Tuesday June 15th

Group F

Last gasp header makes Kiwi history

Slovakia 1 New Zealand 1 (Rustenburg)
New Zealand made history by earning their first ever point of the finals with a last gasp goal against Slovakia. The Kiwis started positively and Killen headed straight at the keep in the 4th minute, but it was Slovakia who came close in the 27th minute when a snapshot from Sestak went just wide. Smeltz hit the side netting for New Zealand in the 38th minute and Hamsik saw his shot palmed over the New Zealand bar 2 minutes from the break. Five minutes into the 2nd half Slovakia took the lead when Vittek nodded the ball past Paston and as Slovakia continued to push forward they passed the ball into the box in the 69th minute but Reid blocked brilliantly at the last moment. Smeltz headed just wide for New Zealand in the 88th minute but with only second of stoppage time remaining he delivered a delightful cross for Winston Reid to head in off the post and earn New Zealand a point.

Dull Elephants drown out Portugal

Group G

Ivory Coast 0 Portugal 0 (Port Elizabeth)

The Ivory Coast and Portugal played out a goalless draw in the rain. Christiano Ronaldo let rip from 35 yards hitting the post in the 11th minute but that was not the shape of things to come as the Ivoirians under the management of Sven Göran Eriksson set out to contain the Portuguese. Kalou Toure had a tame shot at Eduardo after receiving the ball from his brother Yaya in the 54th minute and 4 minutes later Barry in the Ivory Coast goal gathered the ball acrobatically from a Liedson header. The introduction of Didier Drogba in the 66th minute with his broken arm protected did not change the outcome of the match that had been billed as a heavyweight clash but turned out to be a disappointing spectacle.

Group G

Brazil edge gutsy North Korea

Brazil 2 North Korea 1 (Johannesburg)

A well-drilled North Korean side made the mighty Brazil work hard to gain a narrow victory in their opening match. An angled shot from Maicon in the 27th minute which Gok punched away for a corner was the only main threat on goal in a first half that Brazil controlled by holding and passing the ball about, and North Korea brought to life with the occasional determined run notably by Jong Tae se on the left side. Brazil broke the deadlock ten minutes into the second half when Maicon smashed the ball in on the run from an almost impossible angle. Gok fisted away a 61st minute shot from Bastos and 2 minutes later Fabiano brought the ball down in the box but blasted it over the bar. Robinho fed Elano with a delicious through ball to roll into the corner of the net and make it 2 for Brazil in the 72nd minute. Nilmar and Melo (twice) had shots on target in the last ten minutes that didn't trouble the Korean keeper and in the 85th minute Jong raced towards the Brazil goal but was brilliantly tackled by Juan. With 2 minutes of the match left a free-kick was nodded back by Jong into the path of Ji Yun Nam who ran into the box and scored with a rasping shot past Cesar to give North Korea a consolation goal.