Ivory Coast and Portugal fire blanks

Ivory Coast and Portugal entered the World Cup fray here on Tuesday and produced a goalless draw marked by Didier Drogba’s return to action just ten days after surgery on his broken arm.

The African superstar, wearing a protective cast, was introduced as a second half substitute but he was unable to tip the balance in his countrymen’s favour in the Group G clash.

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo had the best chance to break the stalemate on a crisp winter’s afternoon in the first half when the Real Madrid winger’s 25m shot rattled Boubacar Barry’s left post in the 10th minute. Barry’s opposite number Eduardo was let off the hook when shortly after Siaka Tiene’s curling long range freekick edged wide. Another Ivorian, Ismael Tiote, then watched as his effort went over the Portuguese crossbar.Referee Jorge Larrionda flashed his yellow card at defender Guy Demel for a foul on Ronaldo who in turn was cautioned for his stroppy reaction.

The Ivory Coast, the last of the six teams from Africa to enter the World Cup fray in South Africa, were giving as good as they got against their rivals from Europe ranked third in the world.

A Drogba-inspired Elephants had Portugal on the hop in time added on but he miscued his shot and man-of-the-match Ronaldo and co. escaped with a point. The result left Ghana as the only one of the six African teams playing in this first ever World Cup in Africa to have won their opening first round match. Group G favourites Brazil take on North Korea later  on Tuesday.

All Whites snatch historic point

A stoppage time equaliser by defender Winston Reid saw New Zealand claim the first World Cup point in their history with a 1-1 draw with Slovakia on Tuesday.

The All Whites, who lost all three matches in their only other finals appearance in 1982, looked destined for defeat after Robert Vittek had headed Slovakia into a 50th minute lead in the Group F match. But three minutes into injury time, Reid popped up at the back post to head Shane Smeltz’s cross in off the post to deny Slovakia victory in their first World Cup match as an independent nation.

“You would have to say this is our best ever result. We have never picked up a point in a World Cup before,” said New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert, who played in Spain 28 years ago.

With Slovakia struggling to get their passing game going, it was the All Whites who had the better of the chances before Reid found the net.

The draw was indeed no more than what New Zealand deserved from a scrappy encounter in which Slovakia did little that will worry group rivals Italy or Paraguay, who also drew 1-1 when they met on Monday.

Published in the Express Tribune, June 16^th, 2010.