North Korea 0 Ivory Coast 3

Friday, 25/06/2010

REPORT: James Dielhenn

The Ivory Coast beat North Korea at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, but it was meaningless due to Portugal and Brazil’s goal-less draw, meaning they became the latest African team to exit the World Cup.

Sven-Goran Eriksson’s Ivory Coast needed to win, and Portugal to lose to Brazil, by a combined total of 10 goals. Although this was always highly unlikely, the Ivorians went on an immediate attack.

Unfortunately for North Korea, the poor team who lost 7-0 to Portugal turned up, as opposed to the brave team who battled Brazil in their opening match.  Didier Drogba had the ball in the net early on, but was ruled offside, before Gervinho’s toe-poke was cleared off the line.

After nearly quarter-of-an-hour, the Ivorians broke through. Yaya Toure expertly placed the ball in the bottom corner from the edge of the area, giving Ri Myong-Guk no chance in the Korean goal.

Six minutes later, Drogba missed a good chance by rifling the ball against the crossbar from point-blank range, but Romaric headed home the rebound.

North Korea, whose real achievement was to even qualify for the World Cup, didn’t have the fitness or the ability to challenge the Ivory Coast’s relentless possession of the ball.  It was actually only their own lack of cutting edge that prevented them scoring more in the first-half.

Jong Tae-Sae, dubbed “the people’s Rooney” by his Asian fans due to his robust approach, was Korea’s only attacking threat.  Even for all his physicality, his team-mates didn’t follow suit, and gave the Ivory Coast too much time on the ball.  The Africans needed six goals going into the second half, but couldn’t find an attacking rhythm. 

Drogba, who was surely playing half-fit after his arm injury a week before the World Cup began, was unusually wasteful, missing a couple of headers that he scores regularly in the Premier League.

Salomon Kalou added a late third goal as he converted Arthur Boka’s cross, before Aruna Dindane’s fourth goal was disallowed for offside.

The Ivory Coast, blessed with a generation of players that were predicted to make them the best ever African team, will go home after underachieving once again.  With the likes of Drogba the wrong side of 30, the nation may have wasted their chance to make an impact on the world stage.

Goals:

Yaya Toure (14)

Romaric (20)

Kalou (82)

Shoot Man of the Match: Yaya Toure

For reports of previous matches at the tournament please go to the International section.

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