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 made four changes to the team that drew 0-0 with Ivory Coast, with
Tiago replacing the injured Deco and Simao, Almeida and Miguel in for Danny,
Liedson and Paulo Ferreira.The revamped team started brightly on a slippery
pitch after persistent rain.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 effectivelyNorth Korea finally got a shot at goal on 10 minutes
with defender Cha Jong-Hyok whipping a 30 yard piledriver just past the
upright.As the rain returned, the Koreans were starting to look handy and far
more aggressive than when they lost 2-1 to Brazil, surging forward to threaten
the Portugal goal.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