Portugal poach with a dominating 7-0 won removing the Asian team from the competition over North Korea at the World Cup in Group G 2010 on Monday.
Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz said,'' It was a great day for Portugal and Portuguese football,'' The players are really happy with the way they played, the attitude for the game, the beautiful football, the beautiful goals.'' The win moves Portugal into second place in Group G with four points, two behind Brazil. The Ivory Coast has one point, and North Korea is out of the tournament after two straight losses.
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.
As they game went on, Portugal became more aggressive and after we conceded the first goal, the desire and wish to equalise led to my team's collapse. Ronaldo signalled his intentions by unleashing a long-range strike on two minutes that goalkeeper Ri Myong-Guk did well to collect. Ricardo Carvalho also had an early chance, rattling the post with a header, as Portugal set about their task with vigour. The opportunities were coming thick and fast as Portugal used wingers Simao on the right and Ronaldo on the left effectively.
North Korea finally got a shot at goal on 10 minutes with defender Cha Jong-Hyok whipping a 30 yard piledriver just past the upright.
The Cholima were certainly not intimidated and could have taken a shock lead when captain Hong Yong-Jo's shot was parried by Eduardo, only for Mun In-Guk to head the rebound over the bar.
The Portuguese came out after the break pushing hard for the second goal which inevitably came on 53 minutes with Meireles slicing open the Korean defence with a pass to Athletic Madrid's Simao who slotted the ball past Ri.
North Korea were in disarray and let their guard down again three minutes later when Fabio Coentrao beat his man on the left and sent a lovely cross to Hugo Almeida who made no mistake with a powerful header.
Portugal were rampant and the fourth goal came soon after when Ronaldo picked out Tiago in the box and he clinically side-footed home before Liedson volleyed in the fifth with nine minutes left. Ronaldo made the most of a lucky bobble to get the sixth in the 87th minute before Tiago rubbed salt in the Korean wounds with a late deft header.
Portugal were rampant and the fourth goal came soon after when Ronaldo picked out Tiago in the box and he clinically side-footed home before Liedson volleyed in the fifth with nine minutes left. Ronaldo made the most of a lucky bobble to get the sixth in the 87th minute before Tiago rubbed salt in the Korean wounds with a late deft header.