Portugal have one foot firmly in the knockout stages after a resounding victory over North Korea in rainy Cape Town.
The seven-goal winning margin and massive goal difference injection should be enough to see them progress from Group G even if they lose in their last game against Brazil.
The permutations will matter little now after thegoalfest, although in the early stages, the favourites had plenty to think about. Korea made a bright start to the match and surprised the Portuguese by showing unexpected adventure in attack, even if the European side came closest to scoring when Ricardo Carvalho cracked header off the post in the seventh minute.
Korea certainly looked shaky at times but so too did Portugal, with Korean fullback Cha Jong-Hyok blasting a 25-yard drive just wide, before Hong drove another at the ‘keeper from wide on the right hand channel. The rebound fell to Pak who agonisingly failed to keep his header down with the goal beckoning.
Next to have a pop from distance was Ahn Yong-Hak, whose effort slipped off the wet surface and wide, but clearly the buccaneering Koreans were willing to take a dip at the goal from practically anywhere.
For all there was to admire in the underdogs however, greater guile finally told in the 29th minute when Portugal took the lead. Tiago’s through ball was surgically precise to match the quality of the ghosting run into the box by midfield partner Raul Meireles, who drilled his shot low under the advancing ‘keeper.
The goal took some of the wind out of Korea’s sails, and settled Portugal down as well, and so the favourites took a grip on the match. Meireles dragged another effort just wide on 35 minutes, the Porto man’s well-timed incursions into the box clearly beginning to outfox defenders, before Simao drove a low centre across the box on the stroke of half time, just evading his onrushing attackers.
Despite their weakening influence as an attacking force, there was still hope for the Koreans at the break, but it was extinguished in the space of seven second half minutes. First, a long diagonal ball to the edge of the box saw Almeida touch off to Meireles, who slipped Simao in for 2-0. Three minutes later Fabio Coentrao surged down the left and placed a cross on to the head of the unmarked Hugo Almeida, who duly nodded home, and the game was effectively finished as a contest when Ronaldo broke down the left and found the lurking Tiago, who angled home to the bottom right corner from just inside the box.
Portugal were all over a demoralised Korea by this stage, Meireles going close on 64 before being subbed and Ronaldo cracking a great effort off the bar from outside the box, before warming the goalie’s hands again just a minute later from the other side of the area.
Korea huffed and puffed but they were soon picking the ball out of the net again, as sub striker Liedson pounced on a poor clearance to power home with practically his first touch on 81minutes.
The sixth had an element of exhibition about it, aptly from arch-exhibitionist Ronaldo, who was blocked on his way to goal before the ball spun up, landed on his back, rolled off and dropped onto his toe for an easy finish from 12 yards.
Then Tiago completed the rout two minutes from time, rising to Simao’s left wing cross and heading down into right corner from around the penalty spot.
It was all tough luck on the Koreans who admirably came to have a go after playing in a tactical straitjacket against Brazil in their first game, but ultimately, class told where bravery didn’t.