Deco ruled out against North Korea
Source: Agencies |
June 21, 2010, Monday
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Print Edition
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THE pressure will be on Cristiano Ronaldo to start producing goals when Portugal meets North Korea in Cape Town today, although he will be without Deco to feed him passes.
The Chelsea midfielder missed a training session at Green Point Stadium yesterday with a left hip injury and coach Carlos Queiroz ruled him out of the North Korea game.
Ronaldo said he hoped Deco could recover for the final group match against Brazil. "Obviously Deco is always an important piece in the chess game," he said.
Portugal will be looking for a big win, seeking to get at least one foot into the second round ahead of the game against Brazil on Friday.
Brazil took the lead in Group G after beating North Korea 2-1, while Ronaldo had a flat game against Ivory Coast which ended in a draw.
It immediately piled the pressure on Portugal and Ronaldo.
"We are in a fight. If we win we have a good chance to pass to the next level," said Ronaldo.
North Korea played with great composure against Brazil, before succumbing. Coach Kim Jong Hun said the team had gained confidence from the match, despite the loss.
The North Koreans are only looking in one direction to see Portugal's threat - Ronaldo.
North Korea expects the world from Ronaldo. Striker Jong Tae Se compared him favorably with Eusebio, whose four goals in the 1966 5-3 quarterfinal win ended North Korea's fairytale run.
"Ronaldo is better than Eusebio," he said. "He is a more skillful player both tactically and technically."
That remarkable game continues to resonate as one of the greatest games ever at the World Cup.
Both Portugal and North Korea made their debuts on football's biggest stage that year, and their standout performances in England have endured in national lore. North Korea upset Italy 1-0 at the tournament, becoming the first team from Asia to advance to the quarterfinals. Portugal unexpectedly got as far as the semifinals.
By the 23rd minute of that match, North Korea was leading 3-0. Four goals in just over 30 minutes by Eusebio set the Portuguese on the path to an incredible comeback and guaranteed their place in soccer history.
The Chelsea midfielder missed a training session at Green Point Stadium yesterday with a left hip injury and coach Carlos Queiroz ruled him out of the North Korea game.
Ronaldo said he hoped Deco could recover for the final group match against Brazil. "Obviously Deco is always an important piece in the chess game," he said.
Portugal will be looking for a big win, seeking to get at least one foot into the second round ahead of the game against Brazil on Friday.
Brazil took the lead in Group G after beating North Korea 2-1, while Ronaldo had a flat game against Ivory Coast which ended in a draw.
It immediately piled the pressure on Portugal and Ronaldo.
"We are in a fight. If we win we have a good chance to pass to the next level," said Ronaldo.
North Korea played with great composure against Brazil, before succumbing. Coach Kim Jong Hun said the team had gained confidence from the match, despite the loss.
The North Koreans are only looking in one direction to see Portugal's threat - Ronaldo.
North Korea expects the world from Ronaldo. Striker Jong Tae Se compared him favorably with Eusebio, whose four goals in the 1966 5-3 quarterfinal win ended North Korea's fairytale run.
"Ronaldo is better than Eusebio," he said. "He is a more skillful player both tactically and technically."
That remarkable game continues to resonate as one of the greatest games ever at the World Cup.
Both Portugal and North Korea made their debuts on football's biggest stage that year, and their standout performances in England have endured in national lore. North Korea upset Italy 1-0 at the tournament, becoming the first team from Asia to advance to the quarterfinals. Portugal unexpectedly got as far as the semifinals.
By the 23rd minute of that match, North Korea was leading 3-0. Four goals in just over 30 minutes by Eusebio set the Portuguese on the path to an incredible comeback and guaranteed their place in soccer history.
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