In Durban, South Africa, Portugal reached the second round of the World Cup yesterday after a 0-0 draw with group winner Brazil as two of soccer’s most powerful offenses couldn’t score.
Brazil already had secured advancement and won Group G with seven points, two more than Portugal. Ivory Coast, which beat North Korea 3-0, was third with four points. The Koreans ended with zero.
Portugal came into the match with a comfortable goal differential to just about guarantee its spot in the round of 16 even with a loss.
Brazil plays Chile, the runner-up in Group H, on Monday in Johannesburg.
“Portugal came playing back, trying to use Cristiano Ronaldo on the counterattacks,” Brazil goalie Julio Cesar said. “It was a difficult group so it was good to finish first. Now the hard part begins and we can’t lose anymore.”
Portugal faces Spain, the Group H winner, Tuesday in Cape Town.
“Portugal advanced with merits and now we have to start thinking about our next matches,” coach Carlos Queiroz said. “It was a difficult match for Brazil and for us.”
Ivory Coast 3, North Korea 0
Ivory Coast bowed out of the World Cup in style.
Needing an offensive show and a little bit of luck to make the second round, the Elephants got the offense but not the luck.
In Nelspruit, South Africa, Yaya Toure, Koffi Romaric N’Dri and Salomon Kalou each scored in a win over North Korea, thrilling a pro-Ivory Coast crowd.
The only problem was that the Ivorians needed Portugal to lose to Brazil, then had to make up a nine-goal difference with the Portuguese to have a chance of moving on.
“Our World Cup is over today,” Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba said. “But I think we can be proud of what we did against Portugal and against Brazil — even if we lost — and today.”
GROUP H
Switzerland 0, Honduras 0
Switzerland’s defense is as good as it gets in soccer. That wasn’t enough at the World Cup.
Despite yielding only one goal in three games, the Swiss did not advance to the second round because they couldn’t score against Honduras in Bloemfontein, South Africa. The scoreless draw sent Chile into the round of 16, the runner-up to Spain in Group H.
The Swiss could have locked up a spot in the second round with a two-goal win over Honduras. But Switzerland played with little urgency or creative flair until late in the match, and it couldn’t turn its domination of possession into quality scoring opportunities.
Honduras almost stole a win in the 71st minute, but goalkeeper Diego Benaglio denied a wide-open Edgar Alvarez with a brilliant one-handed save.
“We had an incredible Diego Benaglio who kept us in the game,” Switzerland coach Ottmar Hitzfeld said. “But as far as our creative play, that’s not something I can be happy with. I’m not happy with my strikers, either.”