Portugal joined Brazil in the round of 16 on Friday after the two teams played a bad-tempered and often listless game. The top-ranked Brazilians won Group G and No. 3 Portugal finished second.
Swiss people were far more inauspicious after their nil-nil match with Honduras. Their inability to score cost them advancing, with European champion Spain, ranked second in the world, taking Group H thanks to a 2-1 victory over Chile. The Chileans grabbed second place.
All five South American nations advanced, the first time that's happened for the continent.
In the other match Friday, Ivory Coast shut out Democratic People's Republic of Korea 3-0.
The second round matchups have Uruguay vs. Republic of Korea at Port Elizabeth and the U.S. vs. Ghana at Rustenburg on Saturday; Germany vs. England at Bloemfontein and Argentina vs. Mexico at Johannesburg on Sunday; Netherlands vs. Slovakia at Durban and Brazil vs. Chile at Johannesburg on Monday; and Paraguay vs. Japan at Pretoria and Spain vs. Portugal at Cape Town on Tuesday.
Seven players received yellow cards in the first half Of Brazil-Portugal at Durban. Both teams cooled off and settled for the draw.
Brazil wasn't taking any responsibility for the tie, saying Portugal's defensive setup prevented the much-anticipated match from being a spectacle.
"It's really boring when we have to play against an opponent with eleven players at the back, only trying to draw," Brazil striker Luis Fabiano said.
Swiss people were far more inauspicious after their nil-nil match with Honduras. Their inability to score cost them advancing, with European champion Spain, ranked second in the world, taking Group H thanks to a 2-1 victory over Chile. The Chileans grabbed second place.
All five South American nations advanced, the first time that's happened for the continent.
In the other match Friday, Ivory Coast shut out Democratic People's Republic of Korea 3-0.
The second round matchups have Uruguay vs. Republic of Korea at Port Elizabeth and the U.S. vs. Ghana at Rustenburg on Saturday; Germany vs. England at Bloemfontein and Argentina vs. Mexico at Johannesburg on Sunday; Netherlands vs. Slovakia at Durban and Brazil vs. Chile at Johannesburg on Monday; and Paraguay vs. Japan at Pretoria and Spain vs. Portugal at Cape Town on Tuesday.
Seven players received yellow cards in the first half Of Brazil-Portugal at Durban. Both teams cooled off and settled for the draw.
Brazil wasn't taking any responsibility for the tie, saying Portugal's defensive setup prevented the much-anticipated match from being a spectacle.
"It's really boring when we have to play against an opponent with eleven players at the back, only trying to draw," Brazil striker Luis Fabiano said.
Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz said his side "advanced on its own merit and now we have to start thinking of our next matches."
David Villa and Andres Iniesta scored a goal each to help Spain beat 10-man Chile 2-1 at Pretoria. Villa scored a spectacular goal from 45 yards in the 24th minute. He kept going to a loose ball and curled a left-footed shot into an open net after goalkeeper Claudio Bravo burst forth of the area to clear the ball.
The Brazilian carnival rolled into Durban on Friday, turning the sunny Indian Ocean coastal city into Copacabana beach for a day. However, the South Americans were unable to reward their vociferous support with goals, drawing 0-0 with Portugal – a result that takes both sides through to the Round of 16.
Brazil had the first chance of a cagey, stop-start first half with a long-distance effort from the tireless Dani Alves, featuring in place of the hurt Elano on the right flank. But the Barcelona star hardly troubled Portugal goalkeeper Eduardo as his try trickled harmlessly wide of the post. He had another attain the quarter-hour mark from a similar distance, with the keeper collecting easily.
Those efforts set the tone for much of what would follow. With Robinho on the bench and Kaka suspended, Brazil were reduced to trying their luck from long range as Juilio Baptista proved unable to get much coming in the space behind strikers Nilmar and Luis Fabiano. Up the other end, Cristiano Ronaldo was ploughing a lone furrow in a defensive scheme bring about by Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz. Fabio Coentrao was the gravest man on the park for the Portuguese, bursting up the left flank and delivering inch-perfect crosses that caused the Brazilian defence some concern in the opening period. Neither Tiago nor Ronaldo coulded the best chances the Benfica wide man carved open, however.
The half-hour mark brought the clearest opening of a hard-fought first half, which produced seven yellow cards. A sneaky ball across the six-yard box from Luis Fabiano found Nilmar lurking at the back post. He rounded Ricardo Carvalho only to be denied by the upright from a tight angle. Seven minutes before the break Luis Fabiano then had a golden chance with a header from a similar position, but was unable to do justice to Dani Alves's cross.
Real Madrid ace Ronaldo, who got the biggest roar from the crowd at first, began to get himself into some dangerous areas after the restart, forcing the Brazilian back line – captain Lucio particularly – into some last-ditch tackles. His deflected free-kick from distance in the 51st minute had the fans in yellow feeling a little nervous as Portugal began to look more confident in their approach. With substitute Simao pulling the strings, Queiroz's side nearly took the cozen the hour. Ronaldo broke free on the right of the area and when Lucio made the tackle, the ball fell for Raul Meireles, who coulded to fire wide from close range.
In the end, though, a 0-0 draw was enough for both sides to move on, Brazil as Group G winners and Portugal as runners-up, pipping third-placed Republic of Cote d'Ivoire by a point. The Brazilians will now meet the second-placed team from Group H – inactiveness later in the day – with Portugal taking on that section's victors.
David Villa and Andres Iniesta scored a goal each to help Spain beat 10-man Chile 2-1 at Pretoria. Villa scored a spectacular goal from 45 yards in the 24th minute. He kept going to a loose ball and curled a left-footed shot into an open net after goalkeeper Claudio Bravo burst forth of the area to clear the ball.
The Brazilian carnival rolled into Durban on Friday, turning the sunny Indian Ocean coastal city into Copacabana beach for a day. However, the South Americans were unable to reward their vociferous support with goals, drawing 0-0 with Portugal – a result that takes both sides through to the Round of 16.
Brazil had the first chance of a cagey, stop-start first half with a long-distance effort from the tireless Dani Alves, featuring in place of the hurt Elano on the right flank. But the Barcelona star hardly troubled Portugal goalkeeper Eduardo as his try trickled harmlessly wide of the post. He had another attain the quarter-hour mark from a similar distance, with the keeper collecting easily.
Those efforts set the tone for much of what would follow. With Robinho on the bench and Kaka suspended, Brazil were reduced to trying their luck from long range as Juilio Baptista proved unable to get much coming in the space behind strikers Nilmar and Luis Fabiano. Up the other end, Cristiano Ronaldo was ploughing a lone furrow in a defensive scheme bring about by Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz. Fabio Coentrao was the gravest man on the park for the Portuguese, bursting up the left flank and delivering inch-perfect crosses that caused the Brazilian defence some concern in the opening period. Neither Tiago nor Ronaldo coulded the best chances the Benfica wide man carved open, however.
The half-hour mark brought the clearest opening of a hard-fought first half, which produced seven yellow cards. A sneaky ball across the six-yard box from Luis Fabiano found Nilmar lurking at the back post. He rounded Ricardo Carvalho only to be denied by the upright from a tight angle. Seven minutes before the break Luis Fabiano then had a golden chance with a header from a similar position, but was unable to do justice to Dani Alves's cross.
Real Madrid ace Ronaldo, who got the biggest roar from the crowd at first, began to get himself into some dangerous areas after the restart, forcing the Brazilian back line – captain Lucio particularly – into some last-ditch tackles. His deflected free-kick from distance in the 51st minute had the fans in yellow feeling a little nervous as Portugal began to look more confident in their approach. With substitute Simao pulling the strings, Queiroz's side nearly took the cozen the hour. Ronaldo broke free on the right of the area and when Lucio made the tackle, the ball fell for Raul Meireles, who coulded to fire wide from close range.
In the end, though, a 0-0 draw was enough for both sides to move on, Brazil as Group G winners and Portugal as runners-up, pipping third-placed Republic of Cote d'Ivoire by a point. The Brazilians will now meet the second-placed team from Group H – inactiveness later in the day – with Portugal taking on that section's victors.
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