Result: Day 5

New Zealand 1-1 Slovakia

A close match with lots of close chances of scoring ended in a heartbreaking finish.


A close match in which New Zealand started well and looked like winning finished in a 1-1 draw with Slovakia starting great in the second half.


New Zealand Started off well with lots of close chances and went into half time at 0-0 as the better side.
When the second half started Slovakia were off the blocks scoring a great goal after 5mins with Vittek heading in a great goal from close range. In the end New Zealand scored a great headed goal in the last second to make It 1-2 and there first ever World Cup point.

Portugal 0-0  Ivory Coast

The Match which was expected to be full of goals but it finished 0-0. Both teams had there chances but there defences were both to strong and both attacks could not break the line and get it in the net.In the first half Ronaldo had one of the best chance to make it 1-0 with a powerful dipping shot from 30yards out which just missed wide. Ivory Coast also had a good chance with a Tiote Free kick going just over the bar.

If the two teams engaged in trench warfare for the rest of the first half, the second half burst to life early on. Two minutes after the break, Gervinho’s shot was flapped at by goalkeeper Eduardo, and from the resulting corner, Tiate rose, but couldn’t get a clean header on it. Half chances came fast and furious then, with Gervinho’s wayward header from Tiote’s cross on the hour mark being the pick of the bunch. The introduction of Didier Drogba in the 66th minute threatened to turn up the action even more, but as a heavy shower settled on the area, the match lost some steam.

As the clock ran down, Portugal went close from long range efforts from Raul Meireles and Ronaldo, while Kolo Toure might have done better at the far post with a header. In injury time, the west Africans pushed hardest and a chance finally came to Drogba, who clutched his injured arm throughout his time on the pitch, but the big Chelsea man hooked Kader Keita’s through-ball off target.

Brazil 2-1 Korea DPR

Brazil were forced to work hard by Korea DPR to secure all three points and a 2-1 victory with the perennial title challengers held scoreless in the first half by the Asian outsiders.

In the first half the attacking Brazil team could not get through the courageous and strong North Korea Defence.The nearest Brazil came to scoring in the first half was through a Michel Bastos drive from distance which clipped the roof of the net but, in truth, the shot never looked like dipping under the crossbar.

Brazil started the second half brightly, and a Bastos’ free-kick from a central position looked dangerous, but the blistering effort curved wide of the mark. As did Robinho's snapshot moments later, as Brazil were often forced to resort to shooting from distance.

Ten minutes after the interval, a moment of brilliance from Maicon broke the deadlock. There appeared little danger as Maicon chased down a slightly overhit pass into the penalty area, and with the ball just about to roll over the by-line, he blazed a shot between Ri Myong-Guk and the near post, in a goal reminiscent of fellow Brazilian right full-back Josimar at Mexico 1986.

The goal opened up the match as the Koreans started to show more endeavour with numbers going forward. Luis Fabiano looked set to take advantage midway through the second half after being set up by Robinho but the Sevilla man could not find the target.

The contest appeared over as Elano comfortably finished past an exposed Ri Myong-Guk with 18 minutes remaining, with Robinho the provider thanks to an exquisite pass that check-mated the entire Korean defensive quartet.

It was A Selecao who looked more likely to score, but with a minute of regular time remaining, Ji Yun-Nam burst into the penalty area and drove a memorable strike past Julio Cesar - Korea DPR's first goal at a FIFA World Cup™ for 44 years.

All Images from FIFA.com