their Lives - one of the most poignant soccer documentaries of all time.