By AVI CREDITOR
Not many figured that Brazil would be tested or frustrated in its World Cup opener against North Korea.
It wasn't until Maicon reminded everyone what the Selecao are capable of that a bit of order was restored for the world's No. 1-ranked team.
The right back scored the game's opening goal on the acutest of angles, squeezing a well-struck shot from the back end of the penalty area into the far netting to give Brazil the lead in the 55th minute. Elano scored 17 minutes later off a pass from Robinho, and the favorites survived a late Ji Yun Nam goal to win at Ellis Park Stadium, 2-1, and grab three crucial points in the touted Group of Death.
Maicon made one of his trademark overlapping runs down the right side until he ran out of pitch. North Korea goalkeeper Ri Myong Guk left the near post unguarded, which allowed Maicon to sneak his shot into the goal.
Here are highlights of Brazil's narrow victory and the day's other results:
IVORY COAST 0, PORTUGAL 0
Didier Drogba's return to action nearly netted The Elephants a late winner, but the Ivory Coast captain misfired on his only scoring chance and the African side and Portugal played to a lackluster scoreless draw in rainy conditions at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
Drogba, wearing a protective cast on his broken right arm, entered the match as a 66th-minute substitute, replacing Chelsea teammate Salomon Kalou. He received a pass in the box to the left of the goal in the 90th minute but pushed his attempt well right while slipping to the ground.
His superstar counterpart, Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, enjoyed success in the early parts of the first half, but his presence was less noticeable as the game wore on, as Portugal hardly threatened to crack the Ivorians' staunch defense.
Ronaldo's best chance came in the 11th minute, when he cut back his dribble to create space and launched a magnificent 30-yard shot that ricocheted off the left post. Portugal barely threatened after that, though Liedson's 58th-minute header forced Boubacar Barry into making a leaping save.
The Ivory Coast settled for the draw by electing to take a short corner instead of driving a ball into the box at the very end of second-half stoppage time.
Both teams trail Brazil by two points and have matches against Brazil and North Korea remaining in group play.
Here are highlights from the match:
NEW ZEALAND 1, SLOVAKIA 1
The All Whites scored arguably the most dramatic goal of the tournament to date, as Winston Reid headed home a Shane Smeltz cross at the death to steal a point for the underdogs at Royal Bafokeng Stadium.
Slovakia had gone ahead in the 50th minute, when Robert Vittek headed Stanislav Sestak's cross into the goal. Vittek appeared to be a step offside, but the flag stayed down and the goal stood.
Reid brought New Zealand level after Smeltz chipped a clever cross into the area. Reid, a defender, timed his run perfectly and scored in the third and final minute of stoppage time to secure his country's first-ever point at a World Cup.
Reid also did his job on the defensive end, denying Vittek of a second goal by cutting him off at the edge of the 6-yard box before he could fire from point-blank range.
New Zealand, Slovakia, Paraguay and Italy are all level with one point in Group F, with each having scored once and conceded once.
Here are highlights from the match:
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Were you surprised at the trouble Brazil had beating North Korea? Disappointed in the Ivory Coast-Portugal match? How do you feel about Drogba playing with a broken arm? Jumping on the New Zealand bandwagon?
Share your thoughts below.
You missed the mark on whatever dig, you attempted to make at me for giving praise to a player within the World Cup.
If you want to make it political, jaded and find some deeper meaning, by all means, knock yourself out.
This is the one month every four years that the World is connected for all the right reasons and allows us to briefly postpone reality in a fashion that unites one another.
(see South Korean’s Ji Sun Park’s comments about North Korea)
I suppose it is your decision to take the “realistic” route in some attempt to be righteous and feel better about yourself at the end of the day, awesome.
However, if we’re being realistic, there are actually several nations within this tournament that have/had a history of oppression, so I guess we might as well just call the games off, right?
I will say that none of us are perfect and judging a man’s political or spiritual views based on the nation he plays for says a lot about the one casting judgment, which in your case….isn’t saying much.
the “look” was to draw the keeper away from the near post…. which he did. shot all the way, result in the second most brilliant goal of the tourney thus far.
Well I’ll assume that since he was eligible for Japan and South Korea as well, that he really loves his dictator.
So what if his eyes were on another player. Quarterbacks do it all the time in the NFL. Maicon faked the goalkeeper like a QB will look off a safety. You can see the goalie move when he did it and that’s how he was able to pull it off.
Why did Ivory Coast give up on their corner kick? That was bizarre.
The US/England game was not a good game…
No, you shouldn’t make it political, because you don’t know Jong’s politics. You don’t know know if he is pro or anti government…you just assume he is. Forgetting all that for a moment, whatever his politics, he and Korea held their ground and did a heck of a lot better than anyone thought and I can easily see them giving the other teams in the group some problems.
I haven’t seen any comments on the horrible diving from Portugal and Ronaldo…
Nothing new for them in a tournament – I hope to god they get knocked out by North Korea.
Jong was born in Japan and was eligible to play for Japan. I don’t know the details but he was also eligible to play for S. Korea. What a man he is.
yeah it’s always a bad idea to score goals in the world cup. Sure. No luck, all skill.
exactly, lots of…folks dissing the best rb in the world. Yeah he can not be THAT good? Well, he is.
+1 Lots of mind readers on the boards, who don’t realize Maicon is considered the best rb in the world, not just because of his quality d.
For USMNT we’d start him at striker probably.
for the record, I believe you made the same claim about Dempsey’s Juventus strike some time back.
So you’re why 0 for 2, on the verge of striking out.
Some players are really good, that’s why they’re playing in the World Cup.
While you assume everyone would scuff the ball like yourself in the same situation. Sure, must be the case.
Yeah, since when is showing strong support for a hereditary dictator who starves his own people and torpedos neighbors’ patrol boats a good thing?
Great player, politically as astute as second city….which is not saying much.
Shot, he’s tried it against Howard last year in the Confed Cup Final and failed. He has succeeded earlier against Portugal.
Brazil didn’t start diving, or whining, or doing anything weak, which is sooo cool to see from the great Brazil! as the second half wore on and it was still nil nil, and all of the feelings that go with that, yet they didn’t cop out, just ground it out
and they did display exactly why a 2-0 lead can be tricky 🙂
I love how NZ came in knowing they weren’t the most skilled team but still wanted to attack. Thats the way you should play as an underdog. North Korea showed some guts but they just sat behind the ball all game hoping to keep it respectable. I know they probably would have been trashed if they attacked but who cares I say if just go for it. Theres no point in showing up if your not gonna play to win. Mind as well score some goals while getting killed.
the ball went in the net so who really cares
Fair enough haha. I guess people on messageboards usually are trying to convince me a circle is a square. You’re entitled to your opinion even if it defies all logic.
Shot. He hit it with the outside toe area of his right foot, thereby giving it clockwise spin. A cross would have been done with the instep and have counter-clockwise spin to move away from goal.
Definitely think it was a shot.
No, the poorest of choices was that of the keeper to position himself about a yard away from the near post.
As bad as I wanted North Korea to win this game or get a result in the other two, I hope they fail miserably to stop the propoganda campaign. There are so many things bigger than soccer. However, they truly showed what makes the World Cup special
It may have been a shot, but it was the poorest of choices, and he got very LUCKY…
“I feel like the guy staring at a rectangle when someone comes up and tells me I’m looking at a circle.”
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Going to assume you’re new to the interwebs, because the above quoted statement accurately encapsulates messageboards.
Numerous opinions are taking over the World! Run for your lives! Ahhhhh
(Please remove tin-foil hat from head, it’ll be ok. I promise.)
Well said, Never. #1 Has anyone on this site ever heard of the “no-look pass”? #2 Has anyone on this site ever seen a Brazilian miss a player THAT badly if indeed he was trying to cross the ball? Puh-lease. It was a shot and golaso. End of story.
Jong Tae Se certainly won me over with his play. I certainly want to see more of him. His play combined with the style and play of the Japanese has made me want to see more of the J-League. Fast pace and not afraid to pull the trigger at any point.
Arguments could be made for the Slovakia New Zealand game too. That late equalizer was pretty intense and NZ’s first point ever at a World Cup.
…. and that’s where it ends
Or the USA England Game?!
There are seriously multiple people on here claiming that was a cross? I feel like the guy staring at a rectangle when someone comes up and tells me I’m looking at a circle. Are you guys so focused on trying to read his eyes that you cannot see the trajectory of the ball in relation to the goal and all the other players on the field?
“and for the record, maicon tried to cross the ball not shoot. his eyes were definitely on another player in the box.”
okay so im guessing u are the nerve inside maicon brain that was used to tell his leg to cross the ball?? yeah talk about what u know, which i DONT know what he did. u THINK u do. but dont “and for the record,…” yeah makes u sound cool.
It was clearly a shot. He wouldn’t have kicked it that hard that close to the goal for a cross.
I can’t believe i am saying this, but during the N. Korea/ Brazil game, i actually found myself rooting for a communist country! what an upset that would have been. i do wonder why jong was crying during the national anthem? i think the kim jong il mind control/link with the national team coach is affecting others as well.
and for the record, maicon tried to cross the ball not shoot. his eyes were definitely on another player in the box.
well according to maicon himself, it was indeed a shot. and i believe him. i mean look at the force of that ball and the direction. i think he was making the run to cross into the middle, then as he came in, saw the keeper leave near post WDIE OPEN(goal keeping 101)and took the shot. plain and simple..pretty ballsy also
Maybe I shouldn’t make this political, but I think history has proven that passion for one’s country when that country happens to be ruled by a crazy dictator isn’t really a good thing. It was nice to see a “minnow” do well against Brazil, but I can’t cheer for that team.
Or the Germany-Australia game
He’s scored with a very similar shot before — Brazil vs Portugal in a friendly a few years ago.
Hard to say…but I thought it was a cross
no debate, pure shot
You are retarded.. if that was a cross that was the worst cross in the history of crosses… I mean really??? It was a missile… While low crosses should be fired in… I don’t think that means delivered by the F-15 which was Maicon’s foot.
Did you even watch the Brazil-N Korea game?
This world cup has sucked so far. Boring Games. Few goals. Why isn’t any team trying to win instead of tie?
Ridiculous near post Shot!
Watch his eyes on the replay, he was definitely looking to link up with a runner in the box.
Without a doubt: Crossing
fc tampa bay represent!!!!!!!!
I say he was shooting.
1 to 1.
Lee
Let the great debate begin on whether Maicon was shooting or crossing that ball. For the record, I say he was crossing it.
JONG Tae Se became my new favorite player in this tournament that isn’t an American.
The passion he showed for his country during the national anthem was moving and the heart/determination he played with, was inspiring.
As evident on how quickly and gracious Brazil’s Lucio was to help JONG Tae Se to his feet after a 50/50 challenge, you could easily see he (and the rest of his team) won Brazil’s sincere respect, despite falling short of 3 points. Something on Lucio’s face just said, “Wow, you guys came ready for a fight. ”
It’s easy to be a front runner and root for the elite teams but I always enjoy cheering for the underdog and North Korea’s effort & class really won me over. I couldn’t help but feel some of the same emotions that were conjured last summer during the Confederations Cup, when the USA shocked many around the World, except the men in their lockerroom.
This, to me, is what makes the World Cup so special. Priceless story lines and underdogs to cheer for, most of which you never expected to at the beginning of the tournament.
New Zealand is awesome. I completely support any success they achieve during the world cup. players like fallon and and reid just recently jumped on the bandwagon, but have proved to be vitally important. 5 players are either playing in mls or have played for mls. and 2 players jarrod smith and duncan oughton were on the preliminary roster or were featured in qualifying. They have a good contingent of successful cc championship level forwards and they work very hard. I surely be rooting for their upcoming matches.