A merciless Portugal tore North Korea to shreds in a 7-0 rout on Monday, putting them within reach of the knockout rounds and eliminating the Asian nation from the World Cup.
With Brazil already qualified from Group G, Portugal now have four points to Ivory Coast’s one, leaving Didier Drogba’s team with only an outside chance of making the round of 16. North Korea have lost both their games and will head home after their last match against the Africans.
A Raul Meireles strike put Portugal in front with the Porto midfielder pouncing in the 29th minute. But it wasn’t all one-way traffic, with North Korea creating their own chances as they powered forward on the counter-attack.
The game changed though with three quick second-half goals from Simao, Hugo Almeida and Tiago that left North Korea shellshocked before substitute Liedson banged in the fifth.
Captain Cristiano Ronaldo got the sixth, ending his two-year international goal drought, before Tiago made it seven. Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz, who made four changes with Tiago replacing the injured Deco and Simao, Almeida and Miguel in for Danny, Liedson and Paulo Ferreira, paid tribute to his players.
“I would like to express my great satisfaction to my players for the wonderful way they played, their great attitude, their reverence to the game. It was beautiful football, a great day,” he said. “In terms of self confidence, scoring goals always improves confidence. When we played like we did today, it is obviously a great motivation for the next match.”
North Korean coach Kim Jong Hun took responsibility for their collapse. “In today’s match, our players I think played to their full potential but tactically speaking it fell apart and we could not block their attacks and that’s why they scored so many goals,” he said.
— AFP